dual personalities

Tag: old movies

April 17, 2025

“Forty-one, why did he do that?”

by chuckofish

Well, we are in for some bad weather again–of course, the Easter weekend will be rainy and stormy. So much for egg hunts etc. C’est la vie.

But our zeal will not be dampened!

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand;
The shadow of a mighty rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From burns beneath the noontide heat
And burdens of the day.

–Elizabeth Cecilia Douglas Clephane, 1868

We started watching Ben Hur (1959) last weekend and we will finish up this weekend. We are too old and go to bed too early to watch it all at once. But that’s okay. We have seen it so many times, we know it by heart.

“We keep you alive to serve this ship. So row well, and live.”

The familiarity of old films is one of the special pleasures in life. At least for oddballs like me and my family members who enjoy watching and re-watching old movies.

(The twins also got their first look at this classic movie.)

I know we are in a distinct minority here. I know this from the blank looks I receive when I mention an old movie no one else has seen. Sigh.

The other night watching the scene in the galley when Quintus Arrius orders Ben Hur’s shackles to be unlocked before the sea battle and the slave next to him asks him, “Forty-one, why did he do that?” and Judah says, “I don’t know. Once before, a man helped me. I didn’t know why then”…I thought of the times someone has helped me in a somewhat mysterious way. It is, of course, God working “10,000 things in your life every day” and we need to watch for those times. They may not be as obvious as Jesus giving you a drink of water when you are dying of thirst, but maybe they are. Keep watching for them.

In the meantime, watch a (good) old religious movie during Holy Week, check out the budding trees and plants in your yard, look up, pray.

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March 25, 2024

Let the rocks cry out!

by chuckofish

How was your Palm Sunday? The little kids from the Covenant School sang in church and it is always a treat to see them expressing the joy, joy, joy, joy down in their hearts. They processed around the sanctuary with palms and we all sang “All Glory, Laud and Honor”.

We finished up our class on the Westminster Confession and I was happy to hear we will be moving forward with more installments (33 chapters!)

God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He alone is the foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleaseth.

Amen, brother.

We didn’t have brunch or driveway sittin’ time because the wee bud has lacrosse now on Sundays. Our schedule has changed for the duration, but I can’t complain as the twins are still coming to church/Sunday School. C’est la vie.

Lottie plays on Thursdays.

It struck me recently that I must be very weird (and my entire family) because a) we watch old movies and b) we watch them over and over. I guess most people do not. When the subject of leprosy came up in my Bible study group I reminded everyone how it is a theme in Ben Hur and I got a lot of blank looks. I suggested everyone watch it at Easter. Of course, we watched Ben Hur (1959) once again this weekend and it was great! No computer-generated action scenes. All real.

I ask you, what actors nowadays could be trained/would be willing to drive a chariot? And carry off all the dramatic scenes as well?

Well, for me, the redemption of Judah Ben Hur is still quite powerful after multiple viewings: “And I felt his voice take the sword out of my hand.”

I finished cleaning up the Florida room and started getting ready for next weekend when daughter #2 and DN et al will visit. Hopefully everyone will be well (Ida has an ear infection) and we will be all set for egg hunts and family worship.

Have a good week. Watch an old movie, re-read an old book, call an old friend. Thank God for His mercies which are new every day.

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May 29, 2015

” I’ll buy the drinks when it’s over.”*

by chuckofish

I have been in social overload this week with a huge work event finally coming to fruition. So this exhausted introvert will be taking it easy this weekend. For sure.

Since Saturday is the birthday of film director Howard Hawks (1896–1977), I suggest we watch one of his many good movies. There are a lot to choose from.

You could go the screwball comedy route: Twentieth Century (1934) or His Girl Friday (1940) or Ball of Fire (1948).

Barbara Stanwyk and Gary Cooper in "Ball of Fire"

Barbara Stanwyk and Gary Cooper in “Ball of Fire”

Or you could go with Bogart and Bacall: To Have and Have Not (1944) or The Big Sleep (1946).

Le grand sommeil The big sleep 1946 rŽal. : Howard Hawks Humphrey Bogart Lauren Bacall Collection Christophel

Bogart and Bacall in “The Big Sleep”

And then there’s always his legendary collaborations  with John Wayne: Red River, (1948), Rio Bravo (1959), Hatari (1962) or El Dorado (1967).

John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in "Red River"

John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in “Red River”

John Wayne, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan in "Rio Bravo"

John Wayne, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan in “Rio Bravo”

290Hatari2

James Caan, RObert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicutt, and John Wayne

The best crew ever: James Caan, Robert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicutt, and John Wayne in “El Dorado”

See what I mean about excellent movies? It may be time for a Howard Hawks Marathon.

For a whole list of possibilities go here. Hawks, who was born in Goshen, Indiana by the way, was only nominated once for an Academy Award for Best Director–for Sergeant York (1941)–not one of my favorites. He didn’t win. Typical.

*Mr. Melville in Red River (1948)

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