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mexcine · 3 years

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I’m All Right Jack (1959) review: I’m All Right Jack was reportedly the most popular British film of the year of its release, and has maintained its critical reputation in the decades since. While I found it interesting and entertaining, I was slightly underwhelmed by the film, largely due to several structural aspects of the film’s narrative.

The basic plot: Stanley Windrush, an Oxford graduate and a former serviceman, is the “poor relation” of a wealthy family and decides to “enter business” as a management trainee. However, he’s naïve, clumsy and outspoken, and is repeatedly rejected by various companies. Finally, his uncle Tracepursel suggests Stanley seek employment at Missiles Ltd. (a company Tracepursel owns), but as an ordinary worker. Stanley innocently clashes with the plant’s unions, but head steward Fred Kite (who has pretensions to be an intellectual analyst of the capitalist system) offers to rent Stanley a room in his own house and educate him in the ways of the working class. Spotting Kite’s sexy daughter Cynthia (who also works at the plant), Stanley accepts the offer of lodging. [This has little or no bearing on the plot, as Stanley and Kite have almost no interaction after this; and as noted below, even Stanley’s romance with Cynthia is jettisoned at the conclusion.]

Meanwhile, unbeknowst to Stanley, Tracepursel is conspiring with Sidney De Vere Cox to have Missiles Ltd. default on a contract to supply arms to a Middle Eastern nation so that Cox’s company can take over the contract (at a higher price, which they’ll split amongst themselves and buyer’s agent Mr. Mohamed). When Stanley unknowingly cooperates with a “time-and-motion” study man and reveals that Missile Ltd’s employees could work much harder, Kite calls a strike. This soon spreads across the nation, including to Cox’s company, so the scheme has worked too well. Tracepursel urges plant manager Major Hitchcock to negotiate with Kite to end the strike; since Stanley’s removal is a condition for a resolution, Cox tries to bribe Stanley with a bag of cash to “resign for reasons of health.” During a television broadcast about the strike, Stanley denounces both sides of the dispute as corrupt, and tosses the money into the air, which provokes a brawl among the studio audience. Stanley is arrested for his actions, chastised, and put on probation for a year. As the film concludes, he’s living at a nudist colony with his aged father.

One of the main flaws of I’m All Right Jack is that the film changes focus throughout—it’s not necessarily a case of an “ensemble cast,” the film almost literally switches back and forth between protagonists. Stanley Windrush seems to be the protagonist, but at a certain point—when Missiles Ltd. goes on strike—he almost literally vanishes from the screen for an extended period of time, and is replaced in the spotlight by union steward Fred Kite. There are also extended sequences focusing on Sidney De Vere Cox and Mr. Mohamed, with lesser footage (more traditional use of supporting characters) allotted to Tracepursel and Major Hitchcock, while Aunt Dolly appears only briefly and without much effect on the plot. A more traditional film would have centered on Windrush throughout, but his disappearance for much of the middle section of the picture makes the conclusion feel forced. I’m All Right Jack has a curious, “unhappy ending”—Stanley is reprimanded in court, and is last seen being pursued by amorous female tennis players at a nudist resort, his relationship with Cynthia Kite apparently terminated (she’s last seen, weeping, while Stanley is being dressed down by the judge, suggesting she still cares for Stanley).

Additionally, I’m All Right Jack has a needlessly complex and somewhat illogical plot. As noted above, Tracepursel and Cox’s scheme to have Missiles Ltd. default on an arms contract so Cox can take over the contract (at a higher price that will allow for kickbacks to those involved). Apparently as part of this plot, Tracepursel has his ineffectual nephew Stanley Windrush hired by Missiles Ltd. As it develops, Stanley’s naïveté results in a massive strike that shuts down Missiles Ltd. (but then spreads to Cox’s company and in fact nation-wide), but this was not something Tracepursel could have anticipated. He gives Stanley no instructions or advice, and it’s only purest luck that Stanley’s actions cause a strike--he’s by no means an agent provocateur (despite Kite’s accusation of him being exactly that) even unwittingly. He just clueless. Any number of alternate outcomes could have occurred as a result of his hiring.

