I love old movies … the dialog, the classic stories, the high acting quality. And I grew up on them, so they hold great childhood memories.
I was watching an episode of Night Gallery entitled “Make Me Laugh”. It’s the story of a has-been comic [Godfrey Cambridge] who, in a bar, meets up with a gentleman professing to be able to work miracles. Unfortunately, the miracle worker does not always give the wish-ee exactly what they want … he ‘misses’ so to speak.
The comic presses for his miracle. “I want to make people laugh” he demands. He gets his miracle. In fact, no matter what he says, and even when he only stands on stage, people laugh. And laugh hysterically. Of course this is not what the comic really wants … and he changes his miracle demand to “I want to touch people, I want to make them cry.” He then gets hit by a cab and indeed makes people cry.
The comic knew what he wanted, knew what he meant. The ‘miracle worker’ gave the comic exactly what he asked for.
Let me ask you, are you clear in your requests?
It isn’t what you said, it’s what they think they heard”
