movies | dual personalities

Friday updates

by chuckofish

My Mike Matheny-signed baseball has a case!

The bedroom/master bath reno is going well.

Don’t you just love the Thibaut “Luzon” wallpaper?

I am hoping to get things semi-put-back to normal this weekend if the painting is finished. Isn’t it going to be great?

The boy and daughter #3 and her parents are coming over for dinner on Sunday for a Labor Day bar-b-que.

Square dancing will be optional.

What are you up to this three-day Labor Day weekend? You might want to watch a good working-man movie such as The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Bicycle Thief (1948), 9 to 5 (1980), On the Waterfront (1954) or the documentary Harlan County U.S.A. (1976).

Bruno and Antonio Ricci consider their options in this classic De Sica film.

I can’t say this is a favorite genre of mine, but these are all excellent movies.

Well, have a good weekend!

Come, labor on!
Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain
While all around him waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
Go work today.

–hymn by Jane L. Borthwick (Ora Labora)

8 Comments

September 3, 2015

In the old days

by chuckofish

2.The Lookout Ð "All's Well" Winslow Homer (American, 1836Ð1910) 1896 Oil on canvas *Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Warren CollectionÑWilliam Wilkins Warren Fund *Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

“All’s Well”, Winslow Homer 1896

“It was a dog’s life,” said the poor old gentleman, quite reassured, “but it made men of those who followed it. I see a change for the worse even in our own town here; full of loafers now, small and poor as ’tis, who once would have followed the sea, every lazy soul of ’em. There is no occupation so fit for just that class o’ men who never get beyond the fo’cas’le. I view it, in addition, that a community narrows down and grows dreadful ignorant when it is shut up to its own affairs, and gets no knowledge of the outside world except from a cheap, unprincipled newspaper. In the old days, a good part o’ the best men here knew a hundred ports and something of the way folks lived in them. They saw the world for themselves, and like’s not their wives and children saw it with them. They may not have had the best of knowledge to carry with ’em sight-seein’, but they were some acquainted with foreign lands an’ their laws, an’ could see outside the battle for town clerk here in Dunnet; they got some sense o’ proportion. Yes, they lived more dignified, and their houses were better within an’ without. Shipping’s a terrible loss to this part o’ New England from a social point o’ view, ma’am.”

–Sarah Orne Jewett, The Country of the Pointed Firs

Today is the birthday of Sarah Orne Jewett (September 3, 1849 – June 24, 1909)–American novelist, short story writer and Episcopalian.

The Sarah Orne Jewett House is a historic house museum at 5 Portland Street in South Berwick, Maine, which is just over the border from New Hampshire. Built in 1774, it is an excellent example of late Georgian architecture.

I guess I’ll have to add it to my list of literary/historic places to visit. In the meantime, let’s toast old Sarah and maybe re-read The Country of the Pointed Firs, which I have somewhere. You can download it here.

While we’re toasting Sarah, we may want to raise a glass to Sally Benson (September 3, 1897 – July 19, 1972) whose birthday is also today. She was a screenwriter and prolific short story writer for The New Yorker back in its heyday. She is best known for her semi-autobiographical stories collected in Junior Miss and Meet Me in St. Louis. Yes, that “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

Her other screen credits include Shadow of a Doubt (1943) for Alfred Hitchcock, Summer Magic (1963) for Walt Disney, Viva Las Vegas (1964) for Elvis, and The Singing Nun (1966)–quite a disparate group! Her screenplay for Anna and the King of Siam (1946) was nominated for an Academy Award.

Here is a sketch of the St. Louis house in which Sally grew up:

This North St. Louis neighborhood “declined” and the house was torn down in 1994. Here’s a picture of the Hollywood version:

(The pictures of the “Meet Me in St. Louis” houses were found here on a fun blog about houses.)

The Hollywood version was eventually torn down too when MGM sold off its lots in the 1970s.

C’est la vie. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. (See above quote.)

3 Comments

August 26, 2015

Wednesday round-up

by chuckofish

We are enjoying some really glorious weather for the end of August here in flyover country. High 70s and low humidity–unheard of! And the Cardinals continue to have the best record in baseball.

Way to go, boys!

Speaking of sports, here is the newest lacrosse equipment video that the boy did for Total Lacrosse.

His mother thinks he’s cool.

It is John Buchan’s birthday! You remember he (August 26, 1875 – February 11, 1940) was the Scottish novelist who wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps (among others) and served as Governor General of Canada. He was also Lord Tweedsmuir.

Fun fact: His memoir, Memory Hold-the-Door, or Pilgrim’s Way (as it was called in America) was said to be John F. Kennedy’s favorite book. Interesting.

