December 30, 2002
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Three in One
This evening’s earlier entry, “Homer,” is meant in part as a tribute
to three goddess-figures from the world of film. But there
is one actress who combines the intelligence of Judy
Davis with the glamour of Nicole Kidman and the goodness of
Kate Winslet– Perhaps the only actress who could have made me cry Stella! as if I were Brando…. Piper Laurie.From the Robert A. Heinlein novel
“I have many names. What would you like to call me?”
“Is one of them ‘Helen’?”
She smiled like sunshine and I learned that she had dimples. She looked
sixteen and in her first party dress. “You are very gracious. No, she’s
not even a relative. That was many, many years ago.” Her face turned
thoughtful. “Would you like to call me ‘Ettarre’?”“Is that one of your names?”
“It is much like one of them, allowing for different spelling and
accent. Or it could be ‘Esther’ just as closely. Or ‘Aster.’ Or even
‘Estrellita.’ “” ‘Aster,’ ” I repeated. “Star. Lucky Star!”
“I hope that I will be your lucky star,” she said earnestly. “As you will. But what shall I call you?”
I thought about it….
The name I had picked up in the hospital ward would do. I shrugged. “Oh, Scar is a good enough name.”
” ‘Oscar,’ ” she repeated, broadening the “O” into “Aw,”and stressing
both syllables. “A noble name. A hero’s name. Oscar.” She caressed it
with her voice.“No, no! Not ‘Oscar’– ‘Scar.’ ‘Scarface.’ For this.”
“Oscar is your name,” she said firmly. “Oscar and Aster. Scar and Star.”
The Hustler