There is some confusion about the film’s setting: it seems to be contemporary to 1959 when it was produced (the most notable auto in the film is Stanley’s tiny, 3-wheel 1958 Heinkel Kabine), but this would mean Stanley—who served in WWII in Private’s Progress (1956), which features the characters of Stanley, Major Hitchcock, Tracepursel, and Cox—is still unemployed nearly 15 years after the war is over, and is probably pushing 40 (in real life, Ian Carmichael was born in 1920 and did serve in WWII), which seems out of character. The narrator [E.V.H. Emmett, well-known in the UK as a newsreel narrator] specifically says “Industry! With tremendous opportunities for the young man…”

This is not to suggest I’m All Right Jack is a bad film—it’s amusing and well-acted, and contains a significant number of interesting ideas. Barbs are tossed at unions, management, the government, political parties, advertising (detergent Detto and snack bar Num-Yums, both with obnoxious jingles), and so on. Unionism is attacked mercilessly: Missiles Ltd. has 2 unions, so if one is granted higher wages, the other can request an increase in pay, and then the first one has its turn again, etc. Stanley stumbles across a group of men who play cards all day in a hidden spot (they can’t be fired but have no work to do), the unions resist cooperating with time-and-motion studies and reportedly assaulted a previous investigator, and so on. While management and ownership is also depicted as corrupt and/or inept, this could be explained away by labeling Tracepursel and Cox as anomalies. Working-class opinion presumably supports the principles of the strike (although the most prominent union members shown are Kite’s toadies, and his own wife is certainly not on his side, as she leaves him!), large crowds—whose placards identify them as the “Housewives League” and “Empire Loyalists”--are shown applauding Stanley’s actions (“Three cheers for Mr. Churchill and Stanley Windrush!”) as they sing “Land of Hope and Glory.” The conservative “Daily Express” newspaper headline reads “Salute Stanley Windrush,” while the Labour-oriented tabloid “Daily Mirror” has a large photo of Stanley and Cynthia (emphasizing her bust) and the clever “Stanley Strikes Lucky” headline (referring to his romance with Cynthia). Tracepursel says Stanley has the press on his side--some papers for ideological reasons, but others apparently only interested in gossip.

The political content of I’m All Right Jack is mild and even-handed (basically, a plague on both houses). Curiously, Ian Carmichael also appeared in Left Right and Centre in 1959, a film that’s focused more specifically on politics and while it’s still balanced in its depiction of the political parties in the UK—the protagonists are more or less evenly split between Conservative and Labour—it points out the differences between them more clearly than I’m All Right Jack.

Trivia note: I was mildly shocked to see some nudity in I’m All Right Jack, in the opening and closing nudist camp scenes. It’s bare rear-only nudity (and only of women), shown from a distance and in a non-sexual manner, but it was surprising nonetheless.

I’m All Right Jack is well-made and has a strong cast. The comedy is mostly subtle and character-based: the chief exception to this is Stanley’s slapstick tour of the Num-Yum factory, in which he’s repeatedly urged to sample the product and finally ends up vomiting into a mixing machine. The film briefly pokes fun at advertising (the “Detto” detergent and “Num-Yum” billboards and musical jingles) but drops this rather abruptly. Not all of the verbal and character humour works—one of Kite’s union cronies stutters, and the “joke” is that you think he’s going to say a profane word based on the first letter but he doesn’t (“F-f-f-f…friend”).

Ian Carmichael was somewhat typecast as a well-meaning but naïve and bumbling member of the upper class, and he is reasonably effective here. Peter Sellers’ Fred Kite is a much more complex character, mispronouncing large words, lauding the Soviet Union, reminiscing fondly about the “very good toast and preserves they give you at tea time” at Oxford (where he attended a summer session in 1946). When his wife (well-played by Irene Handl) and daughter Cynthia (Liz Fraser, also good) leave him, Fred’s home life goes to blazes (sink full of unwashed dishes, etc.) and he gains additional audience sympathy (although he isn’t a really unsympathetic character earlier, just a self-important and overly enthusiastic labour union representative). Dennis Price, Terry-Thomas, Richard Attenborough, and Margaret Rutherford have clearly-defined supporting roles and play them straight. Further down in the cast in very minor roles are Esma Cannon, Wally Patch, and John Van Eyssen (who appeared as Jonathan Harker in Horror of Dracula, 1958, if you’re wondering why he looks familiar).