Here’s a tidbit from chapter one:

Looking back I realise that the woodlands dominated and coloured my childish outlook. We were a noted household for fairy tales. My father had a great collection of them, including some of the ancient Scottish ones like The Red Etin of Ireland, and when we entered the woods we felt ourselves stepping into the veritable world of faery, especially in winter, when the snow made a forest of what in summer was only a coppice. My memory is full of snowstorms, when no postman arrived or milkman from the farm, and we had to dig ourselves out like hibernating bears. In such weather a walk of a hundred yards was an enterprise, and even in lesser falls the woods lost all their homely landmarks for us, and became a terra incognita peopled from the story-books. Witches and warlocks, bears and wolf-packs, stolen princesses and robber lords lurked in corners which at other times were too bare and familiar for the mind to play with. Also I had found in the library a book of Norse mythology which strongly captured my fancy. Norns and Valkyries got into the gales that blew up the Firth, and blasting from a distant quarry was the thud of Thor’s hammer.

A second imaginative world overshadowed the woods, more potent even than that of the sagas and the fairy folk. Our household was ruled by the old Calvinistic discipline. That discipline can have had none of the harshness against which so many have revolted, for it did not dim the beauty and interest of the earth. My father was a man of wide culture, to whom, in the words of the Psalms, all things were full of the goodness of the Lord. But the regime made a solemn background to a child’s life. He was conscious of living in a world ruled by unalterable law under the direct eye of the Almighty. He was a miserable atom as compared with Omnipotence, but an atom, nevertheless, in which Omnipotence took an acute interest. The words of the Bible, from daily family prayers and long Sabbath sessions, were as familiar to him as the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. A child has a natural love of rhetoric, and the noble scriptural cadences had their own meaning for me, quite apart from their proper interpretation. The consequence was that I built up a Bible world of my own and placed it in the woods.

Here is the whole book on Project Gutenberg.

Today is Greta Garbo day on TCM, so set your DVR for a line-up of good movies. I plan to check out Mata Hari (1931) which I have never seen.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

4 Comments

August 24, 2015

The whole armor of God

by chuckofish

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

–Ephesians 6:10-20

Yesterday, I was the first lector and read the Old Testament lesson. It was a good one from Joshua which included the verse about “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” I also got to read the verse “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD…” which was amusing to me because “far be it from me” was a favorite way our put-upon father liked to start a sentence. It was right up there with “Be that as it may…” Have you noticed that we do not hear these expressions much anymore?

The second lesson was the above reading from Ephesians which is a really great one–We all need to remember it every morning before going out into the world.

On Saturday the OM and I loaded up the car with old computers and headed to the recycling event in O’Fallon, only to be caught in a terrible thunderstorm–the kind where most sane people on the highway have their emergency flashers on and are creeping along at 35 miles an hour. Zut alors! We got there and deposited our stuff, but we wisely decided against going to Clarksville and headed home instead.

Crazy kids that we are, we stopped and had brunch at Schneithorst’s.

Well, one more small step in my basement clean-up/organization project. Mission accomplished.

I also emptied the tall bookcases in my bedroom, carrying the many, many heavy books into another bedroom, and vacuumed behind them (!) in anticipation of having the room painted and wallpapered. This was quite a job.

I had been trying to read this book, but gave up.

It was a clever idea, but the main character did not engage me and ultimately she was annoying. She did not seem true to the mid-19th century and I can’t help thinking that she would have irritated the hell out of old Captain Ahab. Well-written, but…myeh.

I watched Ride With the Devil, did you? It was so good! These characters seemed very authentic and true to their time. I loved it.

And have you seen this video? There are bears in the pool! A mom and 5 cubs! In New Jersey! “What’s the mudder going to do?!”

The little girl reminds me of daughter #1–“They’re eating my floatie!”

Have a good week and don’t forget to put on your breastplate of righteousness.

4 Comments

August 19, 2015

“Yes, ma’am, just as hard as I could.”*

by chuckofish

John Wayne and some old coots in “Tall in the Saddle”

Well, the films of John Wayne are featured on TCM all day today, so set your DVR!

I am especially looking forward to Tall in the Saddle (1944) which I have not seen in quite a while.

My mother always liked Tall in the Saddle, because she liked Ella Raines who plays the female lead. I think she thought she was more “normal” looking than a lot of the stars of the 1940s–i.e. pretty without the need for elaborate hair, extensive makeup and penciled on eyebrows.

She also has a good part to play in this western–a tomboy who gets to ride around on horseback and kick symbolic dust at the goody-two-shoes who is competition for John Wayne’s affection, Audrey Long.

