There is a Chinese saying, Houses in gold and faces like jade are all in the books. Meaning one’s wealth and companion will follow as long as one studies diligently.
While I am still searching for my house in gold by continuing learning through reading and all, I have found the face like jade… not in the books, but in the movies.
Meet Julia Nickson-Soul. She first swept my heart away in her role as the beautiful and exotic Princess Aouda in the first run of a TV mini series movie, Around the World in 80 Days, staring Pierce Brosnan as Philieas Fogg, Eric Idle as Passepartout, and Sir Peter Ustinov as the detective Wilbur Fix. I later saw Julia in a rerun of Rambo II, and then in her much more elegant and simply stunning look in Harry’s Hong Kong. Although her later appearance as Ensign Lian T’Su in Star Trek: TNG’s episode “Arsenal Of Freedom” wasn’t anything as pleasing to the eye, her image as Princess Aouda still stuck in my heart like the Cupid’s arrow.
In strolling through the aisles of DVD’s at a video shop, I found the Around the World in 80 Days title! I had no idea they would have it in video let alone in DVD. Although the price of some HKD$240.00 for this 280min long movie was somewhat steep for me, knowing I might not be able to find it anywhere else, I just had to have it.
I watched the entire 280min in one night. While I am not sure if Sir Ustinov’s Fix fitted how I remembered the character in the book, which I read in jr. high, Pierce’s Fogg, I think, was just the right touch, and Eric’s Passepartout was like one of those perfect matches as Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Batman. And then there is Julia’s Princess Aouda, forget the book, forget the story, forget the movie, Julia herself is all that matters.
WhaUSay?!