MARY & TIM is a remake of TIM, which is one of her favorite movies... based on the novel by Colleen McCullough (who wrote THE THORN BIRDS, which is also one of my mom's favorite mini-series). It is the story of an older woman who falls in love with a mentally limited stud. I've never seen the original (which stars Piper Laurie and Mel Gibson) but this made-for-television version was fine. I could tell why the story appeals to my mother... it appealed to Philip and me, too.

It's odd how my mother asked me to get it for her. She called up a few months ago and said, "Guess what I just watched?"

I said, "Gimme a hint, Beck."

She said, "Do you remember the movie with Mel Gibson who plays the slow boy who falls in love with the red headed lady?"

I said, "Yes, I know that's one of your favorites. The actress is one of my favorites, Piper Laurie... she was the religious fanatic mother in the movie CARRIE... and she was the woman in the wheelchair in THE THORN BIRDS."

Mama said, "That's right! Do you remember the name of that?"

I thought it was a trick question... because the name of it was my name. I replied, "TIM."

She said, "Well, I just saw a remake of that on cable. Can you get a copy for me?"

While I still had her on the phone, I pulled up the internet movie database and searched for it, thinking the title would be the same, but since it wasn't... I had no luck.

I said, "Beck, do you know any of the actors that was in the version you just saw?"

She answered, "Do you remember the man who used to do the Charlie McCarthy puppet?"

I said, "Yep... Edgar Bergen."

She said, "His daughter was the woman who falls in love with the boy."

I knew immediately, "Candice Bergen."

Mama's voice brightened, "Yes!"

I said, "I've loved her ever since I saw RICH AND FAMOUS with Maw Maw Hilda." I found out many years later that RICH AND FAMOUS was a remake of another fabulous film, OLD ACQUAINTANCE, which my friend Benton showed me when I was living in Missouri, just before I joined the Naval Reserve a decade ago.

So, anyway, I looked up Candice Bergen on imdb.com and figured out that my mother was talking about MARY & TIM. Neither it nor the original version was available on netflix.com, so I told her I'd have to keep a look-out for it and tape it next time it came on cable. And tonight was the night! And it came on a channel I know she doesn't get... so, it'll be a total surprise when I send it to her.

:-)

And speaking of Beck, she called to tell me that my brother (Sean) had to go to court today... more divorce stuff. From what she was told by my sister, the restraining order has been lifted, so my brother can now speak to his soon-to-be-ex-wife again, as long as he maintains civility. But the judge wants Buck and Maggie to stay at one household during the school week, which is impossible for my brother, since he works four days on and four days off at the paper mill. The judge suggested that he could have Buck on weeknights, since Buck isn't in school yet, but Sean didn't want to separate the kids, not even for a few nights per week. So, he'll only be able to have them every so often, when his days off fall on weekends. I think that's fair, to keep the kids' schedule consitent during the week. And the judge ruled that both Sean and his soon-to-be-ex-wife will have to jointly support the kids, because my brother was totally against having the pay child support, since, in his mind, his kids are being taken from him... and why should he have to lose his kids AND pay to not have them. But anyway... I think things will start to go smoothly, if Sean can control his temper. I certainly hope so, for the kids' sake as well as his own (and ours).