I’m All Right Jack is a fine, entertaining film but perhaps slightly over-rated in terms of its overall importance. Still, recommended.

#British comedy #british cinema #comedy film #Unions

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mariequitecontrarie · 4 years

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The New Girl

Summary: David talks Gold into attending Storybrooke’s annual spring fair, and Belle has to sit in Gold’s lap in the car on the way there. Notes: For @rumbelleishope, an excuse for awkward Rumbelle mutual pining and Charming Gold friendship moments. Part of Cufflinks, but you don’t have to read the series. Rating: T

On AO3

Gold peered at his laptop screen with a frown.

The error-riddled marketing proposal for Seven Dwarves Landscaping wasn’t going to correct itself, but the juicy crunching sound coming from his doorway wasn’t going away, either. Someone was eating right outside his office.

With a disgusted sigh, he pushed up the glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose. This would be the last time he tried to work with the door open. Open door policy indeed. Regina and he were overdue for another conversation about office dynamics. It would be short, simple, and to-the-point: he would make the rules and everyone else could follow them.

He clenched his jaw and tapped the keyboard with renewed vengeance, hoping to drown out the annoying noise.

Finally, the crunching abated. Blessed silence. And then, “Hey, Mr. Gold.”

“Nolan, you chew like a Missouri fox trotter,” he said, without taking his attention from the screen.

“How’d you know it was me?”

David sounded so impressed that Gold looked up from the overdue proposal. The company’s Director of Advertising was leaning against the doorjamb holding a paring knife and a shiny apple. “Since you’re here and clearly not busy, go fetch the centerspread for the Storybrooke Social,” Gold ordered. “And close the door on your way out.”

Satisfied that he’d shooed Nolan away, Gold resumed his work.

But the chewing started again, only this time, Nolan had the nerve to amble in Gold’s direction and make himself comfortable in the leather barrel chair opposite his desk.

“Fox trotter,” David said when he finally swallowed, “that’s a hell of a horse.”

Gold snorted. “It wasn’t meant to be a compliment.”

“Because if you like races, Mary Margaret’s parents have box seats to-”

He held up a hand to stop the invitation midstream. “I don’t socialize.” He didn’t care how well connected Nolan’s future in-laws were. And for reasons he couldn’t understand, the younger man was always inviting him somewhere.

“Right. I forgot.” David furrowed his brow, then grinned. “Why is that again?”

“Because I’m working. You should try it sometime.” Gold’s glasses slipped down his face again, and this time he used it to his advantage. “Get the spread,” he said, looking down his nose at Nolan.

“I’m on it,” David said. But instead of heading toward his own office, he stretched his long legs and carved off another wedge of the fruit. “Apple?” he offered, holding a perfect crescent out on the tip of the knife.

“No, thank you.”

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask.” He paused to swallow. “How do you like the new girl?”

Gold pursed his lips. Should he propose a six-month or a 12-month contract? “New girl? What new girl?”

“You know,” Nolan gestured with his knife. “Brunette, petite, blue eyes. She has the workspace next to Ruby.”

He pushed the laptop to the side, knowing a lost cause when he saw it.

They hadn’t hired anyone new since...Nolan couldn’t mean...He swallowed reflexively. ”Belle French?”

“Yeah!” Nolan slapped his knee in recognition. “She’s great. Pretty too.” He smiled, a sparkle in his eyes.

The telltale redness of embarrassment crept up Gold’s neck and toward his ears. Thank God for his shaggy shoulder-length hair that covered their pointy red tips.

Pretty didn’t begin to describe Belle French. On most days, he had to take a cleansing breath simply to enter the conference room and sit down opposite her or walk past her desk. The mere mention of her name turned him into a blushing, sweaty mess. Belle was more than a lovely face, though. She was intelligent, capable, and had been hired to do a job, one she performed with mastery and infectious cheerfulness. All the clients loved her. But he was her boss. He had no business thinking of her in any way that wasn’t professional.

He coughed, trying to clear the thickness in his throat.

“Two things, Nolan. One, she has a name. It’s Belle French. Two, Miss French has worked here more than six months now, which hardly qualifies her as new. And three—”

“You said there were two.”

“And three,” he said, glowering with all the superiority he could muster. “This is a boutique marketing company of 50 employees of which you are advertising director. As such, we pay attention to details around here. We get to know our people. Miss French has been an employee here for some time. Do you even know her?”

