I turned on the boob tube while I ate my lonely lunch today and settled on "The Women", circa 1939, because I had heard it was a classic and studios have been clamouring to get a remake to the screen for years. So I checked out the first 10 minutes or so, waiting for Joan Crawford, when I heard the following line (and I may be paraphrasing a bit):
"Oh, just the thought of smoked oysters makes me absolutely green. Excuse me ladies, I think I may unswallow."
Unswallow. I had never heard that term and wonder if it was common speech back in the day almost 70 years ago. I think I will try to bring it back. Darling, I would watch more but I simply have much too much to do to prepare for Gay Pride this weekend. Cheerio!*
*Spoken in that sing-song yet clipped speaking style so popular in movies in 1939.
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3 comments:
I once knew a girl who was an unswallower....
Thank god my only reader has a creative (re: dirty) mind.
OOO!!! I just bought Harvey & have been watching it pretty much non-stop & really want to bring back some old phrases, too!
Unswallow's a great one. Mind if I steal it?
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