Harden won an Oscar for her role as Lee Krasner, the artist and long-suffering wife of Jackson Pollock in the 2000 film, "Pollock." I really liked that film on a number of levels. For starters, I know I'm in the minority on this one, but I'll take a Pollock over a Rubens any day.

OK, let me be more specific. I'll take Pollock's "Number 32" over Corot's "The Stone Breakers," Renoir's "Le Moulin de la Galette" and Caravaggio's "Conversion of St. Paul."

Put together.

I mean, who wants to look at a horse's behind every day?

I also like films depicting the NYC scene in the 1950s. And finally, the interplay between Ed Harris (as Jackson Pollock) and Harden made you feel like you were a fly on the wall, instead of watching a couple of actors. A well-derserved statue, to be sure.

Harden won an Oscar for her role as Lee Krasner in "Pollock."

She was in about 65 films and about a dozen TV episodes, depicting a huge range of human emotion and behavior. One that comes to mind is her portrayal of Billie McCandless, the abused mom in the personal epic, "Into the Wild." It was this unhappy home life that perhaps gave her son, Chis (Emile Hirsch) a reason to take off on his far-flung adventure.

Here's another studio still, this one from "Bad News Bears."

From her official release: Next up for Harden is the comedy “The Lonely Maiden,” in which she stars opposite Christopher Walken, William H. Macy and Morgan Freeman. Later this year, Harden can be seen in the Lions Gate film, The Christmas Cottage, based on the life of Thomas Kinkade, opposite Peter O’Toole as well as Home in which she stars opposite her real-life daughter, Eulala Grace Scheel. The film, written and directed by Mary Haverstick centers on a mother who attempts to break the cycle of addiction in her family by taking her daughter on a summer road trip during the late 1960s.

Speaking of Christopher Walken, stop reading this now and go to iTunes to download his "Weapon of Choice" (Fatboy Slim) music video, OK?

So, the ROH lunch, which benefits the Norma Pfriem Breast Care Center in Fairfield, will take place Wed. June 11. Usually it's a sellout.

One more tip I'll pass on. They also usually sell "VIP" tickets for a few bucks more that get you into a "private reception" with the honored guest. Usually, this is a little, um, crowded, so don't expect to have a one-on-one with MGH if you spring for the VIP reception. It's not out of the question, but there's usually not a lot of elbow room.

Also, it has been a little on the cool side the last couple or three years, so stash your ski parka in the trunk, just in case. It takes place outdoors under a tent.

On another note, the annual Near & Far Polo fundraiser at the Fairfield Hunt Club won't happen this year. One snitch told me that "they only made thirty-five thousand dollars last year," so it wasn't worth it.

Hey, I'll take the 35 Gs if no one wants it! (Just kidding, folks -- as a professional journalist, it would be really unethical for me to accept that kind of dough.)

But that's too bad. It was really a great party and it will be missed by the people who attended over the last couple of years.