“You make a good point.” Nolan nodded his enthusiasm. “People are the heart of the business and it’s important we spend time together.”

“Exactly.” He clasped his palms in satisfaction, wishing Regina were walking by to witness this conversation. She claimed he was a poor people manager, said he scared their employees away and they wouldn’t confide in him. But hadn’t Nolan approached him today? And here he was, teaching Nolan about the power of valuing people. If his methods were a touch severe, so what? This was the workplace, not his bloody grandfather’s house.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow, then? At Picnic in the Park.” Smiling, Nolan tossed his apple core into the wastebasket and stood. “What a fun way to get to know some of the people we work with.”

Gold swallowed heavily. Blast, he’d forgotten all about that dratted event.

Picnic in the Park was Storybrooke’s annual spring fling. It was a company-wide outing--Regina was crazy for them--and everyone was expected to attend. With its fried foods, rigged games, and death-trap of a Ferris wheel, Picnic in the Park was part fair, part carnival, and one hundred percent nightmare. There was even a dunk tank that Regina was threatening to make him sit in.

Gold eyed the letter opener on the corner of his desk. He would rather gouge out his eyes with the blunt end of the thing than go, but he’d just lectured Nolan about the importance of caring for the people one worked with. No, there was no backing out now.

The sparkle in Nolan’s eye had progressed to a gleam, leaving Gold with the distinct impression that he’d been played.

“Picnic in the Park.” Gold bit back a defeated groan. “Can’t wait.”

xoxo

The plan was to close the office and leave work early. As Gold’s rotten luck would have it, the day was clear and beautiful. Warm, but not hot, and a light breeze ruffled the Oxford shirt and jeans he’d changed into. He felt ridiculous and underdressed, but he wasn’t traipsing about in a field wearing his favorite Armani. If only he were a wizard, he could make it rain and spoil the entire occasion. Why couldn’t one of their high-maintenance clients call a meeting that questioned the entire future of the company?

Work was something he understood. Contracts, words, the fine point of a deal--business made him salivate. Social events made him ill at ease.

But Nolan had thrown down the proverbial gauntlet yesterday, and he had no choice but to assemble in the parking lot with the rest of the sheep. The sun beat down on the back of his head and he ground the tip of his cane into the asphalt with a long-suffering sigh.

Regina, never happier than when she was ordering people about, clapped her hands and blew a whistle.

“What, no megaphone?” he grumbled under his breath.

“Okay, team!” she shouted. “Parking is limited at the event, so we’re going to carpool. Fit as many people into as few vehicles as possible.”

Things seemed to happen quickly, as people swarmed around Gold and darted toward vehicles like an army of ants. All of them seemed to know what to do. All except him.

A white minivan pulled up a few feet away, driven by the unflappable Mary Margaret Blanchard. Beaming, she beeped the horn and waved at him. She was the only person he knew who could get away with driving a minivan that wasn’t filled with children and marching band equipment. David Nolan, her fiance, rolled down the front passenger side window and grinned.

Gold acknowledged him with a cool nod, yesterday’s charade with the apple still fresh in his mind. He’d been tricked into going to this event today and even worse, he’d been tricked into getting his boxers in a twist about Belle French. Nolan knew Belle quite well if the way they were ribbing each other in the breakroom yesterday afternoon was an indication.

The back door on the passenger side slid open. “Hurry up, Gold!” Regina called. Seated next to her in the middle was her girlfriend Emma Swan. Ruby Lucas and her boyfriend Archie Hopper were crowded together in the third row, their knees almost touching their chests.

On the opposite side of Emma sat Belle French, looking so fresh and lovely she eclipsed the beauty of the fine spring day. Her cheeks were a delicate shade of pink, and her chestnut brown hair curled around her shoulders and down her back. The shy smile she sent his way made his heart turn over.

“Gold,” Regina said again, “we’re waiting.”

Where was he to sit? The van was filled to bursting. “Why not rent a bus?” he asked with a wave of his hand.

“Great idea. Next year,” Regina promised, deliberately missing his sarcasm.

He took a half-step backward. “I don’t need to go.”

A chorus of protests met his excuse. “You have to come! Plenty of room! Gold, you can’t miss this!” Only Belle sat in silence, watching him. He wondered what she was thinking.

