Is that not one of the best quotes ever or what?!
I got this juicy inspiration one stormy Saturday when hubby happened to have that day off – a rare thing. We didn’t want to go anywhere so we turned on the television and began channel-surfing.
I don’t remember what channel we found the movie, but it was Jill Clayburgh in An Unmarried Woman. Has anyone seen this? It is so ga-roo-va-ly delicious with that bow-chicka-bow-wow music in it. It came out in 1978.
“Honey,” I said, “Pop some corn, we gonna get into some feminist, a-hole middle-aged-man-finds younger-woman-and-leaves-wife nonsense for the next couple of hours.”
The storyline of the movie is predictable, but it’s still good. They’re a wealthy couple living in Manhattan. She (Erica Benton) works at an art gallery (sure) and the jagoff man (Martin Benton) she’s married to works as a stockbroker on Wall Street (of course). They’ve been married like twenty years or something and have sex twice a week (cha’, right). So she and hubby meet for lunch one day and he’s distant, brooding, distracted and says, “Huh?” alot.
I AM WOMAN! I love knee socks and Manhattan!!
She doesn’t notice as she babbles on about meeting another wealthy New York Power Couple for a summer getaway. When they’re walking on the mean streets of the city, he breaks down and cries. (There was a clue earlier before this scene when the two were in bed for their twice-weekly sex and he just doesn’t feel like it. He’s shirtless, she has on a tiny tee-shirt (braless), panties and white mesh knee socks on. She walks around in this getup for a great majority of the movie.)
“What’s with the knee socks?” Hubby asks me. “Sh-hhh,” I tell him.
Cut to scene on the street:
“I’m in love with someone else!” he tells dumbfounded Erica. He met this 20-something in Bloomingdales buying a shirt. He tells her that he’s leaving her and moving in with younger, home-breaker-bee-otch woman. The music swells as Erica walks home, swirling camera angles going everywhere to indicate her devastation and confusion.
Really? Bloomingdales for God’s sake? That’s where you shopped???
She eventually sleeps with an artist at the gallery she works at (he’s a yo-hey-baby-yo New York kind of guy) and the scene when they have their liaison, well she’s nervous at first, then wildly uninhibited. He’s all teen-wolf hairy (really, when’s the last time you saw a movie with a man with a hairy chest??) with huge aviator glasses and tightie whities.
Afterwards when he asks her if they could meet again, she tells him, “It’s just sex, Charlie.” And she leaves, knee-socks and all and walks home to her apartment. There’s scenes of her running with short-shorts on and sun-tanned hose as she strides toward independence. Of course, jerkwad hubby comes back pleading for her to take him back. She looks into his eyes soulfully and says no. She hugs him, takes all his money wishes him well and runs away.
It’s Okay to Feel Your Feeeelings….
Erica has many I HATE ALL MEN cathartic therapy sessions with a woman who looks like a Shaman and sits cross-legged on a cushy couch in her cozy, New York-style therapy office. The therapist is, of course a lesbian, who tells Erica it’s okay to feel what she’s feeling.
Erica then meets a gorgeous, another rebound guy insanely rich artist who loves her and she him. They have many lovefests and eventually her lover wants more. By this time, she has found the perfect New York, large apartment.
At one point in the movie when Erica is going through all that kaleidoscope of emotions, transitions and feelings, she stops and looks in the mirror before running or crying or therapy to stare at her reflection, slap her cheeks a little and say: Balls, said the Queen! If I had them I’d be King!
The Queen Gets Her Balls
At the end, she turns down lover artist man to go spend the entire summer with him at his house in Vermont, opting instead to stay in grimy, dirty, hot Manhattan (in the 70s) because well, she’s independent and must. As she and lover artist pack up his belongings in his artsy little car, she holds on to this gi-normous canvas he had to have lowered out of his Soho, huge-windowed artsy apartment on to the street, while he packs stuff in the trunk, etc.
Gold shiny balls. Fit for a Queen.
