So when I discover a book that details the nightmarish journey of some successful play, musical, or movie I’m all in. Recently, I read a book called THE SEESAW LOG by William Gibson. He wrote a very successful play in the late ‘50s called TWO FOR THE SEESAW. (There was also a later movie version.) It starred Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft and ran for 750 performances and collected several Tony Awards.
The book also included the text of the play and that’s what I want to focus on. (The nightmare section – you had to be there or at least give a shit?) Very well constructed and some very funny lines. I’ve never seen a production of it or the movie. But I was struck with how dated it was and how the times have changed.
First of all, it’s a two-character play. At the time this was considered avant garde. Plays had big casts, even comedies. Now all theatres want plays with small casts. Four is pretty much the max. And if you can stage it with no sets or costumes or sound or lights that would be better.
TWO FOR THE SEESAW is a romantic comedy, and for its time kind of racy. Single people having sex and talking about the subject. But never using a swear word. Obscenities in 1958 were verboten apparently. So the play read like a long sitcom.
A big story point was the guy celebrating his 34th birthday. Henry Fonda was cast in the role. He was clearly in his 50’s. Not even close. Imagine Daniel Craig passing for 34 today. And the woman was Anne Bancroft who at the time was 29 and played her age. So there was about a 25 year difference between them. Audiences didn’t seem to mind. I think they would today.
She was somewhat naive. So he constantly called her "infant." Seems a little insulting in 2018. Hard to believe it wasn't in 1958. There's a big difference between calling your object of affection "baby" and "infant." Or is it just me?
But the most startling change was this: During an argument scene Fonda takes a rolled up newspaper and smacks Bancroft in the face with it, sending her flying. WHAT THE FUCK?! And then it was justified because “she had it coming.” HOLY SHIT! She forgives him. And in the same scene he jokingly offers to slug her every hour. Now I’m curious to see if the movie version contains this beat. But wow – have sensibilities changed (for the better). What was considered acceptable behavior and even Broadway entertainment is truly appalling.
On the other hand...
A recent New York Post article said that many of our classic sitcoms are now cringeworthy because of the womanizing that exists in those shows. As someone who wrote a lot of those shows I take issue with that. At what point does this become silly? Sam Malone or Hawkeye Pierce propositioning a woman with benign comedy banter is quite apart from hitting anyone. The article cites a Syracuse University professor who showed the MASH episode where Henry Blake is killed. At one point, earlier in the episode during his goodbye ceremony he grabs Hot Lips and gives her a big kiss. The students gasped. A) If you know the show you know that Hot Lips had a very healthy sex drive, and B) she liked it. A point he makes is that students in earlier classes (before all the sexual harassment charges) did not react this way. So I'm going to chalk it up to heightened sensitivity because the issue is so in the air.
But if womanizing is the new line in sand never watch another James Bond movie, or IRON MAN movie, or Bob Hope movie, or Bogart movie, or SWINGERS, or SAVED BY THE BELL, or BOARDWALK EMPIRE, or MIAMI VICE, or FAMILY GUY (Quagmire), or STAR TREK, or THE SOPRANOS, or TWO AND A HALF MEN, or HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER or FRIENDS, and whatever you do, don't watch HAPPY DAYS. That "Fonzie" character should not be allowed on television.
from By Ken Levine
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