He squinted into the shade of the building, where his roomy Cadillac was parked.” “My car is right—”

“Not enough parking, Gold,” Regina reminded him. “Come on, everyone else is already on their way.”

“Emma,” Ruby piped up from the back, “why don’t you sit in Regina’s lap?”

Regina pinched her red lips into a thin line. “Em’s wearing dark jeans. I’m wearing white linen.”

Gold nodded in agreement. The delicate linen would stain and Regina would be a crumpled mess by the time they arrived. All the more reason for him to sit this one out. He threw a longing look toward his office windows, which seemed to wink in the sunlight, beckoning his return. “Really, it doesn’t—”

“Hey!” Emma exclaimed, “Here’s a thought. Belle, would you mind sitting in Gold’s lap? It’s not a long drive.”

Gold squeezed the head of his cane, wishing the pavement would open up and swallow him. Why would a sweet young woman like Belle want to sit in the lap of a crippled old grouch? He shot Emma a glare, annoyed with her for putting Belle in an awkward position.

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Belle replied. Her bright blue eyes seemed to search his face. “But only if Mr. Gold is comfortable.”

Seven sets of eyes were pinned on him, waiting for him to move. Regina tapped her manicured fingers on her thigh.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood on the warm asphalt frozen with indecision before Belle took action. She scurried out of the van and ushered him into her vacant seat with a gentle push.

The tan leather was warm from her body and smelled faintly of roses and mint. Even crowded in shoulder-to-shoulder with Emma Swan, he had to admit the seats were comfortable. Belle climbed in after him and sat down, straddling his thighs like a side-saddle. Her upper body was as straight as an arrow.

“Everyone ready?” Mary Margaret chirped.

Following a round of affirmatives, she set the van in motion and glided out of the lot.

“Is this okay?” Belle asked him quietly, settling more firmly in his lap as they made a right turn onto Highway 212.

“Yes,” he said, trying to sound neither put out nor too comfortable.

She was a delightful warmth against his body and his nerve endings zinged with the unexpected pleasure of holding her close. He thought back to the last time anyone had sat in his lap. Back when his son Neal was a little boy and loved to be bounced, they used to pretend Gold’s leg was a horse named Peggy.

Having Belle sitting in his lap was an altogether different feeling.

Unsure of what to do with his arms, he settled for letting his hands rest against the seat. The van hit a bump and Belle swayed to the side toward the window. He caught her around the waist, his fingertips digging lightly into the fabric of her blue sundress. He wondered if the skin beneath the dress was as warm and soft as the material.

She turned her head to offer him a private smile. “Thank you.”

Satisfied she was balanced, he reluctantly dropped his hands back onto the seat. He didn’t want to let go, but he could see no other reason to continue holding her.

Quiet conversations between the other three couples in the vehicle buzzed around them, but he was strangely unbothered by their presence. Instead, he focused on the woman in his arms. Her head was turned toward the window, her cheeks flushed. Up close, he was surprised by the length and thickness of her eyelashes. He also noticed she had a delightful habit of dragging her lower lip under her teeth, and it turned her plump lips a lovely shade of deep coral.

“You can lean back a bit if you like,” he offered. For some reason, it was important to him that Belle felt at ease. Maybe it was his ego, or maybe it was the confusing attraction he felt toward her--an attraction he decided was better left unexamined.

She settled back against his chest with a soft, contented sigh that sent a thrill up his spine.

At 5’7”, he wasn’t a tall man, but Belle was quite petite. If she were to lean back even more, her head would be resting against his shoulder. And if she turned toward him fully, he would be looking directly into her eyes.

He felt the stirrings of arousal, tamping down on his body’s reaction by biting the inside of his cheek. All she needed was to feel him poking her in the arse like some old lecher in a van filled with people.

Without warning, the van brakes squealed and Belle pitched backward. On reflex, his arms wrapped around her. At the same time, she twisted and threw her arms around his neck. Her breasts were crushed against his chest and her fresh, floral scent tickled his nostrils. He wasn’t sure if the rapid thudding he felt against his ribs was Belle’s heart or his.

“Everybody okay?” Emma asked, ever the policewoman. “Nice reflexes, Mary Margaret.”

