So sing a silly little rhyme and have a cup of coffee

Hello everyone! I'm Sally from Flying Down to Hollywood! I'm doing a spontaneous guest post for Emma today. It's a spotlight on a musical number from a lesser known MGM musical: Yolando and the Thief (1945). The song is called "Coffee Time" and is performed by Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer. I'm currently reading a book about the MGM musicals produced by Arthur Freed (it's a fascinating read by Hugh Fordin) and I learned some things about this number.

found here.

Well, mainly, that the costume designer, Irene Sharaff would often design her costumes with a backdrop in mind. There are pictures of her designs with a doodle of a set in the background. This being the case, she was, in part, responsible for some of the set designs for the films she worked on. When she designed the costumes for this number, she decided to make the principal color cafe au lait. She then decided that the costumes would work best on a contrasting floor and she, herself, sketched the pattern on the floor for the studio painters. How crazy is that? I love that one woman made such a difference in these productions. In my opinion, the floor is a major component in this scene. It makes the whole floor pop and I'm left figuring out whether or not the floor is actually moving like that (it isn't). Anyway, enough of my chatter. Here's "Coffee Time."

Exquisite Photography

One of my very favorite bloggers, Sally, is considering opening up an Etsy shop to sell her photography. She takes gorgeous photos, filled with striking colors and shapes, that capture a magical moment in time.

Go by her blog, Pimpernel Photography, and let her know which of the photos you love and give her the encouragement you are all so marvelous at giving!

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Guest Blog Post from Sally of Flying Down to Hollywood!

The marvelous Sally from Flying Down to Hollywood, a perfectly marvelous blog (you really ought to visit her! Her blog is tons of fun.) about old movies (with some new thrown in from time to time!) has been kind enough to agree to do a guest post! Thank you, Sally!

First of all, I’d like to thank Emma for this wonderful opportunity to be a guest blogger! This is my first time guest blogging and I feel very honored! Now, I was trying to figure out what to write and I finally decided to blend my love of old movies with Emma’s recent song sketch. The result? Audrey Hepburn!


Audrey Hepburn is easy to love; you don’t even have to know anything about her to love her. Her beauty, sexiness, and sophistication are apparent, making her easy to admire. Her appeal spans generations as the college dorms filled with Audrey Hepburn posters and photos will attest.
Many of Audrey Hepburn’s roles are famous in their way and show a side to her that audiences enjoy relating to. Roman Holiday (1953), for instance, was her first major film. The princess she plays in the film is a wonderful blend of independence and romance, of responsibility and spontaneity. (Two fascinating sidenotes about this film: she won an Oscar for her role in it; Gregory Peck didn’t like the idea of playing opposite an unknown actress but, after meeting the unknown actress, fought for her to get equal billing.) Her style, vulnerability, and eccentricity in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) have helped in her icon-like status. Her spunky Jo Stockton in Funny Face (1957) proved that beauty and brains can blend together into a delightful package. This film contained such classic moments as the photograph with the balloons (shown here) and her memorable dancing, which was featured in a Gap ad.


Now, when you think of My Fair Lady (1964), it’s a slightly different story, somehow. It’s still Audrey Hepburn. She’s still elegant, beautiful, and spunky. The controversy over her as a casting choice (many argued that Julie Andrews should have reprised her Broadway role as Eliza Doolittle) helped My Fair Lady to be more or less forgotten as an Audrey Hepburn classic. She was overlooked when the Academy Awards rolled around (ironically, Julie Andrews won for Mary Poppins) and today, those same college students who apply Holly Golightly to their walls forget that she was even in My Fair Lady.

So, I highly recommend revisiting the film and wonder why Audrey Hepburn did not earn at least an Oscar nod, marvel at her beauty, and either laugh or groan (depending on your perspective) at the final line. And along the way, or perhaps just afterwards, I highly recommend revisiting Emma’s beautiful rendition of Wouldn’t it be Loverly?