movies | dual personalities

March 30, 2026

Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Here in flyover country the temperatures plummeted on Friday from a high of 92 on Thursday to the low forties! But we still had a nice weekend. The sun was shining and it wasn’t super windy.

On Friday night daughter #1 and I watched the first half of Ben Hur (1959) which marks the official start of Holy Week. We made it to end of the sea battle…

We can no longer do the whole 3.5 hours at one time. We’ll watch the rest on Easter Saturday. Such a great pre-CGI movie!

The twins were excited to participate in the Palm Sunday service–the children sang a special song, “Hail Jesus You’re My King”…

…and then processed around the sanctuary waving palms. They were really into it. But as the bud admitted, “Benjamin is the best singer; he really belts it out!” I agreed. “Yes, he closes his eyes when he sings!”

We heard a good sermon on Luke 19:28-40 and we finished our class on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I was never good at memorizing and now it is a lost cause, but I wish I could memorize all 107 Q&A’s. Well, I do know #1:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

I also went back to church for the evening Service of Lament, which was something new. It was quite moving, especially when our music director sang this song:

In other news, I went to the Queeny Park Art Fair on Saturday because my friend Becky @rhworkshandmade was exhibiting her amazing punch designs.

Daughter #1 and I had lunch afterwards at the Village Bar for my weekly hamburger. It’s the simple pleasures, am I right?

O Lord, how happy should we be
If we would cast our care on Thee,
If we from self would rest;
And feel at heart that One above,
In perfect wisdom, perfect love,
Is working for the best!

–Hudson Taylor

And from 1987:

4 Comments

March 25, 2026

Fill my cup, Lord

by chuckofish

The weather has been nice so I have continued to move plants out to the Florida Room. It is about ready to open for the season!

They look pretty scraggly in this photo but they’ll perk up! You can see the Forsythia blooming beyond the windows.

As usual, after the twins have been here last weekend, I found lots of little do-dads all over the house…

…which really amuses me. (That’s a plane propellor in the foreground.)

In case you forgot like I did, yesterday was Steve McQueen’s birthday. Of course, I will watch one of his movies tonight.

How about you?

This article reminds us that God sometimes leads his people into difficult places—not to harm them, but to deepen their faith.

And here’s a Lenten poem by Richard Wilbur, “Peter”:

2 Comments

March 24, 2026

It’s a brand new morning

by chuckofish

Since next week is Holy Week, I started watching Peter and Paul, the mini series from 1981 starring Anthony Hopkins. It is a faithful adaption of the book of Acts. I remember watching it on my little black and white TV back in 1981 and being quite moved by it and also struck by how little I actually knew about either Peter or Paul. Robert Foxworth, who played Peter, was okay, but Anthony Hopkins, who played Paul, is indelibly inscribed on my memory.

I think I subsequently read the book of Acts as a result of my initial viewing and that I was amazed by the things in it. (Also the things that were not in the Bible, i.e. Peter being crucified upside down.) Anyway, I recommend the mini series as part of your Lenten viewing.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (II Timothy 4:7-8)

Now I have to catch up on my II Thessalonians reading for my women’s Bible study. But first, here is a new Bluegrass rendition of a favorite hymn by William Cowper:

And I love this:

1 Comment

March 19, 2026

Come, pluck up, heart

by chuckofish

The sun was out yesterday–so big win! I went to Hobby Lobby and bought several craft kits to do with the twins when they spend the night tonight. We will probably watch a movie–maybe How the West Was Won (1962) if they haven’t seen it yet.

This is one of the best opening credit sequences of all time!

This is a about the other book that shaped America (next to the Bible). If you haven’t read it recently, I suggest you do. It is wonderful.

“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend.
For I perceive the way to life lies here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let’s neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.”

Today is going to be a very busy, stressful day, as is tomorrow. But what ho, it is the bell and it tolleth for me. Have a good one–watch an old movie, read an old book, let’s neither faint nor fear.