Removing his nose from Belle’s hair, Gold looked up in time to see a family of deer scamper across the road.

“Sorry,” Belle whispered to the top of his head before she moved away.

“Quite all right, Miss French.” It was more than all right, which was a serious problem. Having Belle in his arms was quickly becoming habit-forming and he mourned the loss of her closeness.

From across the backseat, he saw Regina flash Emma a triumphant grin before she whipped her head back to stare out her window. He glared daggers at the back of her head.

Carpooling was turning out to be hazardous to his blood pressure.

xoxo

Belle dropped into the Ferris wheel cabin with a grunt, still dazed from her carpooling experience. They’d been here at Picnic in the Park for about thirty minutes, and she’d managed to avoid Mr. Gold for the entire time.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him, quite the opposite. When they’d piled out of the minivan and entered the carnival, she’d thought about asking him to join her for a game of skeeball or a funnel cake, but she didn’t want to prolong his misery any longer.

Although she knew he hadn’t wanted to ride with her sprawled across his lap, he’d been painfully polite about the entire episode. Ever the clumsy one, Belle had almost toppled headfirst into the side window, forcing him to catch her. And then when Mary Margaret slammed on the brakes to avoid a group of deer, she’d clung to his shoulders as though her life depended on it. Then she had held on for far too long, but she couldn’t seem to help it. The muscles of his shoulders were strong and smooth through the thin fabric of his shirt and he smelled divine. Like sandalwood and peaches and masculinity.

“Lonely rider!” the Ferris wheel attendant crowed, bringing her back to the present. “Single! Single!”

Belle winced as several people turned to stare at her sitting alone in the car, while everyone else was paired off. Riding alone was nothing to be ashamed of, but she didn’t want to be gawked at by everyone at the fair. “Do you have to yell it quite so loud?” she asked.

“Sure I do!” The attendant stroked his thick handlebar mustache with a grin. “Lonely rider! Single!”

Single . Belle groaned, wishing she had remembered to toss her well-loved copy of The Secret Garden in her purse. As the last person to be hired at Regal Marketing in the last six months, she was still fondly known as the new girl. The others at the office were friendly and fun, and they had made her feel like part of a large, silly family. But today almost everyone was paired off with their special someone and she was feeling single and new.

The only other single person in the office was Mr. Gold, and he barely knew she was alive.

A shadow fell over the Ferris wheel car and she looked up. There stood the man himself, shading his eyes from the sun, a bit of powdered sugar gracing his square chin.

“If you’ll permit me to join you, Miss French?” He offered a slight bow.

“Really?” This was more than unexpected. From the way she’d overheard him grumbling about the “death traps” at the carnival yesterday, she didn’t think he would care to ride. “Why, yes, kind sir, I would be delighted.”

He handed his cane to the attendant and took the swinging seat, settling beside her so their thighs touched. The attendant dropped the safety bar into place.

His long-fingered hands rested lightly on the bar, and the tiny silver cufflinks adorning wrists gleamed in the sunlight.

“It seems you’re to be my hero twice in one day, Mr. Gold,” she said, as the car began its slow ascent into the sky.

“Accompanying you on the Ferris wheel is hardly heroic. And it was you who saved me in the car. If you hadn’t given up your seat...”

“You’d have simply taken your own vehicle and driven home,” she finished. “Or perhaps turned around and gone back into the office?” From his conspicuous absence at office birthday lunches and bowling outings, it was clear he didn’t care to socialize with the members of the office.

His expression was severe and for a moment she worried she’d overstepped. Then his frown melted into a lopsided smile. “Touche, Miss French.”

Goosebumps spread over her skin, part relief, and part attraction. Gold’s silver-streaked hair and olive complexion made for a striking combination, but when he smiled his looks were positively devastating. For someone who never had a hair out of place and was always wearing a pressed suit with a coordinated silk tie, seeing him in jeans and his face decorated with powdered sugar only enhanced his appeal.

Why no one had snapped him up was a mystery, but selfishly she was glad. She’d been interested in him almost from the first day she’d started work at Regal. There was something magnetic about Gold that drew her closer, made her want to know him.

They stopped again about halfway up, the car see-sawing as another cabin was loaded, and Belle took the opportunity to study Gold’s profile in the bright afternoon light. He had a strong, sharp nose that looked infinitely kissable. The memory of his warm, strong hands on her waist in the van made her pulse skitter. “Out of curiosity, why did you board the wheel?”

