DEAR MISS MANNERS: I attended a gathering where a foreign movie director was present. I knew that one of his films had won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film several years (decades) ago. I approached him and told him how much I enjoyed that particular work.
He responded, "Oh. That film hadn't been mentioned all evening. I suppose it was inevitable, as it's the one that everyone knows. I guess it's good to have that mention under my belt for the evening."
I mumbled something about how I knew I would have regretted failing to mention my fondness for that particular film when I had the chance. I then made a hasty retreat and didn't speak to him for the rest of the evening.
How should I have handled this? I feel almost wrong for having mentioned it at all. But that doesn't seem right, either.
GENTLE READER: This director has been approached so many times by fans of that film -- and is so irked that his later work has not received the same attention -- that he has forgotten basic manners.
Insulting you for complimenting him was unpardonable. Miss Manners does not say this to suggest that you should have acted any differently, but only to wonder that the director does not have the common sense to realize that you might have.