From Ana’s Dungeon

This Episode’s Unearthings: two favorites of mine, a book and a movie with paranormal elements.

The movie, Always:

This is a beautiful love tale of love lost and found again directed by no other than the Great Steven Spielberg. It is one of his earlier, less talked about movies, a remake of a 40’s movies called a Guy Named Joe. I have watched this one countless times and it is one of my favorite romantic movies.

Pete, played by Richard Dreyfuss is a daredevil pilot who fights forest fires. His beloved Dorinda, played by Holly Hunter is also a fire-fighter and is in constant dread of all the perils that surrounds Pete’s manoeuvres. The first part of the movie shows how much they love each other with several scenes amongst the playfulness of their crew. It is delightful to see their relationship and how much they care for each other.

Until one day Pete goes too far and ends up dying. Before you kill me for spoiling the story, this is actually where the films truly starts. We see Pete in “heaven” with a guardian angel named Hap played by Audrey Hepburn who teaches him that he has a role to play yet. He is to return to be an invisible presence to guide another fire-fighter. It is six months after his death and by destiny, his protege ends up in the same crew as Dorinda. Oh, when Pete sees her again. and realises that she has pinning for him still, finding very hard to move on….sad, heartbreaking. He, none too happy to find out that his guy is falling for Dorinda and she too wants to feel something again for another man.Pete fights it with every fiber in his being, going as far as making himself a real presence in her mind. Until he realises that he must help her moving on so that she can find happiness gain.

I know it probably sounds dark and terribly depressing but it is not. It is truly an uplifting story with sad and funny moments. In the end he must guide her, when she is desperate enough to let herself die in a fire and the things they say to each other are stuff for legends! It gives me goosebumps to think about it and now I want to watch it again!

The book, Bewitching

Bewitching is one of my favorite romance novels, ranked right up there with Lord of Scoundrels, Dreaming of you and A Kingdom of Dreams.

It is the story of a young, innocent Scottish witch Joyous MacQuarrie who can never get her magic right. One day she is trying to travel by means of a spell and as usual, messes up with the words an ends up falling on the Duke of Belmore’s lap! The Duke, or Alex, is a snob, uptight member of the Ton who has just been dumped by his fiancée when she realised that she cannot live with such a cold man. When Joyous falls on his lap he is taken aback but immediately decides to marry her so that he can bring order to his life again. But hold and behold, order is last thing that Joy can bring to anyone.

She says yes of course, because she falls in love with Alex at first sight when she concludes that he needs her and her magic more than anything in the world. Corny? Oh, yes. But also freaking hilarious, deliciously hot and amazingly heartwarming. She has no time to tell him that she is a witch before they wed but does so on their wedding night. Of Course, Alex, freaks out, as this sort of thing is beyond his comprehension. So he forbids her of doing magic which she tries to obey but of course she has no control over it and things just sort of, happen around them.

Joy is one of those heroines that wear her heart in her eyes and she is taken with Alex from the get go. Alex, on the other hand ,is one of those heroes with a sad past who needs someone like Joy to bring, well, Joy (pun intended) to his life.

This book is full of endearing moments, like the first time Alex laughs, or when Rose Petals’ showers fall around them every time they make love. Or funny moments like when they are to have sex for the first time and she almost faint at his size and thinks that it can’t possibly work and after the deed is done and he is back to ahem, a resting position, she thanks him for shrinking it for her. LOL.

But Alex, the stubborn, cold Duke of Belmore fights her laughter and her light. And ends up hurting her poor heart really badly and she has to make a decision to leave him. And only when apparently is too late, he realises his mistake and that he loves her with every fibber in his being. And you know what they say: when the mighty fall, they fall hard. But none more than Alex, the serious , sad Duke of Belmore, who now spends his nights crying, unable to find his Scottish and praying that she will be returned to him. He goes around searching for her, hugging trees (as she used to do when she needed reassurance from Nature), eating gingerbread (Joy’s favorite food), and filling the bookcases with Gothic Novel which she loves and he always frowned upon. Awwww Alex, stupid, endearing man.

Of course they reunite and the moment she comes back to him is ever so sweet.

A Desert Island keeper!