Letter to a Duchess (4.6)

[SelleckLover]

Dang, Rubber Chicken! You rock!

[Steve]

I just watched this one again. The scene in the study wherein Higgins lashes out at Magnum and TM looks at Higgins dead on and proclaims that attacks on his bad habits are withing the rules, but on his character are not, is in my opinion a defining moment on the complex relationship between Higgins and Magnum. Higgins apologizes and seems to be for one the very first times seeing Magnum the War Hero, the galant and chivalrous and friend to the end Magnum. Great writing and character development....Bravo!

[nha trang]

Rated it a 9.5, trying to hold out on the 10 ratings, but I agree this is an episode that one can re-watch and enjoy, unlike basketball orphan willie...hehe.

Seriously though, this seems to me to be one of the "classic" episodes, just the right amount of everything. One of the fortunately, many, good episodes that keep the Magni-verse turning, even 30 years later.

[Emperador Chabe]

One of my all-time favorites as well. But it's hard to say why. May be because of the scene when Magnum proposes to Vivian a hot dog and then drinks beers with her: just hilarius.

There is a flub in the French version though. When Higgins tells to Magnum the story when he saw Vivian for the second time (in London) he does like Magnum knew the story of the first time Higgins met her.

Can't tell whether this flub exists in the original version since Universal sold the DVDs with no OV...

Another quick note: Higgins is supposed to go to this English shop to get an UK newspaper. In the end, he doesn't take it with him . There is no flub though, if you look well, the newspaper stays on the table. Just after leaving the shop, he fights these 2 guys. After the fight, he goes with Vivian but forgets on the floor the bag he got from the shop. I tried to see if the bag reappears later on when he takes a tea with Vivian, but nope, no flub.

Just a bad day for JQH! But Vivian did deserve it...

[burny]

"....dig my action over there...."

great ep! in my top 10....show's how strong the characters are.

In keeping with the surf ski hat flub....in the final push of the surf ski race,
mag's sunglasses come on and off twice. I doubt he stopped in the last
couple hundred yards to take his sunglasses on and off. The aerial shot of
the race cuts to the mag with no sunglasses, then with, then without, then
he crosses the finish line with.

[northshore]

Question regarding the black metal box Higgins opens in the study. He pulls out a few items and lays them on the table before the flashback scene to his roadside meeting with the Duchess. After the flashback he places the newspaper clipping next to a German SS lapel and knife. I realize many collectors of military items would have these type of things in a collection. Does anyone know the significance of showing these items? Higgins placing the Duchess clipping right next to these items seems symbolic to me.

[MaiTaiMan]

Love this episode...awesome! This is one that I really enjoy the situation that Higgins and Magnum find themselves in, and the issue between them---a woman! Rarely do Higgins and Magnum become involved (in one way or another) with the same woman.

I respect how Higgins handles himself, and I also respect Magnum for trying to help Higgins and clarify the problem to the Duchess.

I really love the ending...where Higgins gets in on the action of taking down the kidnappers/bad guys! Awesome!!

This was a superb plot, and everyone gave outstanding performances! This and "Distant Relative" are two of my favorites from season 4.

_________________
"It was more ironic than a Robin Masters novel--she thought he was dead, he thought she was dead...and only the chauffeur knew the truth! He should have been the butler!" "Lest We Forget"

[miltontheripper]

Definitely enjoyed this episode. Great scenes with Higgins using his cain as a weapon, especially the end, hilarious! The mistaken note and the resulting hangout by the Duchess in the guestroom with Magnum was very entertaining. Funny how TM seems to occasionally get in the way of Higgins limited love life (remember Tropical Madness from season 2!)

[MaiTaiMan]

[mandolabar]

I need any Brits on the list to weigh in....but I may have spotted a rare instance of John Hillerman's Texas roots bleeding through.

In the scene when Magnum comes to the study after he takes Vivien home, and they come to understand what happened--Higgins tells Magnum "I fixed pheasant" (I think it was pheasant).

My point: this usage of "fix" is, to my linguistic knowledge, unique to the southern US dialect. It's one of the things my husband (not from the south) laughs at me for, because I do say things like "I'm fixin to go to the store" and "I fixed the boys' lunches for them."

In south Texas, especially, accents are much more about word usage than pronunciation (I also say "y'all" and use the double modal - might oughta, maybe should).

But to the point: to the rest of the world beyond the southern dialect, "fix" means "repair," and that's why they notice, and laugh at, this usage.

So unless the British actually say this too--which I doubt, but please chime in if you do--Higgins let slip a native Texan usage.

Maybe he's been hanging around with Elmo...

~Amanda