“It should be fairly obvious, Miss French.” He waved over the expanse of the fairground below with another twisted smile. “I’m high on life.”

Belle giggled, then gripped his arm as the fully loaded wheel gained speed, carrying them around in circles, faster and faster.

By the time they reached the apex for the third time, her fingers were digging into his bicep and he touched her shoulder, moving his fingertips in a soothing circle. “Are you all right?”

“Oh yes,” she assured him, the wind rushing through her hair and lungs making her feel somewhat breathless. “I’m a bit afraid of heights.”

The glance he gave her was puzzled. “Then why ride the wheel?”

“For the adventure, of course.” She laughed, the exhilaration of the ride and the energy of the man beside her making her feel happy and carefree. “Why does that not surprise me?” His caramel eyes danced with amusement.

“My mother always says do the brave thing and bravery will follow,” she said. “Truth be told, most of my adventures have happened in books rather than real life.”

“I think it’s time to change that,” he said.

“Oh really?” She batted her lashes a bit, unable to resist the urge to flirt. “What do you have in mind?”

“Over there,” he said, pointing down to a large red tent on the ground, “are the best hamburgers in Maine. And once a year, at this event only, Mrs. Lucas does something rather shocking.”

“What?” she asked, her excitement mounting even as the wheel descended. Soon, it would be their turn to exit the car.

“Instead of using regular rolls, she sandwiches the hamburgers between…” Mr. Gold paused for dramatic effect, waving his hand with a flourish. “Glazed doughnuts.”

“Sounds like heaven,” Belle said. Her mouth watered with hunger; she hadn’t had anything to eat yet and the closer they got to the ground, the smells of buttery popcorn, sizzling meat, and fried, sugared dough became even more tantalizing.

Their Ferris wheel car approached the loading dock, coming to a stop with a rocking jolt.

“Lead the way, but first, there’s something I need to do.” She leaned toward him and carefully wiped his chin with her thumb. His eyes darkened at the contact and she swallowed a gasp. “Just a bit of sugar. From your first hamburger, perhaps?” she teased.

”Funnel cake,” he confirmed, an adorable flush creeping up his neck.“That’s been there the whole time, hasn’t it?

“I won’t tell a soul,” she promised, secretly delighted to discover that the oh-so-serious Mr. Gold had a sweet tooth.

They disembarked from the ride, Gold collected his cane, and they started in the direction of the hamburgers. “I hope you like ketchup,” he said.

“It’s one of my four major food groups,” she said with mock solemnity. “Along with iced tea, chocolate, and pickles.”

“Pickles, obviously,” he said. His soft laughter skidded over her, soaking into her bones like sunshine.

It was the first time she’d heard him laugh and she decided she liked the sound of it. Maybe she could get him to do it again before the day was through.

“Shall we?” He offered his arm and she took it, more than happy to allow him to guide her. The rides whirred, voices lifted in laughter and cheers, and the air crackled with glad expectation.

David passed by with Mary Margaret, each of them holding huge cones of cotton candy, and flashed her a wink. “It’s good to see you two having a good time,” he said.

“We are, Nolan, thank you.” Gold said pleasantly. He gave Belle’s arm a subtle squeeze.

Butterflies exploded in Belle’s stomach at the light pressure and she returned Gold’s lopsided grin with a bright smile of her own.

“Care to join us on the Tilt-a-Whirl?” David asked. “Afterward, we’re going to buy some candles from the convent. Mary Margaret helped make them this year.”

Belle’s good mood faltered a bit. She enjoyed David and Mary Margaret a lot, but she wanted to spend time with Mr. Gold. Alone. Alone in public, yes. But still. But before she could figure out how to respond without hurting their feelings, Gold was already answering.

“Can’t, thanks,” Gold replied. “The new girl and I have a date with a hamburger.”

Belle waved goodbye to Mary Margaret and David and sailed away with Gold, feeling like she was floating on a cloud.

Perhaps Mr. Gold could be interested in her after all.

