Magic Moments

N

Norm

Dedicated Member
Judging by the latest response, favourite scenes are popular as are favourite series and favourite episodes, but what about Magic Moments ?? sometimes they are just that, literally moments of pure joy to watch. It could simply be just a raised eyebrow, a pained look or giggle, but the timing and the accompanying facial expression turns the moment into magic.
As usual I am woefully inadequate in my ability to name the episode in question, so my apologies as usual. Wesley is trying to pull the three on their bicycles out of a bog and the wheels spray them from head to foot with mud, his face is an absolute picture as he turns round and sees what has happened.
Another is "Getting on Sidney's wire " I think it is called, Clegg and Compo have just heard a large splash and are beside themselves wondering if its Foggy just fallen in, Compo is good but Peter Sallis captures the moment magically, as Clegg is almost hugging himself with glee at the thought of a soaking wet Foggy. Am I alone or do others have Magic Moments.
 
Oh, I totally agree with your choices. I love the scene where they buy Nora a Brandy and ginger ale . . Compo looks her straight in the eye, his head covering her face from us, when he pulls it back she has that same stony face, but you just know she were dying to laugh.
 
When Sid gives Ivy her black nightie for Boxing day, she looks so joyful, even if just for a second.
Another scene with the couple where Sid has just hurt himself on Cleggs bike. Ivy has such a look of concern on her face, it's obvious how much she cares for the big lunkhead despite the constant bickering between them.
 
Not maybe a favourite "magic moment" but something I just noted today as a superb piece of stagecraft. "Has Anyone Seen a Peruvian Wart?" - Howard on ladder outside window of upstairs room. Clegg inside at desk with typewriter (producing neat copy of his diaries). Every time Howard taps window to attract attention, Clegg hits a key on the typewriter so never realises Howard is there.

Excellent example of the scriptwriter, director and actors working in harmony to produce comic effect.
 
Don said:
When Sid gives Ivy her black nightie for Boxing day, she looks so joyful, even if just for a second.
Another scene with the couple where Sid has just hurt himself on Cleggs bike. Ivy has such a look of concern on her face, it's obvious how much she cares for the big lunkhead despite the constant bickering between them.
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Similarly, in Pate and Chips, the long look Ivy gives as she waves goodbye to Chip and family.

It has just been mentioned Ivy and Sid don't have children.

The stare Ivy gives as the van drives off tells a thousand stories.
 
Yes, Big Unc, the scene in "Peruvian Wart" with the typewriter/tapping on window
is pure magic! Another one was when Foggy tells Clegg to "shut up" and
Clegg turns to the camera and smiles. There were a very few scenes when
a character looked directly at the camera and made some kind of quirky face.
 
loswsla1 said:
Another one was when Foggy tells Clegg to "shut up" and
Clegg turns to the camera and smiles. There were a very few scenes when
a character looked directly at the camera and made some kind of quirky face.
Click to expand...

Straight Eric Morecambe.
 
Part of the comedy of Summer Wine is the clash among the characters; Nora and Compo, Wally and Nora, Sid and Ivy, Howard and Pearl, etc. However, we also grow very attached to the characters. Therefor, for me, the most magical moments are when all the characters are together in unison. I have previously written about all of these magical moments so I will repeat briefly here.

I wrote a lot now about Howard and Pearl being comfortably together in the audience of the duel scene in Brushes at Dawn. It is magical because such a scene is extremely rare.

Then, there is Edie and Wesley. Over 90% of their interactions involve Edie giving Wesley a hard time. However, there is the end of Gypies at the Bottom of our Garden. Wesley is the tour bus driver and after the chaotic wilderness scene in the end, we find Edie spotting him and Wesley is sitting there with a warm smile towards Edie. Once again, it is extremely rare!

Of course there is the scene where everyone, including Nora, is excited about Compo's Maurice Chevalier performance and that starts with the close up of her photo.

I will end with Camera Shy. This is in the late 90's which is widely considered a weaker time for Summer Wine. However, there is the scene with all the guys and all the ladies gathered together with some excited about viewing Foggy's derranged film. Although, that magic moment might be hampered a little with Howard (I forget exactly, but he was trying to sneak away from Pearl or something like that.
 
There are actually many magic moments. The first is when almost the entire group gathers to view the jousting in "Brushes at Dawn." It is rare when you see everyone together at one time.

The second is the gathering of the entire group as they bid the trio farewell in "Last Post and Pigeon." Smiler in his Lollipop Man suit stops them. And they ask, Why? And then the entire group comes out. That is so poignant. And in the very back of the group there may have even been some crew members.

And finally in very poignant moment, was the final scene in "Last Post and Pigeon."
 
Another favorite of mine is at the end of "Situations Vacant." Edie thinks something terrible has happened to Wesley and when he appears, covered in oil she starts yelling at him, only to hug him as a sign of relief that he's all right.
 
In the pilot when Clegg grabs the side of the hearse for a free pull to the church !! you get one of his lovely cheeky grins.
 
