Date:    Sun, 17 May 1998 22:38:21 EDT
<br>From:    Bapopik <Bapopik[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
<br>Subject: BULWORTH anachronisms
<br>
<br>     Warren Beatty's latest movie, BULWORTH, takes place in the primary season
<br>of 1996--just two years ago.  Seemingly not much time for anachronisms,
<br>still...
<br>     "Ebonics?"  That was an extremely rare term (even in scholarly circles)
<br>until December 1996.  Warren, don't you remember??
<br>     Much of the dialogue seems written rather than spoken.  A real Bulworth
<br>would not be able to come up with instant rhymes on-the-spot to every issue.
<br>Especially while in a drunken state, and after days with no sleep!  And no
<br>matter how much Nina (Halle Berry) is versed in political jargon, a real Nina
<br>would not be able to give the MEET THE PRESS answers the screenwriters have
<br>her say.
<br>      As for dialect, none of it seems especially indigenous to any part of
<br>California.  California is represented by blacks and Jews, but where are the
<br>Spanish speakers?
<br>
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<br>YOU'RE THE ATOP
<br>
<br>     Today's Safire "On Language" column mentions written words that no one
<br>supposedly says.  As a lawyer, I can relate to that.  Some lawyer has a T-
<br>shirt that says "Just Say Nolo," but who says "nolo"?
<br>     Safire's title is a pun on the Noel Coward song, "You're the Top."
<br>BULWORTH played at the Ziegfeld Theatre, and there were photos of the New
<br>Amsterdam Theatre and the Ziegfeld Follies on the wall.  Several playbills had
<br>this:
<br>
<br>Ziegfeld Roof
<br>The Meeting Place of the World
<br>Atop the New Amsterdam Theatre
<br>
<br>    "Atop" was always used for this theatre.  New York has "atop" places!
<br>