dual personalities

Month: December, 2011

December 13, 2011

Hey, Bob… I just remembered what tomorrow is. Feliz Navidad.

by chuckofish

3 Godfathers (1948) directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and a cast of Ford stalwarts is one of my very favorite Christmas movies. I always watch it with the boy, because we are the two family members who really love it. Written by Laurance Stallings and Frank S. Nugent, it is the story of three outlaws on the run who discover a dying woman and help her deliver her baby. They swear to bring the infant to safety across the desert, even at the risk of their own lives.

Frank Nugent also collaborated with Ford on such classics as Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1948), The Quiet Man (1952), Mister Roberts (1955), The Searchers (1956), Two Rode Together (1961), and Donovan’s Reef (1963). So you know what you can expect: great dialogue, a light touch with some underlying darkness, memorable characters.

John Wayne was seldom better than in this movie. He is in top form. Handsome, manly, graceful, full of repressed feeling and submerged anger. We wonder throughout the movie what has made him turn to a life of lawlessness. Why has he lost his faith? He is clearly a well-brought-up “good guy”. He is more than ably supported by Harry Carey, Jr. and the Mexican film star Pedro Armendáriz as the other two godfathers. The three of them work so well together. There is genuine affection in their verbal wrangling. Mildred Natwick, a personal favorite of mine, has a great cameo part as the doomed mother.

Because it is a Ford movie, the cinematography (by Winton Hoch), especially the outside scenes, are wonderful. The scene when they are trudging across the parched desert and the Abilene Kid lies down to die should be shown to all film students. There is nothing sentimental in this scene. It is heart-breakingly real.

In this movie Ford never resorts to the broad down-homey humor he sometimes does in order to break up what he must have seen as too much tension in a film. Ward Bond is kept in check. Hank Worden too. Jane Darwell and Jack Pennick portray remarkably observed characters that stand out in a very full line-up of characters.

And you gotta love a movie where scripture is used successfully as a plot devise. At least I do.

And, yes, it is a Christmas movie. It is a story of redemption and of three wise men who follow a star and find a baby. FELIZ NAVIDAD.

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December 12, 2011

Why I love Raymond Chandler

by chuckofish

“Police business,” he said almost gently, “is a hell of a problem. It’s a good deal like politics. It asks for the highest type of men, and there’s nothing in it to attract the highest type of men. So we have to work with what we get…”

–The Lady in the Lake (1943)

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December 11, 2011

O tannenbaum

by chuckofish

On Saturday we went to the Kirkwood Optimist’s tree lot to buy our big tree for the living room and a smaller one for the dining room. Mission accomplished! It was a beautiful day and, although cold, not prohibitively so. We found our tree with the help of a friendly Optimist in no time flat.

I remember many trips to buy a tree as a child when it was freezing cold, and since we usually went after church, we were not dressed for standing outside looking at trees. My mother was the kind of perfectionist who always wanted to find the perfect tree. That takes time and looking at a lot of trees. I have learned that all trees have flaws and the lights and ornaments more than make up for them.

You can see that our tree seems to have something of a waist (!), but I’m sure the branches will come down and fill that in…right? Oh well, as Linus once famously said, “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. All it needs is a little love.” I’ll keep you posted.

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December 10, 2011

A gentle reminder

by chuckofish

The True Christmas

So stick up ivy and the bays,
And then restore the heathen ways.
Green will remind you of the spring,
Though this great day denies the thing.
And mortifies the earth and all
But your wild revels, and loose hall.
Could you wear flowers, and roses strow
Blushing upon your breasts’ warm snow,
That very dress your lightness will
Rebuke, and wither at the ill.
The brightness of this day we owe
Not unto music, masque, nor show:
Nor gallant furniture, nor plate;
But to the manger’s mean estate.
His life while here, as well as birth,
Was but a check to pomp and mirth;
And all man’s greatness you may see
Condemned by His humility.
Then leave your open house and noise,
To welcome Him with holy joys,
And the poor shepherd’s watchfulness:
Whom light and hymns from heaven did bless.
What you abound with, cast abroad
To those that want, and ease your load.
Who empties thus, will bring more in;
But riot is both loss and sin.
Dress finely what comes not in sight,
And then you keep your Christmas right.

–Henry Vaughan

Henry Vaughan (1621 − April 23, 1695) was a Welsh physician and metaphysical poet. For more information look here.

3 Comments
December 9, 2011

Be of good cheer

by chuckofish

My Christmas Cactus is blooming! Why is it so exciting when indoor plants bloom? Well, it is.

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December 8, 2011

Wine country–flyover style

by chuckofish

Last weekend I ventured forth with my best Grace girlfriends to celebrate one of their birthdays. We went to Gasconade County, which is located on the south side of the Missouri River, in the area called the “Missouri Rhineland.” The county seat is Hermann, a lovely river town settled by Germans in the mid-19th century. It is full of nice old brick buildings, quaint shops and wineries.

