Pages 557-563

This page-by-page annotation is organized by sections, as delineated by the seven squares (sprockets) which separate each section. The page numbers for this page-by-page annotation are for the original Viking edition (760 pages). Editions by other publishers vary in pagination — the newer Penguin editions are 776 pages; the Bantam edition is 886 pages.

Contributors: Please use a 760-page edition (either the original Viking edition with the orange cover or the Penguin USA edition with the blue cover and rocket diagram — there are plenty on Ebay for around $10) or search the Google edition for the correct page number. Readers: To calculate the Bantam edition use this formula: Bantam page # x 1.165. Before p.50 it's about a page earlier; as you get later in the book, add a page.

Finally, profound thanks to Prof. Don Larsson for providing the foundation for this page-by-page annotation.

Page 558

558.06 old Bloody Chiclitz
Chiclitz’s name does derive from Chiclets chewing gum, but only metaphorically. Since the white, candy-coated gum tablets resembled teeth, "bloody chiclets" became slang for "broken teeth," as in the threat, "How would you like a mouth full of bloody chiclets?"

Page 561

561.26 LOOK-IN’ FAWR A NEEDLE IN A HAAAAY-STACK!

Song written by Con Conrad and Herb Magidson, from the Astaire-Rogers musical The Gay Divorcee (originally titled The Gay Divorce on Broadway), directed by Mark Sandrich in 1934. Guy Holden, played by Astaire, has met Ginger Rogers but not learned her name and sings about the improbability of finding her again. Note the similarity to Ludwig's quest for Ursula the lemming at 553.34. Dance critic Arlene Croce writes that this number "first defined the Astaire character on the screen. . . . Everything comes easily to him and we believe in him as in no screen hero since Keaton." See next note below.

561.30-31 Fred Astaire . . . Ginger Rogers again
Missing the song reference above causes Weisenburger to strain for an interpretation. Astaire and Rogers did team up once again after 1939, for The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). That fact aside, it is certainly stretching a point to say that Astaire’s career "took a downward turn" after 1939. Among many other films, he continued to be a popular star in such musicals as You’ll Never Get Rich (1940), Holiday Inn (1942), You Were Never Lovelier (1942), Yolanda and the Thief (1945), Royal Wedding (1953), The Bandwagon (1953), Daddy Longlegs (1955), Silk Stockings (1957), and Easter Parade (1957), and won respect as a serious actor in On the Beach (1959). He also had two acclaimed television specials and won an Honorary Oscar in 1950 and the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 1981. In the "Looking for a Needle" number, Astaire sings about finding the woman of his dreams whose name he never learned after they had had a "cute meet." (He had torn her dress.) The music continues over a montage sequence of Astaire walking and driving around London watching various women until his car runs into Rogers’.

Page 562

562.01 --searchin’ for a (hmm) cellar full of saffron
Not, needless to say, a line from the song, but Slothrop is filling in, trying to remember. This launches him into yet another mindlessly pleasurable pursuit (for lyrics) that threatens to abort his mission.

1 Beyond the Zero	3-7, 7-16, 17-19, 20-29, 29-37, 37-42, 42-47, 47-53, 53-60, 60-71, 71-72, 72-83, 83-92, 92-113, 114-120, 120-136, 136-144, 145-154, 154-167, 167-174, 174-177
2 Un Perm' au Casino Herman Goering	181-189, 189-205, 205-226, 226-236, 236-244, 244-249, 249-269, 269-278
3 In the Zone	279-295, 295-314, 314-329, 329-336, 336-359, 359-371, 371-383, 383-390, 390-392, 392-397, 397-433, 433-447, 448-456, 457-468, 468-472, 473-482, 482-488, 488-491, 492-505, 505-518, 518-525, 525-532, 532-536, 537-548, 549-557, 557-563, 563-566, 567-577, 577-580, 580-591, 591-610, 610-616
4 The Counterforce	617-626, 626-640, 640-655, 656-663, 663-673, 674-700, 700-706, 706-717, 717-724, 724-733, 733-735, 735-760