In a scene in which Gilbert and Kitty are having breakfast, Gilbert suddenly blurts out, "Oh, Horror! Horror! Horror!"
It is the one line in the film which I simply do not understand. To what is he supposed to be referring?
They Got Guns
We Got Guns
All God's Chillun' Got Guns!
A line from Shakespeare's famous tragedy MACBETH. It is uttered by Macduff, after he discovers the bloody body of his king Duncan, murdered by Macbeth. As Gilbert and his wife are discussing the heat wave and how it seems to be affecting the cast of the current show PRINCESS IDA, and of the abysmal turnout at the latest performance, he is probably inferring that IDA is doomed to a short run.
sharethanks trinitymplayers
I can figure out what almost everything else that the film refers to, but that line was always a mystery for me.
They Got Guns
We Got Guns
All God's Chillun' Got Guns!
I think the "Oh Horror" might be related to the toothache Gilbert has, which is mentioned soon after.
shareAs one who performs G & S regularly I can say that "Oh, Horror! Horror! Horror"
features often in Gilbert's lyrics. Most recently we sang it in "The Grand Duke". It's usually the chorus' reponse to his latest piece of Topsy Turvydom!
But probably because its in alot of their work.
shareHmm. Does this assertion also apply to the following scene in Iolanthe?
Fairy Queen: Peers shall teem in Christendom and a duke's exalted station be attainable by competitive examination.
Peers: Oh, horror.
Fairies: Their horror.
[deleted]
As well as the aforementioned points, I always thought it was to do with his dementia-ridden father.
share