Greer Garson: A Flashback

(I’ll be as cool and as nonchalant as ever in writing this entry)

It was a flash of lightning the moment I saw her graze the screen of our TV. The year was 2008. I’ve never actually seen Pride and Prejudice before, and yes, I am honest to say that I admired Greer too late.

Greer was born in 1904. I have confirmed this when I started reading the first pages of her amazing and only biography by Michael Troyan. That would make her 107 today. I was glad I saw her in Pride and Prejudice first, because it established this perfectly good-looking English lady in my mind as someone I would be proud to say I am a fan of. It’s strange to say that I saw P&P and Goodbye, Mr. Chips first before moving on to her more famous movies, the likes of Mrs. Miniver and Random Harvest. I say it’s strange because if one has seen a documentary about her, and found out that she won best actress in Mrs. Miniver, then he would have liked or anticipated to see Mrs. Miniver immediately! I didn’t. I don’t know why.

I did see her in Mrs. Miniver only after having known that it was available online. I cherish the moment I saw her in it, for the first time as Kay Miniver, trying to find a way of telling Walter Pidgeon’s character what she bought that day. I was laughing when they both were in the dinner table discussing the events that happened. Of course, I cannot blame myself for being disappointed when I found out Richard Ney was the actor who played her son and was her 2nd husband. It just doesn’t seem fit a relationship, that’s all.

That is why when I began reading in the book about Elijah Fogelson, or Buddy, meeting her for the first time and  telling her one of the most romantic lines I’ve ever read in a book, “I’m going to marry you” or something rather. I was so flustered that I literally fell off my bed after reading that part. I knew that Buddy meant her well and that she’ll be absolutely happy with him as her partner for the rest of her life. I certainly wish I can find someone like him, and maybe have the looks of Walter Pidgeon, too! He just fitted the picture in Greer’s life as the favorite co-star.

I saw Blossoms in the Dust only because I knew it would be in technicolor. Dorothy Killgalen once said in one of those What’s My Line episodes that Greer has a glorious face in technicolor that one cannot see in black and white. She is right. I saw several pictures of her in color, and it was amazing. I can’t quite imagine a Greer Garson in blonde hair. She wore that titian or flaming red hair so perfectly in Blossoms in the Dust that I completely forgot how sad the movie is. Walter died near the end. Greer was to go on without him, saving children from illegitimacy. It moved me to tears the second time I saw it. It’s just too much for me to handle. I didn’t even finish it!

I only finished it the 3rd time I saw it. And it proved to me that Greer was the kindest person on earth (even though I have absolutely no idea what kind of person she is or was) and that I adore her. She’s one of my favorite actresses. Walter was very ideal a man for me. Tall, handsome, but not dark. His voice is divine. Imagine hearing a voice like that courting you in a moonlit night! I can faint in his arms instantly. 😛

I then saw the rest of the Garson-Pidgeon films. Madame Curie was the most intellectual of all. I learned a lot of things from it, scientifically and emotionally. I say emotionally because I realized that Science does not and cannot in any way interfere with the glorious relationship of two people who knew they loved each other very much. I saw Greer’s Marie cry so very badly when she found out her husband Pierre died. How unexpected was that? Mrs. Parkington wasn’t a huge favorite, seeing Gus being such a scoundrel. He learned his lesson in the end, though. That’s what I loved about it. Agnes Moorehead was amazingly beautiful in it, too! Julia Misbehaves is one of my personal favorites. I just enjoy seeing Greer and Walter dance in rags and picnic covers. Such a cute onscreen couple, if you ask me!

Random Harvest was Greer’s favorite of her films. I can understand why. It was one of those movies that would move you to tears if you place yourselves in Paula Ridgeway’s position. It’s a good thing Charles remembered everything in the end. Paula would have been miserable for the rest of her life!

When Ladies Meet. Who could forget the ever lovingly beautiful Greer Garson in this Robert Taylor-Joan Crawford film? She is certainly better-looking than Joan, in many ways, but I like Joan in some ways, too, so I cannot be biased in either of them. I don’t know what it is but there’s something about Greer that makes me believe I’ve met her before in another life. If that is so, then I must have been very lucky!

Of course, there are other movies one can see her at her best. Goodbye, Mr. Chips was one of them. “Hello!” was her first line here. And it amused me so much when she entered the faculty room and surprised Mr. Chipping’s colleagues. She was supposed to pour out the tea, but they insisted on treating her as a special guest that they did it themselves. I was sorry when she died in the film, though. That waltz was one of the best scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. It should have continued until the very end of the film.

 

I have yet to see some of her films. I saw her last film with Walter only last night. Scandal at Scourie is a treasure. I absolutely adored it. I’ll see it again tomorrow!

My absolute favorite picture of Greer!

I stumbled upon this picture only today. Isn’t she a beaut? I know I’m being too patronizing but she’s just one of the greatest people I’ve ever known about. I am happy because I read her biography. I’m happy I’ve seen some of her films. I’m happy because I’m one of those people who admire her as herself and as an actress. I just wish others will find her great!