He turns and tells her, “It’s yours!” He drives away as she stares after him with a quirky smile and a longing lust face. Music swells and she carries his HUGE canvas, dipping and turning in circles and bumping into people, making her way back home. To her home. With her gigantic painting and newly-found set of balls.
This movie was nominated for some Academy Awards and reflected the I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR times, when women were finding their footing and making huge strides toward equality and recognition.
I loved it. Watch it — it may just be what you need to remember even queens have balls and really don’t need to be King to have them. Being Queen is a very, very good thing.
Happy Weekend Everyone and enjoy some Tom Petty (kind of related to the post, and if I weren’t insanely happily married, Mr. Petty is definitely one man I’d put on some white mesh knee socks for. ) :).
Photo creds: Queen
Brigitte's Banter 
L O V E it. Great! See you got your mojo back, awesome. ; )
Posted by Honie Briggs | July 6, 2012, 3:44 pmHey Honie, I do feel like it is trickling back, little by little. Thank you!! The movie was cheezy but so perfect for one of those days….know what I mean? :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 3:46 pmHahaha! OMG! You’re right. This is a groov-a-licious feast for the senses. I’ve seen this 70’s movie. It’s like participating in an archeological dig. So many layers of feminist issues and layers of what women thought sexy was. haha! I think Jill Clayburg was really considered the everyday hottie who might be living next door to you.
Great post, Brigitte!
Posted by A Gripping Life | July 6, 2012, 3:56 pmHi Grippy. I know, I know!! All the metaphors and the longing, soulful looks, glances and such. I liked Jill C. alot and you’re right — your description of her is spot on. And you know, it was sexy back then. All that hair, big shoulder pads. Thanks so much. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 3:59 pmI saw this the first time around – liked it then, liked your rerun of it now.
Posted by on thehomefrontandbeyond | July 6, 2012, 4:09 pmHey Lou Ann, thanks! It it a oldie but goodie. Cheezy but goodie. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 4:12 pmI like a little cheese with my crackers and some wine with my cheese – forget the popcorn when it comes to cheezy – hey it is Friday afternoon and almost 5
Posted by on thehomefrontandbeyond | July 6, 2012, 4:17 pmYou got that right. A married woman speaking to my own married heart. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 4:27 pmHa! – Great Post! Have a Lovely Weekend:)
Posted by cravesadventure | July 6, 2012, 4:21 pmThanks, Craves! You too.
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 4:23 pmWell, now, that movie is a blast from the past. So much so that I don’t even remember if I saw it! 🙂
Posted by crubin | July 6, 2012, 4:37 pmI know, it was on one day and we just settled in to watch. Very fun and I so loved that line she said. Thanks, Carrie.
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 4:39 pmDear Brigitte,
I’m sitting here listening to the Petty boy…laughing at the quote.
It’s awesome. I’m stealing it for a facebook status.
I need to rent this movie.
ANd I need some cool socks. Thanks for reminding me.
🙂
Lis
xoxoxo
Posted by Carr Party of Five | July 6, 2012, 4:58 pmHey Lis! It’s a good one and the movie is funny too. Go get ya some new cool socks, every woman should have some. 😉
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 5:41 pmI am an unmarried women without balls too … but I have boobs
Posted by jensine | July 6, 2012, 5:38 pmAnd seriously, what more do you need?
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 5:42 pma good supporting bra
Posted by jensine | July 6, 2012, 5:45 pmAnd you said you weren’t inspired…. I think this post was plenty inspired, Brigitte. 😀
Posted by Madame Weebles | July 6, 2012, 5:58 pmYep, one of those ideas that just simmered and sprung forth after the blockage. Thanks, MW — glad you enjoyed. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 6:01 pmI love 70’s movies and I loved this post… great musings.. Now you should have put AC/DC “Big Balls” on here
Posted by unfetteredbs | July 6, 2012, 6:05 pmWhat the heck was I thinking?????? That song would have been perfect. Or something from Queen. No A/C would have been better. So glad you enjoyed, Unfettered and good to see you here. Hope your time away was very restful and lovely.
