As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[Bill Bauer]

 

Although I thought Mary Ellen Stuart looked a lot more like she could be Gillian Spencer’s daughter than Julianne Moore could. I much preferred Julianne Moore in the role though. Looks aside, she seemed more like a Hughes. 

 

The existence of Daniel Hughes was much more significant when you realize that the first major storyline on ATWT back when it premiered was Edith Hughes affair with Jim Lowell. It was the big scandal. Then, 50 years later, the two families were finally combined in Edith’s great-great nephew and Jim’s great-great grandson. I think he was pretty much related to everyone on the show in one way or another.

[DramatistDreamer]

I posted this in the Where Are They Now thread but ICYMI.  Despite the fact that some people can't stand her, she is an alumna of the show.  Also, I haven't yet read this interview so I don't really know what's in it yet, although I plan to read.

[Khan]

Meg Ryan is like Genie Francis.  She wants to be Taken Seriously, to show she can do more than what the public loves her for.  The only problem is, her goals exceed her range as an actress.  They always have.

 

Add to that the feeling that she was becoming overexposed even as a romcom star -- audiences weren't sick of romcoms; they were sick of romcoms starring Meg Ryan -- and you have a reasonable explanation for why MR is where she is now.

Edited February 15, 2019 by Khan

[juppiter]

 

I was not sick of romcoms with Meg Ryan. Funny, I just watched When Harry Met Sally for the umpteenth time last night. And I was wondering why they didn’t release one Nora Ephron/Meg Ryan movie per year in the 90s. They should have. 

[DramatistDreamer]

I just read the interview, which wasn't bad overall but it probably won't change anyone's opinions of Ryan, whether positive or negative.  

There were a couple quotes that stood out to me though.  Interesting to hear how she saw herself while she was in the midst of Hollywood fame.

 

"I have so much admiration for actors who have incredible imagination for life or have life experience that they can then bring to the audience. I don’t think I was one of those people. I felt like an unformed person."

 

"I had a very neutered image."

Edited February 15, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[DRW50]

 

She wasn't really making romcoms like that by the time her career began fading out. 

[amybrickwallace]

 

That's one of my all-time favorite movies. I do think Meg was helped by the fact that she didn't have to carry the film all by herself - she was surrounded by a great cast in Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. The solid team of Reiner/Ephron was at the helm. After that, it seemed like she was just pigeonholed. By the time Kate and Leopold was released in late 2001/early 2002, she was clearly long in the tooth and couldn't carry off the ingenue role anymore.

 

She did try to break out of that rut by trying other roles - but her casting as a boxing promoter in Against the Ropes reminded me of Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds. It just didn't work.

 

In any case, it seems that she is happier out of the limelight. I wish her and John Mellencamp all the best.

[Soaplovers]

 

Speak for yourself, I thought Meg Ryan had more talent than people and Hollywood assumed.  She was quite effective in 'When a Man Loves a Woman', 'Courage Under Fire', and I thought 'In the Cut' was very interesting avante garde choice for the actress.  

 

What did her in wasn't the fact that people were sick of romcoms starring Meg Ryan... but she got roasted due to her affair with Russell Crowe while still married to Dennis Q.  She does seem like a happier a person nowadays.

 

I was wondering why they didn't team Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks more often than just three times

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[DramatistDreamer]

Ryan was very good in When A Man Loves A Woman, I thought.  She likely had a lot to draw on from her marriage with Dennis Quaid.

If anything, that interview made me want to see In The Cut to see what all the controversy was about.  I really liked The Piano, which was the second feature-length film that Jane Campion directed, so maybe In The Cut is something that might interest me.  

[amybrickwallace]

 

To this day, I have never seen that movie. I probably should.

 

Hanging Up still remains one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Too bad that trash ultimately became Walter Matthau's last movie.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Well, I can tell you that there are quite a few very good, even great movies that I have yet to see.  Some of which, I don't have any immediate plans to see because quite simply, they depress me. 

Don't feel obligated to see/do anything if you feel that you're going to leave feeling worse for it.  Unless you're a film critic and it's your job.  Otherwise, I'd say, don't worry about it.  Ryan gave a very effective performance and had really good chemistry with Garcia but if marital discord and addiction are not your bag, it's okay to skip.

