I’m very upset that so few people appeared to have watched Bleak House. Apart from being Dickens on the BBC (which makes it worth watching before considering anything else), it was actually really good. Star studded cast, great acting and directing (although I’m not at all sure about the whoosy cuts at the change of scenes).
But by far the best bit, in my opinion, was the horribly odious and despicable Smallweed (played to perfection by Phil Davis), who was confined to a chair on poles by some infirmity, and besides from moaning about his bones would perioidically shout “Shake me up Judy” (in order to help his bones, apparantly). Judy being his grand-daughter, by the way.
This really is a fabulous catchphrase, and brings a smile to my face everytime I think of it – but nobody else has a clue if I suddenly come up with “Shake me up Judy”. It’s a hard knock life, eh?