Word: priggishly
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...boys, or men, arrive, and it gradually becomes clear that class escalation has taken a toll. Stripping away the complex humanity of Storey's characterizations, one sees that the eldest son has become an acerbic, vengeful fire brand; the middle son, a priggish, glossy Establishment apologist; and the young est a haunted, weepy, torn-apart teacher. What is immediately apparent is that the emotional ground between parents and sons has been land-mined. Affections that are not actually felt are masked in billboards ("To the finest mother and the finest dad") while genuine feelings of tenderness are muted...
...lesser characters, the four guests all do a creditable job, particularly Alden Watson as Richard Greatham. His style of controlled bewilderment and priggish dismay enlivens the potentially flat role of the conservative diplomat. Jill Abramson vamps madly in her part as the inane and brainless ingenue, but her squeaky voice, exaggerated walk, and batting eyes quickly become tiresome. Joanna Blum is convincing as the sophisticated woman-about-town who tries (to no avail) to pull the Bliss family out of their hopeless theatrics. She, like Abramson, has a formula of winking eyes and sleek walk which loses its charm after...
...distinguish between Jews and non-Jews. Now she has trouble fathoming why people are angry at her. Leni's lack of understanding is revealed to the reader at third hand by a character called Au., an abbreviation for Böll's imaginary "Author." He is a priggish, humorless drudge who is determined to assemble the life of his living subject through interviews with people who knew...
...extremely tricky, however, and the view here is that Sheed to some extent has fumbled. The novel comes in two sections. The first is a recollection by Casey himself of his school and college years, the second a view of Casey's presidential campaign recorded by a priggish young Ivy League speechwriter who is both beguiled and disgusted by the candidate. The problem with this arrangement is that the speechwriter, Sam Perkins, is not really intelligent or substantial enough to be a good observer. The reader does not want Casey to be explained-at the core of every soul...
...nostal gic delight to have the show in Manhattan. Playwright Home's three central characters are titled racing stewards. Imagine their clubroom pal lor when they discover that a stakes race has been rigged by the wife of the senior board member (Wilfrid Hyde-White). When a priggish socialist peer threatens to expose the affair, this Britannic trio waives the rules and brings the bounder to heel...