Another World

[Xanthe]

Finally got around to watching Vic convene his office meeting. His affect was certainly more natural than Reginald's stiff pomposity. Reading the synopses, Carol is definitely a conniving double-dealing hussy, but there are also hints that maybe Robert is not that competent. Is Carol pushed out to make room for villainous Olive?

[Xanthe]

This must be right before one of the scenes in the Paley clips I just watched since here Marianne is seeking advice about concealing from John the time she persuaded Chris to take her for a drive instead of attending a dance with his friends, and there John and Pat are arguing about how to react to it. 

Alice and Marianne have such masses of golden hair I can't stop staring.

[DRW50]

Carol is one of those characters I wish I could see much more of as it's difficult to get a read on her when she just pops up to be unpleasant at Frame Enterprises. In terms of her motivations and romantic relationships, at times she seems to be written more as a male character than the traditional female character on soaps. I wonder what plans Lemay would have had for her if Jeanne Lange had wanted to stay, as he singled her out as one of the cast members he was most upset to lose. 

Thanks for mentioning more of the Paley clips as I don't think I've watched those yet. 

[vetsoapfan]

Catching up on this thread, I was thinking of posting all of these exact same sentiments, but you did it for me. You've saved me a lot of wear and tear on my typing fingers.

All this to say: I agree with everything you wrote in this post.

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[Mona Kane Croft]

Well thank you, vetsoapfan.  I'm glad to know we agree on so many details regarding AW.    

[vetsoapfan]

Being quite familiar in the realm of soaps, and how these things work out, I could see the plot coming from a mile away. I just knew Rachel would end up having Steve's baby.

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The scene in which Jim tells the truth about the baby to Mary is still seared in my memory. Loving, maternal Mary flew into an uncharacteristic rage and shrieked, "I...HATE...HER! I hate her!" We were used to Audra Lindley's Liz screaming at everybody, but not Mary Matthews. It was chilling to see her go berserk (chilling, but understandable)

.

[j swift]

The other surprise that I felt when reading the 1969-1972 synopsis (I wanted to read through to the recasting(s) of Rachel) was how quickly Missy returned to Bay City after leaving for California. 

This period pre-dates my consciousness, but when I've read the novelizations and the anniversary book, I had always assumed that Missy was gone for a few years, rather than just a few months. 

Yes, but the build up was quite fun.  I was highly entertained by all the business about planning the engagement.  And the multiple tales that were interwoven into that one event.  

[vetsoapfan]

After Courtney left, Alice behaved like she was intellectually limited, IMHO. She had already been very wary of Willis, and then to suddenly fall in love with him? Marrying Ray Gordon whom she had not known for very long? Going after her cousin's ex? None of this was in character, and came off as a puppet being pushed around from story point to story point, to fit into absurd plots.

I cringed to see Alice showing up at Ada's back door, meeting Rachel in the kitchen, and then sitting down to have soup with her. WTF? These women hated each other. Why would Alice cheerfully agree to eat with her? GMAFB.

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I was surprised Harney was listed so close to the top of the cast crawl. Victoria Wyndham was then first, of course. I can't recall right now if Harney was the second or the third highest-ranked actress (perhaps Beverly Penberthy was above her), but she should have been further down the list, behind other vets.

The negative reaction to Harney, voiced by viewers in fan magazines, was widespread. I'm sure there were members of the audience who accepted her, and for the reasons you specified, but a vocal legion of fans did not. Even Harding Lemay admitted that despite continued focus on the character, Alice never again enjoyed the popularity she had attained with Courtney in the part. Lemay even acknowledged that JC's presence on OLTL may have contributed to that series' steady climb in the ratings.

A few months after the cast massacre, the entire story was reported upon, in depth, in the daytime press. Jacquie Courtney wrote an article, herself, explaining her side of the story. Again, readers of the magazines were enraged.

 

This is a lovely scene; the type that soaps used to do so well, but which we rarely see any more. It feels like we were watching a quiet moment play out with real family members.

Jacquie Courtney was radiant. Her subtle performance added depth to the scene.

And while Hugh Marlowe stumbled a bit with his dialogue, I didn't mind. In real life, most of us get tongue-tied from time to time. 

What a treat Ariana Muenker's clips are!

Edited July 8, 2024 by vetsoapfan

[DRW50]

That's odd to imagine. I guess it felt more natural when they began feuding again in the early '80s, although I'm sorry it had to be over men again. I might have had Rachel become a mentor to Sally, which would upset Alice.

I don't mind the stumbles either, it just reminded me of what you mentioned of his having problems with his lines even though Lemay blamed Dwyer.

I agree we need those types of family moments much more often. At least GH has had some with Lois lately, from a few clips I've seen.

[Soaplovers]

It seems to me that Lemay replaced Carole with Gwen... since Carole and Angie were both fighting for Willis in 1975/6... and eventually once it appeared that Alice wasn't going to work in that spot, Gwen was placed in that spot.

[DRW50]

That makes sense. Like Carole, Gwen also seemed to have a difficult relationship with her mother (who seems like a complete horror). Dorothy Lyman is such a different actress to Jeanne Lange but maybe she is more suited to Leon Russom.

Edited July 8, 2024 by DRW50

[vetsoapfan]

It was just so weird, so out-of-character, and made Alice look idiotic.

Having Rachel mentor Sally would have been a realistic and effective way to keep the flames of conflict alight.

Yes, there were times when Marlowe stumbled his way through scenes, either fumbling his lines or forgetting them all together. When it was extensive and noticeable, it was painful to watch. Little glitches like in this scene were no big deal to me. Issues with dialogue aside, I did find the actor to be warm and generally likeable, although my favorite Jim Matthews was Sheppard Strudwick.

I wonder if that was Mulcahey's influence.

[Contessa Donatella]

In my forum I have a thread where people can name scenes they would like to see. Often, then, someone else may know just where that is, and post it. 

One of my personal druthers was to see this actress/writer portray Donna Love, temp. Today someone posted it! 

https://rumble.com/v55vcvy-another-world-january-3-1991-sofia-landon-geier-as-donna-love.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawD47A1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRPQbwkKO7TbXKrIEHbMy1THVaF1sd4d527b5b0PejMLBLHq03ojCgRXTw_aem_ZeBrE3n5k735a0NnYQe-TA

[Xanthe]

Thanks for posting the one with Vic here. 

The scene at the beginning with Rachel refusing to come back to Mac is of course very difficult to reconcile with the later retcon that Mac believes Iris is not his biological daughter. He very freely announces that he is done with Iris after she went too far to break him and Rachel up and when Rachel kind of excuses Iris' behaviour on the grounds that she loves Mac, he asserts that Iris is like her mother and loves no one but herself. With their relationship at rock bottom it feels a bit unlikely that he wouldn't have brought up the paternity/maternity situation as a factor. But of course in those days no one expected viewers to be able to refer back to such details, certainly not easily.

[Soapsuds]

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