 

 

@vetsoapfan The post that you made in the Guiding Light thread about Goutman not pre-taping with Helen Wagner while he had the chance is an important one and really worthy of discussion in this thread too, so I hope you don't mind I put a link to your original post here.

 

https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/32166-guiding-light-discussion-thread/?do=findComment&comment=1604864

 

Here's your quote--

 

"I don't have any sympathy for Goutman. In an interview once, he said that when the actress' health was waning, he could have pre-taped some scenes with Helen Wagner, to insure that ATWT had some Nancy Hughes material "in the bank" for the end of the series, but he never did. Idiotic, careless decision. Viewers would have LOVED to see new clips with Wagner on the show's last broadcast, particularly with Nancy Hughes saying, "Good night, dear."

 

I never personally cared for Lily Walsh, but Martha Byrne owned that role. Knowing that Noelle Beck generously offered to step aside at the end, and let Byrne reprise the part, but that Goutman did not make/allow that to happen, was also egregious. Viewers who were invested in Lily and Holden deserved an emotionally-gratifying conclusion to their journey, with MB and JH reunited.

 

Plus, Goutman literally had YEARS to reverse the blatant marginalization, underuse, and disgusting disrespect shown to Eileen Fulton, but never did.

 

 

That's the thing I could never understand when people make excuses for Goutman.  Wagner was already a nonagenarian (9th decade of live) before she died at 91.  Did he believe Wagner would live forever???  What about when she turned 88, 89...90?  Why not do one scene here and there and store it in the vault, just in case? 

With really esteemed figures the New York Times actually does video obituaries where they interview the person, while they're still alive (they did it with former NYC mayor Edward I. Koch) so that the person can speak of their legacy in their own words. 

It would've been entirely possible to store some scenes done here and there once she hit her mid-late 80s.  

Like @vetsoapfan and some of us have been saying, a simple "Good night dear" even done in Voice Over wouldn't have been so hard.  Goutman just didn't have the will or vision for it since he was all about diminishing the most senior veterans on the show.

Edited February 16, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[vetsoapfan]

 

My dear, I do not mind in the least; quote me to your heart's desire! I am honored that you deem my words worthy of the attention.

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Have you seen that filmed interview with Goutman, Jean P., and several cast members, in which Goutman announced that he considered Hastings, Fulton, and Hays the core of the show? HA! What BS! To this day, that statement galls me. Granted, Hastings and Hays got a bit more attention in ATWT's final years, but Fulton was degraded to the status of an irrelevant day player, which was hardly indicative of Goutman's assurance that Lisa was a core fixture in Oakdale.

Edited February 16, 2019 by vetsoapfan

[DramatistDreamer]

Aww, stop.

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  Of course you're worthy @vetsoapfan.  You know so much about soap history and I enjoy reading your posts!

I haven't seen that interview and now part of me is curious to see it.  The other part of me suspects that watching it may make me angry.  Is it on YouTube?

[vetsoapfan]

 

I really enjoy reading your posts as well. The great thing about SON is that we have so many erudite, informed, friendly folks who contribute to the conversations.

 

Paley Center: Farewell to As the World Turns was a filmed panel discussion that was made in 2010. I was happy to see it, and loved hearing from the vets involved, but I did bristle at several comments made by the other panelists like CG and Jean P.

 

There was a tense moment between EF and JP, when the writer was asked how she went about tying up all the loose ends of the show upon its cancellation, and how she decided who should be with whom.

 

Before Jean P could say anything, Fulton jumped in and snarked, "Just leave ME out!"

 

Jean P was noticeably rattled and looked dumbstruck. She did not reply to Fulton's comment at all, if I recall correctly.

 

I found a link to Michael Fairman's column with the video included, but the video requires a flash player to access.

 

https://michaelfairmantv.com/paley-centerfarewell-to-as-the-world-turns-panel-wcast-watch-the-video/2010/08/23/

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by vetsoapfan

[vetsoapfan]

For those who cannot access flash-player media any more, I found these links on youtube. The video quality is dreadful (it's from a home-made recording), but the sound is great, and it allows you to see/hear some of the conversation from the discussion, so it's better than nothing!

 

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If anyone out there can find a better copy, or can transfer the flash-player version from Michael Fairman's page to youtube, where everyone can enjoy it, please let us know.

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by vetsoapfan