We went to the Stone Hill Winery which at the turn of the 20th century was the second-largest winery in the United States and the third-largest in the world; it produced 1,250,000 gallons in 1900. Its wine had won numerous awards in international fairs, including Vienna in 1873, Philadelphia in 1876, and St. Louis in 1904. Due to Prohibition, the winery was closed in 1920, along with virtually all others in the nation. In 1965 Stone Hill Winery was the first in Missouri to be re-established. Its main building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While we were there they were hosting a Kristkindl Markt–lots of craft and local vendors in a big barn. I purchased some handmade ornaments and stocking stuffers.

Also in Hermann is the Lewis and Clark Encampment. (Germans love their gilded stags, don’t they? I mean what do they have to do with Lewis and Clark?)

On this particular Saturday, there were lots of friendly re-enactors hanging out.

When the skies began to threaten and we were beginning to tire out, we headed to our Bed and Breakfast in Marthasville, Monette’s Cabin. To our delight we found a two-story log cabin, fully modernized with all the requisite luxuries, including a hot tub. The view of the rolling Missouri hills was lovely. And we had the place all to ourselves.

It was even decorated for Christmas!

There were cows mooing in the distance, goats in the backyard, keeping the grass under control, and coyotes howling in the evening. In the morning our hosts returned and cooked us a traditional breakfast of “Dutch Babies”–a baked pancake with fresh strawberries and yogurt.

All in all, a flyover getaway of the best kind. We’ve reserved a return visit for next year!

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December 7, 2011

Deck the halls

by chuckofish

This dualpersonality has been decorating, too. Marjorie and the little Dutch girl always sit in the chair. Marjorie was my mother’s doll, and although she has seen better days, I think she seems cheered up by the festive company she is keeping. The wonderfully late 1950s Santa I received on my first or second birthday. I couldn’t say Santa Clause so I called him Kee-Kaw and the name stuck. He’s a favorite of ours. One of my aunts made the doll with the wild red hair and (if I remember correctly) the primitive angel on Marjorie’s lap. Unfortunately, I can no longer remember which Aunt was responsible. Can anyone help? The two snowmen are new and store-bought but I like their expressions.

These dolls occupy an 18th century Windsor chair from the Sargent side of my family. It sits in a corner of my living room under a couple of etchings and next to the big bookcase that my mother bought and stained many, many years ago.

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December 7, 2011

Thy daily stage of duty run

by chuckofish

Awake, my soul, and with the sun
thy daily stage of duty run;
shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
to pay thy morning sacrifice.

Lord, I my vows to thee renew;
disperse my sins as morning dew;
guard my first springs of thought and will,
and with thyself my spirit fill.

Direct, control, suggest, this day,
all I design or do or say;
that all my powers, with all their might,
in thy sole glory may unite.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

–Thomas Ken

Now here’s a poem we have probably all known forever and taken for granted. What a great morning prayer and hymn! If you are alone and cannot sing it as a round, sing it anyway. You’ll be glad you did.

And while we’re at it, let’s give a high five to Bishop Thomas Ken (1637–1711) who wrote it. (Ken is honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on March 20.)

They don’t write ’em like this anymore.

P.S. This is our 100th blog post! Yay for us!

3 Comments
December 6, 2011

Winds thro’ the olive trees softly did blow

by chuckofish

Round little Bethlehem long, long ago.

Everyone needs a Christmas creche…or several. This one is very similar to the one we had at home when I was a child. It was from Italy. We played with it, rearranging it ad infinitum, so the kings’ heads were always getting knocked off. This one I found on eBay–oh, that wonderful place where you can rediscover your childhood!

We had a plastic version for our kids when they were little–the heads didn’t come off. It still looks pretty good.

Strategically placed nativity scenes around the house remind us (and our children) that:

For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.

3 Comments
December 5, 2011

In some ways, you’re far superior to my cocker spaniel.

by chuckofish

Well, as they say, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. And that means: Christmas movies! This month I will be blogging about my favorites. First off: White Christmas (1954) directed by one of my favorites, Michael Curtiz, and starring the most wonderful cast ever, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, who had to be the model for the original Barbie Doll.

In this well-written, fast-paced musical film, a successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general. Sentimental and G-rated, it somehow never seems dated. This has to be because of the witty script and the stellar cast, not to mention the great tunes by Irving Berlin.

I have seen this movie every year since my family had a television and my sister (and dual personality) and I knew the whole Sister Act scene by heart and frequently regaled our family with our rendition.

When my husband and I bought our first VCR in 1986, the first video we bought was White Christmas. It was so great not to have to wait and see when it would be shown on TV–and no commercials! My kids loved it too and it was a big event and the start of the Christmas season to watch it all together. One year in elementary school daughter #1 wanted to be Betty Haynes for Halloween! (I talked her out of it.)

The movie even has a reference to Smith College (which both dual personalities attended).

Bob Wallace: You don’t expect me to get serious with the kind of characters you and Rita have been throwing at me, do you?
Phil Davis: Well, there have been some nice girls, too, you know.
Bob Wallace: Oh yeah, yeah. Like that nuclear scientist we just met out in the hall.
Phil Davis: All right, they didn’t go to college. They didn’t go to Smith.
Bob Wallace: Go to Smith? She couldn’t even spell it.

What could be better than that?

After the Advent Service of Lessons and Carols, White Christmas is truly the beginning of the Christmas season.

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