So I decided to TiVo the variety of Oscar shows (should any of them actually be on tonight, of course). In the background as I was hitting the various buttons was a 1933 movie of Noel Coward’s Cavalcade. A British family has just returned from some sort of holiday and is getting their house in order. I have no idea of the relationships between these characters, but the dialogue floored me:
INT. DRAWING ROOM - DAY
JOE, a young man, offers MARGARET, an older woman,
a cigarette.
JOE
Pretty thrilling, isn't it?
MARGARET
Just a bit too thrilling, my dear.
JOE
Oh, right on, Margaret. It's absolutely
marvelous. Passing all those supply trains
and guns. Being pushed aside to make way
for the troops. The crowds waiting for
something to happen. Ah, it was wonderful.
FATHER enters, carrying a tray with a bottle of wine
and glasses.
FATHER
Jane's hollering for you in the kitchen,
Margaret.
MARGARET
Oh, all right.
Margaret EXITS.
FATHER
(holding up bottle)
Well, I can't find anything but (unintelligible).
We have to drink to Germany's downfall with
their own damn wine.
JOE
I rather like Germans. Don't you, father?
FATHER
Enormously. Give me a hand, Joey.
JOE
If there is a war, how long do you think
it will last?
FATHER
Ooo, three months at the outside.
JOE
We shall win?
FATHER
We shall win.
JOE
(excited, gleeful)
Perhaps it'll last six months.
FATHER
Economically impossible. Do you have
any idea what a war costs?
JOE
Hell of a lot, I suppose.
FATHER
A hell of a lot. The Germans can afford it
even less than we can. Then there's Russia--
JOE
Good old Russia!
FATHER
--France, Italy...and America.
JOE
Japan, China, Nicaragua, Guatemala...
We've got them licked before we start.
FATHER
Don't be silly, Joey.
We’ve always thoughts wars were pretty cool and would be pretty short. Until they started, of course.