"Then, there is Edie and Wesley. Over 90% of their interactions involve Edie giving Wesley a hard time. However, there is the end of Gypies at the Bottom of our Garden. Wesley is the tour bus driver and after the chaotic wilderness scene in the end, we find Edie spotting him and Wesley is sitting there with a warm smile towards Edie. Once again, it is extremely rare!"

Haha Codfanglers,, actually I think Wesley's smile at Edie is a playfully mocking smile because Foggy had them endure a long uncomfortable tramp through the brush and then he found that place to park right next to where they ended up.
 
I love the non-spoken interaction between Compo and Cleggy e.g the end scene in Mending Stuarts Leg.This happened quite regularly and to me was a joy to watch.
 
Don said:
Another favorite of mine is at the end of "Situations Vacant." Edie thinks something terrible has happened to Wesley and when he appears, covered in oil she starts yelling at him, only to hug him as a sign of relief that he's all right.
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Yes, I was trying to remember this episode....it's quite heartwarming at the end.
 
Norm said:
Judging by the latest response, favourite scenes are popular as are favourite series and favourite episodes, but what about Magic Moments ?? sometimes they are just that, literally moments of pure joy to watch. It could simply be just a raised eyebrow, a pained look or giggle, but the timing and the accompanying facial expression turns the moment into magic.
As usual I am woefully inadequate in my ability to name the episode in question, so my apologies as usual. Wesley is trying to pull the three on their bicycles out of a bog and the wheels spray them from head to foot with mud, his face is an absolute picture as he turns round and sees what has happened.
Another is "Getting on Sidney's wire " I think it is called, Clegg and Compo have just heard a large splash and are beside themselves wondering if its Foggy just fallen in, Compo is good but Peter Sallis captures the moment magically, as Clegg is almost hugging himself with glee at the thought of a soaking wet Foggy. Am I alone or do others have Magic Moments.
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I agree with all of these, especially the last one with Foggy in the water. Reminds me of a charming thing Peter said to me, a rather Summer Winean thing, he said there is a streak of a 13 year-old in him :D.
I generally love it when you can tell the actors are realling enjoying themselves. I have started to watch those who are NOT delivering the line and thus not in the main focus of the viewer, and often you can see Brian Wilde smiling or Peter Sallis, I find it more difficult to spot with Bill Owen.
One of my favourite moments of the show (I have forgotten the title) is when Wesley gives the trio a lift in Edie´s car which has broken down and they attach it to a tractor that pulls them on a field and starts spraying manure. That and the music to it just had me in tears!
I´m too tired right now to think about "magical". Sometimes it is just the trio lying on the grass, I think I liked the beginning of Cheering up Ludovic if this is the right episode, that´s where my avatar comes from.
 
That's wonderful as there is a 13 year old in me as well, perhaps that is why Clegg is my favourite. Also I too watch carefully those not delivering the line, as I have discovered as well that there are lovely moments to watch around the central character. Clegg is trying to tell the others about Howard trying to get the double bass into his house and they are not listening is another good example.
 
I also like to watch what's going on in the background and even though I have seen all the episodes many many times, I can still spot things I missed before with background characters and action. One in particular I like is to watch the pub waitress in The Frozen Turkey Man when Compo grabs Foggy and kisses his forehead. She is smiling really big and shaking her head, you can tell she's enjoying that scene as well.
 
Ron-po said:
"Then, there is Edie and Wesley. Over 90% of their interactions involve Edie giving Wesley a hard time. However, there is the end of Gypies at the Bottom of our Garden. Wesley is the tour bus driver and after the chaotic wilderness scene in the end, we find Edie spotting him and Wesley is sitting there with a warm smile towards Edie. Once again, it is extremely rare!"

Haha Codfanglers,, actually I think Wesley's smile at Edie is a playfully mocking smile because Foggy had them endure a long uncomfortable tramp through the brush and then he found that place to park right next to where they ended up.
Click to expand...

Maybe so. Although I recall Edie smiling back in the end. Perhaps that was one of those unplanned things. Anyway, "There are Gypsies at the Bottom of our Garden" is one of my all time favorite episodes and I previously voted Dewhurst Nature Tours as my all time favorite Foggy scheme.

OK, here is another one, although calling it a Magical Moment might be a stretch. It is from "Oh Look, Mitzi found her Mummy". Barry is often put into compromising situations, by the likes of Truly, Billy, etc. One example is him on the piano in the back of Wesley's truck in "I didn't know Barry could Play. In Mitzi found her Mummy" Barry is causing commotion in his uncomfortable Mummy outfit. However there is the scene where Mitzi is in Clegg's home and no of the guys can help. Barry is an unlikely hero as he goes in, then there is silence, only to have Mitzi come out in the Mummy outfit. Barry's character is not necessarily heroic, but he sort of redeems himself as he helps the guys out in this scene.
 
In Woollen Mills of Your Mind, a brief magic moment can be seen when Compo is talking about Marilyn Monroe dying and thinking no one cared about her.
 
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