Over the holiday weekend, I finally had time to watch DRAGONWYCK (1946), which I had checked out of the library on DVD. Co-starring Vincent Price and Gene Tierney, this movie was based on a novel by Anya Seton. It was considered to be a kind of follow-up to REBECCA (1940), but the 1946 film was set in the 1840s and included material about the feudalistic patroon landholding system in the Hudson Valley (and made reference to the events that led to the system's ultimate demise).

I was surprised at how much like DS the movie seemed. The titular mansion (which is seen in various shots that are obviously paintings) actually does look somewhat like Lyndhurst, but the resemblances to our show have more to do with mood, dialogue, story elements, and atmosphere. The lead ingenue, played by Gene Tierney, has dialogue in an early scene about wanting to meet "people I've never met, places I've never seen" that seemed to foreshadow a certain young governess's thoughts as she boarded a train to Collinsport, Maine in 1966.

Apparently there were some heavy script cuts both during and immediately after filming. Two of the most interesting characters, a creepily mocking housekeeper (named Magda!) played by Spring Byington, and the disturbed daughter of the Patroon of Dargonwyck, simply disappear about two-thirds of the way through the picture, without any explanation.

If you scroll down here, a film buff mentions the influence of DRAGONWYCK on DS.

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/a-few-words-about-%E2%84%A2-dragonwyck.272533/

The movie seems to be shown somewhat regularly on TCM.

G.

For some reason, the date wasn't repeated in what I just posted, but it seems to be April 13.

Best wishes,

Gothick

"Memories" for us--but it would seem that thanks to the availability of the show on Decades (or is it "Me-TV"?) and "Amazon Prime," some new, younger and older fans, are getting into it. For them, it's all new.

Best, G.

Thanks, Philippe, for those notes. I did not look that carefully at the video of the snowglobe. It is just not my cup of tea (or glass of sherry).

I am glad you are happy with your gift!

Best, Gothick

Hi Gerard, I am not a personal friend of Jasmine's or the family's. People who know them as well as some fans have been writing to express support. Not al the messages have been terribly helpful but some have simply said that they support the decisions Jasmine and her husband have made and have hoped Denise could get better.

Jasmine has always been very gracious. I think she and Denise's son simply have come to the end of the line, for reasons she expresses quite eloquently in her writing I have shared here.

Best wishes, Gothick

Dear all,
I am posting Jasmine's latest update from a day or so ago on her social media page. I am sorry it is not good news.

Best wishes, Gothick

From Jasmine Nickerson:

Denise update:
Her hospital case manager says she's not any closer to coming home. Likely not for a few more days. And even after she's discharged, they want her to go back to rehab because she's regressing. $160/day while she's there.

She's being really hateful and agitated and the only thing they can do is sedate her. It's what we've been dealing with from her for awhile only we can't sedate her, we just have to let her be that way towards us. Denise acts out physically by hitting, and kicking, and spitting. That behavior was targeted towards just me for awhile but now she does it to whomever when she realizes she can't do and get what she wants when she wants it. Nurses, doctors, family. And Denise doesn't have any interests or "leverage" that we can punish her with for bad behavior other than turning off her tv and then she just takes a nap until we turn it back on and then she keeps us up all night.

We're coming to the reality that we don't think we can do this anymore. And it's devastating. We've only tried to make her comfortable and happy at her home surrounded by the things she likes and knows. That she could be with us as get family and not feel isolated in a "home." But this isn't working. We are left spinning our wheels everyday. Like, yes, the stroke negatively impacted her in significant ways, but her personality remained. The stroke caused damage to her movement and dexterity faculties but exacerbated the worst parts of her personality.

Josh and I have lived in grief and denial about this for a long time and have tried to make things work. We tried to convince ourselves that we could do this. We tried to do everything in our power to make sure that she was "good." But we are coming to the harsh reality that the best way to take care of her and take care of us is to find a new solution; for her to live in a facility that can care for her and me to go back to work so we don't end up homeless. Her staying is just putting herself in danger as she refuses to listen and us in danger as she is getting more brazen with her physical outbursts. All of her money will be depleted so she can go on Medicaid and we will sign legal rights for her care since we will no longer be in charge.

It feels like we've wasted a lot of time, money, and resources. I gave up my career. We went without health insurance until the beginning of this year when Josh could enroll us from the plan we lost when I abruptly quit to stay with her. We've put a lot of things in storage, drained our savings and 401ks to make ends meet, and put our lives and futures on hold. And even still we're guilty and broken that it's coming to this. We never wanted this for her. But we can't do it anymore.

I'm sorry. We tried.

Grayson Hall's 1966 French film, WHO ARE YOU, POLLY MAGOO? (QUI ETES-VOUS, POLLY MAGOO?) is now available for streaming on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Who-Are-You-Polly-Maggoo/dp/B073SGXXPZ

Grayson has four scenes in the film and speaks flawless French! You can hear some of Grayson's lines in this short soundscape item:  https://soundcloud.com/tokyoagent/cosmicolor-magnifique

G.

Wow, what a great photo. Is that where the Carolyn and Angelique funeral scenes were shot in hoDS and NoDS?

I wonder if that "installation" is permanent or is just something that somebody puts up whenever a DS fan group is being given a tour? I would think the latter.

Thanks for sharing this!

G.