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Have Gun Will Travel jumped out at me too and made me think of the tv show. I just looked up the phrase and maybe it's not so bad after all:
The phrase, "Have ____ will travel," was a catchphrase used in personal advertisements in the United States and Britain in newspapers and flyers indicating that the advertiser was ready-for-anything. It was used in this way in the United States from the early 1900s. Please see: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nm3jb…
It was particularly common in theatrical advertising (e.g.,"Have tux, will travel"). It is thought that this usage was the inspiration for creators/writers Herb Meadow and Sam Rolfe when the television show that became "Have Gun Will Travel" was conceived. It became the title of the popular television and radio series and the basis of the famous calling card of the lead character Paladin. The calling card had the words "Have Gun" and "Will Travel" flanking a chess knight, with two brief lines below: "Wire Palidin" "San Francisco."
Another set of words that comes up is "Learning Curve." I read about it in some comments by people who have already seen the latest season and yet someone looked it up and, same thing--it was in use around 1880. In that case it apparently wasn't in general use so it might be inaccurate for the person in question to be using it.Hearing these "modern" expressions in a historical drama is jolting and interferes with the credibility so I'm glad when I hear that they are not necessarily anachronisms.
My problem was not that he used it at all. It was that a maid, in the basement was using it. It seemed out of context for the setting and time period.
I agree with you there. All of the servants are very well-spoken--probably much more so than they would have been in real life. But hey, it's TV--you've got to suspend your disbelief to watch most of it.
I don't think Bates was cnfessing to anything. His cellmate is new, a real creep and bully. He was threatening Bates or challenging him by standing almost on him and Bates snapped. Bates "has it in him" to be a forceful man but the leg was keeping him having to be subservient all the time. He showed the con what he is really made of, a powerful man, to make the dude back off and leave him alone.
I wasn't impressed with Shirley Mclain either. Maggie Smith is too powerful an actress. The face, I think that may have been the style over here in The States at the time. I think it was all to serve as contrast between "us" and the British aristocracy and that was clearly made.
I understand Matthew's reasonings but I don't like him not helping the family. Just too martyr like for me.
I'm curious about the new American servant downstairs. Why would an American travel to the UK to be an abused cook's servant or maid? There would be plenty of jobs like that in the U.S. without her having to deal with British xenophobia about Americans.
She was Shirley MacLaine's lady's maid, so she would have traveled with her employer to dress her, take care of her clothes/jewelry. Gosford Park, which was another Julian Fellowes production, gave a great depiction of all the upstairs/downstairs confusion that happens during a house party with all the guests' staff.
The use of "histornic" would have had more credability with me if a male character had said it.
As for Bates, didn't he threaten the cellmate after the cellmate first threatened him because Bates had witnessed the cellmate doing something illicit? If Bates is to survive in prision, he has to adapt to the prision code. He has no choice but to look like he can't be pushed around, otherwise he will be pushed around. He's a man of the world so he can pull it off. He was a soldier.
In the post #561 by Lee W., he links to an article discussing the two grandmothers. Near the end the author included this bit...
...no Jew is posh, no matter what the Rothschilds might say.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but in the preceding program about Highclere, didn't they say that the Earl had married Almina, illegitimate daughter of the American banker Rothschild? And it was discussed that Almina did use Highclere as a hospital during WWI - Season I.
So, the continued series has become even more entertaining as details fall into place. The Daily Beast has further info on the actual lives of Highclere.
My husband finds the episodes online for me, so I'm caught up through the end of season 3. I really don't think they are smart to BEGIN the American season after the British is over with! Millions pirated the episodes, or used Expatshield, etc. But what do I know.
I'm curious about the new American servant downstairs. Why would an American travel to the UK to be an abused cook's servant or maid? There would be plenty of jobs like that in the U.S. without her having to deal with British xenophobia about Americans.
She came with her employer. Just as Mary brought her ladies maid to France on her honeymoon. Ladies maids and valets were personal servants and if you were traveling you didn't want a stranger to be dealing with your personal items.
Actually I thought she gave back quite well. I suspect the American system was not unlike the English in terms of duty, but maybe the connections were not quiet the same. She certainly enjoyed the game with the shirts.
In the post #561 by Lee W., he links to an article discussing the two grandmothers. Near the end the author included this bit...
...no Jew is posh, no matter what the Rothschilds might say.
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but in the preceding program about Highclere, didn't they say that the Earl had married Almina, illegitimate daughter of the American banker Rothschild? And it was discussed that Almina did use Highclere as a hospital during WWI - Season I.
So, the continued series has become even more entertaining as details fall into place. The Daily Beast has further info on the actual lives of Highclere.
That was an awesome show. I'm only mad that my pbs station doesn't appear to have any of the rest on the schedule. I'd watch.
In that time, money talked. A lot of European gentry were land and estate rich but cash poor and what better than give your daughter what you can't, a title. Arrainged marriages between rich American brides and not so rich English and other European gentry were very common. The new rich thought of themselves as a gentry, and to have your kids become part of it was the greatest leap.
This happened before, in the 1700's when land and sheep became less important than cash and industrial development made wealthy men out of formerly poor tradesmen. They often married the daughters of gentry needing money.
With the parallels they've used, the hospital and the family, I'm wondering if Robert, or more likely Robert helped along by his new son in law will try to diversify the funds as the present family in the real estate has done.
Missed Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2012--Or Did I?
Best as I can gather, while I was watching the repeat of Season Two on PBS during December some sort of "Christmas Special 2012" was shown on December 25th yet I never saw it advertised here in the states. Was this shown only in Great Britain or was it shown here but only on a TV channel called iTV or something or was it shown here on PBS and it slipped by me entirely? An Internet search yields very little info about the where and when, only the what it was about.
Does anyone know if it was shown here in the states and if it was is it available to view somewhere? I cannot find any viewing info on PBS or the Internet.
Helllllp!
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Missed Downton Abbey Christmas Special 2012--Or Did I?
