Latest movie: The Leopard. When I saw this in the new release section at Hastings I knew I had to see it eventually, given its mention in the most brilliant half-hour of television ever. The film is kind of an Italian Brideshead Revisited, i.e. a lament for a fading Catholic aristocracy being supplanted by the vulgar, power-grubbing middle class. Waugh is more romantic though; the dominant tone in Visconti is stoic resignation. Beautiful painterly shots make up for the deliberate pace. Babe factor: Claudia Cardinale, whom I ogled recently in 8 1/2 and The Pink Panther.

I was surprised to see the latest Cédric Kahn at our Blockbuster; I was even more surprised that it was checked out. I wonder how I might meet this dusty little town's resident French art film connoisseur?