The reviewer for the New York Times called the film “a regulation rough-and-tumble Western”, complete with a thundering stage coach ride through sagebrush country, fist fights, shootings, and “the customary romantic clinch”. The reviewer acknowledged that Wayne saves the film from its predictability:

Mr. Wayne has to fight his way through every inch of this film, against toughies like Ward Bond, a crooked judge; Harry Woods, a no-account rustler, and Russell Wade, a weakling gun-happy young rancher. Even Ella Raines sends some bullets whizzing perilously close to our hero’s head … Mr. Wayne walks into a mess of trouble in Red Rock, but in eighty-seven noisy minutes he bowls over the opposition, turns up the murderer of his cousin and has Miss Raines purring in his arms. Just take Tall in the Saddle for what it is, a rousing old-fashioned Western, and you won’t go wrong.

Yes, Mr. Wayne saves the day and the movie.

All the movies showing today are worth viewing for their star. That cannot be said for a lot of the movies shown this month on TCM’s Summer Under the Stars.

Anyway, The Quiet Man (1955) is on tonight, followed by The Searchers (1956) and Rio Bravo (1959). So enjoy!

Here is the schedule.

*John Wayne in response to the statement, “I saw you hit that poor man!”

5 Comments

August 10, 2015

“The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.”*

by chuckofish

This past week I have happily returned to my usual work-and-home routine. Over the weekend it was hot, so I puttered around the air-conditioned house a lot. I did get outside, but ever-careful not to overdo it, my endeavors were minimal.

I did find a few estate sale “treasures”, including a small bookshelf which I snapped up. Bookshelves are a priority in this household!

For now it is in the living room, but who knows where it will end up? As you can see from my dual personality’s post on Saturday, daughter #2 has quite a few of my finds in her apartment.

I received a Couroc tray as a wedding present, and ever since then I have loved those mid-century modern designs and have collected them when they turn up at estate sales. This cowboy tray is too perfect.

I also got a chair back from the upholsterer. He had had it for quite some time, so it was a pleasant surprise to ~~finally~~ get it back. It is now back in my office by the window.

Don’t you love that arrow fabric?

I watched several movies over the weekend. I rather enjoyed Mixed Nuts (1994), which frequently appears on worst-movies-of-all-time lists. I was curious to see this “disaster” directed by Nora Ephron, starring Steve Martin, Madeleine Kahn, Rita Wilson and featuring in early appearances Parker Posey, Jon Stewart, Adam Sandler, and Liev Shreiber in a Caitlyn Jenner part. It wasn’t terrible and I thought Madeleine Kahn was hilarious.

I have seen many, many movies that were much, much worse. Why does this movie receive such over-the-top criticism? Perhaps everyone’s expectations were too high.

I also watched El Dorado (1966) in honor of Robert Mitchum’s birthday and, of course, enjoyed it immensely. I especially enjoyed James Caan this time around. He hit it big a few years later in The Godfather, but I bet he never forgot that early outing with the Duke. You can tell all the actors are enjoying themselves in this one.

Also here’s a PSA: August is TCM’s ‘Summer Under the Stars’ month where they feature the movies of a different actor or actress every day. Be sure to check out their schedule. For instance, Tuesday, August 12 is Robert Mitchum and August 19 is John Wayne. You’ll want to set your DVR!

Over the weekend I group-texted with my daughters who were together in New York City this weekend, daughter #2 visiting daughter #1.

Anyway, it was almost like being there with them (and Nate who was off engaged in bachelor party doings for some friend most of the time)!

And P.S. have you noticed that these guys are doing Awesomely? Well, they are. Awesome.

PI-MLB-Cardinals-ON-009-040615.vadapt.620.high.0

Fox Sports

Have a great week!

*Samuel Beckett, “Murphy” (1938)

5 Comments

August 6, 2015

“Build my gallows high, baby.”*

by chuckofish

Today is Robert Mitchum’s birthday.

Even as a child, I knew he was sexy. I mean really.

And he was a little scary too.

Finally he was paired with John Wayne. Perfect.

Indeed, he made some really good movies and some not so great ones. He played two of my favorite characters in fiction: Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe (twice) and A.B. Guthrie’s Dick Summers in The Way West (1967)–none of them very good movies. But Robert Mitchum was one of those actors who made even a terrible movie (like The Way West) worth watching.

So let’s toast Robert Mitchum tonight and watch one of his good movies: His Kind of Woman (1951), Out of the Past (1947), The Enemy Below (1957), or one of my all-time faves El Dorado (1966).

Bonus Point: Who knows what movie it is in which Robert Mitchum utters the immortal line: “Go on, tell me some more about that time when you were Queen of the Veiled Prophet’s Ball”?

*The title quote is Jeff Bailey in Out of the Past

7 Comments

July 7, 2015

Note to self

by chuckofish

Today we are reminded again how tempus, indeed, fugits! TCM is celebrating the 100th anniversary of a company whose technology defined the look of movie color for decades. Technicolor™ was incorporated in 1915 by Herbert T. Kalmus, Daniel F. Comstock and W. Burton Wescott and offered the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952.