1 Comment

March 16, 2026

Sometimes a light surprises

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was springlike until it was not. The magnolia trees are in full bloom and everyone is worried that the cold snap will kill/damage everything. But this literally happens every year. At least it didn’t snow as initially predicted! (But we did have a tornado watch!)

Daughter #1 came over on Friday afternoon and set up my new printer for me. I am good to go after months of frustration with my old printer. We celebrated with wine time and Chik-fil-a for dinner.

Our DAR meeting on Saturday was skillfully run, as usual, by daughter #1. We had a wonderful lecture by our friend Esley Hamilton about all the architectural jewels of St. Louis that were torn down before 1904.

For instance, this house–the “Cracker Castle”–built in 1868 for Jonathan Pierce who produced hardtack during the Civil War, was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1896 and as a result was demolished soon afterwards. It is sad that so little actually remains from the nineteenth century (although the above monstrosity was no great loss).

Saturday night I watched The Quiet Man (1952) in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Mr. Smith harumphed a bit at the Irish accents, but he still thought it was pretty great.

Sunday I went to church and heard a fine sermon on Joshua 8:1-35–I have really enjoyed Joshua. It seems very timely. Our final hymn was…

…and I cried…and my mascara ran.

Is this what William Cowper meant when he wrote:

Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord, who rises
With healing in His wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
to cheer it after rain.

I went to the Westminster Catechism class afterwards and it was terrific. We went through #22-38, led by a ruling elder (who is also an attorney). It all makes so much sense! I think I finally understand what effectual calling is!

Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

This morning I go in for my annual bone density exam, kicking off two weeks of doctor visits and tests. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. ²⁵Brothers, pray for us.” (I Thess. 5:23-25)

5 Comments

March 11, 2026

This and that

by chuckofish

When we were driving back from the prairie, we were really struck by how everything is greening up in our neck of the woods. It has warmed up into the seventies…but storms, not surprisingly, are on the way.

Yesterday I did laundry, caught up on ‘desk work’ and ran a few errands. I feel like I accomplished a lot. Meanwhile I am working on editing a piece for the Kirkwood Historical Review which was sent in by a man whose parents grew up in Kirkwood. He was going through old boxes (as we are all wont to do) and found photos and letters etc and decided to write something up about them and his grandfather who was a state senator. This man, by the way, went off into the wide world from our flyover state and became a well known artist and illustrator with several New Yorker covers to his credit. As usual, I am surprised by what a small world it is.

Last week I watched the movie The Apostle (1997) which was written and directed by Robert Duvall, who also stars in it as Euliss F. “Sonny” Dewey, a charismatic Pentecostal preacher. He was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar.

I saw it when it came out and I have the DVD, but had not seen it in ages. It is a very interesting movie about a denomination I know little about. The soundtrack won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album. I remember that too–we listened to it a lot back in the day.

It also occurred to daughter #1and me that Euliss Dewey would be a great name for another Westie, with “Sonny” as his nickname. Weeeelllll (as Ida frequently starts a sentence), if you are looking for something good to watch, you might try The Apostle.

This is a good article about Three Reminders for Christian Parents. I was struck by her description of a child drawing pictures in church and that “love for the church is often absorbed more than it is instructed. Children learn to cherish the people of God not only through teaching but through presence.” It really reminded me of the twins who draw in their special church notebooks, seemingly not paying attention, but absorbing what they hear.

And I enjoyed this article about Tim Challies. I start every day with his blog and have for many years.

Have a good Wednesday!

4 Comments

March 5, 2026

“Until you stirred him up I had no trouble with God.”*

by chuckofish

I spent most of yesterday catching up on my Bible Study and community group homework–no kidding, it was a lot. So I don’t have a lot to say today, except happy birthday to the great William Powell (1892-1984).

This wonderful actor was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times: for The Thin Man (1934), My Man Godfrey (1936), and Life with Father (1947). I suggest we all toast him and watch one of these movies.

