When I was a small child in New Jersey both of my parents worked and I was often left in the care of my maternal grandmother Anna Gordon Knoll.
My grandmother always called me Jancsi (pronounced Yan-chee), which is an endearing variation of Janos - the Hungarian name for John.
I can still hear that name, lingering softly and gently in an echo of distant memories.
My maternal grandmother Anna
when she was young
(unfortunately the photo has some damage)
My grandmother sang when she worked around the house. It was an automatic habit that she did effortlessly - resurrecting old songs that I'd never heard before. She had a remarkably beautiful singing voice.
I remember one spring when I was four years old. It was right before Easter. We were in the attic of the house and Grandmom was sorting through some things that had been packed away.
The window was wide open and, along with warm sunlight, the heavenly scent of blossoms and flowers filled the air.
My grandmother started singing Over the Rainbow. I'd never heard the song before, but was overwhelmed by the beauty of it. Even at my young age, I sensed a pang of sweet sadness in the melody and a gentle nostalgic yearning in the words.
Ever since then, every time I hear the song I think of that moment.
The window in my grandmother's attic
It's incredibly ironic that the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow was almost omitted from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
Producer Mervyn Leroy thought it slowed down the film. He also said that the song was much more suited for a refined singer like Jeanette MacDonald.
And, such a song would never have been sung by a young girl in a Kansas barnyard.
Judy Garland's incomparable rendition not only made the song a classic, it was also awarded an Oscar for Best Original Song (written by Harold Arlen).
In my humble (and biased) opinion, I've always felt that the Over the Rainbow scene in The Wizard of Oz is one of the most perfect scenes ever filmed in cinematic history. There is something extremely satisfying about it.
Some trivia:
Victor Fleming and George Cukor are credited for directing The Wizard of Oz - but all the opening Kansas scenes including the Over the Rainbow scene were directed by King Vidor, who received no on-screen credit at all (Vidor directed some classic silent films, such as The Big Parade and The Crowd).
And some unrelated (boring?) notes:
I saw the original antique sewing machine that was used to make Judy Garland's outfits for The Wizard of Oz. It is on display at the Har-Ber Village Museum in Grove, Oklahoma.
When I lived in Hollywood, I saw several old movie sets from the Wizard of Oz, including the set from the poppy scene (where the characters fall asleep in a poppy field on their way to Oz).
An actor "close friend" of mine took me to see some of the ancient MGM back lot sets.
That was long ago. I don't know if any of the sets still exist.
The video clip of Over the Rainbow isn't mine. I lifted it from YouTube. It's best viewed full-screen.
This makes me want to watch Wizard again! Interesting background about that song; for sure, Judy Garland's rendition is a treasure. (Mine's probably an unpopular opinion, but I never cared for Iz Kamakawiwo'ole's version.) I love olden family photos! Your mother certainly resembled her, didn't she?
ReplyDeleteI never fully appreciated The Wizard of Oz until I was an adult. And - in my humble opinion - Judy Garland's rendition of Over the Rainbow is the only one that exists.
DeleteMy Mom did indeed resemble her mother. The Gordon women were truly beautiful.
I could not resist commenting. Perfectly written!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that!
DeleteThe film and song will always stay in my heart and memory. Thanks for sharing the video clip... it made my day.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the movie in several years. When I found that clip on YouTube, it really made my day, too!
DeleteGreat music, have you heard the version done by the big guy from Hawaii?
ReplyDeleteYes, I've seen the big guy from Hawaii. What I like best about his version is that he stays true to himself. He doesn't try to imitate anyone.
DeleteLove that scene, love that movie, love Judy.
ReplyDeleteI have another bit of trivia. E. Y. (Yip) Harburg, who wrote the lyrics for "Over the Rainbow", also wrote the final draft of the screenplay for the Wizard of Oz, though like Vidor, he didn't receive onscreen credit. It was he who came up with the satirical idea of using the symbols of brains, hearts, and courage, i.e., a diploma, a testimonial, and a medal, that the Wizard hands out toward the end.
I never knew that Harburg wrote the final screenplay draft - thanks so much for contributing that trivia! It's a shame that he and Vidor didn't receive onscreen credit.
DeleteWhat a beautiful, poignant memory to treasure.
ReplyDeleteI always think of Rainbow when I think of the movie. I agree--it is the best moment. She sings it with such an aching heart and it sets up the whole dream--the entire story. Can't imagine the movie without it.
Your grandmother and your mother were both stunning women. :)
I never really appreciated the movie until I was an adult. The "Over the Rainbow" scene touches my heart and the more I watch it, the more I love it.
DeleteMy grandmother Anna Gordon had eleven siblings and all of them were good-looking. My mother did resemble her.
Dear Jon, thanks for evoking fond memories. My paternal grandmother was of course Portuguese and called me "Aww, Mal Nino!" as she hugged me to her apron. I never doubted "Oh Bad Boy!" was a term of endearment. I was also surprised when my maternal grandmother visited from Oklahoma and spoke perfect English. "Over The Rainbow" struck home too. My mother taught me to play the melody on our piano when I was 8. I could never master two handed playing but still fail happily at it. Read your whole post to Norma this morning; she found it delightful.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that back then, all of our grandmothers wore aprons. I remember them well. My maternal grandmother spoke English perfectly - - but my paternal grandmother hardly spoke any English at all. Communicating with her could sometimes be difficult.
DeleteMany thanks for reading this to Norma. I'm glad she liked it.
What a very beautiful woman your grandmother was, with a sweet and gentle face. I am glad she has given you such treasured memories. I m wondering if you got some of your musical feeling from her too. I simply love visiting old movie sets. I don't know quite what it is about them, but they totally enchant me. I suppose it's like walking into the movie. But then I am not sure why THAT should be so fascinating, either!
ReplyDeleteI was enchanted with music at a very early age. My grandmother's singing did have a positive influence on me - she and my mother both played the piano. My grandmother never developed her musical skills, but my Mom was a brilliant pianist.
DeleteOld movie sets always make me feel like I walked into the movie!
My grandmother initially wanted to be a nun, but she eventually married and had five children.
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