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 6:07 pm(still away.. just enjoying some quiet family time at the cottage 🙂 Hubbie is doing a puzzle and I am sitting next to him catching up on my blog reading. No writing 😦 I got nothing
Posted by unfetteredbs | July 6, 2012, 6:11 pmI’ve never seen that movie, but it sounds great! Recently I read, or a comedian said or something the following. “Why do people always say ‘grow some balls’? Balls are so delicate and sensitive. They should say grow a vagina because those things can really take a beating!”
Posted by dianasschwenk | July 6, 2012, 7:15 pmhaaa very funny and very true
Posted by unfetteredbs | July 6, 2012, 7:18 pmYeah right? 😉
Posted by dianasschwenk | July 6, 2012, 8:27 pmIt’s funky and funny in a groovy kind of way. I think I heard that before — who was it? George Carlin? you funny lady.
Posted by Brigitte | July 6, 2012, 7:23 pmPerhaps originally, I don’t know…but it was a woman saying it this time…
Posted by dianasschwenk | July 6, 2012, 7:26 pmI don’t think I’ve seen this movie since it was in theaters. Will have to look it up and make “it’s a guy thing” comments to my husband. It gets him all amusingly indignant when I say that! Thanks, Brigitte; beautifully written! xoM
Posted by Margarita | July 6, 2012, 9:16 pmThanks, M. All in fun. 😉
Posted by Brigitte | July 7, 2012, 2:35 pmhey! that was funny, made me smile. i specially loved the parts that you’ve slashed off…WICKED!!!
Posted by hemadamani | July 7, 2012, 2:26 amHa! Thank you…just joking around. Glad you enjoyed, H. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 7, 2012, 2:35 pmI’ve never heard of this film, but I’ll definitely be adding it to my ‘to watch’ list.
Thanks honey 🙂
Xx
Posted by Vikki (The View Outside) | July 7, 2012, 3:35 amYou know those 70s movies. So good. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 7, 2012, 2:36 pmJust one problem: what married man buys his own shirts?
Thanks for the laugh. I saw this movie while still in high school on a “crappy movie” binge with some girlfriends. It brought back some high school memories; most of which I will have to re-bury.
Posted by wifemeetslife | July 7, 2012, 8:15 pmHa! I guess the ones that are meeting 20-something’s in Bloomingdales looking for more than shirts. :). yeah, but at that time it had all those big messages of the times — women gaining their independence, standing up for themselves and all that, so maybe not soooo crappy. Didn’t mean to dredge up memories you’ll have to rebury. It was meant to entertain — nothing more, nothing less. Thanks for stopping by!! :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 7, 2012, 8:35 pmBrilliant, Brigitte! You should review movies professionally! I laughed all the way through, as a Jill Clayburgh fan, I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the laugh!
Posted by Ron Stempkowski | July 9, 2012, 8:40 amThanks, Ron! So glad you enjoyed. It was intended for just that. Always so nice to hear from you and hope you are doing great. :).
Posted by Brigitte | July 9, 2012, 8:48 amGreat post! I love all the huge NYC apartments in movies and TV. My favorite is the apartment from the Odd Couple.
Posted by Maggie O'C | July 11, 2012, 7:14 pmYeah, those huge NYC apartments are for the very wealthy and fiction. Good grief….Tony Randall and Jack Klugman — the Odd Couple, I think that was probably all-Holly wooded up. Thanks, Maggie. xxoo
Posted by Brigitte | July 11, 2012, 9:12 pmMy sister lived in 300sf on the UWS and we would fit four of us and a dog in there! Another amazing NYC apartment: Family Affair. I’m old.
One of my college roommates moved to NY after graduation and it was a shoebox, the bed was right next to the sink, I don’t remember if it had a bathroom.
Posted by Maggie O'C | July 11, 2012, 9:24 pm