Kindle Notes & Highlights
“There’s no greater wealth than being remembered.” ––Cary Grant
“There is a light and dark side to him but, whichever is dominant, the other creeps into view.”
For example, many of his fans to this day want Cary to be exclusively heterosexual; others want him to be exclusively homosexual. The truth is more complicated than that. Cary’s life shredded such categories; he was a human version of a Rubik’s cube, continually and effortlessly slipping in and out of any attempts to box him in one place.
Cary would have demanded nothing less than the truth. He also hated false sentimentality of any kind. At the same time, Cary was a deeply emotional man, particularly in the latter years of his life when I knew him. He could be brought to tears by something as simple as a sunset or a flower in his garden.
Anything overtly emotional or spiritual is increasingly ridiculed, particularly in the media, while only things that can be physically felt––like sex and drugs––are trusted.
Never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.
Down at an English Fair One evening I was there, When I heard a showman singing Underneath a flare: I’ve got a loverly bunch of coconuts, There they are a-standing in a row, Big ones, small ones, Some as big as your head, Give ’em a twist--
Some people make a fuss when a thing goes wrong. Some start to swear and cuss. Others sing a song. I don’t do either That’s all Napoo. When a thing goes wrong with me This is what I do: I lift up my finger and I say ‘Tweet tweet, shush shush, come come!
They bought me a box of tin soldiers I threw them all away. I smashed up the sergeants and majors Now I play with my privates all day!
Revealing means reliving.
omnisexual.
You’ve got to know when to quit.
“You look like shit, my boy!” he said. And I burst out laughing again because Cary rarely, if ever, used profanity, believing it showed poor breeding.
Sometimes a little surprise can mean a lot.
Golden slumbers kiss your eyes Smiles awake you when you rise Sleep pretty baby, do not cry And I will sing a lullaby.
Dear Cary, The millions of people the world over who are indebted to you for so many lovely movie memories, all of us who work in Hollywood who are grateful for the prestige you have brought our industry, and those of us privileged by the gift of your friendship, join together today to send you our gratitude, our affection, and our very best wishes for a happy seventieth birthday.
