My ND brain: The Naked Gun and Romanovsky & Phillips.
Talk of the new version of ‘The Naked Gun‘ led to me thinking that the original version starred Leslie Nielsen who also starred in ‘Airport‘. Nielsen and his elder brother Erik (a long-time member of Parliament) were born in Canada (as was I) to immigrant parents.
The source material for that movie was one of a number of ‘procedural novels’ written by Arthur Hailey. Hailey was born in the UK, lived for years in Canada, and eventually moved to the US as his novels became huge sellers, and open to adaptation.
Unlike Nielsen, he retired to the Bahamas.
I don’t recall the term ‘procedural’ being used when I read Hailey’s novels in my youth (1970s and ’80s). But the incredible amount of detail, and the research that apparently went in to each book, fed my detail-oriented brain. Modern procedural TV shows don’t seem to have the same level of research (my opinion) and focus far too much on the humans. Not that Hailey’s books ignored them. Perhaps I was just able to tune out what was very hetero-centric lives?
Side tangent- I didn’t mind that the serious novel was turned into a comedy film- for the same reason that I can enjoy Hollywood’s farcical version of Anne Rice’s ‘Exit to Eden‘ (originally published under a pseudonym)- they are funny.
BTAIM (be that as it may) my brain then pulled out a quote from ‘The Moneychangers‘ – well, a paraphrase. My complete (at the time) collection of Arthur Hailey novels did not make the move down to the USA.
Side tangent- I must see how many titles the Columbus Public Library carries, and see if revisiting old favourites will get me back into reading fiction.
The quote is from a member of a loan approval committee saying something to the effect of ‘when considering large business loans I knock of the last 3 zeros so it’s just like buying another house‘.
And that made me think of how a left-leaning (very loosely defined) wealthy person should consider whether to sponsor Family of Lovers a quick and easy YES. All the more so if they’re a young(ish) gay person who now benefits, however indirectly, from the struggles of my generation of queer folk.
The median house price here in central OH is currently US$289,900 and that would get both Family of Lovers and WIMP funded and preserve the musical and societal importance of R&P.
Note I don’t include Wiki (or other off-site) links I might’ve followed- trying not to overwhelm.
