writings from the universe next door
I think about this gorgeous Kurt Weill-Ogden Nash song every year as the summer sun spills honey on the earth, and, life slows for rare moments of ease and magic. “Speak Low” was written for the play, One Touch of Venus, which was made into a film in 1948 starring Ava Gardner, as Venus, the goddess whose allure and influence are irresistible, and all too brief.
Sit back, have a drink, and enjoy.
©️ 2026 All Rights Reserved
Thank you so much, dear Nan! That’s so kind! I’ve been enchanted by this song since childhood, when I first saw the film, and love it even more now. It was a surprise to me then that Ogden Nash had penned those lyrics, but, of course, even his humorous work has an unmistakeable depth to it. I hope you’ll check out the film, if you get the chance. It’s shamelessly romantic fluff, but utterly delightful fluff.
LikeLike
I will have to check out the movie, and hey, I like fluff. It sounds like great fun and you have piqued my interest.
One of my favorite movies is The Last Romantic Lover. It is pure fluff. I first saw it back in 1980-81 on HBO in both dubbed and subtitled French versions. I actually have a VHS copy now that is in French. Fortunately, I know (watched it many times) the story well enough and have a high school education in French so can follow it without even understanding all the French. Alas, if I could only get it in a DVD version, dubbed in English…I’d certainly waste too much time watching it.
PS. did I use the right homonym?
You did! But, gosh, i don’t think i ever saw that film! Now I’ll have to look for it! Thanks for the recommendation! Just checked, and it’s streaming free on Amazon Prime Video, as well as Tubi. Fingers crossed that it’s dubbed!
LikeLike
Leave a comment