The 48-hour salute includes the greatest of all technicolor films, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), which will be shown today at 4:30 p.m. and again on August 2 at 8 p.m. so set your DVR.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)–which I watched this past weekend–is on tomorrow night at 8 p.m.–don’t miss it! The color cinematography in this movie is fantastic. Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard (1963), a landmark of Italian cinema, is also on tomorrow at 3:30 a.m. Any movie with Claudia Cardinale is worth watching if you ask me.

We must also note that 600 years ago yesterday (July 6, 1415) Jan Hus was burned at the stake for heresy by the Roman Catholic Church. Hus was a Czech priest, philosopher, early Christian reformer and Master at Charles University in Prague. He dared to preach in Czech and tried to reform the Church by calling out the moral failings of clergy, bishops, and even the papacy from his pulpit. In 1999 Pope John Paul II expressed regret for his death. Well.

The monument in Konstanz, where reformer Jan Hus was executed (1862)

Hus is honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church.

Faithful God, who didst give Jan Hus the courage to confess thy truth and recall thy Church to the image of Christ: Enable us, inspired by his example, to bear witness against corruption and never cease to pray for our enemies, that we may prove faithful followers of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

On Sunday the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, conducted the baptism of Princess Charlotte at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

Pretty darn cute.

And FYI: the Archbishop of Canterbury has a blog. You go, Glenn Coco.

3 Comments

July 3, 2015

I hear America singing*

by chuckofish

Chris party

Well, tomorrow is my big brother’s birthday. Here are some pictures of him celebrating his birthday in the olden days. Time was when he was usually off fishing somewhere. When he found himself in flyover country we would celebrate in fine fashion.

Last year my dual personality and our better halves visited our bro in Michigan. We couldn’t do it this year. I will miss them.

Our fourth of July at home will definitely be low-key. We’ll toast our forefathers and listen to some Sousa marches. Perhaps we will light some sparklers. Yes, it will be pretty lame.

But don’t feel too sorry for me. I plan to binge-watch John Ford’s cavalry trilogy: For Apache (1948 ), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950).

You could do worse, but hardly much better.

And here’s good news: Shirley Temple is Star of the Month on TCM! Here’s a list of the movies they’re showing. Time to set your DVR.

Have a great weekend!

*The first edition of Walt Whitman’s book of poems, Leaves of Grass, is published in Brooklyn, New York on July 4, 1855.

4 Comments

July 1, 2015

“It’s 80% script and 20% you get great actors. There’s nothing else to it.”*

by chuckofish

Today is film director William Wyler’s (July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) birthday.

Kirk-Douglas-visiting-Charlton-Heston-director-William-Wyler-and-Jack-Hawkins-on-the-set-of-Ben-Hur

Kirk Douglas clowning on the set of Ben Hur with Charleton Heston, Wyler and Jack Hawkins

Wyler, you will recall, is the most nominated director in Academy Awards history with 12 nominations. In addition to that, Wyler has the distinction of having won the Academy Award for Best Direction on three occasions, for his direction of Ben Hur, The Best Years of Our Lives, and Mrs. Miniver. Only John Ford, who won four Oscars in this category, has won more.

Wyler also has the distinction of having directed more actors to Oscar-nominated performances than any other director in history: thirty-six. Out of these nominees, fourteen went on to win Oscars.

The list of his films is truly impressive. He made romantic comedies and religious epics and westerns and war movies and even a musical with Barbra Streisand!

My favorites are: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946),

Roman Holiday (1953),

The Big Country (1958),

Dead End (1937),

and, of course, Ben Hur (1959).

There are a lot of other great ones to choose from, but these are my favorites.

I will raise a glass to old William Wyler and watch The Big Country tonight. This film is marred, mostly by the presence of Carol Baker and the annoying character she plays, but I can overlook this, because Gregory Peck is at his most dreamy and he is ably supported by Charlton Heston at his smoldering best. And the music is great.

Which reminds me…of this. Sacrilegious, but funny. Can you spot the OM’s doppelganger (twice)?

*William Wyler

3 Comments

dual personalities

Tag: movies

September 4, 2015

Friday updates

by chuckofish

September 3, 2015

In the old days

by chuckofish

August 26, 2015

Wednesday round-up

by chuckofish

August 24, 2015

The whole armor of God

by chuckofish

August 19, 2015

“Yes, ma’am, just as hard as I could.”*

by chuckofish

August 10, 2015

“The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.”*

by chuckofish

August 6, 2015

“Build my gallows high, baby.”*

by chuckofish

July 7, 2015

Note to self

by chuckofish

July 3, 2015

I hear America singing*

by chuckofish

July 1, 2015

“It’s 80% script and 20% you get great actors. There’s nothing else to it.”*

by chuckofish