The release of Clint Eastwood’s movie “The Mule” on Friday will tie together the entire fall season! This is called something– closure? a 180? a 360?
Anyway, featured prominently in The Mule is a great 1969 song, the “More Today Than Yesterday.” The song was written by Pat Upton and takes its title from a famous poem by Rosemonde Gérard.
Never heard of Ros? She was the wife of poet and playwriter Edmond Rostand, who wrote “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Her poem was called — is called — “L’éternelle chanson” aka “The Eternal Song.” The famous lines are For, you see, each day I love you more/Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.”
How does that tie up the fall season? Rostand and Ros were featured characters in the best Broadway play of the fall season, “Bernhardt/Hamlet” by Theresa Rebeck, starring Janet McTeer as Sarah Bernhardt. The famed actress of the turn of the 20th century had an affair with Rostand. Rosemond confronts her about it in the play. It’s noted that she’s famous for this couplet, and the poem.
As for “More Today than Yesterday,” Clint’s character in “The Mule” loves it, and it’s used in its original and various forms. Upton was the leader of the group the Spiral Starecase. They had one album, and the one hit. But it’s lasted 50 years! And there’s no stopping it now! Oldies stations, cue it up!