I am partial to Life With Father (1947) wherein Powell plays Father, the quintessential Episcopalian:

Father: I don’t go to church to be preached at as though I were some lost sheep

Vinnie: Clare, you don’t seem to understand what the Church is for.

Father: Vinnie, if there’s one place the Church should leave alone, it’s a man’s soul!

Indeed. Enjoy your Thursday!

*Father

4 Comments

February 20, 2026

Tell Woodrow, come a runnin’

by chuckofish

I finished watching Lonesome Dove (1989) and it was so good (and so sad)! I highly recommend watching it again. It is six hours well spent.

Also, the scene where Pea Eye is dehydrated and exhausted crossing the plains to get back to Captain Call and he hallucinates that the dead Deets comes to guide him to Captain Call reminded me, of course, of the scene in 3 Godfathers where John Wayne is at the end of his tether carrying the baby across the desert and the vision of Harry Carey, Jr. and Pedro Armendáriz comes to encourage him to go on. Lots of good movie references for the initiated.

And it was a fitting tribute to ol’ Robert Duvall.

So have a good weekend! I will be attending our Missions dinner at church tonight. I will be sitting at a table with I don’t know who, but I am okay with that.

1 Comment

February 16, 2026

Time starts now

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was very pleasant, although it rained all day Saturday.

Between traveling and work, I had seen very little of daughter #1 over the last few weeks, so it was great to catch up with her…wine time at Glen Echo on Friday, estate sale-ing on Saturday and a late lunch at the Village Bar. All our favorite things. We took Mr. Smith for his weekly shampoo and then had wine time at my house.

We watched Bullitt (1968), which you will recall was the movie the OM and I always watched on Valentine’s Day.

Wasn’t that nice of her?

Of course, the movie was great as always, really cutting edge for 1968. We LOL’d as always during the chase through San Francisco as the Charger and the Mustang race past the slow-moving green VW four times. (Frank Keller won the editing Oscar for this movie!) Another of my favorite scenes is when Bullitt, Bennett, Chalmers, and Baker gather around the telecopier as the passport applications arrive. Only Steve can make watching the fax machine riveting cinema. This time we noticed that frequently during the course of the film Lt. Bullitt is asked a direct question and he gives no response. As daughter #1 commented, “He speaks with his eyeballs.” His lack of response has great effect. When he does respond, major impact–especially when he says, “Bulls–t” to Robert Vaughn’s face toward the denouement of the film. Perhaps this is a good lesson for us all.

I went to church by myself on Sunday (the boy has the flu now) and heard a good sermon on Joshua 5:13-15. Are you for the Lord? Our goal is not to conform God to us, but for us to conform to God. It reminded me of that time during the Civil War President Lincoln was reportedly asked whether God was on the side of the Union. He replied, “My concern is not whether God is on our side,” Lincoln responded. “My greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Touché. He was probably thinking of Joshua, because he knew his Bible backwards and forwards.

We finished up our Intro to Covenant class, which I really enjoyed. It never ceases to amaze me how whenever I am sitting alone before class, someone always comes and sits next to me. When I first went to that church I didn’t know a single person there. Now I know lots of people. Praise the Lord.

And I’m with the Madcaps:

Have a good week! There are definite signs of spring if you look!

Daughter #1 has a big DAR event today–our annual George Washington Commemoration Event on President’s Day at Lafayette Park–so keep her in your prayers. I am serving as the chapter chaplain, so I’ll be giving the benediction–there’s a first time for everything!

3 Comments

February 4, 2026

Mid-week musings

by chuckofish

The temps reached above freezing yesterday so the snow started to melt. We have some big snow banks though and they will be with us for some time. C’est la vie.

I spent a stressful and irritating day yesterday gathering tax information and digitally transferring it to my accountants. I couldn’t help thinking of Mary Tyler Moore and her shoe box full of receipts and how the accountant (or was it a tax auditor?) was so impressed with her organization. How times have changed.