The evanescence of exquisite beauty
Anyone who has been following my posts probably thinks my only thoughts are cranky gripes about the dangerous boobs in Washington. Not so. The reason those posts show up is that a news or feature item comes across the airwaves, or in some other medium. Such items get my dander up, at which point I have to rant and get it off my chest.
Yesterday, I picked up a few books at the library, among which is a memoir from Dame Judi Dench and her "as-told-to" guy. As an aside, Dame Judi is a few months younger than I am, so she is now 76 or 77. At the beginning of each chapter is a photo of Ms. Dench, usually with one of her male costars. The photos are of her at the period of her life covered by the ensuing chapter. This morning, I reached the chapter covering her activities when she was in her early 20's, and the photo stunned me. At that age, she was the spitting image of the late Audrey Hepburn ... with only slightly more meat on her bones than Ms. Hepburn had when she was that age, but the same eyes, nose, mouth, and facial structure. In other words, she was a knock-'em-dead beauty.
By the time of the photo at the beginning of the chapter when she was 10 years older, the resemblance has faded considerably. I can still see the features that were so dramatic in the earlier photo, but maturity has begun to cause her face to fill out and soften, taking on the appearance that is familiar to her fans today. She was then and still is a lovely person to look at.
I have a short list in my head of people I'd love to spend an afternoon talking with, and she is on that list, along with a few other ladies of international renown and a half dozen or so men. At my age, the likelihood of ever actually having the chance at visiting for three or four hours with anyone on that list is almost nonexistent. I have only met one of the people face to face: Jessye Norman; but it was one of those green-room gatherings after a concert in New York, where one is introduced and says a few admiring and appreciative words to the artist or artists who have just performed. Since the first time I saw her act, I have been awed by Dame Judi's gift and her wide range of talents: from comedy to the classics and modern tragedies, from light romantic tales to high drama, in films and on television. She has never disappointed me.
Yesterday, I picked up a few books at the library, among which is a memoir from Dame Judi Dench and her "as-told-to" guy. As an aside, Dame Judi is a few months younger than I am, so she is now 76 or 77. At the beginning of each chapter is a photo of Ms. Dench, usually with one of her male costars. The photos are of her at the period of her life covered by the ensuing chapter. This morning, I reached the chapter covering her activities when she was in her early 20's, and the photo stunned me. At that age, she was the spitting image of the late Audrey Hepburn ... with only slightly more meat on her bones than Ms. Hepburn had when she was that age, but the same eyes, nose, mouth, and facial structure. In other words, she was a knock-'em-dead beauty.
By the time of the photo at the beginning of the chapter when she was 10 years older, the resemblance has faded considerably. I can still see the features that were so dramatic in the earlier photo, but maturity has begun to cause her face to fill out and soften, taking on the appearance that is familiar to her fans today. She was then and still is a lovely person to look at.
I have a short list in my head of people I'd love to spend an afternoon talking with, and she is on that list, along with a few other ladies of international renown and a half dozen or so men. At my age, the likelihood of ever actually having the chance at visiting for three or four hours with anyone on that list is almost nonexistent. I have only met one of the people face to face: Jessye Norman; but it was one of those green-room gatherings after a concert in New York, where one is introduced and says a few admiring and appreciative words to the artist or artists who have just performed. Since the first time I saw her act, I have been awed by Dame Judi's gift and her wide range of talents: from comedy to the classics and modern tragedies, from light romantic tales to high drama, in films and on television. She has never disappointed me.