This was said of an elderly Bette Davis in a book review I recently read. Is it another way of saying “lame” or “infirm”?
I’d take it to mean “unable to walk”. Was she?
Wasn’t that a big hit for the Bangles?
I dunno, maybe gnarled and prickly? Even with no actual meaning, the phrase has a great connotation.
Since anchovies don’t walk, I would also guess it must mean she walked very poorly or not at all.
Unless it means “to walk in a very oily, salty manner,” or “to walk in the manner of a pizza topping.”
It conveys to me an image of a fish standing upright and trying to walk on its tail fins. This might apply to someone who has to take very small steps due to age, infirmity, clothing, etc.
Not sure about oily or pizza topping, but salty could be used to describe her (on screen) personality.
Yeah, an old lady plodding through all that extra cheese.
Maybe just like you said
I imagine walking like you’re constantly hedged in on all sides, like you’re crammed into a sardine can. Pretty evocative to me, really, like the world’s pressing in on all sides, making you smaller.
Maybe she needed to have people standing on each side of her to assist her in walking.
When a lady wears a close-fitting, long dress, she must take very short steps. There’s not enough room to take a full stride.
Is this what the book reviewer meant? I haven’t a clue.
All the cops in the Pizza shops, ay?
Way-o WAY-oo
Did she leave an odor wherever she went?
I’m watching the movie “Desk Set.” One of the minor characters is a little old lady (not Bette Davis), and as soon as I saw her walking, I thought: “She’s walking like an anchovy!” Her posture was slightly bent and she took little mincing steps. Her arms were bent, with her gnarled hands in front like little pincers.