Monday, May 17, 2010

Interpet* (for Interpret*)

Pets can bring couples together in the best of times, but they can also come between them. In the wonderful "Thin Man" movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, the dog Asta seems like an indispensable accessory to their love: indeed, when Nick and Nora Charles eventually have a baby, it's a bit of a cipher compared to the pooch. While pets can occasionally wear out their welcome or be the cause of a marital split, it's just as likely that weary lovers will decide to stay together simply because they can't bear to share custody of the canine. (This scenario is amusingly depicted in the 1960s novelty song "I'll Take the Dog" by Jean Shepard and Ray Pillow.) Interpet* is a "high probability" typo, according to the Ballard list, with 94 hits in OhioLINK.

(Cropped screenshot of Asta from the trailer for Another Thin Man, 1939, from Wikimedia Commons.)

Carol Reid

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