###

#rumbelle #rumbelle fic #belle x mr. gold #rumbelle fluff #rumbelle is hope #mqc writes #the new girl #cufflinks

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hdmnews · 6 years

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Detailed character descriptions

From the same Deadline article, we got detailed character descriptions for the series’ cast:

Dafne Keen as Lyra Belacqua, an adventure-seeking 13-year old from a world that is both like and unlike our own. We meet Lyra as an orphan, having been raised in the sanctuary of Oxford’s illustrious Jordan College. Lyra is desperate to explore with her brilliant Uncle Asriel, until the fates intervene and she ends up on a thrilling and perilous journey of her own. A natural and adept liar, Lyra learns the value of honesty and lies when she becomes the owner of an extraordinary instrument that can tell the truth.

James McAvoy as Lord Asriel Belacqua, a brilliant scholar and a fearless explorer. Asriel is one of few who dare to undermine the powerful forces of Lyra’s world. His ambition is limitless and he will stop at nothing to achieve his ends.

Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic woman whose origins hold many secrets, and who has gained power in a patriarchal society against the odds. Intelligent and manipulative, Mrs. Coulter always needs to be in control; but her motivations are rarely as they seem.

Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, an aeronaut-for-hire who can keep his head in a crisis, although he is often getting himself embroiled in trouble.

Anne-Marie Duff as Ma Costa, a fiercely maternal, high-ranking gyptian. The disappearance of her youngest son Billy is the latest of an increasing number of missing children, and acts as a call to action for the gyptian people to find and rescue them.

Clarke Peters as The Master of Jordan College, a man who understands politics and is Lyra’s guardian as she grows up in Oxford.

Ariyon Bakare as Carlo Boreal, an authoritative political figure who works with the Magisterium, but keeps many secrets and knows which ears to whisper into to achieve power.

Will Keen as Father MacPhail, a high-ranking member of the Magisterium whose belief is so unwavering that he will preserve its position at any cost.

Ian Gelder as Charles the Librarian, a learned man and counsel to the Master of Jordan College, who helps to care for Lyra.

Georgina Campbell as Adèle Starminster, a bright and inquisitive journalist who seeks to uncover the truth about the mysterious Mrs Coulter.

Lewin Lloyd as Roger Parslow, the 12-year-old kitchen boy of Jordan College and Lyra’s best friend. Where Lyra is a natural liar, Roger is naturally honest and kind. Roger often acts as Lyra’s moral compass.

Lucian Msamati as John Faa, a plain-speaking warrior and king of the Western gyptians, a close-knit, nomadic and honourable people. John Faa leads a band of brave fighters to action when it becomes clear that the governing forces of their world will not help them get their missing children back.

James Cosmo as Farder Coram, a gyptian and key advisor to John Faa. As an elder member of the community, Coram brings knowledge and wisdom to the gyptians. He is a brave fighter with an extraordinary past.

Daniel Frogson as Tony Costa, the eldest son of the gyptian Ma Costa. At 15 years old, Tony’s daemon has just settled, marking him as having come of age. Tony has a gruff teenage exterior as he tries to step into adult shoes, but is also brave and kind.

Tyler Howitt as Billy Costa, the youngest son of gyptian Ma Costa.

Ruta Gedmintas as Serafina Pekkala, queen of the Lake Enara clan, a 300-year-old witch with ties to the gyptians. Serafina believes that Lyra is the answer to the witch prophecy that will change the course of destiny.

Mat Fraser as Raymond van Gerrit, a gyptian who joins the fight for the missing children but knows it will push their resources and capabilities to their limits, and worries that John Faa is getting them into a fight they cannot win.

Geoff Bell as Jack Verhoeven, a gyptian who is relied upon and trusted in a fight, but who has a chip on his shoulder because of the way that gyptians are treated by the rest of society.

Simon Manyonda as Benjamin de Ruyter, a gyptian and talented spy driven to find the whereabouts of the missing children.

#hdm #his dark materials #hdm news #hdm cast #hdm spoilers

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clarabosswald · 6 years

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POINTS OF INTEREST:

HBO has partnered with BBC, Bad Wolf, in which HBO owns a small stake, and New Line Cinema to co-produce the adaptation

Additionally, HBO has acquired the worldwide rights to the series outside of the UK

NEW DIRECTORS REVEALED: Euros Lyn (Episode 6) and Jamie Childs (Episodes 7 & 8)

DETAILED CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS REVEALED: