tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52757247649620648342024-03-28T02:20:24.068-04:00My Meaningful MoviesI have enjoyed movies as long as I can remember. Those films which weave images and words into fabrics of meaningful themes appeal to me. I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to the Bryn Mawr Film Institute for providing me the opportunity to expand my understanding of films. In addition, I would like to thank Marc Lapadula, Senior Lecturer in Screenwriting at Yale University, for his mentoring and friendship.
Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.comBlogger357125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-65846792576286081112024-02-29T17:12:00.000-05:002024-02-29T17:12:35.822-05:00Badlands<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PD5nn58PnawLOZXzEdh8-4mYXBo6apbJiFLcKY8UYnLqmG2scFWS0X4nAzjRzSNMKGJySwmlQ1Ef4Hd4wPsYFTQLz9JpAAbHZWi1afZ3vYMhQ5ETKwlwt0nH-ruR7ehn60lPLGbbLAhE_cA_WV0jq8gHZc0BdmMMgFFyjD3rpb5jiod1g2GfxcWy81k/s1600/B%20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PD5nn58PnawLOZXzEdh8-4mYXBo6apbJiFLcKY8UYnLqmG2scFWS0X4nAzjRzSNMKGJySwmlQ1Ef4Hd4wPsYFTQLz9JpAAbHZWi1afZ3vYMhQ5ETKwlwt0nH-ruR7ehn60lPLGbbLAhE_cA_WV0jq8gHZc0BdmMMgFFyjD3rpb5jiod1g2GfxcWy81k/s320/B%20-1.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Badlands </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">(1973),
directed by Terrence Malick, has an appropriate title, not only because of
where the movie takes place, but because of the criminal action that it depicts.
It is based on the story of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate and the
deaths of ten people during a nine-day period. The movie focuses on how someone
gains attention through infamy if the chance at legitimate fame is out of
reach. The film explores the same area that Truman Capote addresses in his
novel <i>In Cold Blood</i>, that is, the underbelly of the United States. As
Michael Almereyda says in his essay “Misfits,” the two main characters symbolize
“some lethal short circuit in the American psyche.” <i>Badlands</i> also
touches on the American fascination and celebration of outlaws, revealing its
citizens’ anti-authoritarian feelings.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Almereyda notes that Malick left out some of the more
gruesome acts of Starkweather to construct an almost bloodless fairy tale, as
Malick once described the film. Most of the story is told from the perspective
of an innocent, the fifteen-year-old Holly (Sissy Spacek), which allows the
audience to gradually perceive what is happening in her association with Kit
(Martin Sheen). She moves from a place of teenage romance to shell-shocked
detachment.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Her story, though, is not one of youthful protection
from the effects of reality. She says that her mother died young and her
relations with her father (Warren Oates), became strained after the death. He
moved her to Fort Dupree, South Dakota, which added to the feeling of
disconnection from the outside world and increased her feeling of being an
outsider. Malick provides still shots (the emphasis on “still”) of an alley of
trash cans and peopleless streets, which promote the feeling of isolation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdltB70AU5D8CoP_s1Khc8aCmSPZSZym9tnlYXtD4vFHeaK32WLqi1rKIGZ2p1IGSec0QmL841AOtExSOWtbbBkukSfLXOcIvAOkrmZKoJv_2UaqMi32kmHGS9OSodmlU_TZL_E-ORrfzPI4QADWO3NfuIdiE4tZbvU7EXcPhyO7SA7uK7ba-uK89niv8/s1600/badlands-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdltB70AU5D8CoP_s1Khc8aCmSPZSZym9tnlYXtD4vFHeaK32WLqi1rKIGZ2p1IGSec0QmL841AOtExSOWtbbBkukSfLXOcIvAOkrmZKoJv_2UaqMi32kmHGS9OSodmlU_TZL_E-ORrfzPI4QADWO3NfuIdiE4tZbvU7EXcPhyO7SA7uK7ba-uK89niv8/s320/badlands-16.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit arrives in the story working on a trash truck,
which suggests that he not only works with garbage, he is also part of the
refuse of the land. He basically collects stuff and discards them during the
course of the film, which implies he is stuck in this job. (Almereyda says that
Kit’s accumulating and discarding objects may reference “Malick’s skepticism
about the ephemeral nature of human identity, possessions, and the encompassing
material world”). He also is good at talking trash in an almost charismatic
way. His weirdness is immediately illustrated when he offers his coworker a
dollar if he’ll eat a dead dog on the road. But, his fellow trashman says he
will not do it for a dollar. That suggests that things are so destitute here,
that he might consider it for more cash.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7RiA2lg43H6_ZLTXbPJA6hPtoPAa7QlbSokp6zQAQlkT4osbZ2DEryZP8F9c5agd6ri1rlM6mXhDg14Tw2jGFtL07ZRSK64V6TguiGt4_LB95ZrW8a06fywXD8HfmPsSPGUe-U1roT19Jzd0u4v3OlwEtP73ge-pgBf-LyexUs9V7-neaziwph8tUlY/s1009/Badlands-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1009" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7RiA2lg43H6_ZLTXbPJA6hPtoPAa7QlbSokp6zQAQlkT4osbZ2DEryZP8F9c5agd6ri1rlM6mXhDg14Tw2jGFtL07ZRSK64V6TguiGt4_LB95ZrW8a06fywXD8HfmPsSPGUe-U1roT19Jzd0u4v3OlwEtP73ge-pgBf-LyexUs9V7-neaziwph8tUlY/s320/Badlands-13.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrSKkDSM8sGZi1ShfgrmCjnbO3EIPlalpmFIZl8jvseZPbVq8ulDiyzc6I9Uh4OjB-jiaZvw5JA2xHM8Rn60CjcnuvRN21Pu3QuS6mOZo_pv8Y9nUny7fY-yIHwZv-VZj4Du5LaRGEpVM-twjsFhDPc5WRYuRnCPzy0ZmRDWFVrsQrY2P8Oj_HAjKf58/s2400/B-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrSKkDSM8sGZi1ShfgrmCjnbO3EIPlalpmFIZl8jvseZPbVq8ulDiyzc6I9Uh4OjB-jiaZvw5JA2xHM8Rn60CjcnuvRN21Pu3QuS6mOZo_pv8Y9nUny7fY-yIHwZv-VZj4Du5LaRGEpVM-twjsFhDPc5WRYuRnCPzy0ZmRDWFVrsQrY2P8Oj_HAjKf58/s320/B-5.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit tries to make money selling some of the trash and
analyzes the people from the refuse he finds, which shows he has a bit of
insight into what makes people tick. He meets Holly as she practices baton
twirling. It is a wholesome image which Mallick possibly wants to contrast with
what happens to her, and which may be the reason for Kit’s initial interest, if
opposites attract. One of the first things he says to her is that he’ll try
anything once. Which shows that prohibitions are not what he cares about. That
attitude can be exciting to a young, lonely girl like Holly.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">To add to his alienation from society, Kit gets fired.
When asked at the unemployment office, he says he can’t think of anything he’s
qualified to do. His line stresses how detached from the mainstream he is.
Holly narrates that she found Kit handsome and that he reminded her of James
Dean. That is a telling remark. Dean epitomized the renegade, and his good
looks made that lifestyle attractive. Kit holds that same fascination for Holly,
but he is a sort of Hollywood knock-off. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit goes to Holly’s place again and says he quit (a
lie) and that he’s going to be a cowboy (not true – he will be working at a
cattle feedlot). He tries to make it seem that he is more independent and
important than he is. He may feel that way about himself, since he earlier told
her that he has things to say, and most people don’t. She ran away from him the
first time, saying her dad wouldn’t approve of Kit. Now she says she has
homework to do when he wants her to join him. She acts like she is clinging to her
routine life, but she is only giving lip service to it, and this time she goes
for a ride with him. He notes that someone threw a bag on the ground and
observes how filthy everything would be if everyone did that. His work as a
trash collector probably elicits this comment, but it also shows that he feels
all people are transgressors, so why should he be judged?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Holly says the two fell in love, adding that she
wasn’t popular at school because she “didn’t have a lot of personality.” The
interest of a handsome young man raises her self-esteem, as she notes that he
could have had any other girl. She keeps their relationship secret from her
dad, since Kit is ten years older than she. She says that secrecy kept them
“away from all the cares of the world.” She saw her bond with Kit as an
emotional oasis in an empty personal desert. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She says he wanted to “die” with her, which is a kind
of dark way of expressing feelings for another. She is now smoking, which shows
the rule-breaking effect he has on her. Mallick gives us a shot of a catfish in
a bowl. Is that an image of a bottom feeder who tries to get by on the
leftovers of society? She admits to throwing her pet fish out before it died
when it was sick. She felt guilty about this act but can confess it to Kit, who
has no moral judgment.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaM5h-mf6065_SH51b57JKTspV9Lji69jOdgUJCPhEde8NqKRxHrtn5L2op5T0zv5SW1sHOEScjpt-mNmgeR6CjHVBr67Sa_Xd_9UVBfwmBFa-27an8OG2WjCW9l6qT19Grs1xC7zXJBKLaEabpGYM16ZmqiKkMZ7DUVDvLdnANhUx_9AUujRqoIa8z8Y/s640/B-9.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="640" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaM5h-mf6065_SH51b57JKTspV9Lji69jOdgUJCPhEde8NqKRxHrtn5L2op5T0zv5SW1sHOEScjpt-mNmgeR6CjHVBr67Sa_Xd_9UVBfwmBFa-27an8OG2WjCW9l6qT19Grs1xC7zXJBKLaEabpGYM16ZmqiKkMZ7DUVDvLdnANhUx_9AUujRqoIa8z8Y/s320/B-9.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After the first time they have sex, Holly questions
why is it supposed to be such a big deal? It was not noteworthy for either,
which may show a feeling of letdown of their hopeful dreams by reality. Kit
says they should smash their hands to remember the day, noting pain will remind
them of their consummation. What stands out for him is not something pleasant
but hurtful, an indication of his dark outlook on life and how they can’t be remembered
by anything positive in their lives. He puts a note about standing by her and
other mementos in a balloon that flies away. Holly points out that he did this
act because he must have known they would never be happy in the future. The
balloon could indicate how Kit’s hopes were not felt to come true and just
drift away like the way a dream disappears after waking to reality.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfcCnq4ouDdWA0-U1330xuCn5nMJPfgWe43rMfs_bjtyLFjpZJvN_8JADnnblHZRHK0WaDRaylic5vo9m9qotNPnZyHtbqUWMW9w6mlWgO6FXg9reK0n5LJb63M-SBQ_-16AOZAxBm0ufdkkXvrEVxVd8qIouES6Zby1kfgDWp_9uYjafz6c6S9bUY5U/s853/B-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfcCnq4ouDdWA0-U1330xuCn5nMJPfgWe43rMfs_bjtyLFjpZJvN_8JADnnblHZRHK0WaDRaylic5vo9m9qotNPnZyHtbqUWMW9w6mlWgO6FXg9reK0n5LJb63M-SBQ_-16AOZAxBm0ufdkkXvrEVxVd8qIouES6Zby1kfgDWp_9uYjafz6c6S9bUY5U/s320/B-6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Holly’s father discovers the relationship, he
shoots Holly’s dog as a punishment. What a disturbing way of disciplining her.
He recreates a loss of something she loved, like the death of her mother. It
shows how disturbed he became due to the loss of his wife which led to the end
of his dreams of happiness.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJqmif-UkH1Bfh8OylEQxJvo0kkJHqixzBgEiA6zYeqYaNSCBrKzP0AlDbfqtbEOqd7iTTAaqhYf6YQnW8tQqxPsqvKkMT2AJ1iBq2wVvFyAM4Tyr-y_lg7mDwZBzsY1wzU0wG_8SAexSkDsmW-Ss97rPHPNWsOCfd1BdEPObr5fi6WFHOZn09GlaHaU/s300/B-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJqmif-UkH1Bfh8OylEQxJvo0kkJHqixzBgEiA6zYeqYaNSCBrKzP0AlDbfqtbEOqd7iTTAaqhYf6YQnW8tQqxPsqvKkMT2AJ1iBq2wVvFyAM4Tyr-y_lg7mDwZBzsY1wzU0wG_8SAexSkDsmW-Ss97rPHPNWsOCfd1BdEPObr5fi6WFHOZn09GlaHaU/s1600/B-8.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ0UnbqeYWyp90vW8pFTpqsu0vqcSXSLVp9YONA7-ZZIvaSzYA9F0CgFRxHWZOeoeGkzBsXAzKZpcX60Fjad0df5rregYNuzzGrcExxa2Q-WvHj5VEtLlLNIGtmLptHdtbnpOoL6Y1YykhnfhnooakJSfF03TI90DNkvUv30LvqFXHcpZB6NlxaAcI7c/s1024/B-11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ0UnbqeYWyp90vW8pFTpqsu0vqcSXSLVp9YONA7-ZZIvaSzYA9F0CgFRxHWZOeoeGkzBsXAzKZpcX60Fjad0df5rregYNuzzGrcExxa2Q-WvHj5VEtLlLNIGtmLptHdtbnpOoL6Y1YykhnfhnooakJSfF03TI90DNkvUv30LvqFXHcpZB6NlxaAcI7c/s320/B-11.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Her father rejects Kit’s desire to keep seeing Holly.
So, Kit breaks into her house and packs Holly’s clothes so she can leave with
him. When father and daughter return, Kit shoots and kills the father. His
remorseless pathology is obvious now, showing no emotion about his act of
violence. His action shows he will no longer let others stand in his way. She smacks
his face at first but she quicky switches to coverup mode as she wonders if
neighbors heard the shot. He leaves her fate up to her though, saying she can
call the police.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit leaves a recording saying that he and Holly
decided to kill themselves. He does this act to gain time, hoping the
authorities would think they were dead. He ends the recording by perversely
saying, “I can’t deny we’ve had fun, though,” summing up their relationship as
pleasant, despite his committing murder. That statement alone shows his
sociopathic mentality. He sets fire to Holly’s house, in essence destroying her
attachment to the past. He says they will change their names and hide out up
north. She goes along with him because she says, “it was better to live a week with
someone who loved me for what I was, then years of loneliness.” Her statement
shows how empty her life felt to her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kFTE2PLomPOH_Vz5yMHj4LXRJHXRhimhugbisTC70QSQQ90wb0miE6TG9NHSZk7ercwJwxK7V74Eayhw9BQ7IBkud99xEP-oNNLuUA7PwsJ_iBG5LQ01Hu57iLe0DINK8FIFxAwyLA9OLe8U9npucDP9NcCKlqeQZBBzCSdVpQDiSBoAXxMrxt_hJ-I/s600/B-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kFTE2PLomPOH_Vz5yMHj4LXRJHXRhimhugbisTC70QSQQ90wb0miE6TG9NHSZk7ercwJwxK7V74Eayhw9BQ7IBkud99xEP-oNNLuUA7PwsJ_iBG5LQ01Hu57iLe0DINK8FIFxAwyLA9OLe8U9npucDP9NcCKlqeQZBBzCSdVpQDiSBoAXxMrxt_hJ-I/s320/B-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The music that plays in the background is a playful,
almost childlike tune that is in counterpoint to their illegal actions. Kit sees
their life like a childhood adventure, tinged with practicality. They build a
treehouse and tunnels in the wilderness. They stole food, and Kit taught Holly
survivalist techniques, including how to shoot. They dance at one point to
“Love is Strange,” a fitting tune for this odd couple. She admitted they had
their spats, and that she wished sometimes he would fall into the river and
drown. Her admission reminds us of the fish she let die, but it also sounds
like a remark a child may say about a young companion.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit insisted that she take her schoolbooks with her.
It almost seems like he is in some way nurturing her growth as a child. It is
interesting that she reads from <i>Kon Tiki</i>, a book that details a voyage
on a raft, since its survivalist story away from society is something Kit and
Holly would be interested in. She says she grew to love the forest because she
felt like all the rest of humanity were dead. Again, we have this anti-grownup,
outsider feeling. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She ruminates about her life, the actions of parents
and meeting Kit that led to this very moment in her life. She then lived “in
dread” about how short life is and how destiny comes down to a domino effect set
in motion out of one’s control. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-vMnmBzmAuqDLs2_pkL9d6VOZGd64FMfP9uUvSXeG88d6_ZRy5de6daMz5E0mq5w1Ek30XugSFodBH1milr6b-dEUCTFUBphbxSHVZhZlvXtTCFaIYWXZ6-5-j74bi9VsDhG-RG71yZ5qdLSyWCpxR4NnrFVaozLtmCp76qOekoFj3H5X69a79WDa0g/s600/B-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-vMnmBzmAuqDLs2_pkL9d6VOZGd64FMfP9uUvSXeG88d6_ZRy5de6daMz5E0mq5w1Ek30XugSFodBH1milr6b-dEUCTFUBphbxSHVZhZlvXtTCFaIYWXZ6-5-j74bi9VsDhG-RG71yZ5qdLSyWCpxR4NnrFVaozLtmCp76qOekoFj3H5X69a79WDa0g/s320/B-15.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Somebody sees Kit trying to catch fish, using a gun. Kit
views men approaching from up in a tree and he shoots and kills three men. Kit
justifies his actions to Holly saying the men were willing to kill them for a
bounty. But he is cold as ice about his actions, feeling no emotion about
harming others. It’s almost like he views death like some kind of game.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLkMIbAJ2uAYYB-uZkuLBkYYyNIxCf6WS405RD6KsiygvjdQLtSuB4uPfyWqn1oFng98ymiXcJIyRreDImmK7gj9gTJvQrIsQhNHofCDL5cM9ETP7wCnd6OIYIqBUVB96aVpRz1N1KzbsZriIg1A4-O1OkF3rmm8O5wq_VSja-SQ1sgS8bqDb8U7Doy4/s3360/Badlands-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1812" data-original-width="3360" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLkMIbAJ2uAYYB-uZkuLBkYYyNIxCf6WS405RD6KsiygvjdQLtSuB4uPfyWqn1oFng98ymiXcJIyRreDImmK7gj9gTJvQrIsQhNHofCDL5cM9ETP7wCnd6OIYIqBUVB96aVpRz1N1KzbsZriIg1A4-O1OkF3rmm8O5wq_VSja-SQ1sgS8bqDb8U7Doy4/s320/Badlands-14.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit has a friend named Cato (Ramon Bieri), and they
visit his remote home. Kit and Holly go out into the field and Kit sees Cato
running back to his house and looking back at them. He doesn’t let on, but he
probably felt that Cato was going to turn them in. Kit shoots Cato, and then
perversely opens the door for him to get to his bed. When Holly asks, “Is he
upset?” Kit says dispassionately, “He didn’t say nothing to me about it.” He
even shoots two young people looking for Cato. Sheen’s tone of voice and lazy
swagger paints a pitiless picture of Kit.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit’s violence seems to have put Holly into a state of
numbness. She calls it feeling “blah,” but her description of feeling like all
the water being drained out of a bathtub reflects her emotional emptiness. Now
the police are on alert in several states, and citizens are armed and vigilant,
not knowing where Kit might strike next. To avoid public places, Kit and Holly
go to an upscale house and he tells the owner that he is sorry to disturb him
as he reveals his handgun. His politeness is disarming, as he hides his violent
nature under a calm surface. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">(At one point an architect visits the upscale house.
He says he talked to the owner the night before, but Kit, answering the door,
says the man is sick. The visitor is Malick, and his role as an architect is
appropriate for a man constructing the film we are watching).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Holly’s detachment increases as she says that the
world now feels like a “faraway planet” that she could not return to. She
wanders around the rich man’s estate, whose lavish beauty stresses how out of
place she is. She may wish to escape into a fantasy world, a pleasant dream
distant from the horrors of reality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit uses a Dictaphone to record a message which is
ironically funny given his actions. He sounds like an upright citizen when he says
that one should listen to parents and teachers, consider the viewpoints of
others, and accept the majority opinion once it prevails. He acts like he is
just temporarily taking the car of the rich man (John Carter) and gives him a
list of the things he has “borrowed.” His friendly attitude makes him seem like
a nice fellow until he turns violent. The Cadillac he steals is the only way he
can show what it would be like to be prosperous.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT-mmgZsf89Ww2uysk7hL0eDCcLz_fv9qXbr07xHheKcxL9rTCe6HUDzhyphenhyphenq1I1Mxd7xIRMO4V0n78CzQA5nI3bp7Su4yRxoaXft6fQwVxJHxmdq3HyJvgZ9IEIUgIDhjUn0pRuIxfDfYM2duumuM2U2gEsGOVeZXmqKRsZRbA7LpdQrfHK9jVOm4r_4w/s1920/B-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT-mmgZsf89Ww2uysk7hL0eDCcLz_fv9qXbr07xHheKcxL9rTCe6HUDzhyphenhyphenq1I1Mxd7xIRMO4V0n78CzQA5nI3bp7Su4yRxoaXft6fQwVxJHxmdq3HyJvgZ9IEIUgIDhjUn0pRuIxfDfYM2duumuM2U2gEsGOVeZXmqKRsZRbA7LpdQrfHK9jVOm4r_4w/s320/B-4.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">They leave South Dakota and go to Montana. Almereyda says
at this point “the landscape drains like that tub, and we may glean that </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Badlands
</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">is a story of lost children at large in a moral vacuum.” There is a shot of
Kit from the back as he holds a rifle over his shoulders with his raised hands.
The view from that angle makes him look like a scarecrow. That figure is
supposed to scare but not harm, but Kit is very scary in reality. She talks
about traveling like Marco Polo, which points to her wish to be on a great
adventure, when in fact they are living like fugitives where no place provides them
with solace. Kit buries some of their things, saying they will revisit them to
remind them of how they were. He acts as if they will overcome the miserable
fate that awaits them due to his actions. He says the buried objects will be
like a time capsule for future people to consider, which shows a grandiose idea
of a legacy.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Holly narrates that although Kit needed her given his
desperate situation, she says, “something had come between us. I’d stopped even
paying attention to him.” She says she, “spelled out entire sentences with my
tongue on the roof of my mouth where nobody could read them.” Her loneliness is
palpable now as she seems to be in a no man’s land, disconnected from everyone,
and only communicating with herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She privately vows never to run around with someone as
wild as Kit again. She seems to lack any insight into what kind of trouble she
is in, having attached herself to someone like Kit in the first place. Finally,
she voices her concerns to Kit about how even if they somehow escaped to
Canada, he couldn’t provide them with any income. He is so lacking in insight
when he says, “I can get a job with the Mounties.” He stops the car to dance to
a Nat King Cole song and talks about how he wished he could sing like that. He
can be romantic as he realizes what a different life he would have if he had
other talents. He can appreciate the beautiful look of the sun rising over the
mountains. Instead of gaining notoriety through artistic talents he thinks
about being remembered for his infamy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNSUmspTWrNCMJQ_v2Pvtj5vEWbTroTcB1k8driEhc239XUTRjImAg5anRRa8F6HOQ0Zjyyy3ubWZoDF0oxMQECTXMe1ErjUnCyQFs7L-6n_Q77ylAcPHQrE7ZyhqHt6Yjk6C7WxgWdUmuGpLk_cdBVm4Vkl9ZaTHtTyz6fjHonQGZQPDYVIAQBG1xts/s720/B-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNSUmspTWrNCMJQ_v2Pvtj5vEWbTroTcB1k8driEhc239XUTRjImAg5anRRa8F6HOQ0Zjyyy3ubWZoDF0oxMQECTXMe1ErjUnCyQFs7L-6n_Q77ylAcPHQrE7ZyhqHt6Yjk6C7WxgWdUmuGpLk_cdBVm4Vkl9ZaTHtTyz6fjHonQGZQPDYVIAQBG1xts/s320/B-10.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-7hB-s_5uyYkk1s01aH2eUzMWOuoMvPSJX3ssbA2qLmL-kD5pH8IaULuUnWSsqGz2j-LszkpBaltJwC92LLzhiI_DxyvlCM5OO9LgxlcAE15f4lbjyiNHaqjAxXJ-urYZsDkwgMKVRENmoZrRmqb5ySyWVE16V1rulGxaW_drfuFqX5VbTG9gV0sap0/s1009/Badlands-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1009" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-7hB-s_5uyYkk1s01aH2eUzMWOuoMvPSJX3ssbA2qLmL-kD5pH8IaULuUnWSsqGz2j-LszkpBaltJwC92LLzhiI_DxyvlCM5OO9LgxlcAE15f4lbjyiNHaqjAxXJ-urYZsDkwgMKVRENmoZrRmqb5ySyWVE16V1rulGxaW_drfuFqX5VbTG9gV0sap0/s320/Badlands-7.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As a helicopter chases them, Holly is no longer
willing to go on with Kit’s crazy adventure. As Kit escapes he adds another
policeman to his body count and drives away. After stopping at a gas station,
he throws away all their stuff, as if freeing himself from the objects of the
world that he is tethered to. He does hold onto Holly’s journal, the source of
the narration we hear. Possibly he feels that it can be something that will let
his story live on. After a high-speed chase Kit stops and builds a pile of
rocks that marks where he was caught. It is a sort of monument to his notoriety.
(At one point Malick shows a photograph of a native holding a rifle in front of
the Great Sphinx. Could Kit be similarly, in a mock-epic manner, attempting to
erect his personal object for prosperity?). And he has gained a renegade’s fame
as one of the officers says, “We did it,” as if they will now receive
recognition for capturing such a well-known criminal, who actually gave himself
up. One of the policemen, after looking at Kit, says, “Hell, he ain’t no bigger
than I am.” His remark shows how publicity exaggerates the aspects of an
individual.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kit continues to act so much like an average person
that it shows how odd he is. He is conversational, talking about guns to the
cops, and how he’ll attach his well-known status to them, calling them “heroes”
for taking down such a famous outlaw. One of the policemen knocks the hat he
stole from the rich man off Kit’s head, as if removing any perception on Kit’s
part that he belonged to the upper class. Even the patrolman says Kit looks
like James Dean, another left-handed association with fame. The cops feed his
desire to be a well-known by talking about how they admire his clothes, receiving
his lighter as a souvenir like it belonged to a celebrity, and asking who his
favorite movie star is. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-i_ykb459Cpzl1Xv3yIEL1xzzTPl972mJNTJPfwPiPnwvS6g7OBUUmVz72SJRQinF9EdbQkzvgz-IdcskUvI7__AWkMcJetkxSg5pVzp-00Xr34ZxzpzRaL5vTIL17Ib2-vKEwhuZJxgKfLa4iwtBeVmKbG8ihsY8dwwcbxwstLoVmqnZ4dq5To2RrYs/s1772/B-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1772" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-i_ykb459Cpzl1Xv3yIEL1xzzTPl972mJNTJPfwPiPnwvS6g7OBUUmVz72SJRQinF9EdbQkzvgz-IdcskUvI7__AWkMcJetkxSg5pVzp-00Xr34ZxzpzRaL5vTIL17Ib2-vKEwhuZJxgKfLa4iwtBeVmKbG8ihsY8dwwcbxwstLoVmqnZ4dq5To2RrYs/s320/B-3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIUxvzbRW7sX5ZzNJGxSBW7hy3b7B_EWhNNJ7tQdDoXtUMjLbqUuLe_wREuAXMY6b0QDGXRZbmky3HJL1OC5OcGEW-mZFpYZzAPXagsectwghHoJP_iXdPG7sJaUN1HBBWatEBIbn7dKAEhIuTzdWaC7KEwjrs3vtNtbh7bCgoq3c3EzhapZjjVGWu5c/s1009/badlands-finale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1009" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIUxvzbRW7sX5ZzNJGxSBW7hy3b7B_EWhNNJ7tQdDoXtUMjLbqUuLe_wREuAXMY6b0QDGXRZbmky3HJL1OC5OcGEW-mZFpYZzAPXagsectwghHoJP_iXdPG7sJaUN1HBBWatEBIbn7dKAEhIuTzdWaC7KEwjrs3vtNtbh7bCgoq3c3EzhapZjjVGWu5c/s320/badlands-finale.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He seems considerate as he reunites with Holly while
being taken into custody. He says he’ll make sure she’ll get off and find a
good man to be with. But then he says that the rich man was lucky he didn’t
kill him, too. She does get off on probation and marries the son of the lawyer
who defended her. Kit is sentenced to die in the electric chair, but donates
his body to science, which shows that Dr. Jekyll side which was offset by his
Mr. Hyde killer. The last shot is of the air transport taking the captured duo
away, and the camera shows the sun-laced sky, as if ironically showing that Kit
felt he rose above the masses to achieve fame in the only way he knew how.</span></span><p></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-70605079503016570592024-01-14T15:56:00.000-05:002024-01-14T15:56:32.472-05:00Five 2023 Films<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plots will be discussed.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">I thought I would make some brief comments on five
2023 movies:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4OO5yNJk7xZGebpS5AqyFZXNLYKReXekmDCIkSH6K7cVEpV9KHjBKAt81HKsv37OQEs6IkB-pOfyqXgLm_LAgStFi_vpJJ5juxsmay7zmeQJGbZJLqS-Cixl9-Ofn7Blyyji5BuCO7UPzGbT1vln2PF5dAOea_cKTsK9xg1-rlIZ3Efr7mUc4zrexfs/s2814/B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2814" data-original-width="1900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4OO5yNJk7xZGebpS5AqyFZXNLYKReXekmDCIkSH6K7cVEpV9KHjBKAt81HKsv37OQEs6IkB-pOfyqXgLm_LAgStFi_vpJJ5juxsmay7zmeQJGbZJLqS-Cixl9-Ofn7Blyyji5BuCO7UPzGbT1vln2PF5dAOea_cKTsK9xg1-rlIZ3Efr7mUc4zrexfs/s320/B-1.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">BARBIE:</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Greta Gerwig’s film was a critical and very big
commercial success. She was able to present a funny movie that was also heavy
on theme. The opening is an enjoyable reference to <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i>,
with the evolutionary progression moving away from girls playing with one-dimensional
versions of dolls to the multifaceted menu of Barbies. However, as the story
moves forward, those versions are shown as creations by men who are trying to
cash in on women adopting various professions in the modern world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the real world, women are still not respected for
their roles, so there is disenchantment that their lives are not living up to
the ideals presented in Barbie World. This disillusionment is represented by
Gloria (America Fererra). Her unhappiness affects Stereotypical Barbie (Margot
Robbie), who shocks other Barbies by ruminating on death, and travels to the
real world to explore the problems there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She has a stowaway in her Barbiemobile. It’s
Stereotypical Ken (Ryan Gosling). In Barbie World he is just an accessory, as
are the other Ken dolls. In the real world he learns how to be macho, and he brings
that attitude back to Barbie World to share with the Kens. Barbie must return
to set things straight before revisiting the real world at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The thrust here is that neither gender should
dominate, and that women must become empowered by way of their own identity,
and not by what is prescribed by men.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film is accomplished at bringing the world of
Barbie to life, and the performances hit their marks. Great last line, when
Barbie says she is in an office to see her “gynecologist.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78rn1hfurMJWqWHYaeNFlhOaF3L8tApYPbVXkTj4gVliP6MMJBKzOAcY4nbIAMXj71COTS9xGjbmiLk2JwoJWQTxNyEUfGWW7MCGVe2RlRYXYW7Zj-G6LfwUdWEgqT3eFHl3SBxbscq9SUzM3MDWeoyJyMu8vXsbkAXQbyfJaYcNH3mr84VrxLEbXkoo/s3454/O-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3454" data-original-width="2331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78rn1hfurMJWqWHYaeNFlhOaF3L8tApYPbVXkTj4gVliP6MMJBKzOAcY4nbIAMXj71COTS9xGjbmiLk2JwoJWQTxNyEUfGWW7MCGVe2RlRYXYW7Zj-G6LfwUdWEgqT3eFHl3SBxbscq9SUzM3MDWeoyJyMu8vXsbkAXQbyfJaYcNH3mr84VrxLEbXkoo/s320/O-1.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">OPPENHEIMER:</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Christopher Nolan dazzles again in this story about
the scientist who created the atomic bomb. In this film, unlike some others by
Nolan, it is not that difficult to follow the different timelines. The story
jumps between Oppenheimer in his early years associating with the Communist
movement and his early brilliance as a physicist. There is the time period when
he works on the Manhattan Project developing the atomic bomb. When he refuses
to continue work toward developing the even more devastating hydrogen bomb, the
government persecutes him for his early association with Communism. Eventually,
the film depicts his acquittal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We discussed this film in an online forum that the
Bryn Mawr Film Institute presented. I asked about how the instructors viewed
Nolan’s attitude toward science in general, mentioning his films, <i>Inception</i>,
<i>Interstellar</i>, and his Batman trilogy. The instructors stated that Nolan appears
to view people as flawed creatures who are not equipped to handle the fallout
(pun intended in this case) from their technological advances. <i>Inception </i>shows
the psychological devastation of delving into the dreams of others. <i>Interstellar</i>,
although optimistic in the end, shows the need to leave Earth because of how
humans destroyed the environment with technology. There is the section in the
Batman stories where Bruce Wayne can listen to everything that the citizens are
saying, totally invading their privacy. He allows that technology to be
destroyed, but the fear is there if unscrupulous individuals used that system.
In <i>Oppenheimer</i>, the ethical question that torments the main character is
if he doesn’t develop the nuclear bomb, then Hitler might dominate the world if
he is not stopped. However, by developing the A-Bomb, he opens a nuclear
Pandor’s Box that threatens the existence of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Great performances by Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer,
and Robert Downey, Jr. as the scientist’s eventual nemesis, Lewis Strauss (both
Golden Globe winners).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1i44O_wiSR9MBbyozm6oe_3MWdeIa5NJ6ZlwdisFZgIbqGP8rdj_-R4CHo2zJ-ohgSZswrXBUkvBpCGj27swM4m6NgQY8FG8m9EKMW9WfI_IuQjvyRXqrpXd_qbbW17Vj5zJfgJZyDj-0DZwTQggyBs7aJuoitOR5EQZ5f06Bu79X2yD3_9yyk7I-1E/s387/Killers_of_the_Flower_Moon_film.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="258" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1i44O_wiSR9MBbyozm6oe_3MWdeIa5NJ6ZlwdisFZgIbqGP8rdj_-R4CHo2zJ-ohgSZswrXBUkvBpCGj27swM4m6NgQY8FG8m9EKMW9WfI_IuQjvyRXqrpXd_qbbW17Vj5zJfgJZyDj-0DZwTQggyBs7aJuoitOR5EQZ5f06Bu79X2yD3_9yyk7I-1E/s320/Killers_of_the_Flower_Moon_film.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON:</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The title of the movie refers to an Osage Native American
ceremony that cherishes the blossoming of flowers each year. During the ritual
they discover oil on their land and the tribe becomes rich. However, they are
surrounded by the enemy, the white man, who cherishes the land for profit. The
whites exploit the Natives by marrying into the tribe and then bringing about
the deaths of the Osage community to inherit the land’s wealth. They even have
some declared incompetent while living to gain control of the assets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Native population is somewhat to blame for being
seduced by the white culture’s love of materialism. Martin Scorsese’s film suggests
that the desire for oil destroys the soul of the people who were its initial
residents and pollutes the land with whom the Osage people were joined. One
image that backs up this theme is when the natives have visions of their ancestors,
they are covered in the dark liquid coming from the gushing oil, suggesting a
blackening of their souls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film is very much about being in denial. The best
example in Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Ernest Burkhart (The “Earnest” name
comes off as ironic, since he deceives his wife and himself). He comes to Oklahoma
seeking financial help from his uncle, William Hale (Robert De Niro), who is a
deputy sheriff and big landowner. On the surface he appears as a benefactor to
the Osage community, but appearances are deceiving in this film, and he
orchestrates the deaths of Osage natives for the personal gain of the whites.
Ernest marries Mollie (Lily Gladstone, Golden Globe winner for her role), and fools
himself into thinking he is helping her treat her diabetes when he is actually poisoning
her. Mollie herself also deludes herself by not seeing how the man she believes
she loves is attempting to do away with her. She finally comes to her senses
after personal losses and is strong enough to get the Federal Government to
investigate the many killings of Osage natives. The self-denial is general
here, as the white people act as if they are helping the Native Americans while
actually ruining their way of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Scorsese employs the camera to good effect when he
places it at ground level and makes the audience feel as if it is a character
walking with the film’s characters in rooms in houses. There is a smart image
of Ernest swatting flies on two occasions. It brings to mind Beelzebub, the
“Lord of the Flies,” and generally acts as a symbol for decay and corruption.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We discussed this film in a Zoom class. One instructor
thought, given the length, that there should have been more of the story told
from the Native American perspective. It seems a valid observation. This movie,
and exceptional films such as <i>Dances with Wolves</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Little Big Man</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">,</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">tell the stories from the perspective of the
white man, and not from that of the Native American.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPApGlYpnosv0iLHimYcXT1shyphenhyphenUKyFI_03Oo5dgDZH9o8FNW1bC7RRUUmuI4HBfiU-dtZF_BER82Ud-lhbyWYj7mtgKi9z7QKmvSkOlnX7F8YdeaPmghdRCiWqvR6GL0t-Q70D2UvW1IkxbWP3tan2LggMaK2bq42BC-2qyrkBzsyW3T526nJ7gQoa8w/s2048/M-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPApGlYpnosv0iLHimYcXT1shyphenhyphenUKyFI_03Oo5dgDZH9o8FNW1bC7RRUUmuI4HBfiU-dtZF_BER82Ud-lhbyWYj7mtgKi9z7QKmvSkOlnX7F8YdeaPmghdRCiWqvR6GL0t-Q70D2UvW1IkxbWP3tan2LggMaK2bq42BC-2qyrkBzsyW3T526nJ7gQoa8w/s320/M-1.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">MAESTRO:</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Bradley Cooper does it all
here, writing, directing, and starring in this biopic about musical
conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein, who composed the music for </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">West Side Story</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. The movie is stylized, as it moves at the
beginning from one location to another without breaks, which stresses the
artistry of the filmmaking and thus can be distancing for the audience to
invest emotionally. There is not a great deal of background information about
Bernstein’s early life. Some may find the lack of exposition admirable while
others may again find it difficult to understand the main character’s passion
for music. But that passion is undeniable, and Cooper is submerged in the
character, energetically demonstrating his conducting ability. Along with the makeup,
Cooper inhabits Bernstein, and it is a virtuoso performance. I did, however,
find his voice distracting, since he constantly sounded like he was suffering
from a cold. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film focuses on his
marriage, and the conflict between his love for his wife and his homosexual orientation,
and the homophobia of the time period. Carey Mulligan plays the spouse, Felicia,
and she shows her love for and frustration with her husband. She displays
emotional depth as she battles the cancer that ends her life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXv5reThCMYtVz6y0t_xSmemR0KSPyYJD_LjQDqXopkhyphenhyphennLgf1w_F95saOTrRsB6YO_f4p09mph6qNqD7vRRl2p-vIf86EcwtdVJUqRsZIKQMVWNy6fjY8UqM1Xc4NLKHIngszeuG_w2Kp_yNtwd91R34PedPrCS7vBX6x-Xp_cVTIPNMEZVquS7wYwUU/s1920/The-Holdovers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1303" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXv5reThCMYtVz6y0t_xSmemR0KSPyYJD_LjQDqXopkhyphenhyphennLgf1w_F95saOTrRsB6YO_f4p09mph6qNqD7vRRl2p-vIf86EcwtdVJUqRsZIKQMVWNy6fjY8UqM1Xc4NLKHIngszeuG_w2Kp_yNtwd91R34PedPrCS7vBX6x-Xp_cVTIPNMEZVquS7wYwUU/s320/The-Holdovers.png" width="217" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">THE HOLDOVERS:</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">While the above films
stress moviemaking artistry and theme, this film by Alexander Payne is very
much about character. Paul Giamatti reunites with Payne after previously
starring in </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sideways</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">. He is Paul Hunham, a sarcastic ancient history
teacher at a boys’ boarding school who bemoans the lack of educational accomplishment
of the privileged students who attend the school by way of their affluent
parents. There is a </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">School
Ties </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">and </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dead Poets Society </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">feel as to the locale of the story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Hunham is stuck with having
to babysit a few of the students over the Christmas holiday period because the
boys’ parents are otherwise engaged. One of the fathers eventually arrives, literally
as a helicopter parent, and whisks all but one student to a ski getaway after
the child emotionally blackmails the patriarch. The one remaining boy, Angus
Tully (Dominic Sessa, in a wonderful performance) has shown his anguish about
the demise of his parents’ marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The story is set during the
beginning of the Vietnam War, and the cafeteria worker, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy
Randolph), has lost a son who was a student at the school. She took advantage
of her employment to allow her boy to attend. There is a definite class antagonism
here as Hunham’s background is more in tune with the workers at the school. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a great deal of
witty and insightful dialogue in the movie. Hunham’s pessimistic attitude is
shown when he says, “Life is like a henhouse ladder: shitty and short.” He
tells Tully at one point the need for learning about history when he says, “history
is not simply the study of the past. It is an explanation of the present.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As the film progresses,
secrets about the lives of both Hunham and Tully come to the surface, and they
find that there is more to each of them than appears on the surface. This film
says that you don’t understand people until you take the time to really get to
know them. Preconceived stereotypes don’t always conveniently fit into one’s
world view.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Both Giamatti and Randolph
deserved their Golden Globe wins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film to be
analyzed is </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Badlands.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-59199214299638573382023-12-20T13:58:00.000-05:002023-12-20T13:58:47.162-05:00Foreign Correspondent<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bk1Bq2uIhCXPl2SuILzbw9upuUF9AJcDpa60ZcCchS018l4HBKSxt4-zcvzzYDFeRuC0wmb5z3IGb3S-ciMgz3HAesqJQytC-p0ekgy-NyrFUpcZmcVL0mR0UysyYo_Qf4daFRWnxYCETFGwfSenp5hIwqg0XMkRSZEL3FaHMPfJ63BSs9MOx_IFH90/s391/ForeignCorrespondent%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bk1Bq2uIhCXPl2SuILzbw9upuUF9AJcDpa60ZcCchS018l4HBKSxt4-zcvzzYDFeRuC0wmb5z3IGb3S-ciMgz3HAesqJQytC-p0ekgy-NyrFUpcZmcVL0mR0UysyYo_Qf4daFRWnxYCETFGwfSenp5hIwqg0XMkRSZEL3FaHMPfJ63BSs9MOx_IFH90/s320/ForeignCorrespondent%20-%201.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I haven’t discussed an Alfred Hitchcock film in a
while so I decided on reviewing </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Foreign Correspondent </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1940). The
opening credits have a revolving globe of the Earth above a newspaper building
to show the universal need to gather international information. The beginning
notes pay tribute to foreign correspondents, saying they were out there investigating
dangerous situations while the rest of us were watching “rainbows,” an obvious
reference to the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Wizard of Oz</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> and the isolationism noted in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Casablanca.</i></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DY1plRdW-HJ7EUf-nKuVAfFX9C422D9lBXcPFXGWyqN7CyVHL-FhqBVJuxQRRUpJJiiBnt-JSu-TMc_1Y9mtLi6LcD9QZbsLgsnbOoRIiXtgOlnXlfaPQ_DD9zeclUPzXQYqhQ82MoMzRw6e5QtVga0EbfYAYvRjBxL6k-3b2dEMP1bNpmqIPa4AXkc/s1024/FC%20-%2021.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1024" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DY1plRdW-HJ7EUf-nKuVAfFX9C422D9lBXcPFXGWyqN7CyVHL-FhqBVJuxQRRUpJJiiBnt-JSu-TMc_1Y9mtLi6LcD9QZbsLgsnbOoRIiXtgOlnXlfaPQ_DD9zeclUPzXQYqhQ82MoMzRw6e5QtVga0EbfYAYvRjBxL6k-3b2dEMP1bNpmqIPa4AXkc/s320/FC%20-%2021.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Powers (the man who is in charge played by Harry
Davenport), who is the city editor of the New York Globe (like the Daily
Planet?) says he is not getting enough info from his foreign correspondents. He
remembers that Johnny Jones (an everyman name) is a tough reporter. Joel McCrea
plays the character and excels in the role. Jones has been proficient in solving
criminal activity and Powers wants to find out about the “crime” that Nazi
Germany is hatching. He notes that Jones beat up a policeman working on one
story, which most likely refers to Hitchcock’s well-known fear of cops.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyeVdYfdtArc-1lbNcGukAb4pp5ZFlnewyrLWIwInPxI2ph-Yb9vJsfVk_ltScJAK3-BeLdMt5qDTiWzmpV9HrBps-hLSEFHASxw8XO2GL2x0ZOZefswpI1HVXaJyBzdbHnLf-Ml_hDf3g3j7wYKPnArMW8u69GNQyyTMIXC5dF7oBkC3vFT_qg1tyGU/s829/FC%20-%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="829" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyeVdYfdtArc-1lbNcGukAb4pp5ZFlnewyrLWIwInPxI2ph-Yb9vJsfVk_ltScJAK3-BeLdMt5qDTiWzmpV9HrBps-hLSEFHASxw8XO2GL2x0ZOZefswpI1HVXaJyBzdbHnLf-Ml_hDf3g3j7wYKPnArMW8u69GNQyyTMIXC5dF7oBkC3vFT_qg1tyGU/s320/FC%20-%2015.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jones is ripping up newspapers and making them into
snowflakes, showing his cynicism about the profession. Powers doesn’t want a stereotypical
foreign correspondent, but instead a “reporter,” someone who has no preconceived
ideologies and who can be objective. Powers wants Jones to use an Englishman, Stephen
Fisher (Herbert Marshall), head of the Universal Peace Party, who can help
Jones get to a Dutch diplomat named Van Meer (Albert Bassermann), to find out
what’s going on in Europe. Powers wants him to use the name Harvey Haverstick
which sounds more important. At this point the practical Jones just wants an
expense account.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XIWkftodPaBeRJ2XI91hWtpZ2bFHj8JX8WZmPdqgdlXGGHxBPIsQrGe12PL11xhbOoxlktt07B9f6ak8YIpUY36d9EGePQGUh-D0sh0qQzLG0oZ2Pr8b92Esgb5fqZH8DSZdWz5JPKTbiUwTZgG0npXYNXTfdoDCO6oPpgDK99wiZgyUvMTEvYhkooE/s636/FC%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="636" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XIWkftodPaBeRJ2XI91hWtpZ2bFHj8JX8WZmPdqgdlXGGHxBPIsQrGe12PL11xhbOoxlktt07B9f6ak8YIpUY36d9EGePQGUh-D0sh0qQzLG0oZ2Pr8b92Esgb5fqZH8DSZdWz5JPKTbiUwTZgG0npXYNXTfdoDCO6oPpgDK99wiZgyUvMTEvYhkooE/s320/FC%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jones travels by ship to London and meets Stebbins
(writer Robert Benchley who contributed dialogue to the screenplay), who is an
American journalist who is stationed in England. His character is funny as he
complains that he has been drinking alcohol too much and now must drink milk,
not the drink of tough newsmen.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jones sees Van Meer getting into a taxi taking him to
Fisher’s dinner in his honor. He gets a ride with Van Meer who dodges questions
and then shows he is shrewd because he knows Jones is a reporter. He does admit
that he feels helpless about the oncoming possibility of a war, which stresses
a tone of pessimism. In contrast, Fisher’s daughter, Carol (Laraine Day),
argues with others that people say we stumble into war but never into peace.
She implies people can embrace peace just as much as war. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6QofAdIKLFF1pHTA6bXdxeX_TvE5_I3miGfWVUSJezDZA6BrW0yl-cCqJyYad7jd16zOGojUwkDI2KGXT9hIfrjlkKjQJBIo3cHRiy5RQuQrGf_47wC5EZB7gke04mVHvChI2Enr1FyV2aAJMhxdI5zgEQN2LW3Wmj7zjI8zw_ypoX70HcJPAAqKtIU/s728/FC%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6QofAdIKLFF1pHTA6bXdxeX_TvE5_I3miGfWVUSJezDZA6BrW0yl-cCqJyYad7jd16zOGojUwkDI2KGXT9hIfrjlkKjQJBIo3cHRiy5RQuQrGf_47wC5EZB7gke04mVHvChI2Enr1FyV2aAJMhxdI5zgEQN2LW3Wmj7zjI8zw_ypoX70HcJPAAqKtIU/s320/FC%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jones encounters Carol at dinner, not knowing she is
Fisher’s daughter, which adds to the humor of the film. His cynical ways about
whether Fisher is legit miffs Carol, who says her name is “Smith,” which is a
counter to Jones’s generic last name. She will not sit with him even after he
sends her thirty notes. Fisher announces that Van Meer can’t attend, which
surprises Jones, since the man took him to the affair. Fisher reveals that
Carol is his daughter, and Jones looks at her with an adoring stare which throws
her off her speech. When she looks for her notes she encounters all the
messages that Jones sent, further adding to the unnerving chemistry that is
developing between them.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB66I9j7xuYE8O4SVCAohLeR6wMYGc-tUhNWcITxQdVRBd2vCv65boSQaNrx4J9WxfqSuKXbjJOYUTjNbm9hny2xE45cSJK6lVKBVnDhJC4-Xc3UJEA0cs9DFrKLrhtghUBAX_BSBgBexpXm1DvimtlmBExJhufnokp5DwI5n5K85o3Y_p-F-WHktNSRk/s200/FC%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="200" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB66I9j7xuYE8O4SVCAohLeR6wMYGc-tUhNWcITxQdVRBd2vCv65boSQaNrx4J9WxfqSuKXbjJOYUTjNbm9hny2xE45cSJK6lVKBVnDhJC4-Xc3UJEA0cs9DFrKLrhtghUBAX_BSBgBexpXm1DvimtlmBExJhufnokp5DwI5n5K85o3Y_p-F-WHktNSRk/s1600/FC%20-%2012.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoeIrzN2W0N0qvZH6aXAE72wJvnVX929Wpg9X3DVY2s4SXiupXFQtp63RA6QRDnlIy6NRlnd2QrnXXCrQcesUwy0sdjItVS13uSz4m94T-yD2rEl9Rgezz3ti0PKIJnzS_KiNgp8ursYqGDIgwEcUA9YkNnJ6dN1_bgkHnu1a-Zu34Ra02GUQDObVjyc/s400/FC%20-%207.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoeIrzN2W0N0qvZH6aXAE72wJvnVX929Wpg9X3DVY2s4SXiupXFQtp63RA6QRDnlIy6NRlnd2QrnXXCrQcesUwy0sdjItVS13uSz4m94T-yD2rEl9Rgezz3ti0PKIJnzS_KiNgp8ursYqGDIgwEcUA9YkNnJ6dN1_bgkHnu1a-Zu34Ra02GUQDObVjyc/s320/FC%20-%207.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Dj3njT4XXTJ4hnmwvnwwcYej3oSJlzt0Pu_F_WozCGjbqjUecTKZHJcuraJYRJJw9g3sfHVb4-0zOq4UtW3snrz8IntAd0rK7ACjc2PX7VJCd5WbN9oiUdEroTOeuD2939yk5eE1O4aaTUlbXsbP9j7eIhW8CJGbppuzXO2zXx7ri_rE7x7rK2SVy8Q/s1201/FC%20-%2018.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1201" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Dj3njT4XXTJ4hnmwvnwwcYej3oSJlzt0Pu_F_WozCGjbqjUecTKZHJcuraJYRJJw9g3sfHVb4-0zOq4UtW3snrz8IntAd0rK7ACjc2PX7VJCd5WbN9oiUdEroTOeuD2939yk5eE1O4aaTUlbXsbP9j7eIhW8CJGbppuzXO2zXx7ri_rE7x7rK2SVy8Q/s320/FC%20-%2018.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9R5Ha99axU73lFUZ61MvMoZXqn3N-cZKg90_0BXqWIPe3hBEB9gXXWNEgIIh2ndcrlYi2Y5FbOMKcSu_DeNr0ts0H8SeyXjgljcGU0HypLBq_Ikr6YaMcvV63plGPLVbcsTWQVnQVZOf-0suCvhUOjR9b5YbaTAarWN0fjkY3dOnivqPLUxS5-fBEOc/s267/Foreign_Correspondent_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9R5Ha99axU73lFUZ61MvMoZXqn3N-cZKg90_0BXqWIPe3hBEB9gXXWNEgIIh2ndcrlYi2Y5FbOMKcSu_DeNr0ts0H8SeyXjgljcGU0HypLBq_Ikr6YaMcvV63plGPLVbcsTWQVnQVZOf-0suCvhUOjR9b5YbaTAarWN0fjkY3dOnivqPLUxS5-fBEOc/s1600/Foreign_Correspondent_2.jpg" width="267" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Van Meer went to a peace conference in Holland and
Jones receives a message to follow him there. Jones confronts Van Meer as he is
entering the building where the gathering is to take place, but Van Meer
appears not to recognize Jones. Then a supposed reporter (one of many
deceptions in the movie) asks to take Van Meer’s picture but he has a gun next
to his camera and shoots Van Meer. The scene shows how appearances can be
deceiving as Jones, the true journalist, is contrasted against the phony one. It
is raining and Jones chases the shooter through a sea of umbrellas. The umbrellas
show how the surface can cover the reality beneath and add to confusion for
someone seeking the truth. The killer shoots other as he makes a getaway and
has help from a man in a car, suggesting a conspiracy is at work. Jones happens
to hop into a car which contains a smiling Carol, happy to see the handsome
Jones, and Scott ffolliott (George Sanders), a stereotypical unflappable
Britisher, and another journalist. He says the wife of an ancestor who Henry
VIII beheaded dropped off the capital letter at the beginning of his name to
commemorate her husband (Benchley’s witty dialogue is apparent here). They
chase after the car transporting the murderer, who fires shots at them, as the
police follow. However, they mysteriously lose the killer in a flat plain near
some windmills. The wind causes Jones to lose his hat for the second time
(think of the Coesn Brothers film </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Miller’s Crossing</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> where losing a hat
makes one seem unsure and foolish). However, after chasing it he notices that a
windmill’s blades reversed their motion, and he suspects that the killer is
inside. He sends the other two to retrieve the police.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniZIixHw6JXO2ZLdnRPS91Rm8xs3OZkDf7QJbxSLEUlyvtRVbL-UFKucGRVVpDUVrWEv3mcf-A7dIuQf0tBr3tlMSlLtVeUT_Cxtew-2fltspspY7SRSyS1DTIwcDyOtgO_aATHPvjqMxIDjBHbVcYkkSsHnOv3pw6rtwIZh8LQpFFzcKhb1bYW2Odlw/s1200/FC%20-%206.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniZIixHw6JXO2ZLdnRPS91Rm8xs3OZkDf7QJbxSLEUlyvtRVbL-UFKucGRVVpDUVrWEv3mcf-A7dIuQf0tBr3tlMSlLtVeUT_Cxtew-2fltspspY7SRSyS1DTIwcDyOtgO_aATHPvjqMxIDjBHbVcYkkSsHnOv3pw6rtwIZh8LQpFFzcKhb1bYW2Odlw/s320/FC%20-%206.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a plane flying by and the smart Jones
realizes that the windmill is signaling the plane to land. He goes inside and
hears men speaking a foreign language. Those from the plane join them as Jones
hides on stairs leading toward the top. He discovers the real Van Meer, who is
alive but drugged. He tries to stay coherent, saying that there was an attempt
to make it look like he was assassinated by using a double. He becomes mute
after scribbling something on a piece of paper. Again, we have appearances
being deceiving, as represented by Van Meer’s double and the fake
assassination. Hitchcock builds suspense by having Jones’s raincoat getting caught
in the mill’s mechanism. But he removes it and grasps it before it can be
discovered. In addition, Van Meer looks upward, possibly revealing Jones. Instead,
he hides, and the foreigners only see a bird and light coming in from a window.
Outside of the latter, Jones holds on, trying to prevent a fall, and escapes. (Light
becomes a metaphor in the story, especially at the end).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtE3gj70YaLez8h1wQ2OU_NCTFLp-xjNzkfnmYvwRwbVM7F80Cf19mXSRroAioh4PT2KrXAIenBcalxuthrJb60CrP-Cj0f9kR2ItZIYvbY3w70uOnDhk1LEuVFqdswz3UZvraHkSzaCnpyhYA7zlQDFRSWrVsG95OtopylK-cWHUx7hOywbw6i6vKB0w/s650/FC%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="650" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtE3gj70YaLez8h1wQ2OU_NCTFLp-xjNzkfnmYvwRwbVM7F80Cf19mXSRroAioh4PT2KrXAIenBcalxuthrJb60CrP-Cj0f9kR2ItZIYvbY3w70uOnDhk1LEuVFqdswz3UZvraHkSzaCnpyhYA7zlQDFRSWrVsG95OtopylK-cWHUx7hOywbw6i6vKB0w/s320/FC%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGqFjNWN1hT7xxfDMXs9fcON6hoe1bEo3xfFl6FNd2N3w0rPOfUAPNMzj3or-8cGPBtbQkwRIT3cZK6XBBD9bOABb1GvyDLEZefb3IuegaBaeaCGSJ0-pBYp8n0y8b9GmR7Q0kr09ko0U50TaEdL7Rj_TjoyBVnyfIc5YZLgTf39fnEj9XQ3qRmHBrb4/s1200/FC%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1200" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGqFjNWN1hT7xxfDMXs9fcON6hoe1bEo3xfFl6FNd2N3w0rPOfUAPNMzj3or-8cGPBtbQkwRIT3cZK6XBBD9bOABb1GvyDLEZefb3IuegaBaeaCGSJ0-pBYp8n0y8b9GmR7Q0kr09ko0U50TaEdL7Rj_TjoyBVnyfIc5YZLgTf39fnEj9XQ3qRmHBrb4/s320/FC%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Later, Jones tries to
explain what he has observed to the authorities. They go to the windmill and
everyone and the car are gone. There is a man sleeping where Jones found Van
Meer and he says he has been sleeping there all day and there were no others.
We have here a further example of deceptive appearances, and an attempt to
discredit Jones. The police and even Carol doubt his story. Hitchcock often has
a truthful man being doubted by others, and he again exhibits his distrust of
the police.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYKWOe3sQnZAsFkIINDeHRE0nCfyx5dHMyc1XhrRuJvv2JvpKcRWYgmLz7oY6ZWU6ebhIyaSFIF3-gZ78sXPqfMe3LJHi-UIibfV2KYT6gAYLq71zkgA8nB6bdD2GhoRliyCB6f4AEKqKe6O1tbqfxJsbLztQVrb-mvkHpLiyyKlJYPduNCfPWxYAW00/s1030/FC%20-%2022.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1030" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYKWOe3sQnZAsFkIINDeHRE0nCfyx5dHMyc1XhrRuJvv2JvpKcRWYgmLz7oY6ZWU6ebhIyaSFIF3-gZ78sXPqfMe3LJHi-UIibfV2KYT6gAYLq71zkgA8nB6bdD2GhoRliyCB6f4AEKqKe6O1tbqfxJsbLztQVrb-mvkHpLiyyKlJYPduNCfPWxYAW00/s320/FC%20-%2022.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jones is quite observant
as he notices that the wires to his hotel room have been cut when two men
pretending to be policemen say they need to take him to headquarters. He is
cool and funny under pressure when one of the men says they all speak English.
Jones says not everybody where he comes from can make that claim, obviously
referring to some uneducated Americans. He realizes that he knows too much, and
these conspirators are out to get rid of him. He pretends to take a bath and goes
out the window to Carol’s room. As he goes along the edge of the building he
touches a light that extinguishes which leave a sign that says “Hot … Europe,”
a reference to the Nazi threat. She is there trying to get support for her
father’s peace movement, and she does not believe his story after what happened
at the windmill. Jones continues to be the honest man who others do not
believe. He is a true journalist because he says, “There’s something fishy going
on around here. There’s a big story in this. I can smell it. I can feel it and I’m
going to get to the bottom of it if it’s the last thing I do. And nothing’s
going to stop me.”</span><p></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He persists and wins
Carol over. He is shrewd again as he asks for several people to go to his hotel
room for assistance as a diversion as a valet gets his clothes. Jones and Carol
escape and head for a ship. The humor continues as they both profess their love
for each other and the desire to marry. With a wink to the audience Jones says,
“Well that cuts our love scene quite short.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN8dKr8Gw5mizY-NmOuTwURkflLz6zZFinrceYKn0rKmb3OXmGUPhlYgcP-Cj9LIpwkRKEiyU9nOb5teeZCOgbBstsyxG4_OtwQQLDgAf4twCahR_mabQJbcUn6SL9giRhW0Vh1iUjakFpfQew_IkNc7KObN3p4UKbJsuXddKg_eE8ZZteA34ZoDCACk/s320/foreign-correspondent-23.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN8dKr8Gw5mizY-NmOuTwURkflLz6zZFinrceYKn0rKmb3OXmGUPhlYgcP-Cj9LIpwkRKEiyU9nOb5teeZCOgbBstsyxG4_OtwQQLDgAf4twCahR_mabQJbcUn6SL9giRhW0Vh1iUjakFpfQew_IkNc7KObN3p4UKbJsuXddKg_eE8ZZteA34ZoDCACk/s1600/foreign-correspondent-23.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In London, Jones meets
Fisher and Krug (Eduardo Ciannelli), and recounts that he saw Van Meer killed, but
does not mention the double because he recognizes Krug as one of the men at the
windmill. When Krug leaves the room, he tells Fisher what he knows. Fisher talks
privately with Krug, and we realize that Fisher is one of the conspirators. Krug
leaves and Jones is upset by this act and says he wants to spill the story now.
Fisher convinces him to keep his story quiet so as not to endanger Van Meer. He
also says Jones can have a private eye to protect him since he is in danger. The
man they will use is really an assassin. We have more deception as people who
seem friendly are deadly. Fisher almost seems admiring when he describes how
the supposed enemy is quite cunning, since he is really talking about himself.
However, he almost hesitates to go forward with the plan, since he sees how
attached his daughter is to Jones.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldfmxksfutPuAxFU96G084-SaIBMayIrMj66aIgojDoIF2hYoSeZXRjTt-8vRsQzBFfsPhX-2jgSS1eHBpPwyvyF3wZ7y0Q_FyLQftbXcg7eAJfRnJEaER1LfgPdwa5WjD6TxQ4QZdV8sh_Ma2lBzaFOM1FgMKxHAOin2lmCDLvCNCJTpcQdZQyj3aZw/s636/FC%20-%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="636" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldfmxksfutPuAxFU96G084-SaIBMayIrMj66aIgojDoIF2hYoSeZXRjTt-8vRsQzBFfsPhX-2jgSS1eHBpPwyvyF3wZ7y0Q_FyLQftbXcg7eAJfRnJEaER1LfgPdwa5WjD6TxQ4QZdV8sh_Ma2lBzaFOM1FgMKxHAOin2lmCDLvCNCJTpcQdZQyj3aZw/s320/FC%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rowley (Edmund Gwenn) is
the private eye who is supposed to protect Jones, but pushes him in front of a
truck. Jones is not hit, and Rowley covers by saying it was safer to push than
to pull. Pretending (deceit again) that they are being followed, Rowley gets a
reluctant Jones to go into a church and up to the top of the tower. He tries to
push him off. We see a man fall to his death, but there is a delay which heightens
the tension until we learn that Jones stepped aside, and it was Rowley that
fell. (Hitchcock will kill off a lead character quickly in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Psycho</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, but
not here. He also likes cliffhangers as he has falling from heights, for
example, in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">North by Northwest</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Saboteur</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Vertigo</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">).</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Because it was Fisher who
hooked Jones up with Rowley, Jones now knows Fisher isn’t the upstanding man he
pretends to be. ffolliott shows up at Stebbins’s office and says he suspected
Fisher because of his own investigating. He says that there was some memorized
section of a peace initiative that the real kidnappers are trying to extract
from Van Meer. He suggests that Jones and Carol hide under the guise of protecting
Jones, but ffolliott will say that Carol was kidnapped, as a way to invent
leverage over Fisher (false fronts erected all around). Even ffolliott schemes involving
his allies as he called Carol earlier to suggest hiding (and he doesn’t tell
her about her father), and ffolliott does not tell Jones of the ploy. Everybody
here twists the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Carol hears Jones setting
up a separate room at a hotel for her to keep her away longer so ffolliott can
contact Fisher. She leaves for home when she discovers Jones’s secret scheme and
believes he is just using her to get at her father, and spoils ffolliott’s
attempt to get Van Meer’s whereabouts. ffolliott follows Fisher after hearing
him say the address to a cab driver and tells Stebbins to bring Jones later. He
is hoping to discover where Van Meer is. Carol answers the phone and recognizes
Kruger’s voice, which make her wonder why that man is calling her father. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBloRdb7Zvv2i3E8zzyTmTtspdcYNGcE1nC-oaR-0s-lGORjx3jkuLSDC4do_3TAEwn1uSk3ArXvQEYVpPnvkdcvSylHlngrAIyLW0jwPIQZrkWFnIXaajeSj1Q_QEPjQ5UjFl5GFHzDte6aZhB-XvIf4veYmQz2op8k8Is6ij-8C3aEu3BX_RVz3HQI/s1150/FC%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1150" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBloRdb7Zvv2i3E8zzyTmTtspdcYNGcE1nC-oaR-0s-lGORjx3jkuLSDC4do_3TAEwn1uSk3ArXvQEYVpPnvkdcvSylHlngrAIyLW0jwPIQZrkWFnIXaajeSj1Q_QEPjQ5UjFl5GFHzDte6aZhB-XvIf4veYmQz2op8k8Is6ij-8C3aEu3BX_RVz3HQI/s320/FC%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">ffolliott is caught at
the place where they are keeping Van Meer just as Fisher pretends he is still
Van Meer’s friend to get the clause of the treaty out of him. The journalist says
that Fisher is not his friend, and it is enough for the drugged Van Meer to
realize the deception since there are no police to help him. He says there is
“no help for the whole poor, suffering world.” Van Meer’s assessment is an
accurate prediction of the Nazi onslaught that will follow.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The captors off screen
torture Van Meer and he starts to divulge the information. Ffolliott breaks the
window, and unlike Rowley, his fall is broken by an awning. However, the bad
guys escape as Jones arrives. Van Meer is unconscious and not able to corroborate
ffolliott’s story. Thus, Scotland Yard is reluctant to pursue Fisher due to his
respected, but false, position. As the conspirators head for the United States,
England declares war on Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dbWe775GydBaPWNvq6JiJOIB8al5j7rGd2Tujvet3zenIQ0r2v8vXH2EnXmNr3pSpXfMQhFweLsfFmg_-pNcN_UgvyT7-CzqQPlnwfMmhgFD4gCJsXATibUYfOdlsu9dEs33-GCiE9HQplRva6mBk5zCRZY6lCU1GqjpeEd2PHMqAvUJLdXtYvDSq-I/s353/foreign-correspondent-17.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="353" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dbWe775GydBaPWNvq6JiJOIB8al5j7rGd2Tujvet3zenIQ0r2v8vXH2EnXmNr3pSpXfMQhFweLsfFmg_-pNcN_UgvyT7-CzqQPlnwfMmhgFD4gCJsXATibUYfOdlsu9dEs33-GCiE9HQplRva6mBk5zCRZY6lCU1GqjpeEd2PHMqAvUJLdXtYvDSq-I/s320/foreign-correspondent-17.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Carol is on the plane
with her father and reveals her knowledge of Fisher’s connection to Kruger. He
confesses his deception as a spy for Germany. He feels ashamed now for what he
has done. Jones and ffolliott are also on the plane. Carol is still devoted to
her father even as Jones says he didn’t come to take down her father, it was
only where the story led.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDZhfhFs8X9hCfsxGMCEKzak_sf1QF4Y6QbwCM_2AuV5FC5_KgVN1Jrxo4pztzrDwJBi86afErUwV0v1KLsrJl0UrHlf2iB7VBfQrfBRfmNoGLU4W9VocIULHU-Uf98ItEmtH7wRDC5IIi-nujRv6LYPZPyQH26OI5bOS9ccV0D0ly6P-DnaQT0O5et4/s600/FC%20-%2019.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDZhfhFs8X9hCfsxGMCEKzak_sf1QF4Y6QbwCM_2AuV5FC5_KgVN1Jrxo4pztzrDwJBi86afErUwV0v1KLsrJl0UrHlf2iB7VBfQrfBRfmNoGLU4W9VocIULHU-Uf98ItEmtH7wRDC5IIi-nujRv6LYPZPyQH26OI5bOS9ccV0D0ly6P-DnaQT0O5et4/s320/FC%20-%2019.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At that moment a German
ship shells the plane, mistakenly thinking it’s a bomber. The fog of war is
taking hold. Now even the pilots lie to prevent panic, saying that it was
target practice and the firing is an accident. Luckily, Carol distributes life
vests, realizing lies will not protect anyone. The plane goes into the ocean
and Fisher sacrifices himself so others can stay afloat on a wing, gaining some
redemption for himself.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">An American ship rescues the
remaining main characters. Jones does not want to soil Fisher’s name because of
his love for Carol. She grants him leave because, as Rick from <i>Casablanca</i>
says, their story isn’t that important compared to the rest of the world. The
captain of the ship says no information should be released while onboard. Here,
Jones uses deception to get the truth out by pretending to talk to his “uncle”
while letting the phone stay off the hook as he details the story to his boss,
Powers, by arguing for its release to the captain. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF2xr4itf5XrqUDF02E0oDy2jTacEM8ykbo1FaHbRCw6ImWBml1afUkAdVEmsbRpIaEj6TBsNFlrKmX-CqPZDwF533iWrwSHd-v04G9f7NwIWzGfCk8au7cjxOs7dfXjxgf_e87BbJDIWxmt3mGjOE3tnj3mm9YswjDAxbC87F8KxYt3NFwVjOl4ef2A/s1477/FC%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1477" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF2xr4itf5XrqUDF02E0oDy2jTacEM8ykbo1FaHbRCw6ImWBml1afUkAdVEmsbRpIaEj6TBsNFlrKmX-CqPZDwF533iWrwSHd-v04G9f7NwIWzGfCk8au7cjxOs7dfXjxgf_e87BbJDIWxmt3mGjOE3tnj3mm9YswjDAxbC87F8KxYt3NFwVjOl4ef2A/s320/FC%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The once reluctant
foreign correspondent now reports the war from various places in Europe in the
epilogue to the story. His broadcast speech over the radio at the end is an
argument against isolationism as he reports while bombs rain from the sky. He
tells listeners in the United States to rally against the darkness of fascism that
is coming when he says it’s, “as if the lights were all out everywhere except
in America. Keep those lights burning … they’re the only lights left in the
world.” It is a plea for truth to combat lies, which has become an ongoing
battle.</span></span><p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Badlands.</i></span></span>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-27751998916615445282023-11-04T14:30:00.001-04:002023-11-09T13:27:52.438-05:00My Darling Clementine<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz12tpCxCEaT8qqTml9_MTKnvYXV8tzPZMSaZJTaBSrX1NpIi6Nmk0tiYBtM4gfHTwE6OwT3aulyXyK4YWyzWvAoT7_-7MidfFr-yxCHBiXzSbm4bi6cYkQf8xKWaok4vqoQ61lDV5Hlm-ltdeZ41eZF72p2LtAgeLdob_U3fn0Ewp5YGqKuTaEMQpDvM/s1080/MDC%20-%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="788" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz12tpCxCEaT8qqTml9_MTKnvYXV8tzPZMSaZJTaBSrX1NpIi6Nmk0tiYBtM4gfHTwE6OwT3aulyXyK4YWyzWvAoT7_-7MidfFr-yxCHBiXzSbm4bi6cYkQf8xKWaok4vqoQ61lDV5Hlm-ltdeZ41eZF72p2LtAgeLdob_U3fn0Ewp5YGqKuTaEMQpDvM/s320/MDC%20-%201.jpg" width="233" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">A neighbor of mine loves Hollywood Westerns and that
inspired me to write a post on one of director John Ford’s most famous films, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">My
Darling Clementine </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1946).</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The title of the movie refers to the character
Clementine Carter (Cathy Downs). The song that shares the same title, and which
plays in the film, is about loss, and that sets a tone of sadness for this
story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) is herding cattle to
California with his brothers, Virgil (Tim Holt), Morgan (Ward Bond, who would
star in the TV series </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Wagon Train</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">), and James (Don Garner). Wyatt runs
into the elderly Clanton (Walter Brennan, three-time supporting Oscar winner
and later star of the TV show </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Real McCoys</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">) and his son Ike (Grant
Withers). Clanton tries to buy the scrawny animals, but Wyatt doesn’t want to
sell, although he acknowledges the roughness of the land that is depriving his
herd of food. That dire observation fits in with the feel of the movie, and so
does the name of the nearby town, Tombstone. Despite the welcoming comments by
Clanton, the look on his face and that of his son are hostile as they watch the
departing Wyatt.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Young James, who is to marry soon, stays with the herd
as the other brothers go into Tombstone, which is quite rowdy in the evening. Wyatt
goes to get a shave. The barber (Ben Hall) calls his place a “tonsorial
parlor,” for which Wyatt needs a translation. When the barber lowers the back
of the customer chair, Wyatt nearly topples backward, showing how he is in a
precarious position since the chair is a newly acquired acquisition from metropolitan
Chicago, an invader from the settled East. Later he is not sure about the
city-slicker hair styling he gets and the cologne the barber sprays on him. He
may be allowing himself a different look for his attempt to attract Clementine
as the story progresses, but this social space is not an area in which he is
adept at navigating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The threatening nature of the locale becomes very
immediate as random gunshots bring bullets into what is supposed to be a safe
place for male grooming. Indeed, the town of Tombstone is still on the frontier
with only a few civilized elements. Wyatt shouts, “What kind of town is this?”
and that phrase is repeated by Wyatt when the marshal doesn’t want to confront
the drunk man firing his weapon. Wyatt goes into the saloon, punches out the
inebriated Native American and kicks him out of the place. The Mayor (Roy
Roberts) offers Wyatt the job of Marshal, but Wyatt refuses. The people
discover Wyatt’s name and realize he was the marshal of Dodge City, but Wyatt
makes it clear that he left that life behind. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzN4aRH2Ddj9CQ-sXkZbqK6a3j0duPQ18vKMCqeFcPpU7WwL7gTN8BImVIphoLJavkKAy5h1PW1I622leAYgec8hD_R11y9-UvxhrDI1-n0I1rwM9l9TPcMeUXgdURnMnL2LTqVwIDrMwN_r35xIVjUJujovzsV2rHiQASJCgym3Nw79orPMpc94QzHY/s900/MDC%20-%2018.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzN4aRH2Ddj9CQ-sXkZbqK6a3j0duPQ18vKMCqeFcPpU7WwL7gTN8BImVIphoLJavkKAy5h1PW1I622leAYgec8hD_R11y9-UvxhrDI1-n0I1rwM9l9TPcMeUXgdURnMnL2LTqVwIDrMwN_r35xIVjUJujovzsV2rHiQASJCgym3Nw79orPMpc94QzHY/s320/MDC%20-%2018.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">But, it appears that past life will not leave him. When
the Earps return to their camp they find their cattle gone and their brother, James,
dead, shot in a cowardly manner in the back. Wyatt visits the Mayor and says he
will be Marshal as long as his brothers are his deputies. He learns from the
Mayor that Doc Holliday (Victor Mature) runs the gambling and that Clanton and
his sons deal with the cattle business. The film has set the stage for a battle
between families, making the conflict very personal. The Clantons arrive in
town and Wyatt confronts them, saying his cattle were stolen. Wyatt knows it
was the Clantons who are guilty and tells them he is now Marshal. Clanton’s
bemused attitude changes when he hears Wyatt’s name, and it’s obvious that
Wyatt’s accomplished reputation has preceded him. The darkness of the time of
the day and the pouring rain add to the feeling of gloom shrouding the events.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEQ0I8ygLOxmcmUR8amYdquk9mMTKBSNhd43LZpYYOW4TF0H6tBpIec7xWgcRH69Ld7VWhxzbW1YUZENKUynW2w1WdIcHCcZ9nAD6d5fU7YDY7xC028iHJTpGOr6Kok4i3zdsSiAVchPZ9kS6OG2VXjtR1xIXzopVEisX5K_Sd38XyZ3SjtkvxKJls7k/s900/MDC%20-%2022.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEQ0I8ygLOxmcmUR8amYdquk9mMTKBSNhd43LZpYYOW4TF0H6tBpIec7xWgcRH69Ld7VWhxzbW1YUZENKUynW2w1WdIcHCcZ9nAD6d5fU7YDY7xC028iHJTpGOr6Kok4i3zdsSiAVchPZ9kS6OG2VXjtR1xIXzopVEisX5K_Sd38XyZ3SjtkvxKJls7k/s320/MDC%20-%2022.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Alone at the grave of his eighteen-year-old brother,
James, Wyatt says to his departed sibling that he will be staying there for a
while, and “maybe when we leave this country young kids like you will be able
to grow up and live safe.” Wyatt hopes that he can achieve that goal, but the
filmmakers may be commenting that it is a futile wish since violence has continued
into the future.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">While at the saloon playing cards, Wyatt avoids the
attentions of the saloon showgirl Chihuahua (Linda Darnell), who is the girlfriend
of the currently absent Holliday. In retaliation, she sings lines from the
title song, stressing the loss of cattle and money, while Wyatt, fittingly,
throws in his winless cards. She has helped a gambler discover Wyatt’s hands.
Wyatt realizes that, takes Chihuahua outside, and after she slaps him, he dumps
her in the horse trowel. The scene shows that Wyatt is no fool and is smart
enough to know that a pleasant surface may hide unethical intentions beneath. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLcaA4-JRj7CuPJJlPikU4XUs7tef-6OtsqLMmM28ZlFTzx3cx9yUhv4oHvT6vnCGbdLZWUhzfxE4L9B33-jMaSDCMFNZ5n1cvKkvendRki8INS_VAGEotHtZzrDjAI2kxY_ovxTCBU5fBlpZ5DamCsfgEU2JuiurnrncESf6IlbQv9HprqZQTDEaQik/s275/MDC%20-%2023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLcaA4-JRj7CuPJJlPikU4XUs7tef-6OtsqLMmM28ZlFTzx3cx9yUhv4oHvT6vnCGbdLZWUhzfxE4L9B33-jMaSDCMFNZ5n1cvKkvendRki8INS_VAGEotHtZzrDjAI2kxY_ovxTCBU5fBlpZ5DamCsfgEU2JuiurnrncESf6IlbQv9HprqZQTDEaQik/s1600/MDC%20-%2023.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Doc shows up and kicks the cheating gambler out of the
saloon, which shows that he runs a straight-up game. Wyatt and Doc have a tense
conversation which reveals they know about each other’s pasts. Wyatt mentions
that Doc has left a trail of graveyards behind him. Doc counters with the
observation that there is the largest one right there in Tombstone, and adds, “Marshalls
and I get along much better when we understand that right away.” The
implication is that there will not be any trouble if the law leaves Doc alone. Wyatt
notes Doc has already broken the law by usurping Wyatt’s authority in the town.
Doc says they are in “separate camps,” and pulls out his gun, showing how fast
he is with the weapon. Wyatt points out his two deputized brothers who are
already at the bar with their guns. Wyatt doesn’t arrest Doc, so, it seems there
is an understanding, and they seal the deal with a celebratory drink of
champagne. But beyond this agreement, Doc’s deadly tuberculosis (symbolically representing
the corruption of his soul?), the highlighting of graveyards, and possibly the
suggestion that west of the Rocky Mountains can be one huge graveyard, add to
the atmosphere of death and loss looming over everything.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQV1LLiSg91_lsuQ0aHEnY0dnvWHsRwevh_VaLZu8INL0srtM2c33-gIFpL_KGM1hsmDsvPvePuQTwWkAO95TtDLyKRDdTIQHJnNxct8LjLYEoDJfMgtVrTSQCbPTOu6nNxSWxGktAPOCDHX3Cysg_jqmOor7EgJF2e2IPrCzJqPqkeNSIlDiv1vRex4/s400/MDC%20-%2024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="400" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQV1LLiSg91_lsuQ0aHEnY0dnvWHsRwevh_VaLZu8INL0srtM2c33-gIFpL_KGM1hsmDsvPvePuQTwWkAO95TtDLyKRDdTIQHJnNxct8LjLYEoDJfMgtVrTSQCbPTOu6nNxSWxGktAPOCDHX3Cysg_jqmOor7EgJF2e2IPrCzJqPqkeNSIlDiv1vRex4/s320/MDC%20-%2024.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4uj2w6GsMnvVtamnhlKnr1xm2aDIyJqNK7G6E1QpI2s4l4DgyhNrCInKc5Q-DqclGBSvgQB3IDajnoIqNijDfF0twSTbVPqYtuopxHHq0-gVLvJQ93n0vMdJZHAME3X8drL3AVr8nkXLR0hAmFdLSV3yMAL1-ewe3YiWiCtpCFAAsG3vR7tVlxZbjko/s1023/MDC%20-%209.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1023" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4uj2w6GsMnvVtamnhlKnr1xm2aDIyJqNK7G6E1QpI2s4l4DgyhNrCInKc5Q-DqclGBSvgQB3IDajnoIqNijDfF0twSTbVPqYtuopxHHq0-gVLvJQ93n0vMdJZHAME3X8drL3AVr8nkXLR0hAmFdLSV3yMAL1-ewe3YiWiCtpCFAAsG3vR7tVlxZbjko/s320/MDC%20-%209.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">That stress on death continues when the visiting drunkard
actor, Granville Thorndyke (Alan Mowbray), delivers the “To be, or not to be,” soliloquy
from </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Hamlet</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">. The words ponder the hardships of life, and the possibility
of even suicide to escape them, along with the questions of what may follow the
end of one’s life. One of the cowboys even addresses the actor as Yorick, Hamlet’s
dead court jester, which points to the absurd combination of laughter and loss
inherent in mortal life. Thorndyke can’t finish the speech, and the educated
Doc completes Hamlet’s words, followed by a coughing fit, reminding us, as does
Clint Eastwood’s character in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Unforgiven</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, that “we’ve all got it
coming.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Wyatt is there to acquire the actor for the show at
the theater, but the Clanton boys try to stop the Marshal. Wyatt cracks a
bottle over the head of one and shoots the gun out of the hand of another.
Clanton shows up, and after Wyatt leaves, he beats his boys, telling them if
you pull a gun, then you better kill the other guy. There is always a threat to
one’s life here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQt72zt-TfSoHMJT47QPtqoV71S4-xR7v8XYWz8VzqT4KkrrZw94mUQ7GarxujXAXDHJMca-rV5ynk3TgfLOLkAYBexF3SwPEeCUUpjtSFLNF_zXnNH_CcjoFJzdVE0d-F5jON4U_UR1Vb62O9U3oI_WuF3kpgiosuto0wQ0yZ_HPSzNsU9tA-7xaDpA/s900/MDC%20-%2020.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQt72zt-TfSoHMJT47QPtqoV71S4-xR7v8XYWz8VzqT4KkrrZw94mUQ7GarxujXAXDHJMca-rV5ynk3TgfLOLkAYBexF3SwPEeCUUpjtSFLNF_zXnNH_CcjoFJzdVE0d-F5jON4U_UR1Vb62O9U3oI_WuF3kpgiosuto0wQ0yZ_HPSzNsU9tA-7xaDpA/s320/MDC%20-%2020.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Clementine arrives on the stagecoach. She is Doc’s
former love interest, but he is out of town. The relaxing Wyatt jumps up from
his porch chair when he sees Clementine, as if struck by a love lightening bolt.
According to Tag Gallagher in his essay, he resides in a different “sphere”
than Clementine. That separation is stressed at their first meeting, as he is
on one side of a post and she stands behind a rail, the physical objects suggesting
how they inhabit different worlds. Wyatt is in black since his road is a dark
one that must combat evil. Ford’s heroes are passing through the places they
visit, so Wyatt is a wanderer, because he can’t have the comfort of a settled
existence as he fights his antagonists.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Gallagher says Ford stops the plot to let us soak in
the images of the characters, how they use their eyes, how they walk. Wyatt
escorts Clementine to a room opposite Doc’s. She enters the absent man’s place,
and the scene is like a nostalgic trip. There is a picture of Doc with a
mustache and there is a photo of her there, too. She asks if Wyatt thinks Doc
is a good surgeon, but Wyatt says he wouldn’t know. It’s as if they are looking
at a photo album of a life that no longer exists.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwOVyxekYGZMUCsd0PH5_XYsAM9Dvgo2ubY6Q5oIv2k76QPf9r9gBua0VBbq9ODOBgrg7QWhDuRSQVe4u_fH7jhEXheZqLBqVQFIMstWbyD0hql4oVcEvLy-CpiMI8gDCi9cP5YRUwltLZkQbPXWYqk8qToZPKaJjV9lfZhdMOOrjPvrf0YaM7bolBB0/s466/my-darling-clementine-13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="466" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwOVyxekYGZMUCsd0PH5_XYsAM9Dvgo2ubY6Q5oIv2k76QPf9r9gBua0VBbq9ODOBgrg7QWhDuRSQVe4u_fH7jhEXheZqLBqVQFIMstWbyD0hql4oVcEvLy-CpiMI8gDCi9cP5YRUwltLZkQbPXWYqk8qToZPKaJjV9lfZhdMOOrjPvrf0YaM7bolBB0/s320/my-darling-clementine-13.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">That idea flows into the scene where Clementine goes
to see Doc when he is again in town. She searched for him for a long time after
he left Boston. He is coughing and she believes he fled from her because of his
ill health. But he says he is no longer the man she once knew. She thinks he is
being self-destructive, and she appears to be right, as he is moving away from
those who care about him and engaging in dangerous activity. He later looks in
a mirror and then smashes it (once again I’ll mention that mirrors can reflect
another part of ourselves, mostly negative). Doc goes to the bar and acts surly
with Wyatt and the barkeeper, who tells him that drinking will kill him as he
grabs a bottle from him. Doc rejects Chihuahua’s attempt to change his mood
with a song and a kiss. He tells her to go away, further isolating himself.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8qQXIj78RJ43in8rtU8iahH4XaPnTH4X3k2w0rpQir33FbY2y4dF7K7ssJeZB0wdIfzFPtEetsk-jXF2S5R8C6N6BZsroGVq-ylmU5cCKE7wyME0j4KXpUlym487VZ2VXC8E0mPSu90lPaBDI7rEgg5abUon2irTDfkh8s1dMAuL2NLZdurt3OSeQU8/s960/My%20Darling%20Clementine%20-%205.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="960" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8qQXIj78RJ43in8rtU8iahH4XaPnTH4X3k2w0rpQir33FbY2y4dF7K7ssJeZB0wdIfzFPtEetsk-jXF2S5R8C6N6BZsroGVq-ylmU5cCKE7wyME0j4KXpUlym487VZ2VXC8E0mPSu90lPaBDI7rEgg5abUon2irTDfkh8s1dMAuL2NLZdurt3OSeQU8/s320/My%20Darling%20Clementine%20-%205.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Wyatt tells Doc he is a fool for rejecting someone as
wonderful as Clementine, and his complimentary statements show that Wyatt is
attracted to the young woman. Wyatt also points out Doc’s dangerous drinking
habits given his TB. Doc pulls out his gun to indulge his self-destructive
tendencies by challenging anyone who confronts him. Wyatt basically accuses him
of attempting suicide by attracting those who would boast of killing the
infamous Doc Holliday, which would, he says, be easy given his drunken state.
Doc shoots down a candle chandelier which starts a small fire. Wyatt knocks Doc
out, at least temporarily preventing his demise.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YJBB-ZKEaWXO3sOTf16q-xHpm0kCqFn72bCIe5iBn1suqDniaZS_hsQ1hV9UgllAnhlcfESfa93HRXbhmmUH7G05C13-DuP0TQV-py7WWslBYTF7VDC_9VsEgYBqy7LYnTY8v_9NyauZ6yZ6mA-EHQJXWfzVgeGkjlvyauSfJj-7ltzlCf4pQnAaiio/s6076/MDC%20-%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4684" data-original-width="6076" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YJBB-ZKEaWXO3sOTf16q-xHpm0kCqFn72bCIe5iBn1suqDniaZS_hsQ1hV9UgllAnhlcfESfa93HRXbhmmUH7G05C13-DuP0TQV-py7WWslBYTF7VDC_9VsEgYBqy7LYnTY8v_9NyauZ6yZ6mA-EHQJXWfzVgeGkjlvyauSfJj-7ltzlCf4pQnAaiio/s320/MDC%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Later Doc is recuperating in bed, but still drinking,
and seems to have changed his mind about Chihuahua, saying he’s going to Mexico
for a while and is willing to have her come with him as his bride. He learns
from her that Clementine is packing to leave and is most likely relieved that he
will no longer inflict his current decrepit state on Clementine. The fact that
he is willing to attach himself to Chihuahua shows he doesn’t have the same
strong feelings toward her if he is willing to expose her to his decline.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SVJT-Os6WvkQvLcFm5hapsGGojku-tsjKF3UoVNpwvJ9-dQ7ph8Ysg29VlHUGWQmv32OPav6ChedePsZGpl77YVuj9qvA1MorevdFTKkJmKhdy-lt3wJzSieGdYBgkbXGw8QJLrcUqZGlufxduFRHBFSD_nzmHuMw_Tim4o84Dgnuh9ewswhL0jkrdM/s1200/My-darling-clementine-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SVJT-Os6WvkQvLcFm5hapsGGojku-tsjKF3UoVNpwvJ9-dQ7ph8Ysg29VlHUGWQmv32OPav6ChedePsZGpl77YVuj9qvA1MorevdFTKkJmKhdy-lt3wJzSieGdYBgkbXGw8QJLrcUqZGlufxduFRHBFSD_nzmHuMw_Tim4o84Dgnuh9ewswhL0jkrdM/s320/My-darling-clementine-12.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Clementine is in the hotel lobby and Wyatt enters
singing “My Darling Clementine.” The song is Wyatt’s “yearning,” for her, according
to Gallagher, and his hopeless hope for an average prairie life. When he hears
she is leaving he says she is giving up too quickly to get Doc back as her love
interest. However, he most likely wants her to stick around for himself. He
wasn’t planning on going to the church service, but he is happy when she asks
him to go with her. (The church is in the process of being constructed, which
may imply some hope for a peaceful life in the future). Wyatt tosses away his
hat which symbolizes his discarding his detached lawman role, and dances with
Clementine, to the surprise of his brothers. Wyatt even seems happy joining in on
the supper that follows the church dedication, smiling while carving the meat. Doc
interrupts Wyatt’s moment of social joy when Doc yells at Clementine, saying he
told her that if she didn’t leave town, he would. Wyat, resuming his attachment
to the law, confronts Doc, saying Doc doesn’t have the authority to run anybody
out of town. Doc’s adversarial response is that Wyatt should start carrying his
gun, which implies that Wyatt isn’t cut out for a peaceful social life. His
words also imply the rivalry between the two concerning their feelings for
Clementine. But they also remind Wyatt that he can’t escape his role as an
agent of justice.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmkix27Q_bGc1R3BGih2uZoRxC_e_igKm5HyP3lck_DDAL7GOik4oYs93QuWcDzCZrZd3NSDCQe9NKhW_pBSK75I1mn78FBhKGuWnQM-HtFOhFm3276oHZ5QNcNtEjqPku1Td6rnQBlkN9PS3MdOG6DrPZJO7831aORW_bHjjJj3NA1dRxRbJSj7f7YI/s160/MDC%20-%2025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="130" data-original-width="160" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmkix27Q_bGc1R3BGih2uZoRxC_e_igKm5HyP3lck_DDAL7GOik4oYs93QuWcDzCZrZd3NSDCQe9NKhW_pBSK75I1mn78FBhKGuWnQM-HtFOhFm3276oHZ5QNcNtEjqPku1Td6rnQBlkN9PS3MdOG6DrPZJO7831aORW_bHjjJj3NA1dRxRbJSj7f7YI/s1600/MDC%20-%2025.jpg" width="160" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Doc leaves town in a hurry to escape his physical, and
thus emotional, proximity to Clementine, throwing a bag of gold to Chihuahua as
he darts by. She is devastated since she thought they would leave together
after getting married. She runs off to confront Clementine, blaming her for
Doc’s leaving. She doesn’t want to accept that Doc doesn’t really love her. As Chihuahua
throws Clementine’s clothes out of the closet to ensure her departure, Wyatt
arrives and realizes the medallion Chihuahua is wearing belonged to his dead
brother James. She says Doc gave it to her.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38id_Hp5fgIXUcRJJTDiS9TusDcdCHaLiux_FD3ITM8zjHfBYDiQ9l_-YcnM8y05Rtgv5JxZpq0dHye9m7wp2aC9ukyIlAgpyn9vSuW73a7s03Lu9iuupBTvgPpapkebSZ0hD_60TzMEf2az7sejnuK32iepBr6eLHw1GS6JqQ64fvW4Xhf5Zt_2lBTw/s1280/MDC%20-%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38id_Hp5fgIXUcRJJTDiS9TusDcdCHaLiux_FD3ITM8zjHfBYDiQ9l_-YcnM8y05Rtgv5JxZpq0dHye9m7wp2aC9ukyIlAgpyn9vSuW73a7s03Lu9iuupBTvgPpapkebSZ0hD_60TzMEf2az7sejnuK32iepBr6eLHw1GS6JqQ64fvW4Xhf5Zt_2lBTw/s320/MDC%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Wyatt leaves to
confront Doc about his possible involvement in the death of the young Earp.
It’s a furious chase as Doc’s extreme driving of the horses reveals his inner
drive to escape his circumstances. The extended chase shows the large expanse
of the western territory, the hugeness of the land that dwarfs the individuals
trying to deal with it. Wyatt catches up with Doc, who refuses to return to the
torment he feels in Tombstone. He draws his gun on Wyatt who shoots it out of
his hand.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Wyatt and Doc go to confront Chihuahua, who has Billy
Clanton ((John Ireland) in her room. After he slips outside, the other men enter,
and Doc says he didn’t give her the jewelry that belonged to James Earp. Doc
will be charged with James’s murder, so she is persuaded to say that Billy gave
it to her after Doc left her lonely and vulnerable. After the divulging of his
name, Billy shoots Chihuahua through the window. Wyatt urges Doc to operate on
the woman. In a way, Doc is forced to try to revisit his past life before its
decline, and is now called “Doctor,” referring to his profession, and not just
as a nickname. After the surgery, Wyatt watches Clementine walking out of the
saloon, and asks the bartender if he has ever been in love. Wyatt is, but he,
like Doc, is clueless as to how to deal with that emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Wyatt wounded Billy as he tried to escape, and he sent
his brother, Virgil, to go after him. Virgil shoots Billy as they ride, and Billy
dies just outside the Clanton ranch house. The Clantons bring Billy’s body
inside and then invite Virgil in after he pulls up. Again, in a cowardly manner,
Old Man Clanton shoots Virgil in the back, killing him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Clantons drop Virgil’s body in the town, and
Clanton says to meet him and his boys at, you guessed it, the O.K. Corral (an
ironic name given the situation). Although other townspeople are willing to
help, Wyatt tells them, “This is strictly a family affair.” It’s personal,
because a son and brothers are dead, and it is now a family feud. But not
quite, since Chihuahua dies, and Doc wants his revenge, but he is also feeling like
he’ll never revisit his past status as a respected physician. He may be suicidal
going to the shootout, but, in a way, he becomes an adopted Earp brother.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7RrKZ9KhPXYj1RmZXsl5UDNWSJCIRkfoO6orxqRH8PR8AgWAKetjZ5ULw49J62ckrXRJXd88rHKT8bVNIAeTEhSllL8F9NMh0R1763osH0mhYdajDADjVDUk8m9OE4BIw9ewKnh-UGfNNgcDnstGo-FTK_rDNoPninUcZkxV25ssSVLhxivbwupkK0Y/s584/mydarlingclementine%20-%2021.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="584" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7RrKZ9KhPXYj1RmZXsl5UDNWSJCIRkfoO6orxqRH8PR8AgWAKetjZ5ULw49J62ckrXRJXd88rHKT8bVNIAeTEhSllL8F9NMh0R1763osH0mhYdajDADjVDUk8m9OE4BIw9ewKnh-UGfNNgcDnstGo-FTK_rDNoPninUcZkxV25ssSVLhxivbwupkK0Y/s320/mydarlingclementine%20-%2021.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhqTwmiu-BNeKGhLnzCm5ZFOxbdOiKS62hrXyMOCSNqAXIlJL_gXBAUGgMvz4B-8STKn6Dn2My4hEEO6HVLPOcpGLW90MhMDfahhUtLwnll_9QMQH2ewBi7jr-nHOFQpVNDHWtIkiT8WoO09uDfi04H5_hXnDib9fMgNhiB9eWIK64yqAcP4bTZZgrPQ/s3563/MDC%20-%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3563" data-original-width="2832" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhqTwmiu-BNeKGhLnzCm5ZFOxbdOiKS62hrXyMOCSNqAXIlJL_gXBAUGgMvz4B-8STKn6Dn2My4hEEO6HVLPOcpGLW90MhMDfahhUtLwnll_9QMQH2ewBi7jr-nHOFQpVNDHWtIkiT8WoO09uDfi04H5_hXnDib9fMgNhiB9eWIK64yqAcP4bTZZgrPQ/s320/MDC%20-%206.jpg" width="254" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E3axpag3mulb2RlqbtUWZiC9XLmVG7ZnpyDcsUrR5cA11xe0p4SoVSHE9HObboLeZf4Eo3qDS5oT11jm_DE3v8SHZFzuu0mOTz42HoKwhU7H4DoOt6dX8FiA7Z615uXSH2UjWYNV4wHmcv-5L5UhOWMOxo6R73sgACw7TK4PgJPLXZLXUOxUCE-PnX0/s1600/MDC%20-%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E3axpag3mulb2RlqbtUWZiC9XLmVG7ZnpyDcsUrR5cA11xe0p4SoVSHE9HObboLeZf4Eo3qDS5oT11jm_DE3v8SHZFzuu0mOTz42HoKwhU7H4DoOt6dX8FiA7Z615uXSH2UjWYNV4wHmcv-5L5UhOWMOxo6R73sgACw7TK4PgJPLXZLXUOxUCE-PnX0/s320/MDC%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyS8uIPloR18UitXZtzXqdAZbsmaucHFvM8VOko0KWU-kE6RoyRWuYP9gU8VCAu8vT3FkOqqTGA5Rqtcg0J2nWIU0kyu3mIvekbY8C3_gnoplgBm9B2xB3pldNLGlfewkxPMG-zajbWzC3DuuIIWZeD0BYS8zMTSU9ZxO_Vdbf5faR4kVyH3QMX20HGM/s278/MDC%20-%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="278" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyS8uIPloR18UitXZtzXqdAZbsmaucHFvM8VOko0KWU-kE6RoyRWuYP9gU8VCAu8vT3FkOqqTGA5Rqtcg0J2nWIU0kyu3mIvekbY8C3_gnoplgBm9B2xB3pldNLGlfewkxPMG-zajbWzC3DuuIIWZeD0BYS8zMTSU9ZxO_Vdbf5faR4kVyH3QMX20HGM/s1600/MDC%20-%203.jpg" width="278" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The sky has threatening, black clouds, fitting in with
the dark deeds happening in Tombstone. Ford builds suspense as the opponents
maneuver for position. Wyatt tries the legal way, telling Clanton he has a
warrant for his arrest, and asks him to surrender. Clanton admits that he
killed the Wyatt brothers, and vows to kill the remaining sibling. Wyatt, his
brother, Morgan, and Doc shoot and kill the rest of the Clanton sons. Doc is
betrayed by his current disease as he coughs, causing him to drop his guard,
and is shot. Clanton surrenders, voicing his pain at the loss of his sons.
Wyatt will not kill him, or spare Clanton the relief of an execution. Instead,
he says, “I hope you live a hundred years, so you’ll feel just a little what my
pa’s gonna feel. Now get out of town, start wandering.” Wyatt knows first-hand about
the emptiness of being a wanderer. He wants to condemn Clanton to a childless,
homeless existence. But not Morgan. He shoots and kills Clanton as the old man slowly
rides away. The clouds are now white, possibly reflecting the eradication of
the evil that had infested the town. However, Gallagher says Wyatt’s victory
here comes at the price of a high body count, so justice is not triumphant.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQlcm5OyahaUrKXBMTWy7jO8DheHfH1GjIqaxyArhBg8dtbu3beG0Tugu3etaSpl8giUdzZGiefIGE62T4pSOOGOllShiCU9Yd6LKOMLyVLewC0x7K6mXAoTHPmJC4zgdy30SvvhcvpDQlGUdCZEDcPawsXn9NUEmZed0tGkGMxGB65Mzd0HPThe77zA/s960/MDC%20-%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQlcm5OyahaUrKXBMTWy7jO8DheHfH1GjIqaxyArhBg8dtbu3beG0Tugu3etaSpl8giUdzZGiefIGE62T4pSOOGOllShiCU9Yd6LKOMLyVLewC0x7K6mXAoTHPmJC4zgdy30SvvhcvpDQlGUdCZEDcPawsXn9NUEmZed0tGkGMxGB65Mzd0HPThe77zA/s320/MDC%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d0uwS2mP5LhfCCSOyCC6OOVdYWmg3XLbrqYyLSVMdvM4WixYLuDq3yzdrDNpMOPbtuVQOz2QjIa2nHYnUmCfxqHD2nI0rRa62CvZS1_nTHjJC5MK39-w3Ro_khC066Iu3t5AXQcGDG_iy953Y3BHsEXZxjyr7CM7e2jkZS8AgoKb2fXXk4iGbZkx2RA/s320/MDC%20-%2026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="320" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d0uwS2mP5LhfCCSOyCC6OOVdYWmg3XLbrqYyLSVMdvM4WixYLuDq3yzdrDNpMOPbtuVQOz2QjIa2nHYnUmCfxqHD2nI0rRa62CvZS1_nTHjJC5MK39-w3Ro_khC066Iu3t5AXQcGDG_iy953Y3BHsEXZxjyr7CM7e2jkZS8AgoKb2fXXk4iGbZkx2RA/s1600/MDC%20-%2026.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Morgan and Wyatt are no longer lawmen, and they begin
to ride out to tell their father what has happened. Wyatt encounters Clementine,
who will stay on as a schoolteacher. She symbolizes putting down roots. He says
he may return and resume his original plan of owning some cattle. He kisses her
on the cheek (originally a handshake, which producer Darryl F. Zanuck discarded
after a negative response from a test audience) before riding away, suggesting
some hope for an eventual happy ending, at least for these two, which he
underscores by saying how much he likes the name, Clementine. It is an ironic
ending because they can’t be together given their separate worlds. His statement
is followed by the words of the title song, bookending the film, which declare
eternal love. The feeling of love may be everlasting, but it will not be consummated
here.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Foreign Correspondent.</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-7138294146186460312023-10-03T12:31:00.000-04:002023-10-03T12:31:50.305-04:00Satisfactory Movie Endings<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A friend of mine complained that she has watched many
movies and streaming TV series that did not provide satisfactory conclusions to
the stories. She urged me to write about ones that ended well. So, before
analyzing the next film, here are a few well known motion pictures that have
noteworthy endings.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3PuecCOP-S63khnOURpasjBqYZKIVUTbANJpHDqX_ZCsttzsY1P8VoxGAxhSEhYoZ8KLkZPM-SlO7Frca-2UKaZZ-ZqfhK9wR6j86llvrvzku6JIHISLvQ4GGGg0TVxxMRCzukRdGp2ApZwmcqRAOBoAtVGfeawSVSLZzOvIAuSgX_3ikq08nbTiJy0/s1000/TSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="685" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3PuecCOP-S63khnOURpasjBqYZKIVUTbANJpHDqX_ZCsttzsY1P8VoxGAxhSEhYoZ8KLkZPM-SlO7Frca-2UKaZZ-ZqfhK9wR6j86llvrvzku6JIHISLvQ4GGGg0TVxxMRCzukRdGp2ApZwmcqRAOBoAtVGfeawSVSLZzOvIAuSgX_3ikq08nbTiJy0/s320/TSR.jpg" width="219" /></span></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Shawshank Redemption</span></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">I’m not talking about how Tim Robbins’s character Andy
escapes from Shawshank Prison and acquires the corrupt warden’s money, although
that is something the audience has reason to cheer about. I want to focus on
the very end of the film when Morgan Freeman’s Red has finally received his
release from incarceration. He has become what he calls an “institutionalized”
man, meaning he has spent so much time behind bars, he doesn’t know how to deal
with the outside world. But, Andy left him a note and some money so he could
join him on a beautiful beach in Mexico, restoring boats for tourists. Earlier,
Red spoke about how dangerous it was to hope in prison, because those dreams
would just be crushed. Now he can finally allow himself to look forward to
something. He says, “I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my
friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my
dreams. I hope.” Some of the best lines ever spoken at the end of a movie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjqEshlc0hHXCD-tc30QDMdBT3QflDd6WomRiunccmLZGlk5KZNgFbE3LbhDTzhcB0PDwT9BZLPCeYAe2r5x5oXPqLT1ZiXgbBoWjhz1gLL-IrtQM9siloonY6Ry96-gWV1D5oBjq5tiJKl3w2WE3RE7LsVUkArwHLXd7Rj_oLCTJ_rp1VE2vPNxduz8/s859/Casablanca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYjqEshlc0hHXCD-tc30QDMdBT3QflDd6WomRiunccmLZGlk5KZNgFbE3LbhDTzhcB0PDwT9BZLPCeYAe2r5x5oXPqLT1ZiXgbBoWjhz1gLL-IrtQM9siloonY6Ry96-gWV1D5oBjq5tiJKl3w2WE3RE7LsVUkArwHLXd7Rj_oLCTJ_rp1VE2vPNxduz8/s320/Casablanca.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Casablanca</span></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">How could I not include the ending to this movie. It’s
not just because of the rounding up of the “usual suspects” line that allows
Humphrey Bogart’s Rick to escape arrest for shooting Major Strasser. And yes,
the surrendering of Ingrid Berman’s Ilsa to Paul Henreid’s noble Victor as Rick
gives his “hill of beans” speech is a wonderful scene of romantic aching. But
the ending filled with baptismal rain is a scene of redemption for Rick and
Claude Rains’s (appropriate name give the scene) Louis Renault. United now,
their “beautiful friendship” will go on to symbolically point toward the
movement away from isolationism to battling the Nazi threat before them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokFfI9iY0zaX-70_uD2yNwGc8A3ve8fAJMSnD0OT023uk7-a3zWyPnfYVJyLY91z3-qvSLkbIVZTWXUqunZbMPsEOnjBwMTWaNUo1F2Skrc6Neg07wY8h0tc9QJyUUc6rtr8WlLayB4FfibhTiuA6054e6AZFh5FSCzkvmag13HBvwodArh71_f91ick/s2880/The%20Maltese%20Falcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokFfI9iY0zaX-70_uD2yNwGc8A3ve8fAJMSnD0OT023uk7-a3zWyPnfYVJyLY91z3-qvSLkbIVZTWXUqunZbMPsEOnjBwMTWaNUo1F2Skrc6Neg07wY8h0tc9QJyUUc6rtr8WlLayB4FfibhTiuA6054e6AZFh5FSCzkvmag13HBvwodArh71_f91ick/s320/The%20Maltese%20Falcon.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Maltese Falcon</span></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">This film contrasts fantasy with reality, as film noir
characters dealing with the seedy underbelly of life seek escape by acquiring
an almost mythical object that they hope will transport them away from their
dark realm. When Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet), Cairo (Peter Lorre), and Brigid
(Mary Astor) realize that the black bird they have sought is a fake they come
crashing back to the real world. Brigid must take “the fall” for her crimes, and
she boards the elevator, going down, of course, to be arrested. The elevator
grating looks like prison bars, so she already appears imprisoned. Humphrey
Bogart’s private detective, Sam Spade does not buy into the delusionary vision
of the others (his last name reminds one of calling “a spade a spade,” a saying
that appreciates facing facts). The quote he uses to describe the phony falcon
is perfect for the film. He borrows it from William Shakespeare’s <i>The
Tempest</i>, as he says the object is, “the stuff that dreams are made of.” The
stress here is on the imagined ideal world versus the harshness of transient
mortality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqILAPvAIbA2z1bQYwuLi-uWewuqsXJFlb-XF76dpM588-3yVZzeaXuC2j2ac_dCAv1DBKKg5y6IbkYlw9vlbPGzUMje0248I_jQUuNOApXnN41Lhgfaf5UWU8zItpNhX_rP-IXbCM55NiiHtH50xa-V52fAOKUBuwPen1_jGvBiZ7iv_ToaGq-Fq9FA/s2100/WHMS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqILAPvAIbA2z1bQYwuLi-uWewuqsXJFlb-XF76dpM588-3yVZzeaXuC2j2ac_dCAv1DBKKg5y6IbkYlw9vlbPGzUMje0248I_jQUuNOApXnN41Lhgfaf5UWU8zItpNhX_rP-IXbCM55NiiHtH50xa-V52fAOKUBuwPen1_jGvBiZ7iv_ToaGq-Fq9FA/s320/WHMS.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Harry Met Sally …<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the end of all Hollywood romantic comedies, one person
either runs, takes a cab or airplane, whatever, to reconnect with that
individual’s love interest, leaving the audience with the fairy tale “They
lived happily ever after” ending. This film is no different in that way. Harry
(Billy Crystal) is alone on New Year’s Eve and finally decides he wants to be
with Sally, so he runs to the party where she is. What’s great is the speech,
by screenwriter Nora Ephron, he gives that finally wins her over, which, in my
opinion, is the best dialogue about loving another person. Harry delivers it
not in a sweet manner, but like he’s delivering an argument to make a point. It’s
almost like he wishes the illogical truth weren’t so, but he can’t escape it.
He says, “I love that you get cold when it’s seventy-one degrees out. I love
that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a
little crinkle right there when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that
after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes.
And I love that you’re the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep
at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely. And it’s not because it’s New Year’s
Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of
your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as
possible.” Doesn’t get much better than that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film actually ends, appropriately, on the couch
where throughout the film couples briefly state how their long relationships
began. Harry and Sally now are included among those others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQ0TBREjXPZDNh5oMBLujBHxHCo5x8Ps3JvsfLih-eX20PTpWByD3y4PbaV_wUVTPAXuS6W8X_85qh7yiFT7TyccQynFtGIIHyM5y7z28uewHHP2Ups4vZcovfK5OXokMKkDK7bAc5D0TGKAhjsEuGNSlturoj6ICWzFa_6dj9OkeinaTVDKx8XiqkL8/s1000/The%20Graduate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="717" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQ0TBREjXPZDNh5oMBLujBHxHCo5x8Ps3JvsfLih-eX20PTpWByD3y4PbaV_wUVTPAXuS6W8X_85qh7yiFT7TyccQynFtGIIHyM5y7z28uewHHP2Ups4vZcovfK5OXokMKkDK7bAc5D0TGKAhjsEuGNSlturoj6ICWzFa_6dj9OkeinaTVDKx8XiqkL8/s320/The%20Graduate.jpg" width="229" /></span></a></div><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Graduate</span></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">This whole film appears to be about protesting the false
values of the white upper-middle class, with Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) realizing
the banality and hypocrisy of his world, and revolting against it. The
conclusion of the film has him driving and running (there it is again) to unite
with his love, Elaine (Katharine Ross). He is a Christ-figure, presenting a
crucifixion image as he bangs on the glass partition of the church’s second
floor as Elaine is about to be wed to a clone of the established order. When
she calls out to him he springs into action, wielding a crucifix (director Mike
Nichols stressing the Christian symbolism). They run off, supposedly toward
that fairy-tale ending.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">But wait. Despite taking action here, throughout the
film, Benjamin looks like he is passive, letting the world’s current carry him
along. We first see him on a conveyor belt at the airport, and he exits the building
through the wrong door. He floats in the family pool, and later appears to be
running in place as he approaches the church. Is he really able to escape the
forces around him holding him back? When he and Elaine get on the bus to take
them away, the looks they present are not joyful, but appear to show what is to
follow is a letdown. They may be wondering: What do we do now? They are leaving
on a bus (again, passively being carried forward), but Simon and Garfunkel’s
“Sounds of Silence” plays, as it did in the beginning, repeating its
pessimistic message, implying that, in the long run, no progress has been made.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-64206478231979269312023-09-05T12:14:00.001-04:002023-11-04T13:59:17.321-04:00The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53Xe0ui7eA4q3I8V-5x1LbCxMJoDYy87uWqoXS7bWYu4qjzdWaX7wxl-j6br5sG0uXO4qUBY3HAFBt7TQ2yKhLj3UzXv2gei6CFCJxygviqOR_tB__R9AxA0WtyFFcCMt__dTmcI9sNLEZbyMg7e2TsmUYq7_HCf4fcrBCZLSx4DqSA4rUFkIoZ56kMc/s2918/The_Man_Who_Shot_Liberty_Valance_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="1913" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53Xe0ui7eA4q3I8V-5x1LbCxMJoDYy87uWqoXS7bWYu4qjzdWaX7wxl-j6br5sG0uXO4qUBY3HAFBt7TQ2yKhLj3UzXv2gei6CFCJxygviqOR_tB__R9AxA0WtyFFcCMt__dTmcI9sNLEZbyMg7e2TsmUYq7_HCf4fcrBCZLSx4DqSA4rUFkIoZ56kMc/s320/The_Man_Who_Shot_Liberty_Valance_1.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">John Ford’s Western </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Man Who Shot Liberty
Valance </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1962) presents the choice for the frontier individual to either rely
on the law to deal with those that break society’s rules, or to take matters
into one’s own hands and pick up a gun to get justice. In this film, Ransom
Stoddard (James Stewart), being a lawyer, wants to go through the legal system
to deal with the criminal, Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Tom Doniphon (John
Wayne) represents the option to handle problems individually when the law
offers little satisfaction. The film addresses the value of democracy and the threats
to the process, which sustains the movie’s relevance.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUOth0vghZLCDhZ8U9JWfp2p0nsBK9opDwlbZ7nfZFKWY9QBwIrTQNwveHEdqMNw0oAt7azhBGMgODrpuegve8myjodnmFlUj1iaemLjr6Wf-3s0MbbmxA76ZK_2-EdzZHUGJmW8Mcv__a8_nm5rt0lzX5vzSdK67HVFE0tED8S0fTWeXP2hoBKyUyuM/s400/LV%20-%2018.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUOth0vghZLCDhZ8U9JWfp2p0nsBK9opDwlbZ7nfZFKWY9QBwIrTQNwveHEdqMNw0oAt7azhBGMgODrpuegve8myjodnmFlUj1iaemLjr6Wf-3s0MbbmxA76ZK_2-EdzZHUGJmW8Mcv__a8_nm5rt0lzX5vzSdK67HVFE0tED8S0fTWeXP2hoBKyUyuM/s320/LV%20-%2018.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EDIq2puF2s0zcc4C-H366twHcfQbqtqGDCTSzDKKhi6IokPgRJWnp2iYNIYOwJC0xx4bAxCctHY0SKEzKAojHI_OouzObv2EVQ6DEtEc-KnbHPSkSEPJhRjfOeZbFuHM1e5aHwp6CNYD1cAhzNvl_Qshe1XSoQ0LlT1AQKW9pBR73CH0CI5d8Rw1Y4I/s1600/LV%20-%2020.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EDIq2puF2s0zcc4C-H366twHcfQbqtqGDCTSzDKKhi6IokPgRJWnp2iYNIYOwJC0xx4bAxCctHY0SKEzKAojHI_OouzObv2EVQ6DEtEc-KnbHPSkSEPJhRjfOeZbFuHM1e5aHwp6CNYD1cAhzNvl_Qshe1XSoQ0LlT1AQKW9pBR73CH0CI5d8Rw1Y4I/s320/LV%20-%2020.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The story begins at Tom’s funeral and the older Ransom
(Rance)(does the name suggest he paid with part of his integrity to get things
done?), now a U. S. Senator, and his wife, Hallie (Vera Miles), are paying
their respects in the western town of Shinbone (a name that implies a hard and
spare lifestyle).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Link Appleyard (Andy
Devine) greets the couple at the train station. He used to be the town’s marshal.
While Rance talks to the local newspapermen, Link takes Hallie on a ride to the
desert. That area has stayed the same, showing how nature remains constant where
cactus roses grow, but the world of people changes. They go to the dilapidated
ruins of a building where Tom used to live. The locals don’t even know about
Tom, which shows how recorded history leaves out the significant acts of some
people.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsVx_XQ-y1YeqwE73BAE0JTWhHhFnpPqO6rP6tKhE1zfact_cnVyBXPvLhZKmgUHtb2tEyYKRKXs3V4cKe3-0fH4-wofpfLP62IZm_dUx64oDuUvrQW331GWbSgpiTtfNT7m9mP_sl4IewarOfyj9mWN4sk9mAkdXfASC7ZtUWL-gh-zB7aS40IT-W_o/s960/LV%20-%2023.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsVx_XQ-y1YeqwE73BAE0JTWhHhFnpPqO6rP6tKhE1zfact_cnVyBXPvLhZKmgUHtb2tEyYKRKXs3V4cKe3-0fH4-wofpfLP62IZm_dUx64oDuUvrQW331GWbSgpiTtfNT7m9mP_sl4IewarOfyj9mWN4sk9mAkdXfASC7ZtUWL-gh-zB7aS40IT-W_o/s320/LV%20-%2023.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Tom’s African America friend, Pompey (Woody Strode,
who was in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Spartacus</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">) is at the funeral director’s place, mourning.
Rance is angry that Tom’s body is not wearing his boots, spurs, and gun, like a
true cowboy. Rance just wants to keep his grief private, but the intrusive
editor of the local newspaper, Maxwell Scott (Charleton Young) insists on an
explanation for the Senator’s presence for the funeral of an obscure person. Rance
decides that the past should not be forgotten so he tells his story, which is
presented as an extended flashback.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The camera focuses on the dusty old stagecoach that
brought the young recent law school graduate Rance to Shinbone. The image is a
sort of time machine that transports us into the past. Rance says he took
Horace Greely’s advice to “Go west” and “seek, fame, fortune and adventure.”
Just as he speaks those words gunshots go off as the stagecoach is held up by Liberty
Valance’s gang, wearing masks, showing how some adventures are not positive
ones. Rance voices his outrage, and the response he receives is a beating from
Liberty (an ironic name showing how destructive individualism can be if not
held subject to laws that protect society as a whole). Liberty laughs at Rance’s
suggestion that he will go to jail. When he grabs one of Rance’s law books, he
rips out pages, showing how little respect he has for the power of the legal
system. He whips Rance, saying he is inflicting “Western law” which comes down
to a type of Social Darwinism, where only those that can inflict the most
violence survive.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4AE44m2NEWt9on-XZszxcKEDRlB1HpQYHY6zaCSwtNHl7tUmhnUo4QDA1naE7ZJ8mL19URK2dv_l_Ax3xIng37A6k4RMlbPRuDZh5D_K-LoldNQOFzK8SS2XybkeKnedCFK9j-BHRiQMQKbShOhiZcM5P942YmPXySxdGBe0KV7lcKNMaxH8_jupuBw/s650/LV%20-%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="650" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4AE44m2NEWt9on-XZszxcKEDRlB1HpQYHY6zaCSwtNHl7tUmhnUo4QDA1naE7ZJ8mL19URK2dv_l_Ax3xIng37A6k4RMlbPRuDZh5D_K-LoldNQOFzK8SS2XybkeKnedCFK9j-BHRiQMQKbShOhiZcM5P942YmPXySxdGBe0KV7lcKNMaxH8_jupuBw/s320/LV%20-%2022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Tom rescues Rance and brings him to Hallie
for help (Wayne uses what becomes his signature word, calling Rance “pilgrim” often,
which is a traveler with a religious connotation that suggests that Rance is on
a righteous crusade, not a vengeful one). (For me Wayne’s voice and delivery of
lines is often over-the-top and takes me out of the story. Sorry fans). Tom’s
decency is shown by offering to pay for Rance’s food since the lawyer was
robbed of everything. Tom also compliments on how pretty Hattie looks, and
there is an indication that he might propose to her someday. Rance says the man
used a silver-tipped whip on him. Tom recognizes it as Liberty Valance’s
weapon, and says Rance better start carrying a gun, suggesting that is the way
to deal with men like Liberty. Tom says, “I know those law books mean a lot to
you, but not out here. Out here, a man settles his own problems.” Later, Burt
Reynolds’s character in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Deliverance</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> says rhetorically in the wilderness,
“Where is the law?” Ford’s film takes place at a time when there was little
policing of the savagery of humans, and the NRA motto of the only way to stop a
bad man with a gun is a good guy with a gun was the way of the West.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2In_Xh63U0fn9LvX8eEYjnGU30x1t6URYUJFXSKRQ2MRoMe8JkcAN1_TWO_TCfsfLI6bfzaSKqyUFD6s8-TZ5_tVswS6-LkSL5RuIxy3aWlPj9nBDuWinSJmNEa1-cOe7CrY4A31sLMeMx-6KRn0RQ5oE2Mz8Fr9JlLAkBUUEaNHkA5end0AtULbHFJc/s270/LV%20-%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="270" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2In_Xh63U0fn9LvX8eEYjnGU30x1t6URYUJFXSKRQ2MRoMe8JkcAN1_TWO_TCfsfLI6bfzaSKqyUFD6s8-TZ5_tVswS6-LkSL5RuIxy3aWlPj9nBDuWinSJmNEa1-cOe7CrY4A31sLMeMx-6KRn0RQ5oE2Mz8Fr9JlLAkBUUEaNHkA5end0AtULbHFJc/s1600/LV%20-%2024.jpg" width="270" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitotttVFg9V3Pf5S8bVrpm3KRJY6_QmSvlIeuOca614c-d8KzKrZlfOSagAD7VwlZpZGc3M9ntPlCsUKowtDpFPkvoFb9HCNPs0-nw1yPEJUDdjmw121fai9avfFeSUcOD347rZpyluMnQA7QoAfpPZi4jDmELCcnebitVCISpETpqMhhccmNZY0bx7ho/s2253/LV%20-%207.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="2253" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitotttVFg9V3Pf5S8bVrpm3KRJY6_QmSvlIeuOca614c-d8KzKrZlfOSagAD7VwlZpZGc3M9ntPlCsUKowtDpFPkvoFb9HCNPs0-nw1yPEJUDdjmw121fai9avfFeSUcOD347rZpyluMnQA7QoAfpPZi4jDmELCcnebitVCISpETpqMhhccmNZY0bx7ho/s320/LV%20-%207.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Unfortunately, law and order in Shinbone comes in the
out-of-shape form of the freeloading Link Appleyard, whose cowardly attitude
and soft body may indicate the lax enforcement of the authorities in these
parts. Andy Divine’s high-pitched, stuttering voice adds to the lack of the
character’s toughness. When he finds out that Liberty is involved in Rance’s
robbery and beating, the Marshall just wants to run away. He says, “The jail ‘s
only got one cell, and the lock’s broke, and I sleep in it.” It’s a funny line,
but it shows the sad state the law-abiding citizens of the town are in. Tom
introduces himself to Rance and says Rance doesn’t look like a person who can
handle a gun, especially against Liberty, who he says is the toughest fellow around,
“next to me.” We have the macho image of John Wayne in full force here.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rance is
helping out in Hallie’s restaurant kitchen since he is getting food there. He
reads his law books and thinks he has a loophole to arrest Liberty under the
local jurisdiction. Hallie is embarrassed because she cannot read his book.
When he offers to teach her, she counters by saying he’s there wearing an apron
and washing dishes, which implies his education hasn’t helped him on the
frontier. She has a point, but she realizes that reading would enrich her life
as she could read the Bible.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKSMG0m6kdfsJaNVeUxNcRQG84U-ih6-GLEhg39J6QAAc0eNW3VJb5EBFPyLJFhcuu9Nd63EoEKWUdaJ-KcHfjtM9f_ycn4Lt-A7SQ7e4JKOJNEhjH1FIUq1xnVKApXrwJW7d7foFZdxCWHnJufBv9FEY1Bvae5BcFaEG0Wj5YZrxENRXE176j62IlGc/s750/LV%20-%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKSMG0m6kdfsJaNVeUxNcRQG84U-ih6-GLEhg39J6QAAc0eNW3VJb5EBFPyLJFhcuu9Nd63EoEKWUdaJ-KcHfjtM9f_ycn4Lt-A7SQ7e4JKOJNEhjH1FIUq1xnVKApXrwJW7d7foFZdxCWHnJufBv9FEY1Bvae5BcFaEG0Wj5YZrxENRXE176j62IlGc/s320/LV%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Tom shows up and has a cactus rose for Hallie, so we
now know why she wanted one at the opening of the story. Rance has his hands on
Hallie’s shoulders when Tom walks in as Hallie was announcing the news that Rance
was going to teach her to read and write. Tom shows some jealousy by using
slight sarcasm about how Rance is now protecting the ladies at the restaurant.
Hallie’s affections seem to become divided between the rugged individualism of
Tom and the scholarly morality of Rance. Tom sees Rance’s attorney sign he painted
and tellingly says that if he hangs it up, he will have to defend it with a
gun, and he’s not the type. Again, there is the idealism of Rance countered by
the harsh practicality of Tom.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Tom sits down with the dining Dutton Peabody (Edmond
O’ Brien), the newspaper editor at that time, who is also a drunk. He’s as
hungry for a story as he is for steak and potatoes. He wants to know if Tom has
popped the question to Hallie. Tom is not about to be rushed. Meanwhile, Pompey
planted the cactus rose, and Rance asks if Hallie has seen a real rose. She
says no, but she hopes that she will someday. Their remarks show how she has
aspirations beyond the boundaries of this town, and Rance may be the man to
help her on her way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Liberty bursts in with two of his gang, and, as
expected, Link rushes out. Liberty goes to a table and sees that the steak is “just
right” for him, and wants those men seated to vacate the table, pulling the
chair out from under one cowboy. He’s like a bullying Goldilocks. Rance
volunteered to wait on tables because the place is so busy, and men did not
perform that task back then. Liberty plops his whip on the table, so Rance
knows for sure that it is Liberty who whipped him. Liberty laughs at Rance as
he enters the room with plates of food and calls him the new “waitress.” There
are a number of these emasculation scenes. If one tries to use one’s brains
instead of fists, and if a man is trying to be helpful and courteous, he is
considered weak. The cliche being invoked here is the one of a man being
whipped by a woman, which is supposed to illustrate how weak he is. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mOllXJcDKxO9dn8XrYR9gvuaBDl7Qgazul8TnUNXCumzcDhU0CHNEQ103IW1xFdNB5GjsWRtuX2DXAIRPPrCN6ciikzdph2N-c_a8of3hXnEM-mvrpAUMKCTY6zqvtz0vC6QQOyFpxPpiqwoiygUBjq4RrvOr1OcnXBpmNl1wN5hWmoRlnKvxywpOvw/s400/LV%20-%209.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mOllXJcDKxO9dn8XrYR9gvuaBDl7Qgazul8TnUNXCumzcDhU0CHNEQ103IW1xFdNB5GjsWRtuX2DXAIRPPrCN6ciikzdph2N-c_a8of3hXnEM-mvrpAUMKCTY6zqvtz0vC6QQOyFpxPpiqwoiygUBjq4RrvOr1OcnXBpmNl1wN5hWmoRlnKvxywpOvw/s320/LV%20-%209.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fsH9NvBkeRBotzyy59xjgdXy1pz8xA5sqTbDFcnw9lmfIvhcFx-VeAgFELkj1fB_L69RQJN3MqNtUG-sdFSc-IJfh_-UkfiVxXSJxSwCIQ0-vpDjktDEbyo0xGrsomgPea3Zi5j3aomv-oyMsUS2VWIJeItIT26kAyn7TKehpnHjxHXaOrAttvI4yGA/s225/LV%20-%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fsH9NvBkeRBotzyy59xjgdXy1pz8xA5sqTbDFcnw9lmfIvhcFx-VeAgFELkj1fB_L69RQJN3MqNtUG-sdFSc-IJfh_-UkfiVxXSJxSwCIQ0-vpDjktDEbyo0xGrsomgPea3Zi5j3aomv-oyMsUS2VWIJeItIT26kAyn7TKehpnHjxHXaOrAttvI4yGA/s1600/LV%20-%204.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3PEFgQxSvAy3MxZTFrFwiy7MqcH7ucZRp8NjbhPqugcJBS4HWpIVySflTODWvjR_UPyiMrwzMLJF0noy6HuPTlm1OYjErH3V8T0-lrG8XsvyRNRNGKDPQ-QbAUELULfAFJf5sTYn0cr0MfkT1y0uyGS-zIn0sf8pLCcTlxJIlqzTriJHY282lpLCh34/s620/Liberty-Valance-14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3PEFgQxSvAy3MxZTFrFwiy7MqcH7ucZRp8NjbhPqugcJBS4HWpIVySflTODWvjR_UPyiMrwzMLJF0noy6HuPTlm1OYjErH3V8T0-lrG8XsvyRNRNGKDPQ-QbAUELULfAFJf5sTYn0cr0MfkT1y0uyGS-zIn0sf8pLCcTlxJIlqzTriJHY282lpLCh34/s320/Liberty-Valance-14.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As Rance walks past Liberty, the man trips him and the
food spills to the floor. Rance is ready to rush Liberty, which would be a
suicide move. Tom comes to the rescue, because at this moment, in this place,
the law and civilized action can’t win. Tom tells Liberty that it was his steak
on the floor and Liberty must pick it up. There looks like there is going to be
a shootout, with Pompey pointing a rifle from the kitchen. The outraged Rance
yells why is everybody so “kill crazy” there. He picks up the meat to diffuse
the situation. Liberty takes a drink of whiskey outside, then smashes the
restaurant window with it while he and his men start to fire off their weapons
as they ride out of town.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Tom rhetorically asks, “Well now, I wonder what scared
them off?” Dutton adds to Tom’s sarcasm, saying, “You know what sacred ‘em? The
spectacle of law and order – here, risin’ up out of the gravy and mashed
potatoes.” More emasculation. Rance admits that it was a gun that was needed to
drive Liberty away. However, he points out the stupidity of getting killed over
a piece of steak. He tries to assert his individual strength by saying that he
fights his own battles. Despite his gruff manner, Tom was trying to prevent
Rance from getting killed. Editor Dutton sees Rance as newsworthy and wants to
exploit him. He offers to let him hang his attorney-at-law shingle in front of
the newspaper office, which can draw Liberty’s fire, literally. Rance rejects
Tom’s advice on two counts: he’s neither leaving nor picking up a gun to fight
Liberty. The film suggests that at this point putting one’s faith in the law
seems like idealism.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzpY5pk_TYJOMbIzI7Bogul6Etu1RUsafuFWQM8WZrIHAC4a6lLlpOWkrMPtuUAOtB7JUp0pBSOIgcK0fC3NhcSLqQEYnBLvZapFgD0WQliFQBHtIxIh58nEc8EGUNdnBZNUNtl610vhuWCHRIVxo2IeuScGo9-3DOg6RUHw6UuD8I0uooBbLXgnFa0A/s300/LV%20-%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="300" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzpY5pk_TYJOMbIzI7Bogul6Etu1RUsafuFWQM8WZrIHAC4a6lLlpOWkrMPtuUAOtB7JUp0pBSOIgcK0fC3NhcSLqQEYnBLvZapFgD0WQliFQBHtIxIh58nEc8EGUNdnBZNUNtl610vhuWCHRIVxo2IeuScGo9-3DOg6RUHw6UuD8I0uooBbLXgnFa0A/s1600/LV%20-%2015.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWaPRrBq6iNQKrOkStwShCMmfLvyfJckN2eM5KiqHExv89qzSWTCJUJzvbEmH5LpojFGWBtNjRZaYguDXO41ElVHksBlMKgZ9Q61_Cv1CMqbXLp9A8MS7n1O3gqR9sQjD_pUx7tDkYfL9nE2gmK2SVxzC546T6xgCJGnjk8Hkf3sQxeXtWp4RqFY93Es/s1280/LV%20-%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWaPRrBq6iNQKrOkStwShCMmfLvyfJckN2eM5KiqHExv89qzSWTCJUJzvbEmH5LpojFGWBtNjRZaYguDXO41ElVHksBlMKgZ9Q61_Cv1CMqbXLp9A8MS7n1O3gqR9sQjD_pUx7tDkYfL9nE2gmK2SVxzC546T6xgCJGnjk8Hkf3sQxeXtWp4RqFY93Es/s320/LV%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The cattle barons are trying to push small
homesteaders out of their business. Statehood would protect the less powerful
and the barons are fighting against it. Here we have the theme of using
democracy to fight those that use their power to destroy the lives of others. Rance
reads about what is going on in the newspaper, which stresses the importance of
freedom of the press. Rance now is teaching the townspeople, with Hallie
helping him out, how to read and write (including Latino children, which points
to how immigrants are an important part of the democratic process). They are
learning American history, too, and Nora Ericson (Jeanette Nolan), a German
immigrant, says the United States is a republic, which means the people are the
“bosses,” and if there is a dislike for what the “big shots” in Washington are
doing, the people can vote them out. The disdain for elitism is evident here
and promotes a type of populism. It’s appropriate that the Black man, Pompey, responds
to a question about how Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men are created
equal.” He apologizes for forgetting some of the words, and Rance’s remark that
many people forget the equality part allows the film to take a shot at racism.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqowvw1U4CPH4kxNOw_vwrcShyVQS2DS0UqlIhtKReaOdfj6aE5MjDaD_togimhkRnPwKJ5g1fng_MvIgXN9qYSXiq43IM27p-jw40uzZ4spbf3X9-0d4aKfvgBa5c0GO7ywx3r6jJ0e6nVADCDwzSwpNCLWoTkhVb6Rs9-lKIJ_9gPloYk8CUAeu6hE8/s660/LV%20-%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="660" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqowvw1U4CPH4kxNOw_vwrcShyVQS2DS0UqlIhtKReaOdfj6aE5MjDaD_togimhkRnPwKJ5g1fng_MvIgXN9qYSXiq43IM27p-jw40uzZ4spbf3X9-0d4aKfvgBa5c0GO7ywx3r6jJ0e6nVADCDwzSwpNCLWoTkhVb6Rs9-lKIJ_9gPloYk8CUAeu6hE8/s320/LV%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rance tells those at the lesson that having a strong
representative to fight for their interests is important, so getting out the
vote is vital. Tom has been away doing horse trading and he bursts in telling
Pompey he needs him working. Tom is the pragmatist who knows that Liberty is
working with the cattle barons and hiring guns to ensure the rich men’s
interests. Tom acknowledges the nobility of what the newspaper and Rance
believe in, but he says that promoting it will bring about bloodshed. Tom says
the hired gunmen tried to ambush him, but he killed one of them. Dutton goes
off to write the story, and Tom warns that if he prints that information he’ll
get himself killed. Here we have the dilemma of the responsibility of the press
versus whether news sometimes helps create trouble. While they talk, the camera
shot shows the U. S. flag in the background and a portrait of George
Washington. The images stress how the history of the nation and democracy are
on the line. Tom warns that the gunmen will be there on election day to
intimidate the voters. Tom tells Hallie to get out of a school that can turn
into “a shooting gallery.” But Hallie strongly asserts her independence by
telling him he can’t tell her what to do because he doesn’t “own” her.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rance dismisses the school and when he erases what he
has written on the blackboard, “Education is the basis for law and order,” it’s
as if ignorance of what holds civilization together is winning. He is becoming
cynical as he tells the protesting Hallie that “when force threatens, talk’s no
good anymore.” Rance leaves and Dutton confesses to Hallie that a while back he
lent Rance a gun and the lawyer has been going outside town and practicing how
to shoot. He is compromising his ideals for Tom’s view of reality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRw2pwW3IgKHkq-lvpKzhcB6c3ePbrRmkPrDa2g5_xU6hPNwkHr4dLNVoc88FlAh0HogLeQyz_ztyaoau1AY5Ahee2F9wVcwQJiRCI2tTl03-Ie_wbDiHlzpxvWKO0xEAZuHJ0a8QCBWCx71lzW3A6s1GoupfUGtazGhn5f0irHgdqOSh_TmflD8nhek/s3500/LV%20-%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRw2pwW3IgKHkq-lvpKzhcB6c3ePbrRmkPrDa2g5_xU6hPNwkHr4dLNVoc88FlAh0HogLeQyz_ztyaoau1AY5Ahee2F9wVcwQJiRCI2tTl03-Ie_wbDiHlzpxvWKO0xEAZuHJ0a8QCBWCx71lzW3A6s1GoupfUGtazGhn5f0irHgdqOSh_TmflD8nhek/s320/LV%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhd-sBNjksPytcHC20c2ZWQxA0YCW-pX0_eNjZwI_mXTj25g5l0IRMBCHVwB-coPDKwvBEI6JkrCuH8KxfsfVJCVEamLDX1QakdMsCtRBNUBcPHTA1wz8fG-xvcMqySYKFVK7d-hZC1nC6Rmk9baIIgm-ER2dCuWf8EmULpSdsqxlCpdiLdZCTorZYCw/s461/LV%20-%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="461" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhd-sBNjksPytcHC20c2ZWQxA0YCW-pX0_eNjZwI_mXTj25g5l0IRMBCHVwB-coPDKwvBEI6JkrCuH8KxfsfVJCVEamLDX1QakdMsCtRBNUBcPHTA1wz8fG-xvcMqySYKFVK7d-hZC1nC6Rmk9baIIgm-ER2dCuWf8EmULpSdsqxlCpdiLdZCTorZYCw/s320/LV%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Hallie asks for Tom’s help, and he catches up with
Rance and takes him to his house under construction. Tom says that he plans on
marrying Hallie once he has his house fixed up for her. But, because Hallie
shows so much worry for Rance, Tom believes that she and Rance have feelings
for each other. Tom engages in more humiliation as a way of showing Rance how his
being in a shootout is futile. He tells the lawyer to hang up some paint cans to
be shot at, but instead Tom fires at them, spilling paint on Rance. He is
trying to show how fast a gunslinger can be and that, although he says he
doesn’t like “tricks,” Liberty indulges in them. Rance is angry about this
further attack on his manhood and punches Tom so hard he knocks him down,
saying he doesn’t like tricks, either. The look on Tom’s face reveals some
admiration for Rance’s toughness.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzvej_aLQCU_6tgIfKvRZ-AuN_5N0vn5z46yl6U8CBIhCfEyBuqfqWf5cJ7bT-SZ0lY0sinieOXJb2f_mssLerCCC6Q6jf-ySnCpmnB66szvdyY-wZ5_VnGL1ENPIM7fJW3XCoPBKnPlhDYw9CfSQLjuSAW2Nbh0sJrA6zNT7meRWuVCDc7G8d_tw8XU/s1920/LV%20-%2013.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzvej_aLQCU_6tgIfKvRZ-AuN_5N0vn5z46yl6U8CBIhCfEyBuqfqWf5cJ7bT-SZ0lY0sinieOXJb2f_mssLerCCC6Q6jf-ySnCpmnB66szvdyY-wZ5_VnGL1ENPIM7fJW3XCoPBKnPlhDYw9CfSQLjuSAW2Nbh0sJrA6zNT7meRWuVCDc7G8d_tw8XU/s320/LV%20-%2013.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Election day comes, as Rance explains to the crowd of
men at the bar, to elect two delegates to a state convention to determine
whether the territory south of the Picketline River should become a state. (Dutton
says humorously that declaring booze off-limits on this day “is carrying
democracy too far.”). Only white men can vote at this time, as the film
stresses by having the women and Pompey stay outside. Rance emphasizes that
statehood means that their ranches will be protected from an open range policy
where the rich interests have no legal constraints from taking over the smaller
lands of the farmers. Rance nominates Tom, despite their differences. In a way,
Rance is trying to draw Tom into the legal framework of democracy. But, Tom
refuses, saying he has other plans. We know he means marrying and settling down
with Hallie, which shows his focus is on his individual wants, not social ones.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSp4kWFB2gNGYa5LVKVn6KFFoA10nQHgyD6eHkrRyx6YuT8fJo8Wua7TPgUAPMF4ukNikMxkd5WqmdbeuuomRCcLNISRrDhqmf_0D8LH5F2rLdGMQlw-WmWkUMIx-kHQW48dLs9U12sCffeLrKMzJM5lbtAS74-XSHw61LncJbJieNbUbicReLkB6V4I/s1200/LV%20-%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1200" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSp4kWFB2gNGYa5LVKVn6KFFoA10nQHgyD6eHkrRyx6YuT8fJo8Wua7TPgUAPMF4ukNikMxkd5WqmdbeuuomRCcLNISRrDhqmf_0D8LH5F2rLdGMQlw-WmWkUMIx-kHQW48dLs9U12sCffeLrKMzJM5lbtAS74-XSHw61LncJbJieNbUbicReLkB6V4I/s320/LV%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Then Liberty shows up, who, unlike Tom, whose
intentions are honorable, is an agent of chaos. He doesn’t live in the area but
says wherever he wants to live is his address. He sees a newspaper headline
that says he killed two homesteaders, which shows Dutton has showed a great
deal of courage to publicly indict Liberty. The men nominate Rance to be a
delegate, with Tom seconding the motion, showing he has gained some respect for
the man, acknowledging Rance’s legal background and that he can throw a
“punch.” Liberty gets a member of his gang to nominate him. One of the
townspeople nominates Dutton, who wants no part of it. He says he must stay
outside of politics so he can “build” up politicians, and “tear” them down. He
says he is the people’s “conscience,” and “the watchdog that howls against the
wolves.” Dutton might be overdramatizing his role in society, and he’ll do almost
anything for a drink. However, he does state the purpose of the free press,
which, if silenced, allows liars and bullies to escape being held in check. Liberty,
not wanting to confront Tom, tells Rance that he has to stop hiding behind
Tom’s gun, and Liberty will be waiting for him in the street for a gunfight. Tom
offers to get Rance out of town, but at this point we’re not sure if Rance will
leave.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyc7mTc_5utn4yI8lKTSPG5BnflEhcBtozmeAgFlB6KE8jo8WJ71HvUL39s9QThyYPqc3yZGOtta1IPJMMeCtyBEjJeRYidU82bJ9HgSrejGOGO5wIeG1A57JVjvuk191imvZrs0oKazBUy18E_6dADI-M32VsGNJX8Y560rTx2umVhmYCXHLUjbTuu8/s299/LV%20-%2026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyc7mTc_5utn4yI8lKTSPG5BnflEhcBtozmeAgFlB6KE8jo8WJ71HvUL39s9QThyYPqc3yZGOtta1IPJMMeCtyBEjJeRYidU82bJ9HgSrejGOGO5wIeG1A57JVjvuk191imvZrs0oKazBUy18E_6dADI-M32VsGNJX8Y560rTx2umVhmYCXHLUjbTuu8/s1600/LV%20-%2026.jpg" width="299" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The drunk Dutton, laughingly blowing on his whiskey
jug mistaking it for a candle, is trying to find the courage to continue his
work at the bottom of a bottle of booze. He alters Horace Greeley’s quotation,
saying to his shadow (of himself?), “Old Man: go west. And grow young with the
country.” His version stresses the newness of the frontier, its uncorrupted
nature which brought about it being dubbed the New Eden. The West here is a
type of Fountain of Youth to rejuvenate the jaded. When Dutton returns to the newspaper
office, Liberty and his men are there. They beat Dutton almost to death and
destroy the premises. Liberty also shoots Rance’s lawyer sign. The scene symbolizes
how lawlessness can destroy the fair rules that rein in destructive behavior so
that the average citizen can live a life without fear.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After seeing what happened to Dutton, Rance tells Marshall
Appleyard to let Liberty know that he will meet him outside for a showdown. He
is giving into the violent practicality of the times. Hallie tells Pompey to
get Tom, while Link calls for the doctor to help Dutton. At the saloon,
individuals are now starting to voice their anger at the card-playing Liberty.
Even the cowardly Link says that if Liberty shoots the inexperienced Rance, it
will be murder (Rance’s lack of gun shooting skills is stressed by his still
wearing a restaurant apron). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ9NbfpIcogw-GR4CaYS6bfqzhYtE2aGYNscDXsJ-5jD7KaDv-s77Ar6Xk7Ku6uGTfl5bCYRmJLz7inL1dGZjx1wkm17pO1sMKKZBcGx6yi2nYX_An4xVJlhaEtEyecsvtykot7ilzgmxqokHEInawICtvgeTRRJ9ybb80XlqXbUg4E0HsBBJMMYfbqI/s1440/liberty_valance%20-%2025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZ9NbfpIcogw-GR4CaYS6bfqzhYtE2aGYNscDXsJ-5jD7KaDv-s77Ar6Xk7Ku6uGTfl5bCYRmJLz7inL1dGZjx1wkm17pO1sMKKZBcGx6yi2nYX_An4xVJlhaEtEyecsvtykot7ilzgmxqokHEInawICtvgeTRRJ9ybb80XlqXbUg4E0HsBBJMMYfbqI/s320/liberty_valance%20-%2025.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Outside, Liberty toys with Rance, shooting near him,
but then wounding him in his right hand, sending the gun to the ground. He
picks it up with his left hand, and when Liberty threatens to shoot him “right
between the eyes,” Rance gets a shot off. Liberty is hit and dies. Rance looks
at his gun and drops it, looking defeated morally despite surviving.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyLvqMAX1EkcStFrG5YaWukL3bFgyDv_YWLjSATyX_6CzewWUWWIGay9sAsyCUu0eZdpBTU8qDBxji13EPV8Ssl3LZXvcLs8vpzJrZaFI8czmFDSE8JChSPLXjm0Gq5JcSNVIot0aipmXeLw6dCwa0w0Qxl2gROkegKnt0xdwvxfBCMTNzrtPBjWrgYE/s263/LV%20-%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikyLvqMAX1EkcStFrG5YaWukL3bFgyDv_YWLjSATyX_6CzewWUWWIGay9sAsyCUu0eZdpBTU8qDBxji13EPV8Ssl3LZXvcLs8vpzJrZaFI8czmFDSE8JChSPLXjm0Gq5JcSNVIot0aipmXeLw6dCwa0w0Qxl2gROkegKnt0xdwvxfBCMTNzrtPBjWrgYE/s1600/LV%20-%208.jpg" width="263" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Tom shows up at the kitchen where Hallie is tending to
Rance’s wound. He witnesses Hallie comforting Rance, holding him, kissing his
forehead, and sobbing over what could have happened to him. Tom says he is
sorry he didn’t arrive in time, and after seeing the affection between the
other two, leaves slamming the door. When Liberty’s gang members say Rance
murdered Liberty, Tom disarms them and knocks them down. Tom yells at Link to
do his job and arrest the two outlaws. Lance then wants to take credit for the
apprehensions. It is a foreshadowing of who should really be getting credit for
an action. As the town celebrates the demise of Liberty, Tom stands up for
Pompey at the saloon when the bartender doesn’t want to serve his Black
farmhand. Pompey doesn’t drink and says they have work to do back at home. Tom is
now drunk, upset by losing the affection of Hallie, and the business he has in
mind back at his ranch is anything but constructive. He sets fire to his house,
the one he was adding onto in anticipation of living in it with Hallie. Pompey
rescues him from the fire.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmklZr2uw9MpyHgDAH8W7G9Ndy1E1BjRk37dTWEKACzV2bvIkpyDMuu41RAS_y2CCbEBly3kzT3K_HBy7ZLHH-07PpNV0h5SgT20ZJK9Pm3OQ-hSnEYydSJWLhWufXICT8KcKt7WSiiraO91PvNHPM2s2xj_tWZFjEdOg975IyAnmpIl4qjM_LdMT3RY/s993/LV%20-%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="993" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmklZr2uw9MpyHgDAH8W7G9Ndy1E1BjRk37dTWEKACzV2bvIkpyDMuu41RAS_y2CCbEBly3kzT3K_HBy7ZLHH-07PpNV0h5SgT20ZJK9Pm3OQ-hSnEYydSJWLhWufXICT8KcKt7WSiiraO91PvNHPM2s2xj_tWZFjEdOg975IyAnmpIl4qjM_LdMT3RY/s320/LV%20-%2002.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After recovering from their ordeal sufficiently both
Rance and Dutton attend the statehood convention. Major Cassius Starbuckle
(John Carradine), who has become a politician, says he had a speech but does
not want to indulge in “oratory.” So, he crumples a piece of paper that is
supposed to contain his prepared words. But, a delegate unravels it and it is
blank. Thus, the Major is a deceptive character, who puts into a nomination
another politician to represent them in Washington. After he speaks, a cowboy
on a horse rides in supporting the nominee and does rope tricks. The whole
scene satirizes the political process which is seen as a theatrical display
with little substance.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4y-wVF2SCD0VIWUnyFtc8q2N37QsjR4AB-wqCjFi5_ku--YzhuIg4wUJBSU-m20XHF8h7TMxS58jcPC92GqGGn3A7IQvyJqGcqVuDrj1HS-bJZen-WxLoPgu-2UoIHbVQ0zwzr7afCxO1_KDz7OMiJMNPaN0L3RxadBaowv4Km7jr9aHU4IBwNWLsN0/s1920/LV%20-%2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4y-wVF2SCD0VIWUnyFtc8q2N37QsjR4AB-wqCjFi5_ku--YzhuIg4wUJBSU-m20XHF8h7TMxS58jcPC92GqGGn3A7IQvyJqGcqVuDrj1HS-bJZen-WxLoPgu-2UoIHbVQ0zwzr7afCxO1_KDz7OMiJMNPaN0L3RxadBaowv4Km7jr9aHU4IBwNWLsN0/s320/LV%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Dutton calls the Major “the cattleman’s mouthpiece,” so
he is representing the big business interests. He extols the average working
person and places in nomination a surprised Rance, who he says is a model for
the proper legal way to bring law and order to the frontier. The manipulative Major
asks what kind of lawyer is he who killed “an honest citizen,” which is a
ludicrous statement considering Liberty’s evil nature. But he indicts Rance for
taking “the law into his own hands” and that he “has blood on his hands.” He
continues by saying that Rance has, “the mark of Cain” on him. It is an ironic
accusation, since Rance wanted nothing to do with killing a fellow brother of
the human race when he set out to bring Liberty to justice in a civilized
manner.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36cSrUwt1US9iAwVacJaids2z0qNACgy6rClFqZp9LgQjVVuIxzb8kbnSBtXVHqCrhl3R1Af_LJBMKvJ1CrTQahSBCNaAC0evDsRZzHejSmH4XHdm7_jTf7c-B9malhHgOC9POT5d5eIb4Za74gJItBBqAOh0BCyAWccG8wN8akpnMklAWY4qF0CGaSM/s1440/LV%20-%2012.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36cSrUwt1US9iAwVacJaids2z0qNACgy6rClFqZp9LgQjVVuIxzb8kbnSBtXVHqCrhl3R1Af_LJBMKvJ1CrTQahSBCNaAC0evDsRZzHejSmH4XHdm7_jTf7c-B9malhHgOC9POT5d5eIb4Za74gJItBBqAOh0BCyAWccG8wN8akpnMklAWY4qF0CGaSM/s320/LV%20-%2012.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Tom shows up at the convention and follows the exiting
Rance, who says he is going back east because he can’t build a reputation on
killing a man. Tom then reveals what really happened and we get a flashback
which shows that he is the man who shot Liberty Valance. He’s willing to keep
that secret so that Rance can be elected and usher in a righteous change in the
way the law is practiced in the territory. The movie suggests that the birth of
a decent nation entails undergoing some painful events. Tom says that Hallie is
now Rance’s girl, and since he taught her how to read and write Rance has the
responsibility to give her something to read and write about. He puts the
responsibility of creating decency on Rance’s shoulders.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The story returns to the present. Rance went to
Washington and went on to become the governor of the new state and its senator.
Nobody remembers Tom now, as his ways faded away. He knew it was time for change
and he accepted that inevitability since we are told at the beginning of the
movie that in recent times he no longer carried a gun. Rance has told the truth
about Tom now to the new editor, Scott, who rips up the notes he was taking and
throws them into a stove. He says he is not going to print the story Rance related.
Scott says, “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the
legend.” The implication is that it is detrimental to people to invalidate the myths
they needed to believe in. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bui3XmM0bYSYH79tUJt2I9zcZ8TcLRekJ6Qgub-bsP6NUKSurNr7h17vjcsKdhvqQYbmquN0rwvUQeomw_J1FW2Heka_pwZ9x7MBbVKJdxlMwBHijjQ8Pe1HkX7yHd04GYrVEFieDiywVZkGGR6yQZsz3OEAAqFWNGdR9KVmEmW1NmtTFAn179LnSiw/s341/Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance%20-%2000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="341" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bui3XmM0bYSYH79tUJt2I9zcZ8TcLRekJ6Qgub-bsP6NUKSurNr7h17vjcsKdhvqQYbmquN0rwvUQeomw_J1FW2Heka_pwZ9x7MBbVKJdxlMwBHijjQ8Pe1HkX7yHd04GYrVEFieDiywVZkGGR6yQZsz3OEAAqFWNGdR9KVmEmW1NmtTFAn179LnSiw/s320/Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance%20-%2000.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back on the train, Hallie admits that she placed the
cactus roses on Tom’s coffin. The plant symbolizes the kind of man Tom was –
thorny with an appealing side. Now Rance feels his time has come to give up
politics after achieving what he wanted, and he wishes to return to Shinbone
and maybe open up a law office, which was his original plan. She says he should
be “proud,” because he helped in changing the territory from a “wilderness”
into a “garden,” a sort of hybrid that combines what is natural with
cultivation. Hallie says her “roots” and her “heart” are still in this place in
the West, which suggests that a person should stay grounded by keeping
connected to one’s origins.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The train conductor lets Rance know that they have
made accommodations for him because nothing is too good for the “man who shot
Liberty Valance.” Sometimes the legend is mightier than the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>My Darling Clementine</i></span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-77870311127597849942023-08-20T15:35:00.000-04:002023-08-20T15:35:37.140-04:00Europa Europa<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KESddlH7f6AgFyxZxXD3JsAn99n7CnLXf-3WXFPX-0C7nbl2IQQFMr7qEMNPQ2f_U2u4pzEdkheYZH9n7E0VYO_3J3R5NMZbaqGjvSROs8mUFGnE81yYDRMno7j-oGpUkMHoTRJi6sFP5cEDhjY1Jozv97j1HpgRke9IYzCqbiz1i8_K_e43ICsDAY0/s475/E%20E%20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="258" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KESddlH7f6AgFyxZxXD3JsAn99n7CnLXf-3WXFPX-0C7nbl2IQQFMr7qEMNPQ2f_U2u4pzEdkheYZH9n7E0VYO_3J3R5NMZbaqGjvSROs8mUFGnE81yYDRMno7j-oGpUkMHoTRJi6sFP5cEDhjY1Jozv97j1HpgRke9IYzCqbiz1i8_K_e43ICsDAY0/s320/E%20E%20-1.jpg" width="174" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Director/writer Agnieszka Holland had a similar
experience as her main character in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Europa Europa</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> (1990). They were both
caught between two worlds. Holland is from Poland, and her father was Jewish,
but her mother was Catholic. One’s Jewish nature derives from the maternal
side, according to Orthodox standards, so she was not officially a Jew by that standard,
and the community adhering to that rule did not accept her as one of their own.
But, bigotry has no such boundaries, and racists targeted her. The main
character in the film, Salomon (Solly) Perel (the story is based on his
memoir), played by Marco Hofschneider, is a Jew trying to survive during the
Nazi occupation of Poland.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The opening shot, which is probably a dream sequence, shows
Solly as a boy, which can represent the innocence of youth. He is under water wearing
a military jacket and swastika armband, suggesting the corruption of that
youthfulness. He is holding onto an adult soldier at the same time trying to
get away from the man, while attempting to get above water. The image
summarizes the predicament of hiding one’s identity to survive, and trying to find
one’s place of belonging. As Amy Taubin says in her essay, “Border States,” Solly
says that he was born in Germany and his parents were Azriel (Klaus Abramowski)
and Rebecca (Michele Gleizer). The announcement establishes who Solly is, and
his story becomes dealing with the suppression or embracement of that heritage.
The title of the film suggests the duality of a world that embodies diversity
but also embraces the hate of what is different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoILtBk29pr1N8ybFkndzJv6T7RR-JCGUWVhXFEiPPewNWqy4DEaiEYQPJ7kskY4bRmvjFX4ccf2DouA8zJhQfOiHy54TuowGJ_a4xsyOa0ogIArHHNIaLPTx_Q2Yy_Bzi-oA3wh3D9fFi0HXMVX7bZ_GiihlKA5Buk9AOQ4Ws5ghXRUCk2Zo50oNI2tI/s300/europa-europa-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="300" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoILtBk29pr1N8ybFkndzJv6T7RR-JCGUWVhXFEiPPewNWqy4DEaiEYQPJ7kskY4bRmvjFX4ccf2DouA8zJhQfOiHy54TuowGJ_a4xsyOa0ogIArHHNIaLPTx_Q2Yy_Bzi-oA3wh3D9fFi0HXMVX7bZ_GiihlKA5Buk9AOQ4Ws5ghXRUCk2Zo50oNI2tI/s1600/europa-europa-21.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">There is a scene showing Solly’s circumcision, which his
voice-over says he remembers. Perhaps that memory is so strong that it keeps
him grounded as to his Jewish identity. The story jumps forward to Solly’s bar
mitzah, when he is considered an adult male in Jewish tradition. It coincides
with the Nazi attack on Jewish homes in his town. It is a horrible way to leave
behind childhood and be thrust into the horrors of the adult world. We hear </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
Blue Danube </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">in the background in Solly’s home, a contrast of German beauty with
its brutality. Solly is taking a bath when the onslaught occurs, and he is
naked as he jumps out of his bathroom window after the glass shatters. He hides
in a barrel. Symbolically it looks like he is being reborn into a different
life. The only clothes he can get, courtesy of a young girl in the
neighborhood, is that jacket with the Nazi armband, which ushers in his new
life. When he returns inside his house he sees that his sister has been killed.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The story is a picaresque tale as Solly travels
through several places. The family leaves for Poland. He rides a bike and he
crashes into a storekeeper holding the shop window. Again, we have glass
shards. Solly’s world is shattering, but is he also part of the forces causing
that destruction, given his future life? The family lives above a movie theater
and the enamored female cashier, Basia (Nathalie Schmidt) lets him in for free.
The film may suggest that movies allow one to escape the present madness by
going into a world of imagination. Taubin says that Solly’s good looks along
with some luck allow him to endure throughout the Holocaust. For example, he
was to run the errand that his sister undertook, which led to her death.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly’s father sends him and his reel and real brother,
Isaak (Rene Hofschneider), away as the Germans invade Poland. Solly narrates that
the Poles at the time preferred Hitler to Stalin. A Russian soldier rescues Solly
during a river crossing, and Solly is now cut off from his family, and
therefore his roots, since he is separated from his brother. Solly winds up in
a school for orphaned boys where he says he was turned into a good Russian
Communist boy. In a way he reflects the cultures he passes through. Director
Holland mentions that he is like Zelig in the Woody Allen film. He receives a
letter from his father that says not to forget who he is. And that is his
challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBD3vexKm99k3P_frGS_Tr8yrIJYj0tnTkigETlGQevN9RdwcuepFPejDzn8Y4UP8hkfmcBPJpszpScHPFWhrhCAwPX7krSymZgOnj2jTPzW6EOM39MCApmNsCCto7g_Dl1ShuWrB9Bqfst1JPmD_G7B5TA6P-GYwDFh7i9AL6mq4WJa01OSF0QvNw4A/s398/EE%20-%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="398" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBD3vexKm99k3P_frGS_Tr8yrIJYj0tnTkigETlGQevN9RdwcuepFPejDzn8Y4UP8hkfmcBPJpszpScHPFWhrhCAwPX7krSymZgOnj2jTPzW6EOM39MCApmNsCCto7g_Dl1ShuWrB9Bqfst1JPmD_G7B5TA6P-GYwDFh7i9AL6mq4WJa01OSF0QvNw4A/s320/EE%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanQDtK1G6xl_4HXF_F3VqoZ-AERTmuLgUMtP25kkxJfAVBeOek-Xn_cNwzMTWvDUQxKTPEtDk4u5eFC_rftHM_f3z7conI6h2hqDtPUG_L98qUrMkTShqavWViO_24XnvSLG9Y_fC1_yIvixT8LuX4In66zKg631KftZBQzBXCxjSAek-_fWp1WPNFQo/s500/EE%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="500" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanQDtK1G6xl_4HXF_F3VqoZ-AERTmuLgUMtP25kkxJfAVBeOek-Xn_cNwzMTWvDUQxKTPEtDk4u5eFC_rftHM_f3z7conI6h2hqDtPUG_L98qUrMkTShqavWViO_24XnvSLG9Y_fC1_yIvixT8LuX4In66zKg631KftZBQzBXCxjSAek-_fWp1WPNFQo/s320/EE%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Russians don’t care about his being Jewish, only
what social class he is from. Since his father owned a shop, they consider him bourgeoisie,
one of the enemies of the workers. Again, a young woman, one of the teachers, defends
him. The film shows how Solly will do what it takes to survive, even if it
means turning in a fellow Polish student, Zenek (Andrzej MasTalerz), who is
anti-Stalin, when the youth attacks him for being Stalin’s “puppet.” He also
follows the party line as he gives a speech about religion being “the opiate of
the people.” That same Polish student shows his ugliness by being anti-Semitic,
and the Communist school official condemns him for his racism. But the
attractive schoolteacher then mocks the Polish boy for his Catholic beliefs,
showing how his prayers will not bring candy from the sky, but Stalin’s
followers can drop candy from the ceiling. The stress here is that materialism
eclipses spirituality. There is a picture in the background of Stalin, which
makes one recall the large pictures of Hitler (dictators are narcissists who
want to be seen as having God-like power). Children are in attendance during
this scene. The director implies that all indoctrination is dangerous. Taubin
writes that fascism is based upon hating the “other,” while Communism had
loftier goals. It is the subversion of those ideals by corrupt leaders that
Holland is targeting. The film is not didactic in praising one view. It shows the
failings of all humans.</span></span></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The candy raining from the sky is replaced by the roof
collapsing as the Germans attack, deflating the euphoria of the moment and
showing how quickly the materialistic world can switch from bounty to deprivation.
As the school’s population become refugees and are attacked by planes, Solly
runs for cover and the truck carrying other students and the schoolteacher
drive away. She throws him an apple, an interesting reversal of the
teacher-student relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0otaDKvCbTWF05wzfDCPU-_BwhwFdMgcyJNe08yjEFiS1f9IT9sN7I3MiBM_O76Cqcrqrln9TJ6t6k_pXqSq-3Y4qiS67LsoD9CnXmbSiVl-g6HS24HuTiJSxcOhzQoz3ImzNArZ1PuuuykZKvt4PLNQSqztEwLTvMSP1ldFsKLHQro5zTsNclkpNxU/s1274/EE%20-%2014.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1274" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0otaDKvCbTWF05wzfDCPU-_BwhwFdMgcyJNe08yjEFiS1f9IT9sN7I3MiBM_O76Cqcrqrln9TJ6t6k_pXqSq-3Y4qiS67LsoD9CnXmbSiVl-g6HS24HuTiJSxcOhzQoz3ImzNArZ1PuuuykZKvt4PLNQSqztEwLTvMSP1ldFsKLHQro5zTsNclkpNxU/s320/EE%20-%2014.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The occupying Germans capture Solly. He is originally
from Germany, so his fluency in the language helps him. There is a shot of Solly
looking up at the sun, and there is a suggestion that he gets some divine
inspiration. He tells the German soldiers he was in an orphanage school. Taubin
says that Solly “intuitively understands that his survival in part depends on
his allowing those around him believe anything what suits their fantasies about
themselves.” The women he encounters engage in this activity, and no so do the
Germans. He says his name is Josef Peters so he will not have a Jewish-sounding
name, and his captors assume that the Russians killed his parents. He speaks
Russian as well, so he can be useful as a translator, and actually identifies
Stalin’s son, which endears him to the Germans. He is like Chance in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Being
There</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, where others imprint their beliefs onto him. There is also a bit of
Brecht’s Mother Courage here, who adopts whatever country she is in to survive.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAH_4ORFJbiTpS2stWlHK-WuRDCO2LlMY3CkESIVdiN_4tv_XjLxAMThQFw7zt3qLKvxlKi-jtpByoSH5XGnmX5M0PDL4uaN2OLQn-VFrQpT4uXBJdeeiFaZ1lxOEBtUB5mohE8cMKWh8Bry8t4wH31eGHJL9FqpdfXVTEIOSD6S7yZopFMK_PB7yqn_E/s720/EE%20-%2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="720" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAH_4ORFJbiTpS2stWlHK-WuRDCO2LlMY3CkESIVdiN_4tv_XjLxAMThQFw7zt3qLKvxlKi-jtpByoSH5XGnmX5M0PDL4uaN2OLQn-VFrQpT4uXBJdeeiFaZ1lxOEBtUB5mohE8cMKWh8Bry8t4wH31eGHJL9FqpdfXVTEIOSD6S7yZopFMK_PB7yqn_E/s320/EE%20-%2013.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back at the German camp, Solly is offered food. He
takes a bite of sausage, but then spits it out. Is he upset that he is not
keeping kosher? The Polish student Zanek is a captive there and shouts out in
Russian that Solly is a Jew. Solly translates exactly what Zanek says, and a
German soldier, not understanding Russian, tells him to confront Zanek, who he
slaps him which makes it appear that Solly is offended by being called a Jew.
Zanek jumps over the fence separating them and then runs off as soldiers close
in on him. A truck then hits Zanek, killing him. Solly faints, as if
overwhelmed by the consequences of his action, which means that the
preservation of his own life can lead to the death of another. Later the
company captain interviews Solly and tells him that the war is not against
Russia, England, or France, but is a “holy war” against the Jews. Solly also
witnesses the dead body of a young Russian girl who was hanged. Solly says in
his voiceover that he was so confused by these German soldiers who treated him
well but were capable of such hatred. He wonders if what separates them is a
little “foreskin,” which implies that Solly wonders if he, too, could be
capable of atrocities. These scenes add to the weight of guilt Solly is
carrying because of his trying to keep surviving among haters.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElyVA8oizuFPDHJ096bXQFkjzg9k0tjajVF8aNPBxv4uMSl_cID-8_RWe08LbqDn4AbrJ4s7Yccu7h5sSkO2o64aY2FKFB6SGZpCr4uwrKI9J_3A9CTnAXSTNXjP0sAS4CYSx7CgROcrPIN-sc3EX7Mj3YN4IDTIWtGYoKt-q9AcgiebR7_oA_y9cLw8/s600/EE%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="600" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiElyVA8oizuFPDHJ096bXQFkjzg9k0tjajVF8aNPBxv4uMSl_cID-8_RWe08LbqDn4AbrJ4s7Yccu7h5sSkO2o64aY2FKFB6SGZpCr4uwrKI9J_3A9CTnAXSTNXjP0sAS4CYSx7CgROcrPIN-sc3EX7Mj3YN4IDTIWtGYoKt-q9AcgiebR7_oA_y9cLw8/s320/EE%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEnSJ6lnE2uj5y8JQnipWYTZrKLxDuJJniCp-gdr0IgmDaQKzBGK76bQmDGI_CZaZFAtl-hRVTCZX0SyrmPKjEZRbvFkkJlplcjF-n6iP9DajJj8Alos4e_2EyjxloQeQCHUxFoR11AC_nbBNEiz2ucfOeRJlFFTXX5vH_vur6cjCqc2pOrVskZ-cueQ/s320/EE%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEnSJ6lnE2uj5y8JQnipWYTZrKLxDuJJniCp-gdr0IgmDaQKzBGK76bQmDGI_CZaZFAtl-hRVTCZX0SyrmPKjEZRbvFkkJlplcjF-n6iP9DajJj8Alos4e_2EyjxloQeQCHUxFoR11AC_nbBNEiz2ucfOeRJlFFTXX5vH_vur6cjCqc2pOrVskZ-cueQ/s1600/EE%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a surrealist scene inserted here that shows
Stalin and Hitler dancing (representing their prior accord), with candy falling
from the ceiling (as happened in the previous scene at the school), and young
ballerinas gathering up the sweets. Zanek is there with a large gash in his
body. There are then menacing looks exchanged between Stalin and Hitler,
possibly suggesting the new animosity between them given the Nazi invasion. Holland
does not show that this is a dream sequence, but Zanek’s appearance suggests it
is one of Solly’s dreams.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly encounters Robert (Andre Wilms), a gay German
soldier who was an actor. They bond, sharing their love of literature and film.
Solly asks him if it is difficult playing other people, to which Robert says,
“Much easier than being yourself.” This simple exchange reveals Solly’s concern
over his pretending to be a Nazi. But, Robert’s words stress how difficult it
is to be one’s true self (if one can even know what that is), which in both
their cases could lead to dire consequences. Solly takes a bath in a barn,
which reminds us of the scene at the beginning of the film. He is surprised by
Robert who reveals his gay orientation by reaching for Solly’s genitals. Solly
jumps out of the tub and Robert sees that Solly is circumcised, and thus, a
Jew. (Solly just can’t have a relaxing bath). He promises to keep his secret,
since he has one of his own, and sympathizes with Solly being ethnically
closeted. It is darkly comic that it is Solly’s penis that keeps forcing him to
identify himself as Jewish. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Preparing for Christmas, Solly tells Robert that his
sister loved the holidays, while he hated Passover, getting nauseous from
eating eggs. When Robert asks if he prays, Solly repeats the line from Marx
about religion being the opium for the masses. Is that what he really believes
now, or has he adopted what he has been exposed to while denying his past to stay
alive? Robert asks if he would be able to play a Jew. Jokingly, Solly says
Robert looks too stupid, to which the laughing Robert calls Solly a racist,
since Solly comically referenced a Jewish stereotype about all Jews being
clever.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj5_89OXvL9alPuXgS-E36KNlUXPrvUCu5LPiHKsCIvchHlkNkgC_ZNMePZ1ryNQyKNeIODA-lWMQCF_imszBu9rEgat6PY_c1r1nxs1RmNsXjA6XaRaC_Cj7qUmecJle6eOhUlJLDY-usv_7_1AMzlj2cEf46OQEarh-td84H6EUvGtYRdjZ_Yr1his/s420/EE%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="420" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifj5_89OXvL9alPuXgS-E36KNlUXPrvUCu5LPiHKsCIvchHlkNkgC_ZNMePZ1ryNQyKNeIODA-lWMQCF_imszBu9rEgat6PY_c1r1nxs1RmNsXjA6XaRaC_Cj7qUmecJle6eOhUlJLDY-usv_7_1AMzlj2cEf46OQEarh-td84H6EUvGtYRdjZ_Yr1his/s320/EE%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the trenches, Russian enemy fire kills Robert. Solly
mourns the loss of all those he cared about and no longer wants to keep playing
a phony. He says he wishes to be with his “own kind.” But he can’t seem to
escape the charade. On a phone line belonging to the Russians he says he wants
to come over to their side since he is a Jew who attended a Russian school.
They tell him to approach them holding a rifle. However, the German soldiers
arrive in larger numbers and the Russians surrender. The Germans think Solly
was attacking the Russians by himself. They praise him, and the captain, who
has never had children, wants to adopt him. Again, others project what they
want reality to be onto Solly.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4edr7rMgQJ4FH5SU7SF70oIw_gSyoR_huUkx54yEP474Qfn7vuLOtCmkexWpNrj_d0taUWhDvdzILEgrUEQHsEufSSXhzC03Hchacl1MSs0d5RwF7YJ3wdTNGmi-j88NVKto28iISb4P6mpve3zfSI4jwWT8nPaetzCjbL89MZg2eViBsnpYESi1isv0/s640/EE%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4edr7rMgQJ4FH5SU7SF70oIw_gSyoR_huUkx54yEP474Qfn7vuLOtCmkexWpNrj_d0taUWhDvdzILEgrUEQHsEufSSXhzC03Hchacl1MSs0d5RwF7YJ3wdTNGmi-j88NVKto28iISb4P6mpve3zfSI4jwWT8nPaetzCjbL89MZg2eViBsnpYESi1isv0/s320/EE%20-%2018.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKMg9k1NVj3bqFf8WCqVhcqe2Au7b8H4CBlj71N6UjX_l03A6WS6omWL7uhjG5VQBEo5ZRxpSxNf3uWoRTl7IUgXpdV6hH6drscFStOmmhkLlo4UD06eiR3AbFpku75fUQdknmz6DaH4orYC3dcQN_gnVy9ek3NoykCPolNaSYW4PE4NqkvW3jucwle8/s1000/E%20E%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKMg9k1NVj3bqFf8WCqVhcqe2Au7b8H4CBlj71N6UjX_l03A6WS6omWL7uhjG5VQBEo5ZRxpSxNf3uWoRTl7IUgXpdV6hH6drscFStOmmhkLlo4UD06eiR3AbFpku75fUQdknmz6DaH4orYC3dcQN_gnVy9ek3NoykCPolNaSYW4PE4NqkvW3jucwle8/s320/E%20E%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The captain sends Solly to go to a Hitler youth
school. What follows is another darkly humorous scene. On the train to the
school he is in the company of an older German woman. She has a cigarette
lighter in the form of a bullet, a scary image subverting a harmless object
into a threatening one. After handing identification papers over to a German
soldier, they must darken the room most likely to evade being seen and
targeted. The woman remarks that Solly has the same birthday as Hitler, and has
the same “dark hair.” Again, we have a woman drawn to Solly, and she seduces
him, calling out “Mein Fuhrer!” while having sex. The double nature of Solly,
of Germany, and maybe humankind is suggested by the comparison.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">It is funny to hear Solly introduced as a pure-bred
German to the Hitler school students. He must raise his arm in the Nazi salute
and swear allegiance to the enemy of all Jews. He observes a student coming out
of the shower with his underwear on. Could this fellow also be a Jew is
disguise? Solly practices saluting and clicking heels in front of a mirror. As
has been often noted on this blog, mirrors can reflect the underside, or doppelgänger,
of a person. But then, Solly starts dancing, which undermines his attempt to perform
as a programmed puppet of the Third Reich. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-WQYeBgASz1gaYgHadRpNsaswQHhAYVJ5wqiBMhDarvyWP-ZCW7DYfjlkNIIxJwsweRoNlh41Yf_yBP8Pwv2P6vt7i9gSo2CONG3xYjSkMd06Hm6d92CujF_dFE6H4gI5utVvU-ercoLFcW_g2shNpfNMzivlj4quTNsNq38P-8R5t17amcraaHrwAs/s1504/EE%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1504" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-WQYeBgASz1gaYgHadRpNsaswQHhAYVJ5wqiBMhDarvyWP-ZCW7DYfjlkNIIxJwsweRoNlh41Yf_yBP8Pwv2P6vt7i9gSo2CONG3xYjSkMd06Hm6d92CujF_dFE6H4gI5utVvU-ercoLFcW_g2shNpfNMzivlj4quTNsNq38P-8R5t17amcraaHrwAs/s320/EE%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film shows us the craziness of the Hitler school.
They are ordered to perform the smallest details, including to use a fork and a
knife in the proper hands. They are told to stay healthy, as if that is a
command that can be obeyed. The swimming pool has a huge swastika painted on
its bottom which shows how Nazism permeates their every moment.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vz-JkoK4MZz4_DU6N-0JIfFdt3ifkgiUemq9BXKti4_znr-M-0svSOzLYRqniyF9w1ZWX-punbnl4A4sqjFcXhjB54m7V2__EAlrPHxN-5a4Pjn4PDfQyW_VapdDdzbXEkWNTIv_aqjU5YujPBmhYu-lbXsT2OWO1R27eJ3VbEkGkdg1Q4dUVrzZd4Q/s600/EE%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vz-JkoK4MZz4_DU6N-0JIfFdt3ifkgiUemq9BXKti4_znr-M-0svSOzLYRqniyF9w1ZWX-punbnl4A4sqjFcXhjB54m7V2__EAlrPHxN-5a4Pjn4PDfQyW_VapdDdzbXEkWNTIv_aqjU5YujPBmhYu-lbXsT2OWO1R27eJ3VbEkGkdg1Q4dUVrzZd4Q/s320/EE%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a lecture from Goethke (Erich Swartz) about
how to recognize a Jew that is so outrageously racist it succeeds in being an
effective satiric scene. Besides exaggeratingly describing physical
stereotypes, he even believes that “Jewish blood is totally different from
ours.” Goethke says that by understanding these racial differences, the
students will never be deceived by a Jew pretending he is something he is not.
The irony here is that he says these words in the presence of Solly, who is a
handsome young Jewish man successfully adopting the Germanic role. He even
picks Solly from the class and, after using varying measuring devices, and declares
Solly is authentically Aryan. He says, “The Nordic man is the gem of this earth,”
whose “body is perfect.” I guess he doesn’t include women. Again, we have some
kind of fantasy being projected which is totally not grounded in reality.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghALgWlOsrftrtj-nrYzzq-LtMI8e-Dro3nJDbhjJF0FiP-paZIACFBc03YisELkvBiHeUWB-bEMz9M1jlWarF08tWXZiuIFG3cdWEtHZPNWAKQ-3bg_PFMT0a9zItv6exEfrjASxbttliXXPxAHtdwFR7uWcwOmYsK5LBIGMlMTx28FahNMZJLRc0O4/s1250/EE%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1250" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghALgWlOsrftrtj-nrYzzq-LtMI8e-Dro3nJDbhjJF0FiP-paZIACFBc03YisELkvBiHeUWB-bEMz9M1jlWarF08tWXZiuIFG3cdWEtHZPNWAKQ-3bg_PFMT0a9zItv6exEfrjASxbttliXXPxAHtdwFR7uWcwOmYsK5LBIGMlMTx28FahNMZJLRc0O4/s320/EE%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9dahHITu4Dh8VOh59QaIAgnBvQXufCyLXIizNGbHzMwdfFABTf9B3ZUcBF5o8iiFVuNIvZEUhi2rZLv9FDvBmgTaaK-yTMKuNs6On3nLH663-KJlKRVP2p9cxdbBM3V-X80k2wpjOa18A7yRWlsMBlKPRRpL62W9_VVMY-QRpQ2S5A8dmJsD-gXZpKY/s640/EE%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="640" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9dahHITu4Dh8VOh59QaIAgnBvQXufCyLXIizNGbHzMwdfFABTf9B3ZUcBF5o8iiFVuNIvZEUhi2rZLv9FDvBmgTaaK-yTMKuNs6On3nLH663-KJlKRVP2p9cxdbBM3V-X80k2wpjOa18A7yRWlsMBlKPRRpL62W9_VVMY-QRpQ2S5A8dmJsD-gXZpKY/s320/EE%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Immersed in the Hitler school, Solly waivers in his
earlier resolve to be authentic. He sings a song in praise of Germany’s
supremacy after learning of a defeat to the Russians. He falls for Leni (Julie Delpy,
of the later Richard Linklater “Before …” trilogy). He tries to pull back and
secure his foreskin (and thus recede from his background) so he can have sex
with her and not be discovered. But, he injures his penis and releases the
foreskin. In contrast to this attempt to be assimilated, he can’t make the sign
of the cross when meeting Leni’s mother (Halena Labonarska), and later draws
the Star of David on a soaped-up window before rubbing it off. He fakes a
toothache so he doesn’t have to undress for a physical examination. However, he
must suffer the unanesthetized pulling of the healthy molar, with the scene
looking like a sort of Nazi torture act.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">While making out with Leni he must stop before it goes
too far and he reveals the circumcised penis. When they walk in the woods he
finds a massive gathering of Jewish gravestones that must have been removed
from a Jewish cemetery by the Nazis. Leni says if she saw a Jew she would slit
his throat. She calls Jews lice that must be exterminated. Solly can’t swallow
the indignation this time and slaps her. Outraged, she says no one slaps a
German woman. It isn’t the “woman” part of her declaration that is noteworthy,
it’s the “German” word that is telling, implying her belief in the superiority
of the race. After she runs off, he copies the depiction of the hands on a
grave marker that resembles partly Spock’s “Live long and prosper,” signal,
which Leonard Nimoy derived from his Jewish background. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBiJ--WE56UlrfDajXVcIoRHHZpPCbSDHsgURhCrRZ9B291FdtW7PfFtycVQLZCi4Bh9otut7P6uoOESYxbeXsqWk90ANfrZQA9E-O8Kkt-IirIGiuobfTAuYtFfRrV0V4u13Gmpzq74HEEWDdSAfFvLlCyy112fOoOsJquvODJPicbxY_19AlGTnvyY/s496/europa-europa-9.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="496" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBiJ--WE56UlrfDajXVcIoRHHZpPCbSDHsgURhCrRZ9B291FdtW7PfFtycVQLZCi4Bh9otut7P6uoOESYxbeXsqWk90ANfrZQA9E-O8Kkt-IirIGiuobfTAuYtFfRrV0V4u13Gmpzq74HEEWDdSAfFvLlCyy112fOoOsJquvODJPicbxY_19AlGTnvyY/s320/europa-europa-9.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly has a nightmare where he says he is back home joining
his family at dinner. But he is wearing a Nazi leather coat with the swastika
armband showing how he doesn’t belong. They all leave the room, locking him out
so he can’t join them, depriving him of his true home. When he is allowed to
enter the next room, his sister hides him, like Anne Frank, and Hitler (Ryszard
Pietruski) is there, covering his genitals, because his sister says he must
hide his being a Jew. We again have the double motif, as German and Jewish identities
are blurred. Hitler turns into Robert, and he is shot in front of Solly, as he
relives the horror of war.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly returns to where he lived in Germany to look for
his relatives. He must travel through the Jewish Ghetto there. The trolley he
rides on has soaped-up windows so passengers can’t see the atrocities the
Germans have committed, where children are behind barbed wire fences and bodies
are carried out of the area. He narrates that he traveled through the ghetto
many times because he thought he saw a woman who looked like his mother, but he
never finds her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpJ2L61k2RfEHtLhCVPAUOwZbE8UeytJHmMlKZCao4mPgtSCsRuWSuB3jTrUZUGspLL2TmiwsEZGeX4lniIuhga8102UCoEBKyymvFPEjgAqdDTl7rLHclkvT7yHzstxTETMbvHNzkyORSGg0qDnDBGu1WEXfFruevVLCXmrukby-xNiT8pIX6vAoruo/s720/EE%20-%206.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="720" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpJ2L61k2RfEHtLhCVPAUOwZbE8UeytJHmMlKZCao4mPgtSCsRuWSuB3jTrUZUGspLL2TmiwsEZGeX4lniIuhga8102UCoEBKyymvFPEjgAqdDTl7rLHclkvT7yHzstxTETMbvHNzkyORSGg0qDnDBGu1WEXfFruevVLCXmrukby-xNiT8pIX6vAoruo/s320/EE%20-%206.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaUxl5cecnnDLwMRjomYuQZ6uFZx5C8uZqPr93rAnfRK041TTqDd93LtCN7T15rtYuCHNkns6fgnjT054zIyfArNrcoAw0OtLu5a7M62kJbVqcpGt97IYmU0nTy_knE27DVB7rfFp7lOR4pwKEYn7hb-c1QuosJowhdWmpFFplLd7XBf62utrWzYycS8/s290/EE%20-%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaUxl5cecnnDLwMRjomYuQZ6uFZx5C8uZqPr93rAnfRK041TTqDd93LtCN7T15rtYuCHNkns6fgnjT054zIyfArNrcoAw0OtLu5a7M62kJbVqcpGt97IYmU0nTy_knE27DVB7rfFp7lOR4pwKEYn7hb-c1QuosJowhdWmpFFplLd7XBf62utrWzYycS8/s1600/EE%20-%2015.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Back at the Hitler youth school, he must charge with a
bayonet and stab a dummy that wears the Jewish Star of David. His attempts are
feeble, and he is reprimanded by the instructor. He goes to see Leni, but she
is away. Her mother is upset by her daughter’s enraptured devotion to Hitler.
She became pregnant to have a child for the Fuhrer. But the mother has Italian
blood on her side, so the child may not be pure Aryan. So, Leni plans to offer
her child to Hitler. This act sounds like a pagan ritual sacrifice. Her mother
says to Solly she doesn’t understand her daughter, who it is suggested has a
cult-like attachment to the Nazi cause. Solly guesses that the father of the baby
is his roommate at the school, Gerd (Ashley Wanninger). The mother knows that Solly
would not have sex with Leni and wants to know the truth. He needs someone to
confess to, and he tells her he is Jewish. She says she thought so, and, like
the other women in the story, feels drawn to the boy, and promises not to
reveal his secret.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly’s Certificate of Racial Purity (as if there is
such a way to prove this fact, and which would probably require in-breeding),
is not among Solly’s records. The commander says he will request it. Solly
learns that Hitler has a “miracle weapon” that will be ready for use. The
atomic bomb? Just as he thinks he no longer can hide who he is, the building Solly
just left is bombed, and the commander is killed. It’s as if divine
intervention occurs again to save Solly, but there is collateral damage once
more. Gerd is killed in the attack. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fJ-pIsJQdBrrfAlxx2ULuSKreJ4QHCqaerXCIKzZCmPmdStGMR6gBdNbVNVN-xFWTKcRA2Sddx8-YKQ6rLNYm8HNGv2P9bJyF8u0XAry3cZAE1Jx1oUut0yxqnqQ16R7dcBZJ1vW0f3WJCn4Zo40CEYPF8THTo5tlPxpr7RvCP81mC43b12nq5PmIlk/s2400/EE%20-%208.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fJ-pIsJQdBrrfAlxx2ULuSKreJ4QHCqaerXCIKzZCmPmdStGMR6gBdNbVNVN-xFWTKcRA2Sddx8-YKQ6rLNYm8HNGv2P9bJyF8u0XAry3cZAE1Jx1oUut0yxqnqQ16R7dcBZJ1vW0f3WJCn4Zo40CEYPF8THTo5tlPxpr7RvCP81mC43b12nq5PmIlk/s320/EE%20-%208.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrm-_w0CgLVSiVF0TM6IKON7quP_epd1CswfLy31vsCcHTPN-uuGFDXStlIRutkuxkQH6Udx3YqhfePFv04VlBvc9Kb6nnhrK5Ik-wUIaH2WwdzPorkr5l-gBh9DMG4ZnogVcNYp3vaBr60T1O8OlAemCncdoyRKpbFou0EDEEfLlrkPnscBITTf6wdw/s640/EE%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="640" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrm-_w0CgLVSiVF0TM6IKON7quP_epd1CswfLy31vsCcHTPN-uuGFDXStlIRutkuxkQH6Udx3YqhfePFv04VlBvc9Kb6nnhrK5Ik-wUIaH2WwdzPorkr5l-gBh9DMG4ZnogVcNYp3vaBr60T1O8OlAemCncdoyRKpbFou0EDEEfLlrkPnscBITTf6wdw/s320/EE%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7RGUKiQ5PimEy7o5XVJkc779hY26mjr-fkaKM-mn3z0uG5WwzfxVRhQcGuhV2eNXhYbgy0kRsO6IcPZ7fnZqnbPuhaJNg_aXDpBjYMW23Q3EXk_-ETQSuoW7A7hI3_quAVqcxi1Co807AyzlQ6Id1PGD-v_cHEJ8-9_5FwTGg22w8kWbv-tYKMGLivI/s304/EE%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="304" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7RGUKiQ5PimEy7o5XVJkc779hY26mjr-fkaKM-mn3z0uG5WwzfxVRhQcGuhV2eNXhYbgy0kRsO6IcPZ7fnZqnbPuhaJNg_aXDpBjYMW23Q3EXk_-ETQSuoW7A7hI3_quAVqcxi1Co807AyzlQ6Id1PGD-v_cHEJ8-9_5FwTGg22w8kWbv-tYKMGLivI/s1600/EE%20-%204.jpg" width="304" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Hitler school students are sent to fight the
Russians, but Solly can’t pull the trigger to shoot anyone. He runs off and surrenders
to the Russians, claiming he is not a Nazi, but is Jewish. They do not believe
him, as they show him pictures of those killed in concentration camps, and
Solly would have been one of them. He says he didn’t know, and he is like other
Germans who said they did not know of places like Auschwitz. The irony here is
that when Solly finally feels he can embrace his Jewish identity, he is to be
shot by a liberated inmate of a camp, which would mean a Jew killing another
Jew. Solly’s brother, Isaac, from whom he was separated, and is a freed inmate,
recognizes him and joyously and emotionally saves him.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Solly feels guilty since he learns his father and
mother died in the ghetto and his brother was in a concentration camp while
Solly was shouting, “Heil Hitler,” and courting the Nazi Leni. Solly narrates
that he went all in concerning his heritage after reuniting with his brother.
He went to live in Palestine, which later became the Jewish state of Israel,
had boys who were circumcised, and lived openly as a Jew from that point
forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>The
Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.</i></span></span>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-59232652450779840872023-08-15T15:24:00.000-04:002023-08-15T15:24:01.416-04:00The Dark Knight<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWgKU2-WI5laCsS13yYXJ3sulRjdKnIlKv9ndNr_ICBCHF6gjxXpaooQWskBcMROYIdX6iLsFO--S-p5iCzw1FlBErPh5UDGRRZgAgQWfFEqOe7uTU1GcnaHl9TgEESSfycZNMR4k3TJSaS8AKQSYs75uk0z0AvaaYbnDAwLCQv-MnSwKOBzdq7kF6Hw/s1080/TDK%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWgKU2-WI5laCsS13yYXJ3sulRjdKnIlKv9ndNr_ICBCHF6gjxXpaooQWskBcMROYIdX6iLsFO--S-p5iCzw1FlBErPh5UDGRRZgAgQWfFEqOe7uTU1GcnaHl9TgEESSfycZNMR4k3TJSaS8AKQSYs75uk0z0AvaaYbnDAwLCQv-MnSwKOBzdq7kF6Hw/s320/TDK%20-%201.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Before analyzing the next film, I’m following up one
Christopher Nolan film, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Prestige</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, with a brief discussion of the
characters in another movie of his, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Dark Knight </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(2008)</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">. </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">This
post springs from a viewing and class focusing on the second story in the Nolan
trilogy recently held at the Bryn Marw Film Institute.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_9acCLtlIWHx4wG-EJlWYEe_TnyoeKRamWTSOsG9HeU_hAZZ_Kb-Ve2u9AkxFK1SNQ7n7zhJQEWpRCA4GzaxfhdGliXPeKa_c1sjXcU8yW21WagW_ls2R6lLZuNdwXtX_CMwalRXSTri_iz6TvqzYYg_ao2O9WL0m4kqVXutC-bNyKUI_yoHU9hioRQ/s1920/the-dark-knight-2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_9acCLtlIWHx4wG-EJlWYEe_TnyoeKRamWTSOsG9HeU_hAZZ_Kb-Ve2u9AkxFK1SNQ7n7zhJQEWpRCA4GzaxfhdGliXPeKa_c1sjXcU8yW21WagW_ls2R6lLZuNdwXtX_CMwalRXSTri_iz6TvqzYYg_ao2O9WL0m4kqVXutC-bNyKUI_yoHU9hioRQ/s320/the-dark-knight-2.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The punning title reminds us that Batman is, like the
animal he has adopted as his persona, a creature of the night, but a person who
wants to champion good over evil. However, as the Joker asks, is he also the
catalyst that brings about dangerous side-effects? Vigilantes mimic him and are
harmed, and one is killed. Batman (Christian Bale) bypasses the justice system
by doing unlawful acts, as he unlawfully kidnaps the Asian banker, Lau (Chin
Han), and beats up Joker in custody (even if we applaud it. What does that say
about us?). He taps into everybody’s cell phone in Gotham to find out Joker’s
location. He tampers with crime scenes, not sharing his technology with the
police to analyze evidence. Do the ends always justify the means?</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm63AGm8EKfUvGM6-94eFKOR3_XcvqB47KZ8TjBTb4yJrSLtE4vM1eh_TVr9BfKUSaus6_p6J5rHAC-ev66kmxZguz7D8hTwDjwK2MvzuA-L1N8bY6nm1VpRyMJAPkkVNul4KgOne8Aaz3dDK23q8Zpjlt_UwEDs2R2rTWJRT7zrxj55GlhbZhFJWeOs/s500/TDK%20-%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm63AGm8EKfUvGM6-94eFKOR3_XcvqB47KZ8TjBTb4yJrSLtE4vM1eh_TVr9BfKUSaus6_p6J5rHAC-ev66kmxZguz7D8hTwDjwK2MvzuA-L1N8bY6nm1VpRyMJAPkkVNul4KgOne8Aaz3dDK23q8Zpjlt_UwEDs2R2rTWJRT7zrxj55GlhbZhFJWeOs/s320/TDK%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrrzzRHG7BAzJbc3pG1reKJv-qtskZRPxUKLld0sH0lXClhFmqZJIs_nd4Ns44dQbsv03cyUWmBSss_082IqbxZEjVqrkmXdyFPKKyW3NUK5s7TnsVmRmlM052fmrhxW9cNeMeuVZu-lesemwcns56EPXqwRZtvqOdfaq8g8vNHSM4XLzBcyzE4n5AlQ/s640/TDK%20-%206.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrrzzRHG7BAzJbc3pG1reKJv-qtskZRPxUKLld0sH0lXClhFmqZJIs_nd4Ns44dQbsv03cyUWmBSss_082IqbxZEjVqrkmXdyFPKKyW3NUK5s7TnsVmRmlM052fmrhxW9cNeMeuVZu-lesemwcns56EPXqwRZtvqOdfaq8g8vNHSM4XLzBcyzE4n5AlQ/s320/TDK%20-%206.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) was called Two-Face
because he worked for internal affairs at one point, investigating criminality
in the police department. So, cops considered him to be a policeman but also a
traitor. Bruce Wayne, Batman’s legitimate front man (is he really the disguise
and Batman the true version of Wayne?) sees Harvey as a way to get out of the
vigilante business. Harvey appears through most of the story as a white knight,
a hero not needing a mask, whose goodness is uncompromised, who fights crime
through legal channels, and has won over Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Bruce’s
love. In a way, Harvey is Bruce’s legitimate surrogate, who Bruce wishes he
could be, who deserves to get the girl. Bruce hopes that if he no longer must
be Batman, then he can go legit, and win back Rachel. But Joker will have none
of that. He wants to keep Batman in the game to expose his true identity behind
the mask. Symbolically it also means revealing Batman’s darker tendencies can’t
be separated from the supposedly legitimate person wearing the costume. When Harvey
literally becomes two-faced after the explosion, it reveals how the dark side
of his personality can take over as it can for anyone who sees the world’s
rules as unjust. In his own way Harvey becomes a vigilante to avenge the corruption
that led to the murder of Rachel. As our instructor pointed out, Batman and
Joker wage their war over Harvey’s soul. Joker wants to show that everyone’s
nature, once stripped away from the socially acceptable façade, is destructive.
In the end, Joker wins when it comes to Harvey.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwEya2p_scTC-sNWFKhhFzngqu6qdierUKIDmi9bgcVp_uxIIXhpONNpzQZjJHVC-TSXGH8vWzf7AIQSzRhbyv9r8BjPrTOatkAX6hGsDKDbFcCH5A7BLcLHKTrHm5oIsY0URKb8dwSMkrLN5vjdnznqlaUVV-rk8jR3Pw_trdTpXafEfjGzyGIsLoLk/s1295/the-dark-knight-3.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwEya2p_scTC-sNWFKhhFzngqu6qdierUKIDmi9bgcVp_uxIIXhpONNpzQZjJHVC-TSXGH8vWzf7AIQSzRhbyv9r8BjPrTOatkAX6hGsDKDbFcCH5A7BLcLHKTrHm5oIsY0URKb8dwSMkrLN5vjdnznqlaUVV-rk8jR3Pw_trdTpXafEfjGzyGIsLoLk/s320/the-dark-knight-3.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The most interesting character is, of course, Joker,
played perfectly by the late Heath Ledger in a supporting Oscar-winning
performance. Joker tells the defaced Harvey that he is a true outlaw. He is not
a schemer, a planner, like the other leaders of society. He is chaos, which he
sees as the natural state of humankind.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">As Alfred (Michael Caine) says to Bruce, there are some people “who just
want to see the world burn.” Joker crafts situations where people must act on
their selfish, anti-social drives. For example, after he infiltrates a
criminal’s organization (that criminals should organize is a joke to the
Joker), he breaks a pool stick so that two of the crooks must use the
splintered weapon to fight to the death to survive and join his gang. Of
course, as is shown by the opening scene, survival is not guaranteed if one
joins the Joker, whose associates are mostly anti-social misfits. He shows
Batman that he can’t save Rachel, that his heroic efforts will not triumph.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Z1g92xXGiZVu6AcFjyEP_DS4xlkLtRvuvPrDPF7-qPcCIvfm-MaMprhmskGWG-bgCiBC6MnsqVXAqCPm8IbsyXpSriXRvDIRQhaEYZ4f777IBUNH5o0xs-arAvaxNL40cOkIza7-2aV1j9L8rWVwh6d5JBM-hsQzhsBPKTTcHx-RmQzN91X2UTKx4QY/s320/TDK%20-%207.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Z1g92xXGiZVu6AcFjyEP_DS4xlkLtRvuvPrDPF7-qPcCIvfm-MaMprhmskGWG-bgCiBC6MnsqVXAqCPm8IbsyXpSriXRvDIRQhaEYZ4f777IBUNH5o0xs-arAvaxNL40cOkIza7-2aV1j9L8rWVwh6d5JBM-hsQzhsBPKTTcHx-RmQzN91X2UTKx4QY/s1600/TDK%20-%207.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Baraar_QG8_2PPf-sQtlpRpFx_sD9nhi_ZucufYENwJvzXOxw2KWeQufbONuecdqF1vzBkjf02z-hEuooHijCAxkdt3arbgKAnLxqU2XnFqSPuiTHoFYVYU2iyeKcDqvewjhsbFks9cH-jcGagFZ1PKGXeL_rbKlP6Q1OTg_ryTZHLWrfzk3ZWVdOPo/s764/TDK%20-%2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Baraar_QG8_2PPf-sQtlpRpFx_sD9nhi_ZucufYENwJvzXOxw2KWeQufbONuecdqF1vzBkjf02z-hEuooHijCAxkdt3arbgKAnLxqU2XnFqSPuiTHoFYVYU2iyeKcDqvewjhsbFks9cH-jcGagFZ1PKGXeL_rbKlP6Q1OTg_ryTZHLWrfzk3ZWVdOPo/s320/TDK%20-%2000.jpg" width="251" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Writer/director Nolan gives us several images that
show how Joker subverts what we consider is worthwhile about society. Joker
uses school buses to transport his band of criminals, which contrasts the
innocence of children with the depravity of criminals. Joker and his band of
outlaws dress up as policemen and use police cars, showing that those who we
think can protect us can’t. Indeed, he kidnaps Rachel and Harvey with the help
of corrupt cops. To divert the police caravan to the underground road, he sets
on fire a fire engine to block the planned (that word again) passage. The
vehicle that is meant to protect us from flames is negated by being consumed by
them. (Observe how the police escort goes underground, the place where, for the
Joker, we all genuinely belong, in the selfish id of our personalities). Joker
masquerades as a nurse at the hospital where Harvey is a patient. Nurses are
supposed to care for others, but Joker does not even leave angels of mercy
unsoiled. He blows up the hospital, showing how pointless it is to seek
sanctuary anywhere. Even Joker’s makeup in this film is nightmarish. He looks
like a demon from hell, not the happy clown that is meant to make children
laugh. When Batman captures Joker at the end, the criminal hangs upside down,
showing how he is in opposition to society, But the camera rotates the shot, and
he becomes right-side up. The suggestion is that, like in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Stranger Things</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,
the upside-down, the darker side of reality, can become the norm.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is hope toward the end of the film. As one
student insightfully pointed out, those individuals on the ferries do not give
into selfishness and refuse to destroy passengers on the other boat to save
themselves. Even the transported criminals on one craft do the right thing,
indicating that redemption is possible. These are unsung heroes, who have no
names, do not have fancy technology, or Ninja skills. Yet, they upstage the
high-profile crimefighters, Batman, the police commissioner, and the mayor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D4ITnH_AdddurD2tsvNGyvpCu_fP19FpKkpxaSVnxnAPjZI0NQzbOMkEahFU-6s0tmXzbNLWxYT041r5AXgH975iTB0HQifMLXfGH5vQQZtUh-y-QNhhkbSgQxz4EhB_dcaczNqhdXJ67oTMeZ8JNE2BgM7v4hcq6p4Stz3ktpht2wUueXAo6DL_xO8/s451/TDK%20-%204.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="451" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D4ITnH_AdddurD2tsvNGyvpCu_fP19FpKkpxaSVnxnAPjZI0NQzbOMkEahFU-6s0tmXzbNLWxYT041r5AXgH975iTB0HQifMLXfGH5vQQZtUh-y-QNhhkbSgQxz4EhB_dcaczNqhdXJ67oTMeZ8JNE2BgM7v4hcq6p4Stz3ktpht2wUueXAo6DL_xO8/s320/TDK%20-%204.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">However, the darkened character of Harvey Dent
threatens any hope of saving Gotham. Batman and Gordon (Gary Oldman) decide
that Harvey’s character must remain untarnished, and that Batman must shoulder
the sins of others, Christ-like, to save the soul of the city. In other words,
they determine that, ironically, salvation should rely on a lie.</span></span><p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Europa,
Europa.</i></span></span>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-2655247026451318692023-07-30T13:28:00.000-04:002023-07-30T13:28:15.493-04:00The Prestige<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-bwfD3bFRr0qYYzcP3q5lU600xwSQRDrfHgsKGlJVhkx5PilPC33T_KxASz5lEAWufMcYWYxSGOl5Dkt87eQY5ZeEzR84rvbvcL2KgZCqGY3aBW5x-vFV1lVZTm1hNRltZch_mEzh_w8vZGt7MfpXy1OvIfOgbTM-j1rp4VazsipDa-iKIHOvU1DB_o/s1000/TP%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="702" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-bwfD3bFRr0qYYzcP3q5lU600xwSQRDrfHgsKGlJVhkx5PilPC33T_KxASz5lEAWufMcYWYxSGOl5Dkt87eQY5ZeEzR84rvbvcL2KgZCqGY3aBW5x-vFV1lVZTm1hNRltZch_mEzh_w8vZGt7MfpXy1OvIfOgbTM-j1rp4VazsipDa-iKIHOvU1DB_o/s320/TP%20-%201.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Director/writer Christopher Nolan has given us complex
films (</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Memento</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Inception</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Interstellar</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">). Here he</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">uses
the story of competing magicians in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Prestige</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> (2006)</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">to
explore what defines one’s identity. He also uses the performers as a
metaphorical vehicle to explore the magic of filmmaking, which is also an
illusory art, and how far some may go to succeed in the creative process to achieve
recognition, or “prestige.”</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gDo9cqnDnvBuhYXni0rqAVjn2dg8g_pUfQUwxBjgeWPEU2qySW0Cri4SLhOQiSNUupgUO0tqkzNsCbYJBmb8IPmKbFsZkCRK62vNNHCd5jdSJt-KtWRgoikXwPwEgr2XHs8E826b1YK1yw13qo21jlFUfU0v9ASUM0PYonarfnIbj_8S0UdTS0JawQY/s500/TP%20-%2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="500" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gDo9cqnDnvBuhYXni0rqAVjn2dg8g_pUfQUwxBjgeWPEU2qySW0Cri4SLhOQiSNUupgUO0tqkzNsCbYJBmb8IPmKbFsZkCRK62vNNHCd5jdSJt-KtWRgoikXwPwEgr2XHs8E826b1YK1yw13qo21jlFUfU0v9ASUM0PYonarfnIbj_8S0UdTS0JawQY/s320/TP%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The story takes place in 19</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> century
England and begins with Cutter (Michael Caine) doing a voice-over that
describes the three parts of a magic trick. The “pledge” introduces something
ordinary. In Nolan’s case, where nothing is ordinary, he presents some
intriguing events that will be explored later but for now sets us up for what
is happening in the present. The “pledge” is followed by the “turn,” which is a
special action, like making something disappear. Cutter says the audience wants
to know how the magician did that exceptional move, but “You don’t really want
to know. You want to be fooled.” Cutter is talking about the willing suspension
of disbelief, which is necessary to buy into stories, and which the filmmaker
depends upon. The third part of the trick is the “prestige,” which, through a
surprising act uses the “magic” to return things to the way they were before
the start of the trick.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEEbAuVAgfFO1cT4_lKPNpv3MCUgLxBqFaqQwZxrYxzfUQPB9LMTttjCOsxJCPL_ZQtyPEJ6DwpxwvtHZKVOIoBSlnCO7swWbhjp633jTpiXmfZrwfpIz1iyy-NwOzJRVzbF6aW0Iip-asVnKe5fufEdhhIIWJU0e0NARIPV74CQ197oEznpp_lzeQIA/s1024/The-Prestige-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtEEbAuVAgfFO1cT4_lKPNpv3MCUgLxBqFaqQwZxrYxzfUQPB9LMTttjCOsxJCPL_ZQtyPEJ6DwpxwvtHZKVOIoBSlnCO7swWbhjp633jTpiXmfZrwfpIz1iyy-NwOzJRVzbF6aW0Iip-asVnKe5fufEdhhIIWJU0e0NARIPV74CQ197oEznpp_lzeQIA/s320/The-Prestige-19.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaBIEoNqLv5tWC7SI0tATp3tw2KGWG2H-rtzz0GnuFldkOlYzectdeWvDIF6pL58EymDwBC8LE9AW9KIJbJtFRzqiyu9KFS1HiYQ2K_ltNFmcBxAiu8HIxaQdzwPsQOinu4cA_qxU3cOqSfBjgnEJbqAfG8hMx10b2mbGHHOm9bsmmpXoEAXZXTuo0B8/s1024/the-prestige-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="1024" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaBIEoNqLv5tWC7SI0tATp3tw2KGWG2H-rtzz0GnuFldkOlYzectdeWvDIF6pL58EymDwBC8LE9AW9KIJbJtFRzqiyu9KFS1HiYQ2K_ltNFmcBxAiu8HIxaQdzwPsQOinu4cA_qxU3cOqSfBjgnEJbqAfG8hMx10b2mbGHHOm9bsmmpXoEAXZXTuo0B8/s320/the-prestige-15.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYurg5h6ZSnz2ubsyJeuLCW7a6ynveJFo624ZjCRfo8ae4WHulViPYPwOcM26_C2yEfZEppwPJV0RSU9tAD_S-5DhOEhZg1Reyi7ifZvTUQkKm0Z2UBwPipasUgYhR5YV17IntHbeZ1ZL3yE82dMXYOjbKcpOorEj-d8gn1lW2eYrY9uMR4G4XmU0BfE/s800/TP%20-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="800" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYurg5h6ZSnz2ubsyJeuLCW7a6ynveJFo624ZjCRfo8ae4WHulViPYPwOcM26_C2yEfZEppwPJV0RSU9tAD_S-5DhOEhZg1Reyi7ifZvTUQkKm0Z2UBwPipasUgYhR5YV17IntHbeZ1ZL3yE82dMXYOjbKcpOorEj-d8gn1lW2eYrY9uMR4G4XmU0BfE/s320/TP%20-23.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Nolan actually subverts these parts. His opening gives
us intriguing shots he will expand upon later to lead us up to the present,
which is one of three timelines in the film. The first image is of something
common, a top hat, but there is a field filled with them, making it unusual. As
Cutter speaks he is telling the parts of a trick to a little girl, Jess (Samantha
Mahurin), which we later discover is the child of magician Alfred Borden (Christian
Bale), and this scene will reappear at the end of the movie. There are shots of
the other magician, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) performing his transporter
trick on stage amid electrical discharges from a machine. There is a worker
there who is blind – a clue. He drops through a trapdoor into a tank of water
which the astounded Borden witnesses.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Nolan then transports us to a courtroom where Borden
is on trial for the murder of Angier. The depiction of current events is the
first timeline. Cutter, Angier’s magic trick engineer, is testifying, saying
Borden placed the tank under the trapdoor to drown his competitor. Cutter is
not willing to reveal the details of the “transported man” trick Angier was performing
at the time of his death since it is very sought after and knowledge of the
trick would render the act worthless. He reveals to the judge in private that a
“wizard” invented the electrical machine which was not an illusion, but did
what it appeared to do. This statement is a half-truth, as we discover, and
fits in with the theme of illusion versus reality in the story. He tells the judge
that magicians dress up “plain” and “sometimes brutal truths.” Like most
artists, they present truth clothed in fiction. He says that the water tank joined
the two men in an awful way, which we later learn. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SxErguEYIWO0ZSCkIx2Ck0bwU9gTR3Ad-GPHYtKW6oGlLqnTqTjVDnilQxfHPLUh57T2BL5goZmEtKvkYVXh19U7YOKWvRRxMm1S8634xeG5NecKlNLU-ZYONp85AwwKuuw7iWdeBbQwETaXGreukDFZhYW6cIIsaeFBst3xn3x762kskZSGLJPC1PU/s433/TP%20-%2022.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SxErguEYIWO0ZSCkIx2Ck0bwU9gTR3Ad-GPHYtKW6oGlLqnTqTjVDnilQxfHPLUh57T2BL5goZmEtKvkYVXh19U7YOKWvRRxMm1S8634xeG5NecKlNLU-ZYONp85AwwKuuw7iWdeBbQwETaXGreukDFZhYW6cIIsaeFBst3xn3x762kskZSGLJPC1PU/s320/TP%20-%2022.webp" width="310" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUzNkIWLJW1ZijhJyAaOSR53TWkbjfQJZdZ13Z2YvwWGKxBuiyrQn_Ate4p5PdE_TfXTxUAEN9d0-DMuKPrlMaYkXtz97gtrlnWjUViXNvEizNaQa1g02uf3An86OnYS-hsZd7BgL7jxIPkp-3vIa8mS0D3CoBXvBCDGnJ6dMS96rlR1PXlwwprZWA-8/s600/TP%20-%2018.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUzNkIWLJW1ZijhJyAaOSR53TWkbjfQJZdZ13Z2YvwWGKxBuiyrQn_Ate4p5PdE_TfXTxUAEN9d0-DMuKPrlMaYkXtz97gtrlnWjUViXNvEizNaQa1g02uf3An86OnYS-hsZd7BgL7jxIPkp-3vIa8mS0D3CoBXvBCDGnJ6dMS96rlR1PXlwwprZWA-8/s320/TP%20-%2018.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Owens (Roger Rees), a lawyer, visits Borden in jail. He
says he represents Lord Caldlow who wants to buy Borden’s version of the
“transported man,” and has already purchased all of Angier’s belongings. Borden
refuses, and Owens uses Jess’s fate as leverage, saying Caldlow will intervene
to save her from becoming an orphan in a workhouse. He also gives Borden
Angier’s diary which relates his attempt to find out about Borden’s
transporting trick. Later, Fallon, Borden’s engineer, nods his confirmation
that the state will put Jess in an orphan work program after Borden is hanged.
Borden tells Fallon to get in touch with the lawyer, Owens, that he has
reconsidered selling him his transported man trick. He hasn’t lost his skill
despite the finger loss as he fools a nasty guard by securing the man in a leg
chain.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The contents of the diary are the second timeline in
the film. The diary tells of Angier trying to decode Borden’s notebook (we
later learn how he acquired it), which needs a five-letter encrypted word reveal
Borden’s illusions. Angier travels to Colorado to meet the now-renowned Tesla
(David Bowie) who Angier believes helped Borden do his famous trick. (Angier is
limping, and we learn of the injury further on. He also wears a hat like those
in the first shot. More of Nolan’s teasers). Angier is already a known magician
under the name The Great Danton. The question of what is one’s true identity
enters here, as we see later that disguises are used in various ways to trick
others, and of course the audience, which is part of showmanship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyuZj4zsLQV6cDf1qd6V1YCnSdM4buocQ5gnuiUXLP75c-7S6THSaO8AINBqdq4MoQyEahoT2XDDCo5ztUJ6OyJi_qo8QQ6rO0u9EyJkGZoR_s2QFKfdfqjZX2Cyu0G0kPtGsfWI_dZCE0ebBvvnFFDl5eh8jQ5jSdGemuPaOkS7D8TMsutjCL7At_LM/s780/TP%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="780" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyuZj4zsLQV6cDf1qd6V1YCnSdM4buocQ5gnuiUXLP75c-7S6THSaO8AINBqdq4MoQyEahoT2XDDCo5ztUJ6OyJi_qo8QQ6rO0u9EyJkGZoR_s2QFKfdfqjZX2Cyu0G0kPtGsfWI_dZCE0ebBvvnFFDl5eh8jQ5jSdGemuPaOkS7D8TMsutjCL7At_LM/s320/TP%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As Angier reads Borden’s notebook (which is a story
within a story), the movie presents the third timeline. It relates how Angier
and Borden in the past worked for magician Milton (Ricky Jay), along with
Cutter. Angier and Borden pretended to be members of the audience and tied the
wrists and feet of Julia (Piper Parabo) in a water-escape trick (we have an
echo here of Angier drowning in the water tank in the first montage). Angier
kisses Julia’s leg while he puts rope around it, and Cutter divulges their
relationship when he says Angier could be seen kissing his “wife.” Borden
complains that Milton’s act is boring, and he thinks there should be more risky
tricks like the bullet-catching bit. Cutter says that an audience member could
substitute a button instead of the blank and kill someone. He also warns Borden
about the type of knot that Borden uses on Julia’s wrists, which may look
better but is difficult to slip off. (There is a foreshadowing here).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7dzG2rj7nYiaZJ1Yoi-wqZoX7YMmSQAvE0Ba7ZvsL9VFzvhitmX0IvDervkGwoVcB8YcCfx-NhHQXZTVSqDmUNNnwU3aTXkJ5Ml9wuJk9GZ1ANxYYz8tXc6QcikZJ5ZlI0ritjKClVW1OCq2Rsz6Y2qSl1rfJKcE-Iex_c2j_XEd2svu95Cee5kBejs/s630/TP%20-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="630" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7dzG2rj7nYiaZJ1Yoi-wqZoX7YMmSQAvE0Ba7ZvsL9VFzvhitmX0IvDervkGwoVcB8YcCfx-NhHQXZTVSqDmUNNnwU3aTXkJ5Ml9wuJk9GZ1ANxYYz8tXc6QcikZJ5ZlI0ritjKClVW1OCq2Rsz6Y2qSl1rfJKcE-Iex_c2j_XEd2svu95Cee5kBejs/s320/TP%20-26.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cutter tests the men’s magical insight by sending them
to see a Chinese magician make a large fishbowl with water and a fish appear
from behind a scarf. Borden says the magician held it between his legs under
his robes. He walks in a halting manner in real life to hide his deception.
Again, what appears on the surface is not a true picture. Borden says the real
trick is his daily performance, pretending to be handicapped. It is the Chinese
magician’s devotion to his craft that Borden admires. Nolan could be saying the
same about any artist committed to his craft.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier can barely hold the fishbowl without water, and
marvels as to how the Chinese magician lives his act, pretending to be a
cripple. Angier has his own secret, which we get a hint of when he says he uses
a fake name so his family will not know he is trying to be an entertainer. The
implication is that he comes from a prestigious family who would not cherish
him trying to earn a magician’s prestige. The film stresses deception in art
and in life, and how they merge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Borden reads in Angier’s diary about how Borden requires
self-sacrifice in magic and comments about how Borden doesn’t understand that
extreme level of sacrifice that he has undergone. We see Angier looking at a
cameo of Julia when we hear these words. (Of course, Borden can’t see this fact
by reading. It takes Nolan to manifest the narrative visually). The story
eventually shows us why Angier speaks of personal loss.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a scene where Milton takes the ordinary, a
bird in a cage, and slams down on it while it is covered with a drape. The cage
disappears (the “turn”). He then supposedly brings back the bird from under a
handkerchief (the “prestige”). A boy in the audience cries, perceiving that the
original bird was killed and another took its place. His insight is confirmed
by Borden disposing of the dead bird in the collapsed cage hidden in the table,
while other birds in the back room await their fate. We have here a foreshadowing
of Angier’s ultimate trick (which was implied by the opening scene of the film
showing the numerous hats). Borden later tells the boy that “the secret
impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything.” The suggestion is the
way one uses the mystery is what’s important. Again, the same can be said of
filmmaking. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2L7e0pYTwpKYYDMPrdyqgrJqje556WLpP_jR1h-b974YgsbrXn7Na8y77bfbPAv3bc9SUpTLB2HOuWhP2HFpQvmoAhgmMb2e4BrhB4VcwDrpjWcDzIKxUAI7vghCRFZGxzWbygEDbYAUuEhmkRrZk_fHg-gpFoClzRwLUEFOy0IP6s5M1hPx0-nll7qc/s1024/TP%20-%2011.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2L7e0pYTwpKYYDMPrdyqgrJqje556WLpP_jR1h-b974YgsbrXn7Na8y77bfbPAv3bc9SUpTLB2HOuWhP2HFpQvmoAhgmMb2e4BrhB4VcwDrpjWcDzIKxUAI7vghCRFZGxzWbygEDbYAUuEhmkRrZk_fHg-gpFoClzRwLUEFOy0IP6s5M1hPx0-nll7qc/s320/TP%20-%2011.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Borden and the boy’s aunt, Sarah (Rebecca Hill), begin
a relationship (which eventually mirrors to some degree that of Angier and Julia,
as the story revolves around itself). When he walks her home, she says she
can’t invite him in just then. He seems to leave, but then is inside her place
asking her about what she wants in her tea. Is he that good a magician, doing
his transporting man trick, or is there something else going on?</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa8US_pXwyyi6nFMHrBNRN3aAID_gF-I2bmNuIJiNwxUgkRNVWhsigCabSgpjmpZj-sYjeX4qwwoMOOLbbXeDEiOPgFWpOqaGcTXaGyo4SsTi2k43A7hdjO9BH7dBg77kzAvKzCQR9c5ZE82ABO4PibQx3e9PPMCWkd2SyIzHT87StG6kBJdDi498ZAg/s2048/The-Prestige-7.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="2048" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa8US_pXwyyi6nFMHrBNRN3aAID_gF-I2bmNuIJiNwxUgkRNVWhsigCabSgpjmpZj-sYjeX4qwwoMOOLbbXeDEiOPgFWpOqaGcTXaGyo4SsTi2k43A7hdjO9BH7dBg77kzAvKzCQR9c5ZE82ABO4PibQx3e9PPMCWkd2SyIzHT87StG6kBJdDi498ZAg/s320/The-Prestige-7.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the next performance of the water tank escape,
Julia gives Borden a nod and he proceeds with tying the rope around her wrists.
However, she can’t slip the bonds and she drowns. The implication is that one
can go too far in one’s passion and the result is collateral damage to others. The
personal loss Angier noted in his diary is obvious now, and he becomes
devastated and full of wrath because of Julia’s death. Borden infuriates Angier
even more by saying he doesn’t know which type of knot he used.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">With the death of Julia, Milton’s career is over, Borden
and Angier go off to establish their own careers. Sarah meets the bearded and
bespectacled Fallon. Sarah informs Borden that she is going to have a baby. He
says he loves her, but she says, “not today.” She explains that “maybe today
you’re more in love with magic.” Sarah seems okay with sharing Borden with his
other passion, at least for now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmQPCFO5V9v9Gh4_KYvSuUkvXpPvn0zGzjNNgO574CxRhYajSKHbDlWnv0MR6RNHhCtUsQMzWd9ra6buLN3n4IYhxfoPJFLpqXNn_16ANX8viAnM6KnSQ72-YwR_Hz8T_5bsBHBnBF9Gq5_8AlXMYtVLoE69A36837o6MriHRHaFf0mfZ8LQDpPxFbro/s602/TP%20-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="602" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmQPCFO5V9v9Gh4_KYvSuUkvXpPvn0zGzjNNgO574CxRhYajSKHbDlWnv0MR6RNHhCtUsQMzWd9ra6buLN3n4IYhxfoPJFLpqXNn_16ANX8viAnM6KnSQ72-YwR_Hz8T_5bsBHBnBF9Gq5_8AlXMYtVLoE69A36837o6MriHRHaFf0mfZ8LQDpPxFbro/s320/TP%20-24.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angier continues to read Borden’s notebook. He relates
performing in front of a disapproving crowd. Although Borden has great tricks,
he is not a showman and does not wrap the magic in an intriguing way. He gains
the audience’s attention by starting the bullet-catching trick. Angier shows up
in disguise and volunteers to be the shooter. He adds his own round of
ammunition to the pistol and demands to know what knot did Borden tie around Julia’s
hands. Again, Borden says he doesn’t know. Angier fires the pistol and maims
Borden, blowing off the ends of two fingers. Borden’s words reiterate that he
agonizes over what knot he tied. Angier is outraged that Borden could not know,
since the man was an accomplished magician. The suggestion is that Borden may
be working on an unconscious level at times, not sure what is real and what is
an illusion, since his magic is so real to him because he lives it, like the
Chinese magician.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G2mM_3ypiiTeA_II4nEFJGtrBEVMJPWg9wFIhYD9O4tzjemLktqFJ18wgOm4n59kPBUZluSfk6O6IETrihO8BW9wpvgvUb9XOclhmfTwd8dxjSVC8i37s0rLu427JJIfJ4FaJ2pmxs9V5ejVoVXCw-0v5exw7RiZoe_FxYldtPd7Bcb3BOMGQBIvDV8/s1200/The_Prestige%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G2mM_3ypiiTeA_II4nEFJGtrBEVMJPWg9wFIhYD9O4tzjemLktqFJ18wgOm4n59kPBUZluSfk6O6IETrihO8BW9wpvgvUb9XOclhmfTwd8dxjSVC8i37s0rLu427JJIfJ4FaJ2pmxs9V5ejVoVXCw-0v5exw7RiZoe_FxYldtPd7Bcb3BOMGQBIvDV8/s320/The_Prestige%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angier’s diary recounts how he hooked up with Cutter
who couldn’t find work after Julia’s death. They also hired an attractive
assistant, Olivia (Scarlett Johansson), whose beauty Cutter said is an
effective distraction, which adds to the audience not really wanting to know
what is truly happening.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNsrScwPPZNf9P0cIqp0QKtIEKXEktsb-SakxVGdnQ0Fqwbiuod3makzw11YNAb78Ef4-UPTnUSky-4mxwd9A9AsmIxuZrHfBS1jOpoXg91lIuETZX4n7kudlVu3rDp_fS-KRO9VtOSQYmY6sfm810KjC2PxUyqvstJGj9EeHZ3-WJJlqjOuRfDxhyPc/s710/TP%20-%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="710" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNsrScwPPZNf9P0cIqp0QKtIEKXEktsb-SakxVGdnQ0Fqwbiuod3makzw11YNAb78Ef4-UPTnUSky-4mxwd9A9AsmIxuZrHfBS1jOpoXg91lIuETZX4n7kudlVu3rDp_fS-KRO9VtOSQYmY6sfm810KjC2PxUyqvstJGj9EeHZ3-WJJlqjOuRfDxhyPc/s320/TP%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angier doesn’t want to kill birds when doing the
disappearing cage trick. Cutter lectures him, saying he is not a “wizard,” and
he must get his “hands dirty,” if he wants to be successful. We again have the
theme of how far an artist must go to perfect his work. However, Cutter invented
a contraption that collapses the cage while sparing the bird. They get a gig
working for Merrit (William Morgan Shepphard). Angier attempts to do the
disappearing bird trick. But a disguised Borden seeks revenge and acts as a
volunteer from the audience. By mimicking Angier’s attack on himself, he sabotages
the trick, killing the dove and breaking the female volunteer’s fingers. Angier’s
hands have now been dirtied. Merrit terminated their run, and Angier must come
up with a show-stopping performance to redeem his reputation.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">By reading Borden’s diary, Angier believes that his
antagonist acquired a machine from Tesla to perform his incredible trick, and
he asks Alley (Andy Serkis), Tesla’s assistant, a second time to meet Tesla. Alley
shows how Tesla can turn on lights without wires. Angier sees how science is
magical without tricks. He goes to an alternating current demonstration where
Alley argues against Edison’s attempts to “Smear” Tesla’s works (the rivalry
was real). The electrical discharges jumping from conductor to conductor
frighten the audience, as if they are seeing the power of a god. Angier follows
Borden who also attended the demonstration. Angier’s diary says he was envious
of seeing Borden with his wife and child, but he also knew that Borden
tormented his family with his obsession over his magic. In a way, Borden has a
split personality according to Angier. We discover that he is not far from the
truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrI3rJ81u_6EAwXtCjLqQ6GxcPkUn03Fhu-Lli-MtPLuWZjpXYPjy9MCclp3SFFvpGmQ8IRTPqmFLZF4q5epGSP6Pck69mIZi1NpP-XQDsZPEb-RSOrgpT4IF5EZLO7r0QFX5ffJDgyQ9IvfKX1oq3Z2Sw0UzndDVVum918kjlYlEcEACVEC3uAXoJdE/s1600/ThePrestige%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrI3rJ81u_6EAwXtCjLqQ6GxcPkUn03Fhu-Lli-MtPLuWZjpXYPjy9MCclp3SFFvpGmQ8IRTPqmFLZF4q5epGSP6Pck69mIZi1NpP-XQDsZPEb-RSOrgpT4IF5EZLO7r0QFX5ffJDgyQ9IvfKX1oq3Z2Sw0UzndDVVum918kjlYlEcEACVEC3uAXoJdE/s320/ThePrestige%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">By this time, Olivia and Angier have become involved
romantically. In Angier’s diary we learn that, in disguise, he witnesses Borden
premier his “Transported Man” trick. He goes in one door of a closet at one end
of the stage and comes out another door at the other end of the stage in the
time it takes to bounce a rubber ball on the raised platform. Cutter says he is
using a double, but Olivia noted a gloved hand on the man occupying each
closet, revealing the lost fingers. Angier says he will get even with Borden by
stealing his trick.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvEOi9SMdyUfJd6eXSI3QkYhpKkf4LzlZF6HxJ5_FszJRsIjsreeDf_UenlRM48Ku9eK-HIa14o2oc71tf87GK1AG4Q7ife7sclPwnM9x0cpd2pN-spK3rxyGI9YetWE0bBQXqEVYHhfNnFLY3WMrAka8QdgT-mJFYfDOpg78EZZCsbMAadou-VVobAo/s600/The-prestige-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="600" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvEOi9SMdyUfJd6eXSI3QkYhpKkf4LzlZF6HxJ5_FszJRsIjsreeDf_UenlRM48Ku9eK-HIa14o2oc71tf87GK1AG4Q7ife7sclPwnM9x0cpd2pN-spK3rxyGI9YetWE0bBQXqEVYHhfNnFLY3WMrAka8QdgT-mJFYfDOpg78EZZCsbMAadou-VVobAo/s320/The-prestige-27.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cutter says the only way they can duplicate Borden’s
act is to find a double for Angier, which they do. He is Gerald Root (also
played by Jackman). He is a drunken, out-of-work actor. He says to Angier, “Did
you think you were unique, Mr. Angier? I’ve been Caesar. I’ve played Faust. How
hard could it possibly be to play the Great Danton?” Root as an actor assumes
other identities, false fronts, to present the illusion that he is someone
else. A performance in its own way is a sham to temporarily convince the
audience that what they are seeing is real. Nolan is stressing the illusion
versus reality aspect of the performing arts.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier’s team dresses up the trick and call it “The
New Transported Man.” Instead of a closet they have just two door frames. But
there are trapdoors at the thresholds. Angier must be the first man as he has
the ability to dramatically introduce the act. Behind the open door he falls
through the trapdoor onto padding below. Root emerges at the other end. He overacts
his part, and even kisses Olivia. Angier is not able to experience the
adulation of the crowd, and enjoy the “prestige,” since he is below the stage. They
must keep Root under wraps because if he surfaces and is recognized as working
for Angier, the illusion is destroyed. Angier’s life is copying that of Borden,
and the two stories begin to blur together as the story unfolds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier is obsessed with learning how Borden does his
trick without a double so he can be the one on the stage accepting the
audience’s adoration. He sends Olivia to work for Borden as a spy, but she is
to tell him the truth, that Angier sent her to discover Borden’s secret of the
Transported Man. Angier assumes Borden will want her as a counterspy to access
Angier’s secrets. Even though Angier has become very successful, Borden’s keen
eye can tell that his double is overweight and drunk. Olivia tells Borden that
she is sick of Angier’s obsession with Borden, which turns out not to be too
far from the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier reads in Borden’s diary that Borden found Root
and convinced him that he had the power in the act. Root then acts to subvert
the performance unless he gets more money and control. Borden sabotages the act
eventually by removing the padding under the trapdoor and Angier injures his
leg when he falls through during one performance (remember his limp at the
beginning of the film?). Instead of Root appearing through the door, it is Borden,
and he tied up Root and has him descend from the ceiling with a sign that says
he is Borden’s opening act. Borden has spruced up his performance by adding
some of Tesla’s electronics and has Olivia for effect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cutter wonders if Olivia is now working for Borden
since he discovered Root. It becomes very difficult to know what is a lie and
what is the truth. Angier confronts Olivia with his suspicions. She says Borden
uses a double since she has seen wigs, glasses and makeup about. Angier
dismisses her impression, saying it’s misdirection, because Borden lives his
act, the way the Chinese magician did. But sometimes the overly suspicious can
no longer accept what is obviously true. Olivia gives him Borden’s notebook,
and that is how Angier was able to read it (it took a while for the audience to
discover this fact). Angier shows his obsession, and his downfall, as he says
he only cares about Borden’s secret, not the death of his wife anymore. Both
magicians let their preoccupation with their craft interfere with their attention
to others. Olivia is torn, but Angier’s manipulation of her most likely is the
reason she reveals that she has fallen in love with Borden.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT1etcyEfMtClcuo9s-x1zF7A2cv8A6kDjCTm2jpyOMo7-4T-9soVnYJCBKI0bL1YAK1VqH_5YcMB2njuNTZAp0NJKCESmuZV9auEouIxeP0XCSprcg_-UPONd-fJbAOuE_7jjezBJ9X0fKUg2g9upPuAtzYaMi3e9meOPOdqzmkTcys4EPnMBPpMDvM/s1080/the-prestige-%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT1etcyEfMtClcuo9s-x1zF7A2cv8A6kDjCTm2jpyOMo7-4T-9soVnYJCBKI0bL1YAK1VqH_5YcMB2njuNTZAp0NJKCESmuZV9auEouIxeP0XCSprcg_-UPONd-fJbAOuE_7jjezBJ9X0fKUg2g9upPuAtzYaMi3e9meOPOdqzmkTcys4EPnMBPpMDvM/s320/the-prestige-%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier kidnaps Fallon as leverage to get Borden to
explain his Transporting Man trick. He buries the man in a wooden box and when
Borden shows up, Angier says Fallon wouldn’t talk, in fact, he says, “He
doesn’t talk at all.” We never hear Fallon speak – another clue. Borden writes
“Tesla” as the answer to how he performs his trick, and then saves Fallon by digging
him up. There are a number of references to being in boxes, or cages, losing
freedom and wanting to escape.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eQRk7oH1f1VQ4tOzUWaLrxYvX4cE1aYBvEdn03MGSsQYAgmg4eMA6fgMvyXK4uJwl1se6unsfNPmp18wCp-phawQmqMEfiPlB4upLH_GTTyXvSx2c09bV9XYZvBRDBVolf84EjTLdwe8YHe2gg7qxdNyTgjnaEvgWv33qD9WYJy5oCshyNnLR_WIz_4/s1200/the_prestige_6.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6eQRk7oH1f1VQ4tOzUWaLrxYvX4cE1aYBvEdn03MGSsQYAgmg4eMA6fgMvyXK4uJwl1se6unsfNPmp18wCp-phawQmqMEfiPlB4upLH_GTTyXvSx2c09bV9XYZvBRDBVolf84EjTLdwe8YHe2gg7qxdNyTgjnaEvgWv33qD9WYJy5oCshyNnLR_WIz_4/s320/the_prestige_6.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK9lOyDVrM5fjR4tgq7Azv1TFvq-tb5dU7emh9aFSAY3cpkn_OOlPTopiAbUb58yb15X8CNK2l-7Wwl33ck_W0UjZHxWFiDp1-8NVN3HnnzIYfXxSGD_jedATRxjX04uEX1C6cur2GrpDSJNkH7nPNkq4pMVcUG8i3wS8og6rQ2iBWitduEiVEyZd858/s2048/TP%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlK9lOyDVrM5fjR4tgq7Azv1TFvq-tb5dU7emh9aFSAY3cpkn_OOlPTopiAbUb58yb15X8CNK2l-7Wwl33ck_W0UjZHxWFiDp1-8NVN3HnnzIYfXxSGD_jedATRxjX04uEX1C6cur2GrpDSJNkH7nPNkq4pMVcUG8i3wS8og6rQ2iBWitduEiVEyZd858/s320/TP%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier wants to see what machine Borden bought and he
wants a duplicate. In his diary he writes that he finally met Tesla, who
dramatically enters by walking through electrical streams, looking like a
modern Prometheus (the mythological reference is used by Nolan in <i>Oppenheimer</i>). He confirms his view of how one can achieve anything if one
has the “nerve,” the courage to apply oneself. Money is also a factor, and
Angier says it is not a problem. We again get an idea about his background.
But, Tesla also means there is a nonmonetary “cost” resulting from obsession.
Tesla admits that he is a “slave” to his own obsessions, and “one day they’ll
choose to destroy” him. Angier says Tesla knows urging caution about an
obsession is pointless, basically saying that an obsession triumphs over all
warnings. Perhaps Nolan is implying that the drive to fulfill one’s artistic
vision sometimes will not be deterred by whatever negative outcomes surface in
the pursuit of that quest.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier reads in the notebook as we get a scene which
reveals that Olivia says to Borden that she had loved Angier but despised him
for using her to steal his competitor’s secret. Borden wrote that Olivia’s
loyalty was proven by not only letting him know where Root was, but also
because Borden wanted her to give Angier the notebook. He was manipulating
Angier by having him read it. “Tesla” was the keyword to the notebook, but not
to his trick, he writes as he directly addresses Angier in the notebook. Borden
thinks he’s sent Angier on a wild goose chase with Tesla, but it becomes an
ironic twist in the plot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l-nxgNhYh7GGwDb9kGO-2FXPvcd9oQJALyN9hEpOWuBait8OvLBIBun46_4s44qwNZ0Pb1rIExQwrSTkN426Ir728uRzellH55rMlCDIXALbKJgEkyrEhvCGG2nfc8CZ1VCedkV3Iv9s5C9dWyfybh3NTOAKmcBGTrXsrAchvhtIJJSFwHqurcqHLHM/s640/TP%20-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="640" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l-nxgNhYh7GGwDb9kGO-2FXPvcd9oQJALyN9hEpOWuBait8OvLBIBun46_4s44qwNZ0Pb1rIExQwrSTkN426Ir728uRzellH55rMlCDIXALbKJgEkyrEhvCGG2nfc8CZ1VCedkV3Iv9s5C9dWyfybh3NTOAKmcBGTrXsrAchvhtIJJSFwHqurcqHLHM/s320/TP%20-25.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">An angry Angier confronts Tesla, saying he made the
magician think that he constructed a machine for Borden so he could take
Angier’s money to fight Edison. Tesla says the machine needs further
experimentation. He tries using a cat as the subject of a test, but the cat is
not transported. As Angier exits Tesla’s laboratory he follows the sound of a
cat. He finds two cats, the original and a duplicate, as well as many
reproductions of his hat (which was the first shot of the film). Tesla’s
machine does not transport, it makes copies, so the uniqueness of the
individual becomes dissipated.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sarah is becoming more disenchanted with her marriage
and is drinking alcohol more. Borden assures her that he loves her and Jess
their child more than anything. Borden promised Jess he would take her to the
zoo, yet he tells Fallon to do it and try and reassure Sarah that he loves her.
We don’t see if Jess is disappointed his father doesn’t keep his promise. Borden
sees Olivia who kisses him and he says he doesn’t want her to call him Freddie.
Why? When she says she doesn’t trust Fallon, Borden says that Fallon protects
all his interests. These are all clues as to Fallon’s true identity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmoi0XvM9M0ay7VJcdtgFfaz9aAPiZCAXG6Xd45VXlgVCwjfS3gHvrH0oOr5qJh2dzjv3liJzOH4IBay3H6sQg0g27aEkyNK46ImEJ31iIzn_4HsSWQo6XTbjIB5fCmypHISX6Q2XyKe_Q5FCwqRPYgHduxMgDDJVfyTzIbEUxri0V6cWjnmSUwFEjj4/s720/TP%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmoi0XvM9M0ay7VJcdtgFfaz9aAPiZCAXG6Xd45VXlgVCwjfS3gHvrH0oOr5qJh2dzjv3liJzOH4IBay3H6sQg0g27aEkyNK46ImEJ31iIzn_4HsSWQo6XTbjIB5fCmypHISX6Q2XyKe_Q5FCwqRPYgHduxMgDDJVfyTzIbEUxri0V6cWjnmSUwFEjj4/s320/TP%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Edison’s henchmen have burned Tesla’s property, but he
delivered the machine to Angier saying in a note that those interested in magic
will accept it because they like to be “mystified.” Could that not also be said
for us in the audience as we watch Nolan’s cinematic magic? Tesla also delivers
a warning that although he has provided the goods for which Angier paid him, he
tells him to destroy the machine since it will only be a source of grief. We
have again the warning of going too far for one’s artistic passion. And, we see
the overreaching danger of science (obviously a theme Nolan is interested in later
in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Oppenheimer</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">). Borden receives this information by reading Angier’s
diary. Angier’s writing addresses Borden directly (just as Borden did so in his
notebook). Angier’s words say that he knows Borden awaits the death sentence
for killing Angier. But, if the man is dead, how can he have written this
closing? Borden tells Owens, the lawyer, that the diary is a fake, but Owens
says it is in Angier’s handwriting. The theme of illusion versus reality
continually surfaces, and it appears that here the diary is genuine. That would
mean that Angier is not dead. Or, is he?</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sarah is unable to live in Borden’s world of lies,
secrets, and tricks. She wants honesty, and he can’t do that because he puts
his profession above all else. They go back and forth as to whether that day he
loves her, and he admits that this day he does not. She can no longer continue
in this state of imprisonment, which is like a life in a cage or a box, or a
tank of water. Her escape is suicide as she hangs herself (a foreshadowing). Now
both magicians have lost their wives, which shows them to have surrendered what
they hold most dear because of their craft. Later, Borden tells Olivia he never
loved Sarah, but only loves her. Is he a lying jerk, or is there something else
going on? She says he is a cold man to be so dismissive of Sarah. She leaves,
saying he and Angier deserve each other. In a way, they are psychological twins
to her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ttr1mN_ANnHanaZkOeYT9nsle8yIvny52buZdvq-fzCbj8k8zWqUfyo7bga6kb7CxiKyfj2XZWuJFN37cadaa6d7kSULYC4HD6N6YWngldE8kXFLmQQvrvyWczswk3WWPTDQrMrNOrG8jf1g-pWNb24Z8tef-mi2RuZy3gaOBh27qQvzn6RSGU_7buU/s912/TP%20-28.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="912" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ttr1mN_ANnHanaZkOeYT9nsle8yIvny52buZdvq-fzCbj8k8zWqUfyo7bga6kb7CxiKyfj2XZWuJFN37cadaa6d7kSULYC4HD6N6YWngldE8kXFLmQQvrvyWczswk3WWPTDQrMrNOrG8jf1g-pWNb24Z8tef-mi2RuZy3gaOBh27qQvzn6RSGU_7buU/s320/TP%20-28.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier reconnects with Cutter and says he wants to do
the transported man to show Borden that he can do the trick without Root. Angier
doesn’t want Cutter backstage and has hired blind stagehands (remember there
was a blind worker at the very beginning of the film, which of course is now
chronologically at the end of the tale). He wants total secrecy as to how his
trick works. Angier turns on the machine for a patron, Ackerman (Edward Hibbert)
Angier disappears and almost instantaneously appears at the back of the
auditorium. Has Tesla perfected his invention? Borden shows up at Angier’s
performance and although he saw that Angier disappeared through a trapdoor, he
berates Fallon for not being able to figure out how Angier can show up fifty
yards away almost instantaneously.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY_LIeWmO5Rw8u8iyXcdgTDhflQWyTq5TWGMXVRdbVw1ZrDm0tLgSS6at_V4baAXwIKQsFbnkC8w6PE8HN-54Ch5uaM1hWbFC3UFYE0IqyGu8AWLu96VHvTCuNXLwoKXTtEEjR9RO9aAUDoVMTJ1t6IYtEYMmBr4KCBv7UWDuQXmTFBn-QmlYu11t36Y/s1280/TP%20-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY_LIeWmO5Rw8u8iyXcdgTDhflQWyTq5TWGMXVRdbVw1ZrDm0tLgSS6at_V4baAXwIKQsFbnkC8w6PE8HN-54Ch5uaM1hWbFC3UFYE0IqyGu8AWLu96VHvTCuNXLwoKXTtEEjR9RO9aAUDoVMTJ1t6IYtEYMmBr4KCBv7UWDuQXmTFBn-QmlYu11t36Y/s320/TP%20-20.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Borden sneaks under the stage and witnesses Angier
falling through the trapdoor into a water tank that then locks. Borden tries to
break the glass with an axe, but can’t save the drowning Angier. He has died as
his wife did. Cutter shows up and Borden is found guilty of the murder of
Angier, as has already been shown. Cutter meets with Owens and says although
Lord Caldlow has purchased all the equipment, Cutter wants Tesla’s machine.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">That same Lord Caldlow shows up with Jess at the
prison since Borden struck a deal with Owens that he would deliver the prestige
part of his tricks if he could see his daughter once more. Caldlow is Angier,
and he says he “always have been.” We now know that Angier comes from an
aristocratic family and that is why money was no object when it came to buying
Tesla’s machine. Borden concedes that Angier no longer fears getting his “hands
dirty.” Just like Borden, he is all in when it comes to his craft. Borden hands
Angier the “prestige” parts of his tricks so that Jess will not be under
Angier’s control. Angier is stealing what’s left of Borden’s family for
himself. Angier says that Borden was the better magician, but Angier’s trick is
better, so he rips up the papers. Borden shows Jess his rubber ball, the one he
used in his transported man trick, and here symbolizes that he has a bit of
magic left to get his daughter back. He screams that the man he was supposed to
have killed is walking out the door, so he is innocent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cutter discovers Caldlow’s address and sees that
Angier is still alive. Cutter wants the machine destroyed and Angier says it
will never be used again, and will be placed with the rest of the show’s
equipment. Meanwhile, Borden meets with Fallon, says he is sorry about Sarah,
and throws him the rubber ball, telling him to live life for the both of them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZUmcE8PMFQKiTbDQLAGgdyJxZTeVZPUFNjvtVNo_zTQe5uBqkgJyy_IEPmASfPPhda52gb-AN4xm2KG3imhVJkcEYJXZRMg2GGAjfYeO28cRmo0WrrWeLMwrenFhtctW5md-PTtV4VuJjFG3180avyyYFi7szb1KAfINiukKl973Yd1wUhv82kIMGlw/s255/TP%20-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="255" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZUmcE8PMFQKiTbDQLAGgdyJxZTeVZPUFNjvtVNo_zTQe5uBqkgJyy_IEPmASfPPhda52gb-AN4xm2KG3imhVJkcEYJXZRMg2GGAjfYeO28cRmo0WrrWeLMwrenFhtctW5md-PTtV4VuJjFG3180avyyYFi7szb1KAfINiukKl973Yd1wUhv82kIMGlw/s1600/TP%20-12.jpg" width="255" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOdoBGE7WTVu24K3vl4fh9H43VsikJwstLNMFMEeJgMqq4cOMJ3Tjmeck8wlQq9RndifK7s1sZnBxg0eYPvQDGqP4Raq_BoI_lOSyt9cAqSmXPzPQhtybd7XZ0KCC_xCgMbncBV2B96N6u5uc_ejHVVdobUKx5mrpGIQlIlGLoEdhCqlz7esdwS1RQtU/s1280/TP%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOdoBGE7WTVu24K3vl4fh9H43VsikJwstLNMFMEeJgMqq4cOMJ3Tjmeck8wlQq9RndifK7s1sZnBxg0eYPvQDGqP4Raq_BoI_lOSyt9cAqSmXPzPQhtybd7XZ0KCC_xCgMbncBV2B96N6u5uc_ejHVVdobUKx5mrpGIQlIlGLoEdhCqlz7esdwS1RQtU/s320/TP%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As Borden goes to the gallows he asks the guard, “Are
you watching closely?” Is there one more trick to be played? Just before he is
hanged (like Sarah, so poetic justice?), Borden says “Abracadabra!” There is a
cut to the rubber ball bouncing toward Angier and a shot rings out as he is
shot. The man with the pistol is Borden. Or is it? Just before his death Angier
realizes that Fallon is Borden’s twin brother. His shooter reveals that they
were both Borden and Fallon, sharing one life. They alternated who disappeared
and reappeared in the transported man trick. The other brother sacrificed his fingers
to make the illusion seem real. It was one who loved Sarah, and one who loved Olivia,
so depending on who was with which woman, the truth was actually told.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Angier tells Borden the truth. Tesla did not perfect
his machine. Angier used it to create a double of himself, shot the first
duplicate, and drowned the other versions of himself so that there would only
be one Great Danton remaining. His storage facilities have several water tanks
with drowned versions of himself. As he said often in the film, “no one cares
about the man in the box” and the film has repeatedly shown imprisonment and
various, even lethal ways, of escape. There is always that risk for the sake of
the magic. Angier paid the ultimate price, his own death, to come back in the
prestige, to create wonder. Now that the show is over, the remaining duplicate Angier
takes a figurative his last bow. He drops a lantern, and the resulting fire
destroys his secrets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjb66B-mUdQhFx5XBeW8dfGp79XZLKqfPuQDHxn78i9Psw3gOsdnV33PKawdAIW0pOuAVJJt2ve5DfKDtRTOre4GK0uumNGH9U89wJUv3OLBamfF_8ciuhPIkmnC-IclGoSh62uNJ4thnyLgEm04SnQ-ry-oUvzxK0gaEe9fnWDYtyOxHTOgsGygd_pg/s1920/TP%20-%2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjb66B-mUdQhFx5XBeW8dfGp79XZLKqfPuQDHxn78i9Psw3gOsdnV33PKawdAIW0pOuAVJJt2ve5DfKDtRTOre4GK0uumNGH9U89wJUv3OLBamfF_8ciuhPIkmnC-IclGoSh62uNJ4thnyLgEm04SnQ-ry-oUvzxK0gaEe9fnWDYtyOxHTOgsGygd_pg/s320/TP%20-%2000.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jess walks away with her “father.” Is it Fallon, or
was it Fallon who was hanged, and Borden reunites with his daughter? Nolan keeps
his secret, as all good magicians do, but he brings the man back, to earn the
prestige.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Europa, Europa.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-88866245673326734592023-07-03T12:57:00.000-04:002023-07-03T12:57:48.967-04:00The Accidental Tourist<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93wA6dDlnkgLpETTVBgsT6BCC6hX96eVYH7nMPnR9m5hjwc3XkRphIp8w6oBZ527-W5kgz_QKUqEMoZ9ua7s7_CP8zSqzvpZKuS5XmafWTdBjYFbikU96O3nuJ48txDBDsVADzPO32YKs1PRfdTbZtNERaaaawh781zki93kQv0YIXUXu15yGEK8t0ps/s2560/TAT%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93wA6dDlnkgLpETTVBgsT6BCC6hX96eVYH7nMPnR9m5hjwc3XkRphIp8w6oBZ527-W5kgz_QKUqEMoZ9ua7s7_CP8zSqzvpZKuS5XmafWTdBjYFbikU96O3nuJ48txDBDsVADzPO32YKs1PRfdTbZtNERaaaawh781zki93kQv0YIXUXu15yGEK8t0ps/s320/TAT%20-%201.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The film title, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Accidental Tourist </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1988</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">)</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,
based on Anne Tyler’s novel and directed by Lawrence Kasdan (</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Body Heat</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
Big Chill</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Silverado</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">)</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">suggests traveling is something
problematic. It implies the danger in the act of traveling, possibly referring
to life itself as being a scary trip. Kasdan said that he likes to explore how
life is chaotic and how people try to control it. As William Hurt’s Macon Leary
(an appropriate last name, suggesting a fear of what may occur) packs a
suitcase, he delivers a voice-over narration about the business traveler needing
to be aware of things going wrong. However, Macon acts in opposition to his
advice, carrying more than one book since he knows he will use them as a tool
to not be social. When he says don’t pack anything “dear,” that losing it would
“devastate you,” we see him holding a picture of his young son, who he has
already lost, and whose picture and memory he carries with him, despite his
advice to leave anything precious behind.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHn0IriMbFL-y_MDaC_l_SzGTJyxPC9TA7O5tE33_zxR9s2dqWWe9oXQl2GMP_IKe_V_xspfV7bNDib-X8L_gW4KyhksNnGJ8Neu9I4mNpFKdfZKOHPpx26S3TRaVtWu4cPGHWkAzpoYqmvvXNY7DOux69ybS4qJ6e398R7B9zqfoR4ZbIAoYwocZXA4/s334/The%20Accidental%20Tourist%20-%208.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="334" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFHn0IriMbFL-y_MDaC_l_SzGTJyxPC9TA7O5tE33_zxR9s2dqWWe9oXQl2GMP_IKe_V_xspfV7bNDib-X8L_gW4KyhksNnGJ8Neu9I4mNpFKdfZKOHPpx26S3TRaVtWu4cPGHWkAzpoYqmvvXNY7DOux69ybS4qJ6e398R7B9zqfoR4ZbIAoYwocZXA4/s320/The%20Accidental%20Tourist%20-%208.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">On the plane he talks with Lucas Loomis (Bradley
Mott), a large man who literally “looms” over others. He swears by Macon’s
book, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Accidental Tourist</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, and says following its advice makes it
seem he is traveling in a “cocoon.” That word stresses the isolation that Macon
uses to protect himself from the pain that personal relationships can lead to.
Loomis points out that despite Macon saying reading a book protects one from
intrusive travelers, it didn’t work with Loomis. So much for Macon’s attempt at
insulation.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhlmHxLn5DPbrzycfQVEZ6guwMf2Nu4BdnRxDmFCO4kj8VMa3K001djCBMptuXtnrTRqiGZeNeVj2eeVer1-72UPoyuSTus4cpq4FzZs99o1ri4ubvW7X4YwUoF1CXfq1kJQV6axVCkzsJnTl_VUSdtxenZ6vCHfJRKvXwsfn9Gm9QwqB8SJeCA7lZms/s303/The%20Accidental%20Tourist%20-%207.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="303" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhlmHxLn5DPbrzycfQVEZ6guwMf2Nu4BdnRxDmFCO4kj8VMa3K001djCBMptuXtnrTRqiGZeNeVj2eeVer1-72UPoyuSTus4cpq4FzZs99o1ri4ubvW7X4YwUoF1CXfq1kJQV6axVCkzsJnTl_VUSdtxenZ6vCHfJRKvXwsfn9Gm9QwqB8SJeCA7lZms/s1600/The%20Accidental%20Tourist%20-%207.PNG" width="303" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Hurt reunites with his </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Body Heat </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">co-star,
Kathleen Turner, who plays his wife, Sarah. After his return home, we see a
distance between the two, as they do not embrace or kiss after his time away.
Macon shows more affection for his dog than Sarah. She mentions how the pooch
still expects “Ethan to come home.” It’s been a year and the pain of the memory
of the loss of their boy has made life with Macon intolerable for Sarah. She
tells him she can’t live with him anymore, wants a divorce, and has already
secured an apartment. He wants to persevere, but she sees people now as “evil,”
since their son was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. Macon certainly
wants no close contact with others. She says that his books show how people can
travel without feeling “touched” by where they go, as if they never left home, which
is what Macon desires. It is interesting that Macon is a man who wants to stay
home, but travels a great deal. Perhaps this is either ironic or shows how he
is torn about what he wants out of life.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sarah sounds suicidal as she wonders how she can live
in a world of “evil,” and asks what’s the point of existing? After she moves
out, Macon continues his daily routines like shaving and eating, probably
hoping that maintaining activities will propel him forward through life while
not enjoying it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon needs to board his dog, Edward, while he is away
again. (Kasdan said that the dog is the “agent” that causes the plot to move
forward). The prior place will not accept him because he did some biting (the animal’s
anti-social attitude mirrors that of his human companion). Macon notices a
boarding place and drags the reluctant Edward inside. There he encounters
Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for
this role). Muriel discovers quickly that Macon is available since he says that
the apartment complex where his wife lives doesn’t allow pets. Edward seems to
take to her right away, and the fact that Muriel smiles and repeats her own name
to Macon shows that maybe she is drawn to the dog’s owner, also.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We again have Macon narrating for his readers. He says
he encourages the use of the London “underground,” the subway there. Does he like
the underground because he suppresses his feelings below the surface? He
complains about the abrasive fabrics used in bedding, stressing how foreign
traveling can be inhospitable. He says in London one can find food similar to
what is in Cleveland. Macon emphasizes that the business traveler is not
voluntarily visiting other lands for recreation. So, he wants him to feel like he
is not away from home as best as he can. It fits his own desire to stay safe in
a secure domicile. He does not wish to take chances on local adventures or
cuisine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon returns to pick up Edward. The camera lingers on
Muriel to stress her unique expression in her appearance. She has flowers in
her hair and very long fingernails. Her clothes are bright with patterns which
are a far cry from Macon’s gray-suit wearing advice. She says he can call just
to talk with her, but he admits he has no social desire to do so given his
preference for being alone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon has a nightmare where his son calls saying he is
still at camp and his father forgot to pick him up. It’s an unconscious denial
dream about his son’s death, and it also may contain guilt for not being there
to protect his son. Macon receives a call from the pushy Muriel, who volunteers
to take care of Edward’s growling when Macon leaves the house. She even invites
Macon to dinner at her place. He says he would rather handle things on his own,
which is his default position. She seems to understand that he is not ready to
socialize so says she will leave it up to him if he wants to get in touch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2lFe-qF-wUI8xhY8Fd1fFmFrfX_G5wupuQGxaY1u9Al77KX6q9zrzaoX18dGPDUNLPBMZHqZsu3licTpBQu5qMa1tLDvfaqpWI3gq7exft9ehpi-FgRomrqcAenwpjYziRG3ILeIjSchv1w6pBiKfOmgqfRF2vbXeFpqQQAlJA5xzg26FF-gHirLWig/s277/TAT%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="277" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2lFe-qF-wUI8xhY8Fd1fFmFrfX_G5wupuQGxaY1u9Al77KX6q9zrzaoX18dGPDUNLPBMZHqZsu3licTpBQu5qMa1tLDvfaqpWI3gq7exft9ehpi-FgRomrqcAenwpjYziRG3ILeIjSchv1w6pBiKfOmgqfRF2vbXeFpqQQAlJA5xzg26FF-gHirLWig/s1600/TAT%20-%2011.jpg" width="277" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon sustains a broken leg in a Keystone Cop-like
accident. He attaches a laundry basket to a skateboard so that it will catch
the clothes coming down a shute that he can then wheel to the washer. But
Edward hears the washer make a loud noise, gets freaked, and jumps on Macon,
who puts his leg in the traveling basket. The broken leg makes the staid Macon
even more stationary. Macon winds up at his deceased parents’ house where his
quirky siblings live. Amy Wright plays his sister Rose, who drives a beat-up
car showing a distaste for change. David Ogden Stiers is brother Porter, and Ed
Begley, Jr. portrays brother Charles. They don’t answer the phone since it just
interrupts their static way of life with intrusive information. They play a
game called “Vaccination,” which is significant because they want to immunize
themselves against the invasive elements of everyday disorder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldWQxkCpXsJtVVsRLJLNKahDTzVoMSY0JoVA2pLLf8JH-jicrcnAs7CDdutCfUm5IdqUsQR7bNXOtGJbNUrtYPhdi6wmtfrzK8k2t5smCXUgQPiyewEdUU71i7dUhuJf7ggWnSQSSE3BXQhi4uUrbyhLkEEvcay8a42vqKajh2HwPeKrM3C51JtU1krk/s317/TAT%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="317" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldWQxkCpXsJtVVsRLJLNKahDTzVoMSY0JoVA2pLLf8JH-jicrcnAs7CDdutCfUm5IdqUsQR7bNXOtGJbNUrtYPhdi6wmtfrzK8k2t5smCXUgQPiyewEdUU71i7dUhuJf7ggWnSQSSE3BXQhi4uUrbyhLkEEvcay8a42vqKajh2HwPeKrM3C51JtU1krk/s1600/TAT%20-%2012.jpg" width="317" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Julian Hedge (Bill Pullman) arrives. He is Macon’s
publisher who came up with the slogan for Macon that says that armchair
travelers want to leave home, while traveling armchairs want to stay put,
equating some people with furniture, which would seem not to be a complimentary
comparison. Julian comments that the family house is really “something.” It looks
like a museum and Macon says that it was his grandparents’ home. Apparently,
the Leary family likes living a static existence. When Julian discovers that
Macon is separated from Sarah, Macon’s explanation for the split is that these
things happen for no apparent reason. He is again in the underground, not
wanting to bring deeper feelings to the surface. Edward growls as Julian leaves
and when Macon reaches for the dog, he bites him. Porter says he should get rid
of the dog. We then get a flashback of Ethan (Seth Granger) playing with
Edward. Macon says he can’t discard Edward. He retains a connection to his son through
the dog.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8d6U0rCUH9MGCpXp309WqIit6cgK2aPrEewIDSwN8YuuzWOvRIRfUL6_Eyb85S3Uejbw5QWHOhtmVgyXRe6pfPGFclh94Mf4LEEFYagX4mQYVVbhAHpC-8_iVDd32a2MMe1qLAM-uPn926KitwHjlCyonnYN8kULA3B_qTJu3p8w4-CGRZhUDY73a9W4/s685/Accidental-Tourist%20-%203.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="685" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8d6U0rCUH9MGCpXp309WqIit6cgK2aPrEewIDSwN8YuuzWOvRIRfUL6_Eyb85S3Uejbw5QWHOhtmVgyXRe6pfPGFclh94Mf4LEEFYagX4mQYVVbhAHpC-8_iVDd32a2MMe1qLAM-uPn926KitwHjlCyonnYN8kULA3B_qTJu3p8w4-CGRZhUDY73a9W4/s320/Accidental-Tourist%20-%203.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rose mentions obedience school. That suggestion brings
Macon back to Muriel. She has a way with Edward, but she is not initially
successful with training Macon. Muriel tells him that Edward isn’t taking him
seriously. So, Macon even has trouble interacting with his dog. Muriel shows
her unconventional side again, wearing a tiger-striped dress. She plays with items
on the fireplace mantlepiece and has no qualms about exploring family pictures.
When she finds out he writes travel books, she says she loves traveling. It
fits with her extroverted style. In contrast he says travel is not liberating
for him as he lets himself get bogged down in “red tape,” consisting of “ticket
lines, custom lines.” She would love to see “romantic” Paris, but instead of
acknowledging the wonder of the city, he mentions the rudeness of the citizens.
Just like she helps to get the dog back in step with his surroundings, Muriel
will help Macon return to a worthwhile life. As Maude in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Harold and Maude</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">
is the mentor for Harold so he can see the total spectrum of life, it is
Muriel’s job to add dimension to Macon’s limited world view.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Even from their first encounter, Julian asks about
Rose, who smiles when she sees Julian. When Julian delivers some notes on Macon’s
writing, the attraction between the two is obvious as they exchange agreement
on the desire for marriage and children. Porter is not there because he went to
a hardware store and may have become lost. This family is a real stay-at-home
bunch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunLvL6KhU_ng2Tlknp1nl5EhPv4yeV58uYBjiibKY7P5wJr7glWTeEJi280mnwkLlSHYFbMAuyBg_Z8k8F68RibEEM44Ykgcarbf2eF1leTjjmgN-zmMS5VKnUIFXF0XZYS_Kg-0lFNfCKcW3WCTL_D0XoxiXzUAeBaJHMka7QRRs9OloQCSi8wTgttk/s700/the_accidental_tourist_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="700" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunLvL6KhU_ng2Tlknp1nl5EhPv4yeV58uYBjiibKY7P5wJr7glWTeEJi280mnwkLlSHYFbMAuyBg_Z8k8F68RibEEM44Ykgcarbf2eF1leTjjmgN-zmMS5VKnUIFXF0XZYS_Kg-0lFNfCKcW3WCTL_D0XoxiXzUAeBaJHMka7QRRs9OloQCSi8wTgttk/s320/the_accidental_tourist_4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">That preference carries over in the scene where Macon,
after having his cast removed, tells Muriel that he doesn’t go out to see films
because he doesn’t “care for movies.” This fellow is such a fun guy. His words
are ironic since he is a character in a movie. He says that films make
everything seem too close up, while Kasdan gives us a close-up of the two,
showing how filmmaking stresses its intentions. Muriel reveals about having a
child and is divorced, so her son could use a father figure. Her romantic overtures
are quite loud, but Macon is Beethoven-deaf to her flirtations.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Julian is at the Leary’s Thanksgiving dinner where
Macon and Charles discovered the turkey was cooked at too low a temperature. Even
cooking is a peril to these people. They don’t say anything about their
trepidations concerning food safety until the bird is ready to be served, which
embarrasses Rose, who prepared the meal. She shows her feelings, saying that
they are conspiring to dampen Julian’s love interest in her because they want
her to stay and take care of them and the house. She states that her brothers
lost their chance at romantic happiness, and she will not give up her opportunity
for success in love. Julian, showing his dedication for Rose, says he will have
some turkey. Turns out he has two helpings and doesn’t get sick, which makes
Rose feel vindicated about her feelings for him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Muriel’s son, Alexander, has allergies to everything,
maybe even what’s in the air, she says. She, too, has her burden in life to
carry. She invites Macon to dinner with her and her son. He reluctantly accepts
but then goes to deliver a hand-written note to Muriel saying he can’t make it.
She opens the door to her place when he slips the note under the threshold. He
finally shares his trauma with her and says he can’t have dinner with a child
since it is too painful a situation for him. She silently holds him, allowing
him to make an embracing confession. He says the loss of his son seemed unreal
at first but now he feels worse because, instead of adapting over time to his
death, the loss has become more real. He tells her, “Now, I’m far from
everyone. I don’t have friends anymore. And everyone looks trivial and foolish,
and not related to me.” His words ring true to anyone who has suffered a great
loss. It jolts one into a broader perspective about life where everyday matters
seem inconsequential. The numbing of emotions is an emotional defense to allow
the individual to continue to exist, albeit in a blunted manner. Muriel tucks
him into her bed as if comforting a child and says he can sleep there. She
cuddles with him, and that closeness that he needed resurrects his physical
need for intimacy which he consummates with her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT6HC8FkrPfQOIq3oWUuqwngk5yqK_9oRP6rfPKZSTYc61vbjJ1Rj5T7n-tzJYnfwwD_TB0-oP_PjVe5Azcxw8RjP_41kQf-vrsU8m9MfF6jnMjvyoUH6bIUAiC9_UBaxv7PF3Yv1OPOwDPNuR3YYC5TnyIOOj62E8NTzseeFO5qBKjRALwGV83453sU/s597/TAT%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="597" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT6HC8FkrPfQOIq3oWUuqwngk5yqK_9oRP6rfPKZSTYc61vbjJ1Rj5T7n-tzJYnfwwD_TB0-oP_PjVe5Azcxw8RjP_41kQf-vrsU8m9MfF6jnMjvyoUH6bIUAiC9_UBaxv7PF3Yv1OPOwDPNuR3YYC5TnyIOOj62E8NTzseeFO5qBKjRALwGV83453sU/s320/TAT%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next scene has Macon arriving at Muriel’s house
and the neighbors recognize him, so we know he’s been around a great deal
lately. He is even okay with spending time with Alexander, shopping for
clothes, going to movies (which Macon used to dislike). When Alexander
experiences negative behavior from other boys, Macon is there to comfort him. The
boy holds onto Macon’s hand, establishing a father-son relationship that Macon lost.
Macon is more upbeat now, even joking a bit, showing the effect of Muriel’s
positive influence on him. The better-behaving dog, Edward, reflects the
improvement in Macon’s personality.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In a way, Julian’s relationship with Rose mirrors that
of Macon and Muriel. The publisher and the sister are also going through a
rebirth cycle, as Julian is excited by Rose’s presence. He has an engagement
ring and will ask her to marry him on Christmas. He says to Macon, “Isn’t it
amazing how two separate lives can link up together? I mean two differences.” His
statement could accurately apply to Macon and Muriel, too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Porter wants to know what Macon is doing with, “this
Muriel person.” The brother is condescending, saying that Macon is too good for
the woman living in the slum with the diseased child, and that Macon has
changed, obviously for the worse according to Porter. Macon knows he wasn’t
such a “catch,” given his downbeat personality, and he probably is grateful for
the change in himself. He tells Porter to shut up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Macon is concerned about Alexander’s inability to
do math problems, he offers to pay to send the child to a private school.
Muriel is sternly forthright when she asks about Macon’s intentions. She points
out that she can’t jerk the boy in and out of schools if Macon is not committed
to the relationship. She feels that sometimes he shows being ashamed to be with
her, echoing what Porter said. She suggests that maybe he’ll even go back with
Sarah. Their argument continues as he says in response to the possibility of
them getting married that the institution is seriously flawed. She is angry,
saying his decisions are selfish. Her words point out that Macon has no idea as
to what he wants in the long term, and that lack of consistency impacts others
with whom he is involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBeaiB176Qe8Cc9OEtJP2F5X9sr1-9RNLksvChXFztB8gzVTxCpV4-sd2dZBCJuPh-nzBNM5yZdgA0rJzD0tHS6cfUkxaW8yMawnxliQqZbLJ7qozVpbRjkbSOv91J2mmrlVIhJ83QwTUo4krIkovZAzObdZI7lmrsx7eSOF6zjdICPmB2vCc0HNFHxw/s666/TAT%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="666" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBeaiB176Qe8Cc9OEtJP2F5X9sr1-9RNLksvChXFztB8gzVTxCpV4-sd2dZBCJuPh-nzBNM5yZdgA0rJzD0tHS6cfUkxaW8yMawnxliQqZbLJ7qozVpbRjkbSOv91J2mmrlVIhJ83QwTUo4krIkovZAzObdZI7lmrsx7eSOF6zjdICPmB2vCc0HNFHxw/s320/TAT%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">On Rose and Julian’s wedding day, showing the couple are
not afraid to move forward with their lives, Macon encounters Sarah, who has
learned that Macon is living with someone. The looks of Muriel from across the
gathering show her worry about Macon having used her and is ready to return to
his prior life. The man officiating at the wedding says that marriage is a sort
of home, a sanctuary, where people can find solace in turbulent times. His
words could imply that Macon might consider obtaining that peace either with
Sarah or Muriel.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Muriel wakes up and sees a packed bag on the bedroom
floor. Macon is just going to Canada for his writing, but she says that she doesn’t
want to fear all the time that he will leave her. He says that he is not, but
he tells her to go to sleep instead of definitively declaring his love for her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sarah calls Macon while he is in Canada, and says her
lease is running out. She asks if she can temporarily stay at the family house.
Rose is back there, too, taking care of her brothers, while delivering meals to
Julian at their apartment. Sarah expresses feeling an emotional jolt when she
received their divorce papers. Macon agrees to the living accommodations, but
ends the call abruptly, showing he is upset. The past lives of both Rose and
Macon are like black holes, trying to suck the two back into their insulated, womb-like
existence. Sarah calls again after moving back to the house and says she is
lonely, asks him to come “home” (that safe place) and that they can try to be
together again. They do attempt a reconciliation, and even have sex. But, Sarah
complains that Macon still lives “sealed up” and doesn’t share what he is
feeling. He becomes angry and wants the discussion to end since it reminds him
of how Sarah would bring up his faults and say that she knew him “better than
he knew himself.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon goes back to the house and Sarah says that she
feels happy about being together again, enjoying the little things they shared
doing together. She says, “anything different just doesn’t feel right.” The
thrust here is that change is unwanted because it is upsetting. Rose tells
Sarah, who asks when she is going to move back with Julian, that their
apartment’s location would consistently confuse her and she would get lost when
she left it. Her statement reminds us of Porter’s inability to navigate outside
the family house. The Leary’s are definitely out of their element when outside
of their comfort zone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon types and narrates that travelers should not be
“lulled into a false sense of security.” He pauses after typing and the
sentence could reflect what is happening to him back at the house. Julian is
worried that Rose has left him. Macon agrees that Rose (like himself and his
brothers) has worn a “groove” in the house and can’t get out of it. Macon
actually offers a helpful suggestion. He says that Julian should offer Rose the
chance to help him at the office. He says to tell her that he needs her to “get
things under control.” Macon knows of the appeal of a steady, safe routine, and
believes his sibling Rose will respond to that request. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon gets on a plane to Paris. Apparently, Muriel is
not ready to give up on Macon, and gets on the same plane after borrowing money
for the trip to go to that romantic spot she hoped to visit, Paris. She argues
that he needs her because he “was falling to pieces” before being with her. Macon
clings to home by waking up Sarah with a phone call to maintain the umbilical
cord to his safe past. Muriel pressures him into eating with her. Do they have
beef bourguignon? No, they dine at Burger King, because, as Dorothy in <i>The
Wizard of </i>Oz would say, “There’s no place like home.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxc7xJCFPVQGpErvVAfwFhmROuzAOHSDR8pqI94UuP-Ki6OBwM8o3g31cT2Ssw93mNYE-L9qyFZ0w7-mCbu-Lyl6hRFfRvMB_nEF9ZKlfB7LHGy4Ke_fVB2Dki16hikosI5esECqfWWCPpAaLN7BVGrHU6c_aMh5MC81NPygnOIO-MsRrMg-O6z3bCTE/s634/TAT%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="634" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxc7xJCFPVQGpErvVAfwFhmROuzAOHSDR8pqI94UuP-Ki6OBwM8o3g31cT2Ssw93mNYE-L9qyFZ0w7-mCbu-Lyl6hRFfRvMB_nEF9ZKlfB7LHGy4Ke_fVB2Dki16hikosI5esECqfWWCPpAaLN7BVGrHU6c_aMh5MC81NPygnOIO-MsRrMg-O6z3bCTE/s320/TAT%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon sprains his back. He seems to require recovery
after setbacks, which includes the psychological one involving the loss of his
son. His accidents, which fit in with the film title, show how life is an
unexpected obstacle course that one can’t escape. Sarah finds out about the
back problem from Rose and arrives ready to help Macon. She will visit the
other cities on his itinerary so she can help him with his writing. She informs
him that Julian moved into the house with the brothers. This fact suggests that
Julian is capitulating to the influence of the emotional gravity of the Leary
household.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sarah offers that they go on a second honeymoon after
she is done traveling to the other cities. But she saw that Muriel was at the
same hotel as Macon. Sarah wants to know if the other woman’s son was what
attracted him to Muriel. She also brings up the idea of having another child,
which Macon dismisses. It must seem to Sarah that he was fine having another
child in his life, but not with her. She feels that Macon could have done
something to prevent Muriel from traveling to Paris. There is the implication
that Macon’s passiveness may have led to the death of their child. She gives
him pills that anesthetize his pain, but the action is symbolic of her wanting
to control him, to lull him back into his prior life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Macon seems to realize that going backward is not the
right path for him. He tells Muriel in the morning that he is going back to
Muriel. He admits he didn’t take “steps” in the past in a proactive way, but
thinks he should now. He says, “I’m beginning to think that maybe it’s not just
how much you love someone. Maybe what matters is who you are when you’re with
them.” Macon seems to be saying what an individual becomes with the person one
loves is what’s important. If loving someone diminishes oneself, then the relationship
is unhealthy. He realizes that one can’t plan life like “a business trip.” Life
is too complicated and full of variables, so “things just happen.” Muriel
helped him “step out,” and “stay out” of the “Leary groove.” He is opening himself
up to the sometimes scary randomness of life, which can bring its joys. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBogi28fOeka8FVNlCasAZIyD0fM0Geiq2OZvGUX0VBJa3rSrxvJDGq2Ynb_Ak7dhlqmdTEXgD0EA4XVslave-9xx4cMpOnhKqI5gsGeM1cWsJ3M8gQOZ8vixsFj1XPIqzEIEwWxiKqKvPkqUCbql0q8mVK-4TO6awBeetbHQ71mh3vIEli7pJ2RF9oQ8/s1020/TAT%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1020" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBogi28fOeka8FVNlCasAZIyD0fM0Geiq2OZvGUX0VBJa3rSrxvJDGq2Ynb_Ak7dhlqmdTEXgD0EA4XVslave-9xx4cMpOnhKqI5gsGeM1cWsJ3M8gQOZ8vixsFj1XPIqzEIEwWxiKqKvPkqUCbql0q8mVK-4TO6awBeetbHQ71mh3vIEli7pJ2RF9oQ8/s320/TAT%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A young boy helps Macon get a taxi, and the youth
reminds him of his son. It is a sign that he is on the right path, as he
encounters Muriel, who is ready to leave, thinking she has lost Macon. They see
each other and they smile. He has found a new home.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>The Prestige</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-70184091993911782102023-05-31T11:50:00.000-04:002023-05-31T11:50:04.687-04:00Three Obscure Films<p><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I started having film screenings for neighbors in the
new development I moved into. I thought I would provide some brief comments on
three somewhat obscure movies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0OIMi8z8JOPycLwhD7tAN1gYsUB1l5ED6qtHJuhM_IRmSYd8X1ube75amTVtY9kyDxIpMbFLxfhq_EptPJKe_j3CVFtGmUJCgWvcraYO6WsDRcZaoGkeuXK3YIxY_vcX-sJ_YQ9z5HHSBb_PU3-BFWa6qVcGisrxI9cn0qhq-fBf9N7C9rTd1Lr9/s1440/WIKTGCOE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0OIMi8z8JOPycLwhD7tAN1gYsUB1l5ED6qtHJuhM_IRmSYd8X1ube75amTVtY9kyDxIpMbFLxfhq_EptPJKe_j3CVFtGmUJCgWvcraYO6WsDRcZaoGkeuXK3YIxY_vcX-sJ_YQ9z5HHSBb_PU3-BFWa6qVcGisrxI9cn0qhq-fBf9N7C9rTd1Lr9/s320/WIKTGCOE.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></i></div><i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?</span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This 1978 film starring George Segal, Jacqueline
Bisset, and Robert Morley is a load of laughs. Segal and especially Morley are
very funny. It’s a whodunit, and despite the movie being a comedy, the deaths
are rather gruesome. For those who like mysteries, humor, great locales, and
food, this is great entertainment. One of my favorite lines (and there are
many) delivered by Morey’s Max, as he wonders about the killings: “Don’t tell
me another cook has been murdered! Who is it this time, Aunt Jemima?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWww3hXB8nh4RkfFsEqd5A2DrjR1JEayZ-uAgMUmsc7WrEhOne-KKKvnVPUUgL9_XIRFzXK1r9FIrXrCSZfwFVupK17r6f3SknCy5BJaylkUssC3WPdbbEnd7n6bOu_E5lhzo81kkV7ixr7HePr9JMgui_4gPhHt8Y0I1itLpeFUWActcgPCIhVmb/s253/Sheila.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="253" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWww3hXB8nh4RkfFsEqd5A2DrjR1JEayZ-uAgMUmsc7WrEhOne-KKKvnVPUUgL9_XIRFzXK1r9FIrXrCSZfwFVupK17r6f3SknCy5BJaylkUssC3WPdbbEnd7n6bOu_E5lhzo81kkV7ixr7HePr9JMgui_4gPhHt8Y0I1itLpeFUWActcgPCIhVmb/s1600/Sheila.jpg" width="253" /></span></a></div><i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The Last of Sheila</span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Released in 1973, here is another humorous mystery
that has an even darker edge to it, but is still able to be very witty. We have
a great script here, filled with so many twists and turns it will make your
head spin like Linda Blair. The writers are, believe it or not, Broadway
musical composer Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins, who it turns out
were lovers of puzzles. They have concocted a gem here. The movie has an
all-star cast including James Mason, James Coburn, Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, and Raquel
Welch. Great locales in this movie, too. Herbert Ross is the director, who also
gave us <i>Play it Again, Sam</i>, <i>The Goodbye Girl</i>, and <i>The Turning
Point.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUo6TrgrdCmjFKCC9KfoBtus3U6oJa35zXbICZs0dojqJQXKOevaKX_0ZRBj78tPZe7OodI2J9-oDFySDg_Y5jlPquM-Oy9PErZf5QBaOZxOrcLkmWtvgvnCux67AyfmfSBIu9ahe8PY9FOlISi-kUtWlaxaWqcwTnOwnHc-vQRbvS2dq_xb0tWmp/s2048/Yuma.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1359" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUo6TrgrdCmjFKCC9KfoBtus3U6oJa35zXbICZs0dojqJQXKOevaKX_0ZRBj78tPZe7OodI2J9-oDFySDg_Y5jlPquM-Oy9PErZf5QBaOZxOrcLkmWtvgvnCux67AyfmfSBIu9ahe8PY9FOlISi-kUtWlaxaWqcwTnOwnHc-vQRbvS2dq_xb0tWmp/s320/Yuma.jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">3:10 to Yuma</span></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The remake of this film (2007) may not be as famous as
the original (both based on the Elmore Leonard story), but it is still pretty
good. Christian Bale does an excellent job playing the Job-like farmer who has
lost a foot due to friendly fire when he was a soldier, has a severely ill
child, and is debt-ridden. In addition, his son has little respect for his non-aggressive
ways. Bale’s character has a chance to make some money by transporting a
notorious outlaw, played with charismatic bravado by Russell Crowe, who, ironically,
likes to quote the Bible. His character is complicated, as he points out that
those who want to hang him for his crimes are themselves guilty of atrocities
but have hid behind the hypocrisy of those in power. The story focuses on whether
Bale’s farmer, through his heroic actions, can prevent his son from losing his
goodness in a world of lawlessness. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-69606261225909644732023-05-20T12:03:00.000-04:002023-05-20T12:03:00.422-04:00The Big Lebowski<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzP_p6vWwJVLPx_qOvF1Cv_o13RDJKntYYmMHGDCfCIWzLq6Oa66jhWHDQrHMjzfn7SW9cYRD57mcV-H4xEcYY52YdRPZlUnpSVCZdwLwRxN6o5zyrnN8qEmR4ZJs6IhVEkESP-oncRtL1vR17o--Hp4rz6uyN4d-mAehA-MnmJvtBYwXim5oV6-T/s844/TBL-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzP_p6vWwJVLPx_qOvF1Cv_o13RDJKntYYmMHGDCfCIWzLq6Oa66jhWHDQrHMjzfn7SW9cYRD57mcV-H4xEcYY52YdRPZlUnpSVCZdwLwRxN6o5zyrnN8qEmR4ZJs6IhVEkESP-oncRtL1vR17o--Hp4rz6uyN4d-mAehA-MnmJvtBYwXim5oV6-T/s320/TBL-%201.jpg" width="220" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">As I have done in the past, this post derives from a Bryn
Mawr Film Institute class on The Coen Brothers’ </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Big Lebowski </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1998).
It is a funny movie that deals with masculinity and politics in a story that is
a variation on film noir and the Western.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">A tumbleweed blows
across the screen at the beginning of the movie to the song “Tumblin’
Tumbleweeds.” We then see the city of Los Angeles, and California is as far west
as you can go on the continental United States. But, LA is a far cry from what the
Old West was. In a way the film is about the passage of time and what vanishes
and what endures.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTmxe6y5t2m-v9IX7dU6Ej1ACAT97eUQeYZLdCHiuYF4zDa2S9lqgg5D-Z2x2R2r1NAZfOenEm8dzK0BUskAtBHX6vtshHkGtkAWSaBVF3dSTEGIGEEs0i4WvZSZ3exk6wzu7KcQT7EN5J5s8p24FNODZzH_3-feLv_zXWhyhqeQusuS73egZfw7D/s640/TBL%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTmxe6y5t2m-v9IX7dU6Ej1ACAT97eUQeYZLdCHiuYF4zDa2S9lqgg5D-Z2x2R2r1NAZfOenEm8dzK0BUskAtBHX6vtshHkGtkAWSaBVF3dSTEGIGEEs0i4WvZSZ3exk6wzu7KcQT7EN5J5s8p24FNODZzH_3-feLv_zXWhyhqeQusuS73egZfw7D/s320/TBL%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The main character is the Dude (a hilarious performance by
Jeff Bridges). He is a stoner, a modern-day tumbleweed, just floating along,
but surviving with little resistance against the forces around him. The
Stranger (Sam Elliot), with a Texas drawl, narrates this story, which adds an
anachronistic touch to the tale. A “dude” was originally the term for a “city
slicker,” someone who dressed in a fancy manner and was out of his element on a
ranch. So, the Dude would not fit in with cowboys. But he certainly doesn’t
dress like a fashionable gentleman. He likes wearing pajamas and a bathrobe, and
he’d rather be in bed or just hanging around his apartment relaxing, smoking a
joint. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8T6-7h2ouz5BVagjYFoNy84HjVRsrL9kQso8gbrbECZfzLKghimjrVD7TQ6sPiAKvnSNwE-gIB84eYfvjuPC9O0_7dMEg6ztbUMEgCZSm_ghguQWf15Gw0kYM12QF0gPpSBrtcOO2KjCt-1lZXs3A20hCy28UqtfdPi6owHI57cHJkWFaZye9GMd_/s1400/TBL%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8T6-7h2ouz5BVagjYFoNy84HjVRsrL9kQso8gbrbECZfzLKghimjrVD7TQ6sPiAKvnSNwE-gIB84eYfvjuPC9O0_7dMEg6ztbUMEgCZSm_ghguQWf15Gw0kYM12QF0gPpSBrtcOO2KjCt-1lZXs3A20hCy28UqtfdPi6owHI57cHJkWFaZye9GMd_/s320/TBL%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">His chill life is violently interrupted by a couple of
goons from pornographer Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara) who burst into his
apartment and start banging things up, demanding that Jeffrey Lebowski (the
Dude’s name) pay money that is owed by his wife, Bunny. Here is where the film
noir aspect comes in. The Coens said that they wanted a comic variation on
writer Raymond Chandler (movie titles like <i>The Big </i>Sleep and <i>The Big
Heat </i>influence the title of this film). The Dude tries to explain that they
have the wrong man because they think he is rich. These guys are not too bright
because just looking at the Dude and where he lives would show he is not
wealthy. The Dude demonstrates he is a witty guy even under duress, like a film
noir detective. When one of the thugs keeps pushing his head into the toilet
asking where is the money, the Dude says, “it’s down there somewhere, let me
take another look.” When one of the thugs picks up a bowling ball and asks what
it is, the Dude replies, “obviously you’re not a golfer.” When the Dude comes
out with these occasional cool lines he mirrors the stylized dialogue of a Noir
story. Before the henchmen realize the mistaken identity problem, one pees on
the Dude’s Oriental rug. The Dude laments this action because, as is repeated
in the story, the rug “really tied the room together.” Despite his foggy life,
the Dude still wants to have focus where the strands of what’s happening are
“tied … together.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">During the movie, we get some of the Dude’s backstory. He
mentions that when he was in college, he “occupied” buildings. He was a
protester against “the establishment,” someone associated with the 1960’s
radical group Students for a Democratic Society, known as the SDS. He later wants
to be represented by lawyers William Kunstler and Ron Kuby who defended radical
leaders during that protest era. His activist ways eventually changed into his
current go-with-the-flow lifestyle, possibly because his past ventures didn’t
generate the change he hoped for. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ht5nXm0Id3JKxVTxHSbmZwfmzKmELt9qaWZ5Jg32IrKvuwuU0GB4iF7iVVT1Xm3zLSGA0lxZ-4IpZVp43udZjG2XiSGgw2vtwx5Nhg6o3UjuDyhjzgPMeIdzeUMwiMlxmoFMeqH2V-T9sewInnNc-utCQPR0R1TbsU_zQo6Ww1DieDjK8ULuH4-y/s1280/TBL%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1280" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ht5nXm0Id3JKxVTxHSbmZwfmzKmELt9qaWZ5Jg32IrKvuwuU0GB4iF7iVVT1Xm3zLSGA0lxZ-4IpZVp43udZjG2XiSGgw2vtwx5Nhg6o3UjuDyhjzgPMeIdzeUMwiMlxmoFMeqH2V-T9sewInnNc-utCQPR0R1TbsU_zQo6Ww1DieDjK8ULuH4-y/s320/TBL%20-%2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-98Smt_txVNl-rz4wpePjbnXtPkGhZYwe-0bl8t4xedJ78nP-_z4odm_awIIRk_iEPRApmB2mc0cASYQhLQiEkfWFAGUTj4FZ_LQb_ERoY9jy4_n54IEj94M372HptrlbJJIXuzjpbhwt-_5R3K0tyGuDW7S2rWEL6PuTGQyOl_rPwyC2K-nFQTb/s825/TBL%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="637" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-98Smt_txVNl-rz4wpePjbnXtPkGhZYwe-0bl8t4xedJ78nP-_z4odm_awIIRk_iEPRApmB2mc0cASYQhLQiEkfWFAGUTj4FZ_LQb_ERoY9jy4_n54IEj94M372HptrlbJJIXuzjpbhwt-_5R3K0tyGuDW7S2rWEL6PuTGQyOl_rPwyC2K-nFQTb/s320/TBL%20-%207.jpg" width="247" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He discovers who is the Big Lebowski (David Huddleston), visits
him, and asks for reimbursement for his rug since he is the innocent victim as
a result of the borrowing excess of Bunny, the “trophy wife.” Dude can’t escape
how the current political scene is dominated by Republicans. Lebowski’s servile
aide, Brandt (Philip Seymour Hoffman), shows pictures of Lebowski’s connection
to people like Nancy Reagan. Dude even repeats President George W. Bush’s
statement on television that Saddam Hussein’s “aggression will not stand.” The
Dude, however, is talking about his rug, and it is ironic that he is quoting a
Republican leader. There is a framed mirror on Lebowski’s wall that has the tag
of Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, which turns out to be one’s own
reflection. Probably Lebowski sees himself that way when he views his own face.
Here we see the Dude looking at himself. It is a complicated image. Is the Dude
a doppelganger of his rich self? Has he ironically become a member of the
Republican collage? We also see a picture of Richard Nixon bowling in the
Dude’s apartment. Has he come to identify with his old nemesis because the Dude
has taken up bowling? Or, as The Stranger asks, is the Dude “the man for his
place and time,” and currently represents the time of the film, the early
1990’s, and deserves to be on the cover of Time?</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lebowski is elderly and paralyzed in a wheelchair. Does his
disabled status reflect the current dysfunctional state of the union? He states
that the “bums” like the Dude “lost” the battle to subvert the status quo. But
we find out later from his daughter, Maude (Julianne Moore), that her father’s
wealth comes from her mother, and Maude manages the money. Lebowski lectures
the Dude about how he is a self-made man, but he is the phony who is the “bum.”
As one of our class’s instructors noted, Lebowski uses the word “achieve” a
great deal. For this rich guy, achievement is measured in wealth, not what one
does in life irrespective of accumulated funds. The Dude walks out and steals
one of the rugs in the mansion as reimbursement for his loss, exercising his
own version of ethics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsYKxKFQyAPLfB5K9oyNwKrVYv1Pov333henSdaqS6Mu_W5eoamh-OM2sIAsMDe0ks4h8VAQuG4AuerSc7jyuUr5wS-A-w9Une7gTnqba8rox9BRJ9fzmeUgtyPWQODDL3yHgr2WMoGwQzC7bQj-xJ_ihM5xIs1sSi5kvHwtNjAu8p9srEpiykmnw/s640/TBL%20-%2023.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsYKxKFQyAPLfB5K9oyNwKrVYv1Pov333henSdaqS6Mu_W5eoamh-OM2sIAsMDe0ks4h8VAQuG4AuerSc7jyuUr5wS-A-w9Une7gTnqba8rox9BRJ9fzmeUgtyPWQODDL3yHgr2WMoGwQzC7bQj-xJ_ihM5xIs1sSi5kvHwtNjAu8p9srEpiykmnw/s320/TBL%20-%2023.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Dude finds refuge from the world at the bowling alley
with his friends Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi). As stated in
the class, here is a place where these men can “achieve,” by bowling a good
game and possibly winning a tournament. Interestingly, we never see the Dude
bowl. Does that mean he can’t escape past failures? The Dude is not laid back
when it comes to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Walter, who infuriates him with his aggressive actions. The
Coens said they saw these two acting like a turbulent married couple. Walter makes
everything about his past as a soldier in Vietnam. He is a stickler for rules,
which majorly contrasts with the easy-going Dude. It may be that the chaos of America’s
failure in the Vietnam War causes Walter to overreact in post-war life as he
can searches for order after chaos. For instance, Walter pulls out a gun to
threaten a bowler who crosses the foul line but still wants his roll to count. The
Dude sides with the bowler and wants to relax the rules. Walter also has
converted to Judaism, and wants to comply with its religious dictates.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4f8Pnxp7b-qBwIbaYFOaJoDwstyKjSuOSXreKb-wR4H3IXB6-Yl6hqavo-kTVO4qwbC5UyrfkFXy8ERa5llxtwaJMrQoRSchHJvnUku4AoPno99B1IOqp2-Rx1AMh3p3ziulUv_5iIMUPqjeSq4IXXJV17o2Rn8mR7Ikf41taGasDMz-Ww6cZMAXb/s2048/TBL%20-%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1355" data-original-width="2048" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4f8Pnxp7b-qBwIbaYFOaJoDwstyKjSuOSXreKb-wR4H3IXB6-Yl6hqavo-kTVO4qwbC5UyrfkFXy8ERa5llxtwaJMrQoRSchHJvnUku4AoPno99B1IOqp2-Rx1AMh3p3ziulUv_5iIMUPqjeSq4IXXJV17o2Rn8mR7Ikf41taGasDMz-Ww6cZMAXb/s320/TBL%20-%2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lebowski
hires the Dude to deliver a million dollars in ransom for the supposed kidnapping
of wife Bunny. He says he thinks the culprits are the same guys who broke into the
Dude's place, so the Dude can confirm they are the culprits. Despite his
unfocused mind, the Dude channels the film noir private eye and concludes that
there is something not right about what appears to be a crime. He knows Bunny
needs money and he believes she is faking her own kidnapping to extract a
ransom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Walter
complicates the money drop by going along for the ride and substitutes his
dirty underwear in a suitcase for the money bag. He wants to confront the
crooks. The whole episode is like the Keystone Cops, ending with the Dude
crashing his car which eventually gets stolen out of the bowling alley parking
lot, with the money suitcase in it. Lebowski says he heard from the kidnappers
that they didn’t receive the ransom, and Lebowski points the finger at the
Dude, who is now in trouble with the kidnappers.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEIjhRW6oTc_r5Kpf5Cs7-94_TJeQRR4lrvygWjyCufa0zn3MZ5sIxnHF5BynnM0kYXtWsZQEFcaKvG3TpKuQ12JEQHFyj8d0w3NzlYvcRjVP54ZaKSg0jKsYDXjaH1RA9qqWAtYwnc8rgkUtwS-9jYHcUYtvA0zmOdESUlmgIP3UxpVe2oVNpJOW/s666/TBL%20-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="666" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEIjhRW6oTc_r5Kpf5Cs7-94_TJeQRR4lrvygWjyCufa0zn3MZ5sIxnHF5BynnM0kYXtWsZQEFcaKvG3TpKuQ12JEQHFyj8d0w3NzlYvcRjVP54ZaKSg0jKsYDXjaH1RA9qqWAtYwnc8rgkUtwS-9jYHcUYtvA0zmOdESUlmgIP3UxpVe2oVNpJOW/s320/TBL%20-20.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">However,
it is not <span style="background: white;">Treehorn’s men who come to threaten
the Dude, but a bunch of “nihilists,” including Karl Hungus (Peter Stomare), a
porn star who worked with Bunny in adult films (his work name indicates his
attribute for the job). These guys want the ransom money from the Dude. They
drop a marmot in the Dude’s bathtub as they threaten to cut off his “Johnson.” One
of the film’s main themes centers on threatened masculinity. There is the Bob
Dylan song that talks about “the man in me.” After Bunny is kidnapped, Lebowski
muses about what is the right thing a man should do. When the Dude has his
dream sequence, he sees himself being pursued by these nihilists coming at him
with castration-threatening enlarged scissors. A huge bowling ball comes at
him, ready to squash him. The story uses the bowing pins and balls as symbols
of male genitalia. Walter plays the role of the aggressive male, perhaps to
compensate for his impotence in not being able to save his fellow soldiers in
Vietnam. The Dude may also be suffering from testosterone failure in his
inability to bring about change in society in his past. </span>The loss of
masculinity is also referred to by the passing of the cowboy era, including the
fact that the fictional writer of the TV series <i>Branded</i> is in an iron
lung when the Dude and Walter search for the missing money. Even the cab driver
tells a story about a woman “bustin’ … agates.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcZyap1bgNueuRz46Ks_218yJXJV3p1Z3Uis3imM0i_QpNPYu4bfirYeJWXtPzocnaGpa8711ASVW9jwlYwU7do3SMZ9NpuBrfWdPDhnXxXi3lw_CuaPLKfTHSUADOMjacVt_cG1xXUSs_CnESsl1o3fIs_yhAZeSHSLZtwA129IaUtfrPcQSOhg-/s2000/TBL%20-%2010.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcZyap1bgNueuRz46Ks_218yJXJV3p1Z3Uis3imM0i_QpNPYu4bfirYeJWXtPzocnaGpa8711ASVW9jwlYwU7do3SMZ9NpuBrfWdPDhnXxXi3lw_CuaPLKfTHSUADOMjacVt_cG1xXUSs_CnESsl1o3fIs_yhAZeSHSLZtwA129IaUtfrPcQSOhg-/s320/TBL%20-%2010.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The ironically named character of Jesus (John Turturro), a
fellow bowler, is a demonic figure who invades the sanctuary of achievement of these
men whose masculinity is on the line. He </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">has partially sheer
socks and a painted baby fingernail, which depicts him as more traditionally
effeminate than male (Bunny paints her toenails), which may suggest why he
overcompensates with his overly machismo posturing. He licks his bowling ball
which could be symbolic of a testicle. Walter tells the Dude that Jesus is a
pederast, with a record of exposing himself to an eight-year-old child. There
are several references to anal intercourse, including Jesus saying he'll take
Walter's gun, stick it up his butt and pull the trigger. Our discussion noted
that the Coens deflate Jesus’s character by making him look ridiculous in his
exaggerated boasting. (As one of our instructors rightly noted, the comical allusions
to homophobia probably wouldn’t make it into a film today as being politically
incorrect).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3zQDuuRGklxPs0DZX9bdIv5PMXyeBwdkCGIKLAGMYSUAYPX-fvgq55iAwcrmcbSw_HzBWXZ1eEzBr1q8Q8oPm3CHHqhoJAy3BcClwDLmO_Ly6DvuFpytfrgw8EwNBWrNfZAZc38MDb89XGotEI_4b7mSfq3UjMxXPa66Zvb9hN-3NmBkiwMTBQ7H/s956/TBL%20-%2017.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="956" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3zQDuuRGklxPs0DZX9bdIv5PMXyeBwdkCGIKLAGMYSUAYPX-fvgq55iAwcrmcbSw_HzBWXZ1eEzBr1q8Q8oPm3CHHqhoJAy3BcClwDLmO_Ly6DvuFpytfrgw8EwNBWrNfZAZc38MDb89XGotEI_4b7mSfq3UjMxXPa66Zvb9hN-3NmBkiwMTBQ7H/s320/TBL%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Maude
takes back the rug that the Dude stole from the Lebowski mansion, which he
subsequently was allowed to keep. The Dude is on a search for an object,
similar to the hunt for the Maltese Falcon. Maude invites the Dude to her
artist’s studio where she tells him that the rug was a gift from her mother, so
her father had no right to let the Dude have it. Maude says that those so
obsessed just with sex do not love, and she puts Bunny is this category. So,
there is a distinction drawn here between proving sexuality and the ability to
show true emotion in the form of love. She shows the beginning of a porno film
that has Bunny in it with <span style="background: white;">Hungus</span>. The
film has Hungus as a cable guy visiting the scantily clad Bunny. The Dude
delivers one of his funnier lines when Maude says one can imagine what happens
next in the film, and the Dude says, “He fixes the cable?” It is here that Maude
mentions her father’s lack of personal funds and that he embezzled a million
dollars from a charity for children to get the ransom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmfPjKaQR5FVzO8tsxnd--jDjxmwCtwYiRCcEwFhVjpSKi97gVttTfTELGbvuT_nQdjzTgtKJ_G6kHxdxHGfBWSBqCdd4UAWan1BuXidsfV4TibzOGwxOeqwa12vL7KNyhVI6D4d8-TKd8hv32xPyxcj31Me09bfKFM156pmxxe2la3I6vJ2QsmTu/s3360/TBL%20-%2021.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1814" data-original-width="3360" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmfPjKaQR5FVzO8tsxnd--jDjxmwCtwYiRCcEwFhVjpSKi97gVttTfTELGbvuT_nQdjzTgtKJ_G6kHxdxHGfBWSBqCdd4UAWan1BuXidsfV4TibzOGwxOeqwa12vL7KNyhVI6D4d8-TKd8hv32xPyxcj31Me09bfKFM156pmxxe2la3I6vJ2QsmTu/s320/TBL%20-%2021.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKy9iOTZltrwXGPuY5pXpLEUqqKQemd6qW2et27xoFVBRszvZKIC5ih3oVJKMFbL-qDJoeLcmKuJFuVCz_vun_pedkfRk9viyPjfU3P8023jRCEbnyqo5hVEAMEW-DU_afe8azBGXoZym6faemdUnPfZsBqv8wBS0oaSgWzW5h-IwZg6w1zGjbuTah/s3750/TBL%20-%207.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="3750" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKy9iOTZltrwXGPuY5pXpLEUqqKQemd6qW2et27xoFVBRszvZKIC5ih3oVJKMFbL-qDJoeLcmKuJFuVCz_vun_pedkfRk9viyPjfU3P8023jRCEbnyqo5hVEAMEW-DU_afe8azBGXoZym6faemdUnPfZsBqv8wBS0oaSgWzW5h-IwZg6w1zGjbuTah/s320/TBL%20-%207.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3k-5qLhaVh_fR8p1SuJXwEDLZiszDPNepT0p39eyp6k-QXSGYX8T_VScualofr_EmP34OQ9_86i-YdSGMlRl14ISL829AfNWa99yCa4l0Gq_kusEja5m2sVqXWjj7ubdft7hCZCo9323ky_P13WYTNvpn46Zn26asic39pnAGdFPTwfJoPubvmhJ/s305/TBL%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="305" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3k-5qLhaVh_fR8p1SuJXwEDLZiszDPNepT0p39eyp6k-QXSGYX8T_VScualofr_EmP34OQ9_86i-YdSGMlRl14ISL829AfNWa99yCa4l0Gq_kusEja5m2sVqXWjj7ubdft7hCZCo9323ky_P13WYTNvpn46Zn26asic39pnAGdFPTwfJoPubvmhJ/s1600/TBL%2014.jpg" width="305" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Treehorn wants his
money. He drugs Dude when he doesn't get the right info from him, which gets the
Dude in trouble with cops so Treehorn can toss the Dude’s place to look for the
cash. In film noir movies the private eye usually gets knocked out. As one of
our instructors noted, the Coens fill the blackouts with dreams. The Dude's
dream here is like his carpet because it ties the story together. Many of the
images already shown in the movie appear here. For example, there are the
bowling pins and balls, and the outfit that Hungus wears in the porno (there
are numerous other examples on IMDb). The Dude is more of a swaggering male
here, dancing suggestively in a Busby Berkeley inspired erotic musical called </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Gutterballs</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">.
He drifts between the legs of the short-skirted dancers, looking upwards.
However, there are then the scissors that undermine this macho wish-fulfillment.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXjCXB0YsWXyQb6-6VCzSx2ufN_KMN0HGggFxfz-h8TWplXmBdkwq9UGkdqWjbNN0Dm8JxxGayWv18qhjoFXLfxUSLQXut0D_MNsdoEIzc-VOWAFA7wiGClKXbhJMncgqx7T22bkKwtvuXADxOSIjESJaxtJLidgUHTyplVkwCRk9u9EM76XWAsvw/s1200/TBL%20-%2016.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXjCXB0YsWXyQb6-6VCzSx2ufN_KMN0HGggFxfz-h8TWplXmBdkwq9UGkdqWjbNN0Dm8JxxGayWv18qhjoFXLfxUSLQXut0D_MNsdoEIzc-VOWAFA7wiGClKXbhJMncgqx7T22bkKwtvuXADxOSIjESJaxtJLidgUHTyplVkwCRk9u9EM76XWAsvw/s320/TBL%20-%2016.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Dude deduces that
Lebowski didn’t care what happened to Bunny, and actually wanted to get rid of
her because of her gold-digger ways. So, the suitcase he gave them didn’t contain
any money and Lebowski was keeping the cash for himself. The twisty noir aspect
of the story continues when Bunny shows up drunk, crashing her car into the
Lebowski fountain. (There are several car accidents in the film, suggesting how
chaos upends order or calmness). She wasn’t kidnapped and was just on a holiday
in Palm Springs which she didn’t tell anybody about. The nihilists just used
her absence to try to extort money. The Dude confronts Lebowski, correctly
concluding that the old man was setting the Dude up as the patsy for the
missing money.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYi7DhFAbjjHCsSYGo5WAb9P4nvKEJD5a-Vp7jH1Z_QjvRXBYJAT0btILWGT4wWhYNOx9ioaLlJNVKnOJaIUDOf6HgqnMXlUxgThRgd0aYbP_wdhTaRi5E-ACcG1xWyVZKQ7xYmp4-XAGF_fGPaVVwKZGlMV81QZ5zlgdn9M-w0kKaYDqU7tpYUjnI/s500/TBL%20-%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYi7DhFAbjjHCsSYGo5WAb9P4nvKEJD5a-Vp7jH1Z_QjvRXBYJAT0btILWGT4wWhYNOx9ioaLlJNVKnOJaIUDOf6HgqnMXlUxgThRgd0aYbP_wdhTaRi5E-ACcG1xWyVZKQ7xYmp4-XAGF_fGPaVVwKZGlMV81QZ5zlgdn9M-w0kKaYDqU7tpYUjnI/s320/TBL%20-%2022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNIrRjP72ElnhMVoHgeWztJa7HwOsVSoHzETkJBrc2buOEdIjRdH-esZCcUy-COLA8A4h33-7BCnsXwSS5Ku7crD3mt31t6jr7Y0QC4Z-PZrWp4mL31bLwogF388SlOGCGeNT6EokfdQk3T1tyWxYmTlWnbFBz8uOlgbFeh89WKkrs-Jfeo6_Te0Q/s1500/TBL%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1500" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNIrRjP72ElnhMVoHgeWztJa7HwOsVSoHzETkJBrc2buOEdIjRdH-esZCcUy-COLA8A4h33-7BCnsXwSS5Ku7crD3mt31t6jr7Y0QC4Z-PZrWp4mL31bLwogF388SlOGCGeNT6EokfdQk3T1tyWxYmTlWnbFBz8uOlgbFeh89WKkrs-Jfeo6_Te0Q/s320/TBL%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEXyR_MnGvmRUHjJ9OQ-30XQbGWJndBAXUfHaBUSzpK4tMq9_3dh0_dTwYnVw2jW1-aSPTez-l2Pu1978R5x2ppu2Fuw6MuLvsrX2SSdJAd8ClP_9qGon5dyr794BjE1cPH-ISFwEs0Oq-aKQbLjeK3fEs4CS1nMrrXW5QMFGHxlJtfumGn1Pc6Jv/s1000/The-Big-Lebowski%20-%208.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUEXyR_MnGvmRUHjJ9OQ-30XQbGWJndBAXUfHaBUSzpK4tMq9_3dh0_dTwYnVw2jW1-aSPTez-l2Pu1978R5x2ppu2Fuw6MuLvsrX2SSdJAd8ClP_9qGon5dyr794BjE1cPH-ISFwEs0Oq-aKQbLjeK3fEs4CS1nMrrXW5QMFGHxlJtfumGn1Pc6Jv/s320/The-Big-Lebowski%20-%208.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In a comical
confrontation with the nihilists, Walter gets to do battle one more time and
helps defeat the fake kidnappers. But, sadly the innocent Donny has a heart
attack in the middle of the confrontation, and dies. There was a foreshadowing
of this event, as IMDb points out, since he always threw strikes until just
before his demise. There is a humorous burial as Walter allows Donny’s ashes,
carried in a coffee can, to blow all over the Dude when Walter attempts to toss
them into the ocean.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0blmHYsF-g2S5-5hX1YcB5lp5eBYpgfGYCk4x_Lh_yvk4YNl2HV-Rv2ebOfnBA56oRsl-eg9DHvEjHp5WMfBVdEp_8VJL4D_mRtg8wDToVeqjRGHKce5g5-axKWVVZJds1GLXubDXkmJGZB6kfRtbpuPJjm-x0JV876sVOugRcYKaGRZaYpRG5RP/s2000/TBL%20-%209.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0blmHYsF-g2S5-5hX1YcB5lp5eBYpgfGYCk4x_Lh_yvk4YNl2HV-Rv2ebOfnBA56oRsl-eg9DHvEjHp5WMfBVdEp_8VJL4D_mRtg8wDToVeqjRGHKce5g5-axKWVVZJds1GLXubDXkmJGZB6kfRtbpuPJjm-x0JV876sVOugRcYKaGRZaYpRG5RP/s320/TBL%20-%209.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">At the bowling alley,
the Dude meets up with the Stranger, and issues his famous line about how,
despite everything, “the Dude abides.” The Stranger, addressing the audience, says,
“the whole durned human comedy keeps perpetuatin’ itself down through the
generations.” IMDb notes that the word “abides” in the script may come from the
Bible’s Ecclesiastes, which reads: “One generation passes away, and another
generation comes: but the Earth abides forever.” The Dude had sex with Maude,
and the Stranger says that the Dude will become a father. Despite all the
craziness in the world, life still goes on.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>The Accidental Tourist</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-31936417793769517432023-04-30T13:21:00.001-04:002023-05-13T11:22:10.605-04:00Lost in Translation<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQppJqya1AgO7u01LcM_j7jlU7C7s1_kPPn74fkECXwXWEgDt5lMQV3kJIeHnv_nKQrx6rnrQR65eak3RDQDbOV3D_EFSJPej5jWtxMdxfrGkUfSI-3bluhlKQcRBeyyBejXD9dI4gqBG3AwCVYqMN1vacphhDsXAT_0hoRQV41BS8RpFf0QNeTgw/s330/LIT%20-%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQppJqya1AgO7u01LcM_j7jlU7C7s1_kPPn74fkECXwXWEgDt5lMQV3kJIeHnv_nKQrx6rnrQR65eak3RDQDbOV3D_EFSJPej5jWtxMdxfrGkUfSI-3bluhlKQcRBeyyBejXD9dI4gqBG3AwCVYqMN1vacphhDsXAT_0hoRQV41BS8RpFf0QNeTgw/s320/LIT%20-%201.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Lost in Translation </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(2003),
written and directed by Sofia Coppola (she won the Oscar for Best Original
Screenplay), has at its center two people who feel alienated from others and
maybe even themselves as they search for what they want. This sense of feeling
“lost” is dramatized by placing the main characters in a foreign land where
they are not able to connect to the inhabitants due to the inability to
understand the native language and some customs.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an actor who is in Japan
to do a whiskey commercial for a nice sum of money which he can use since his
show business career has stalled. Tokyo is a modern city lit up like New York, but
all the electric signs are in Japanese, which reminds Bob he is the foreigner,
the outsider. Bob even sees himself in an advertisement, with Japanese writing
next to his face, stressing familiarity and strangeness at the same time. Bob
makes a bit or a racist joke about how his greeting is “short and sweet,” and,
so, very Japanese. He does stand out as the tall one in the elevator,
emphasizing how he is out of place. He receives a message from his wife, Lydia,
that says he forgot his son’s birthday. It indicates that he is estranged from
his family, which indicates his solitary situation.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_pbLMiQA2Q0UETY5uLWKkFZq97t7v-KUht740-_0AlCiw5ay1MjCfSHkKfO4yWK-_OoY5c7FujlbyDaiwOVvBzK6TVmke0ejTqCzkDwEABTegwkHHPDuTK_bP95SA0Dj95XiNiTfzYjF6iR9sdk-Zty5yo-nFrtpDHaIrVVsc2CislqiKY6W6lsr/s1200/Lit%20-%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_pbLMiQA2Q0UETY5uLWKkFZq97t7v-KUht740-_0AlCiw5ay1MjCfSHkKfO4yWK-_OoY5c7FujlbyDaiwOVvBzK6TVmke0ejTqCzkDwEABTegwkHHPDuTK_bP95SA0Dj95XiNiTfzYjF6iR9sdk-Zty5yo-nFrtpDHaIrVVsc2CislqiKY6W6lsr/s320/Lit%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He sits on his bed listening to classical music and
looks inanimate, as if entropy has taken him over. At the hotel bar two young
men recognize him and talk about a car chase in one of his films. He responds
minimally to them, and escapes. He does not want the superficial and awkward
intrusion of fans. He’s jet-lagged and can’t sleep. The communications he receives
from his wife are not about how he is missed but instead are faxes about house
remodeling which shows how removed from emotion their relationship has become. Bob’s
out-of-sync existence here is stressed by curtains sliding open automatically
letting bright light in his room in the morning, forcing him to wake up. And, the
shower head only fits at a level that does not accommodate Bob’s taller height.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0o7cTFjNV-Fd1wOXLQSELSWqwTAI6oID3uMtCBPKFvPhyk7nm9bpSOsgI1ibK2EAdwGGZsbpZBVlhbYNyBaE5rUeWXS8TbLmLXsTYpr0V200LnZvq7ARkh4mBm2ptcNmkND_gmXmVnlEhmHdYxj2zCCrHSbZIafFk6QjBq1iyHCTHneajk66Aor3e/s1366/Lit%20-%2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0o7cTFjNV-Fd1wOXLQSELSWqwTAI6oID3uMtCBPKFvPhyk7nm9bpSOsgI1ibK2EAdwGGZsbpZBVlhbYNyBaE5rUeWXS8TbLmLXsTYpr0V200LnZvq7ARkh4mBm2ptcNmkND_gmXmVnlEhmHdYxj2zCCrHSbZIafFk6QjBq1iyHCTHneajk66Aor3e/s320/Lit%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H3FVyf18YfeqmpQAposYrWsISndNeNZNE5XZcnpfdDoLAG7UbE7XyTXwj6f5KeBvREmAOqFT6iRT6Oh4q5GaFCwlq78LvMENU4Zntb94XXk_UReV3CTOm1EaUl098Xp0727ha1rFWq7abdA352CVS59m-Wlzu4THKNrLHPZpReH4mJv3ST4LMueL/s1600/Lit%20-%2017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1600" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H3FVyf18YfeqmpQAposYrWsISndNeNZNE5XZcnpfdDoLAG7UbE7XyTXwj6f5KeBvREmAOqFT6iRT6Oh4q5GaFCwlq78LvMENU4Zntb94XXk_UReV3CTOm1EaUl098Xp0727ha1rFWq7abdA352CVS59m-Wlzu4THKNrLHPZpReH4mJv3ST4LMueL/s320/Lit%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Charlotte, (Scarlett Johansson) is also sleepless in
Tokyo. She is the young wife of John (Giovanni Rabisi), a very busy
photographer who has little time for her and basically abandons her in Tokyo.
John sleeps soundly, at peace with his life. He runs out in the morning with a
drive-by “I love you,” to Charlotte as he rushes out the door. Charlotte is in
her underwear a great deal in her room, suggesting she isn’t ready to meet the
outside, alien world.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the shoot for the whiskey commercial, the Japanese
director goes on in his native tongue about what he wants. The translator says
the director said, “he wants you to turn, look into the camera.” The perplexed
Bob asks, “That’s all he said?” That confusion continues throughout the scene. What
we have here is a failure to communicate (which is the famous line delivered by
Strother Martin in <i>Cool Hand Luke</i>, a story about another outsider). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Charlotte is also experiencing alienation. She goes to
a Buddhist shrine that has chanting monks. She wanted to feel something, make a
connection to this far-off culture. But, she retreats to her womb-like hotel
room and says in a phone conversation that she couldn’t feel anything at this
religious place. She tries to express her solitary pain in the phone call but
the person on the other end is distracted. Charlotte cries afterwards, showing
how desolate she feels. When John returns for a bit all he talks about is his
experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob watches TV in his room and with everything in
Japanese, he can’t find any distraction from his being ill-at-ease in this
foreign country. It is funny and upsetting when he watches an old clip of
himself dubbed into Japanese. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCYJrZWDEqStAmnlp1nSFJ1fzch7B4vSWq18-qlESfAcwk4BWmzruk3RaBAnCwD-E3QfoI-EXKPxECYDp_Xc4PZCY-HzCzW6lRAywJa5FZCcG55QpBeJFMyta0So1Qr-0iZBplRnfU1Jdl9LD2IG5f8nxM0INwpxR1Gj1JFiBewgEWVBEOZeJkGac/s270/LostInTranslation_19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="270" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCYJrZWDEqStAmnlp1nSFJ1fzch7B4vSWq18-qlESfAcwk4BWmzruk3RaBAnCwD-E3QfoI-EXKPxECYDp_Xc4PZCY-HzCzW6lRAywJa5FZCcG55QpBeJFMyta0So1Qr-0iZBplRnfU1Jdl9LD2IG5f8nxM0INwpxR1Gj1JFiBewgEWVBEOZeJkGac/s1600/LostInTranslation_19.jpg" width="270" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Then comes the hysterical “Premium Fantasy” woman (Nao
Asuka) scene. She is sent by one of Bob's hosts. She shows her exposed leg with thigh-high stockings, and it sounds
like she wants him to “lip” them when she actually means “rip” them. It is
supposed to be some strange sexual role-playing, as she falls to the floor as
if not wanting to be touched and then wanting to be. Bob is confused and
embarrassed by this awkward bit of miscommunication.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lI3sWDh26jnkP4hlx-g1G2O4bqyYnIVAqfI8kk1QPWPNFbdKx1XS3lPvIJjnvcc62ceITAwzrem5-HzsP492ef_Ft9eDubm9Ka0YHdeWnHzl6alzXKT8Ii_Wdr9wThMk62k8EDIR3r5LJlDDbiehagySiXyrJb6EF5xK7js6gZHQemklwcM00IhK/s300/Lit%20-%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lI3sWDh26jnkP4hlx-g1G2O4bqyYnIVAqfI8kk1QPWPNFbdKx1XS3lPvIJjnvcc62ceITAwzrem5-HzsP492ef_Ft9eDubm9Ka0YHdeWnHzl6alzXKT8Ii_Wdr9wThMk62k8EDIR3r5LJlDDbiehagySiXyrJb6EF5xK7js6gZHQemklwcM00IhK/s1600/Lit%20-%207.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob eats breakfast alone, but Charlotte is just as solitary
walking anonymously in a crowd. Bob goes to a photo shoot for stills for the
whiskey promotion. He makes jokes since the direction he receives sounds strange
to him. For example, he is told to act like “007,” but he comments that James
Bond drinks martinis. The director asks for “more,” or does he mean Roger
Moore? More (pun intended) confusion.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nkFlErmuHnmp_XWe-BddXVF1xoh4oScBCkPKpVe4s5PuTSlb-mtuPoyjR_2ZX4xhJ4T2oiyhmRDlg_Bog73DvyYoP4eo2GuUZj192htPgCyPmUJW5gJXRq6XiEPzo3tXejLfO-PRWE7HFG3zH9gFIKCIVrqM7C_FmYdil4wtzgZceuBIIsnJkBYQ/s305/Lit%20-%2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="305" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nkFlErmuHnmp_XWe-BddXVF1xoh4oScBCkPKpVe4s5PuTSlb-mtuPoyjR_2ZX4xhJ4T2oiyhmRDlg_Bog73DvyYoP4eo2GuUZj192htPgCyPmUJW5gJXRq6XiEPzo3tXejLfO-PRWE7HFG3zH9gFIKCIVrqM7C_FmYdil4wtzgZceuBIIsnJkBYQ/s1600/Lit%20-%2022.jpg" width="305" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob again seeks refuge in the hotel bar where the
lounge singer (Catherine Lambert) performs in an overly dramatic manner. She sings
American songs in a way that is not comforting to the visitors. Bob and
Charlotte exchange amused looks and gestures across the room concerning the
singing. In contrast to what has happened to them so far, there is a connection
between them that doesn’t even require words. She is at a table with her
husband and others but feels uninvolved with their words. She sends over what
looks like sake to the appreciative Bob.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There are several funny quick scenes which show the
effects of feeling out of touch with the surroundings. One such slapstick bit occurs
when Bob gets caught on a runaway elliptical machine which he can’t control
since it only responds to Japanese commands. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUuuXONN18IQWfs9aviPA-79SGtYTKlMNQkLntfwH2Zte9V9EpkUHg5vDLFlnSP-boucpeNjsg5xGn3KyFL_i8KFFJhewdOx5RVgeTDphKc48hB18n0iFi0_0Ju53o829icg6qc3Gbi5I1yCb5Di-mZ57fln6WU0Nv6Kr2K9nZa-rC7varxEsruKJ/s275/Lit%20-%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUuuXONN18IQWfs9aviPA-79SGtYTKlMNQkLntfwH2Zte9V9EpkUHg5vDLFlnSP-boucpeNjsg5xGn3KyFL_i8KFFJhewdOx5RVgeTDphKc48hB18n0iFi0_0Ju53o829icg6qc3Gbi5I1yCb5Di-mZ57fln6WU0Nv6Kr2K9nZa-rC7varxEsruKJ/s1600/Lit%20-%2013.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">John runs into a previous photo client, a flirtatious actress
named Kelly (Anna Faris). The two talk and Charlotte looks like she isn’t even
there, which shows how one can be left out of the loop even when one’s own
language is spoken. Kelly is going under the name “Evelyn Waugh,” which, as
Charlotte notes to John, is the name of a male writer. The scene shows how
inaccurate language can be if ignorance is involved.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After both can’t sleep and or find anything desirable
on TV, Bob (who tries to talk to the bartender who wanders off – again no
communication) and Charlotte meet in the hotel bar and begin to talk. When she
asks what he is doing there, he is very frank, probably aching, despite his
glibness, to connect with someone. He says he is “taking a break from his
wife,” and has forgotten his son’s birthday. He is getting paid two million
dollars instead of doing a play, which shows how he is admitting to being an
artistic sellout. He says the “whiskey works,” so he can get a laugh to soften
his opening confessional remarks. She notes that his twenty-five years of
marriage is “impressive,” but he deflates her admiration by saying one sleeps
one third of an individual’s life, so that brings it down to “sixteen and
change.” As IMDb notes, Charlotte finds her husband and later others of her age
as being superficial. She is intelligent and searching for answers, as she went
to the Buddhist shrine and listens to an audio book about finding one’s true
self. Perhaps that is why an older man, like Bob, might have more to offer. He
says that when one is young and gets married, “you can drive but there’s still
the occasional accident,” which can give hope to someone younger who is having
marital questions. She notes that he may be having a “mid-life crisis.” She says
that her major was philosophy,” the impractical study of a questioning youth. The
older, cynical Bob says, “There’s a lot of money in that racket.” Instead of
being upset she jokes by saying so far it’s been “pro bono.” They are beginning
to understand each other.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Charlotte decides to go with John to the bar for a meet-up
with Kelly. He is reluctant because he knows she doesn’t connect with Kelly,
but she wants to spend some time with her husband. The conversation is vapid, including
Kelly’s urging to have a “power cleanse.” Charlotte tells a DJ there talking
about hip-hop music that she doesn’t know what he is talking about, which
pretty much sums up her situation. Charlotte eyes Bob at the bar, who pretends
to fall over, as if channeling what she is going through. She walks over to him,
and he tells her he is “trying to organize a prison break,” to basically get
out of the country. He wants an accomplice, and she says she is “in.” The scene
is funny, but it also reveals how they feel trapped by their respective lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The soundtrack has a muted, dreamy feel to it, which
reflects the unreal sense of being in a faraway land. Bob and Charlotte both
use the hotel pool, and those familiar with <i>The Graduate </i>and <i>Ordinary
People </i>know how that water experience can symbolize drifting with no
direction. Charlotte asks Bob if he wants to come out with her to see some of
her friends that live in Japan. He had said that he would be spending the week
in the bar, another form of being lost in a liquid environment, so her
invitation may be a wish to rescue him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8QtgdFGsTA7A1yQhTvifWCR7yB5cK5GsuOkT_rqiejYYZpObcQ4E1tgacjIyiCEh7Zkj4oOYW2-g9Vdr2NIe6OOYDfl30vK1mu6J6QWbKkp_z7U-PZEHYpfCEfoqFhET4GYCHVUlBbl5Les-Nkjxvvx06Zo89TSkd_iBZbg9VbN7g6JnS4EbzEAg/s1000/Lost-in-translation%20-%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8QtgdFGsTA7A1yQhTvifWCR7yB5cK5GsuOkT_rqiejYYZpObcQ4E1tgacjIyiCEh7Zkj4oOYW2-g9Vdr2NIe6OOYDfl30vK1mu6J6QWbKkp_z7U-PZEHYpfCEfoqFhET4GYCHVUlBbl5Les-Nkjxvvx06Zo89TSkd_iBZbg9VbN7g6JnS4EbzEAg/s320/Lost-in-translation%20-%2015.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy5ja5v4bDcvXPCfEJI0yEPJIXHmFunT2pjrAL3Z6u803PZrl0TyoplEvgFK0mGMx23HpihqV-COxF6kH4-Cce2xJLg4gvXH3Ykuvb3aASO_cs7HYOPTWE5Qv9xcmF9XFc7n6XDYSxI5OMo3MD2EAsJ60iV5BAxR7_cCHKo4tF3Igu2ia9CkAkPpX/s276/LIT%20-%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="276" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy5ja5v4bDcvXPCfEJI0yEPJIXHmFunT2pjrAL3Z6u803PZrl0TyoplEvgFK0mGMx23HpihqV-COxF6kH4-Cce2xJLg4gvXH3Ykuvb3aASO_cs7HYOPTWE5Qv9xcmF9XFc7n6XDYSxI5OMo3MD2EAsJ60iV5BAxR7_cCHKo4tF3Igu2ia9CkAkPpX/s1600/LIT%20-%202.jpg" width="276" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">On the night out they are very relaxed with each other
except when Bob arrives at Charlotte’s room. She notes how loud his shirt is by
again mentioning his mid-life crisis. He goes into her bathroom and takes off
his shirt to turn it inside out. Charlotte looks away, a bit embarrassed by this
quick show of intimacy. The party with Charlotte’s Japanese friend, nicknamed
Charlie Brown (Fumihiro Hayashi), has all young people there. Despite the age
difference and even though there is still the language barrier, Bob has fun
because he is with a kindred soul. When Charlotte sings her song, Bob repeats
the word “special” as he looks at her. When he sings, he turns to her, as if
dedicating his song to her. (When Murray sings karaoke, it brings up memories
of his singing on </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Saturday Night Live</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">). When she goes outside the room
for a smoke break, Bob joins her and again they communicate without talking as
he takes a drag from her cigarette and she leans her head on his shoulder
showing how comfortable they have become with each other. When they get back to
the hotel Charlotte is asleep and Bob carries her to her room. He tucks her in
and there is a conflicting look on his face as she closes her eyes to go to
sleep, which may be part lustful and part parental.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob seeks an affectionate connection with his wife on
the phone as he shares what happened during the evening. She sent him carpet
samples earlier and he says he thinks her choice was the best, but he doesn’t
care about something so mundane. He just wants to attempt to reconnect with
her. She hangs up before she can hear him say, “I love you.” They are out of
sync in their time zones (she is getting up to take the kids to school and it’s
the middle of the night for him) and in their feelings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">More great dialogue ensues when they go to a sushi
restaurant. Bob again notes the culture clash when he says his shiatsu massage
replaced his muscle tightness with “unbelievable pain.” She stubbed her toe,
and he looks at it, saying it appears “dead” and he can’t allow her to put it
“back in the shoe.” He says either she goes to a doctor or she must leave the
toe there. He calls it “black toe,” and suggests they might serve it at the
restaurant, exaggerating the type of food the Japanese eat. He employs fractured
English and calls it “brack toe.” (There is a lapse in political correctness in
the film since he uses the difference in cultures to elicit humor. However,
there are beautiful scenes involving religious, social and marriage rituals). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8XPNVblazF0k9eYIGl9cx15hwNuVjoXNDKWvWIMhy5V5VZm-BZGcgqFtyWwpkTrrEQceXvVTNYPFABcFqw1MXLu7v6b964Y_0zr7Sw4PHr32Ze6QksgzzHnMzrMqRTo9PkKhbhV_ltf-at8AInxIIRCkMTVA1RHFf4XWmnMzhmOk6407TJmm-Wal/s853/Lit%20-%2018.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8XPNVblazF0k9eYIGl9cx15hwNuVjoXNDKWvWIMhy5V5VZm-BZGcgqFtyWwpkTrrEQceXvVTNYPFABcFqw1MXLu7v6b964Y_0zr7Sw4PHr32Ze6QksgzzHnMzrMqRTo9PkKhbhV_ltf-at8AInxIIRCkMTVA1RHFf4XWmnMzhmOk6407TJmm-Wal/s320/Lit%20-%2018.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo1HrL8DDfwtskyMdAU9U17h42dzDbQP4OtSyGOMs7xjdivCSDs4IDLol84LE_QTRRi7p6xVig7LfG1XeDHHxMAJ9BYhh4RA0YDowVaOBwmFuZciGhEaM9cXPWGP7XJ5VbUjsSPrD3agN_SzBKFEUJB94mz4bA1TUzuJ0OWD2JODII31ZioBIhq_X/s276/Lit%20-%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="276" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo1HrL8DDfwtskyMdAU9U17h42dzDbQP4OtSyGOMs7xjdivCSDs4IDLol84LE_QTRRi7p6xVig7LfG1XeDHHxMAJ9BYhh4RA0YDowVaOBwmFuZciGhEaM9cXPWGP7XJ5VbUjsSPrD3agN_SzBKFEUJB94mz4bA1TUzuJ0OWD2JODII31ZioBIhq_X/s1600/Lit%20-%2016.jpg" width="276" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob takes Charlotte to a hospital and again there is
no understanding what the information clerk says so they must wing it even when
it comes to a health issue. There was a good deal of improvisation in the film,
because, after all, you have Murray to work with. As he waits for Charlotte to
be seen, Bob tries to imitate Japanese with a patient speaking to him in his
native language. Bob’s responses are so off the mark that there are two ladies
in the background getting hysterical as they listen to Bob’s fractured
Japanese. One of my favorite playful lines in the film occurs after Charlotte
gets an x-ray of her toe (where, of course, she has no idea what the doctor is saying).
Bob is waiting for her with a huge stuffed penguin doll. She asks if it’s for
her and he says, “Yeah, it can be for you,” acting as if he bought it for
himself.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjJBgf1awdDDoyO72S3BoVFdy4nDRPXZQF2jvx820EjGYiGktrgVFZ2XQP0j4ylAaIt4IcBjcDW95DVOLgpop99winYXGcuwbAMBONiFQEjCfC24D81iPxEC5k9T7FawcTH2upqaTqzw4WjwO_BOpBDjDksAgVnUTyl_C_N2Pfu8letj_31DmHiCp/s275/Lit%20-%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjJBgf1awdDDoyO72S3BoVFdy4nDRPXZQF2jvx820EjGYiGktrgVFZ2XQP0j4ylAaIt4IcBjcDW95DVOLgpop99winYXGcuwbAMBONiFQEjCfC24D81iPxEC5k9T7FawcTH2upqaTqzw4WjwO_BOpBDjDksAgVnUTyl_C_N2Pfu8letj_31DmHiCp/s1600/Lit%20-%206.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Despite their bonding, there are several scenes still
where Bob and Charlotte are by themselves, looking for diversion from their
loneliness. Bob plays golf by himself, and Charlotte looks at pictures of
herself and John, which suggests that she only has memories of how nice it once
was between her and her husband. It could be that she sees Bob’s failing
marriage as a foreshadowing of her own marital collapse.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPCRVF4Pjdq7vvRzoaR-Uoa4EqZMA5kr-GX4pAISgHZMpSdOHvFzO6rypZxStsN1S5anjHrt4PsMZLzWIu79MmS7jB9VdxOCU6tdS0kTmWIvpsLCmmmbqGpzBQT0zW56W_d6uLwBcjjZfajhmYBEsZh87XkVM5xsV8fPPWc3Bz-pB48w94U1_9Ygk/s300/Lit%20-%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPCRVF4Pjdq7vvRzoaR-Uoa4EqZMA5kr-GX4pAISgHZMpSdOHvFzO6rypZxStsN1S5anjHrt4PsMZLzWIu79MmS7jB9VdxOCU6tdS0kTmWIvpsLCmmmbqGpzBQT0zW56W_d6uLwBcjjZfajhmYBEsZh87XkVM5xsV8fPPWc3Bz-pB48w94U1_9Ygk/s1600/Lit%20-%205.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Charlotte calls Bob and says he can meet her and Charlie
and his friends at a club. It turns out to be a strip club and there is an
almost naked woman contorting her body to the sounds of a sexually explicit
song. When Charlotte arrives she asks where Charlie is. Bob hysterically says
he is taking “dance lessons,” as she sees Charlie ogling the woman dancer. She
wants to leave and again Bob is on the same page as her even if their surroundings
are not.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ydbFgOf0LV-C0inj_ix4_RiITdDpAyIwQBitS3M_V90vorGvVAMk3EPko-5Fsms1Pl2hZN_0S2y4iiL5I-tKvpVDKS6TvJI9kawke2OEsWxxv0-o-xDAKmvZOsl22ox7rTU-Xb-hLs3eOOijw4arHyLO1batTmhRsR6Sh40gShfQoR5wd1-qbDo1/s1440/Lit%20-%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1440" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ydbFgOf0LV-C0inj_ix4_RiITdDpAyIwQBitS3M_V90vorGvVAMk3EPko-5Fsms1Pl2hZN_0S2y4iiL5I-tKvpVDKS6TvJI9kawke2OEsWxxv0-o-xDAKmvZOsl22ox7rTU-Xb-hLs3eOOijw4arHyLO1batTmhRsR6Sh40gShfQoR5wd1-qbDo1/s320/Lit%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Both still have insomnia, and given how long this
inability to sleep has been going on it indicates the depth of their
alienation. They spend time in Bob’s room. He notes her sadness since he has
hardly seen her smile. Charlotte demonstrates her perplexity with the Japanese
language, and Bob jokes that the locals switch the r’s and the l’s for “yuks”
since the natives are not amused by the foreigners. When in doubt, he goes for
the laughs to make it easier to deal with unknowable stuff. She says, “Let’s
never come here again because it would never be as much fun.” Her line says so
much. It shows how she is enjoying his company. It also indicates that she sees
them as not ending their relationship because it points to future experiences
together. However, it also shows how some joy is fleeting, and can never be
recaptured.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXr_AVu9yCeiHGYrtku4eOotHe47UZ1gIDKJHcEcX60WRDOlDNLEXrRVaLhigwqU8YaNukPQ8zUk9K8xAKkN_Qgwx3IsYlF-Rnww_W7NyJjvncW6n6M5qj28Z0Htw_VBuO10Y2n0mwP7tbD5V7FIsy6_2Nl8dYRyjsPXWml3hRiq6dY1PcFk8VrXxR/s300/Lit%20-%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXr_AVu9yCeiHGYrtku4eOotHe47UZ1gIDKJHcEcX60WRDOlDNLEXrRVaLhigwqU8YaNukPQ8zUk9K8xAKkN_Qgwx3IsYlF-Rnww_W7NyJjvncW6n6M5qj28Z0Htw_VBuO10Y2n0mwP7tbD5V7FIsy6_2Nl8dYRyjsPXWml3hRiq6dY1PcFk8VrXxR/s1600/Lit%20-%204.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">They lie in bed next to each other and have a serious
conversation. She says she is “stuck,” not knowing what she wants to be. She
tried writing and photography, and felt she wasn’t measuring up. She wants to
know if finding yourself gets easier. He reassures her that once she matures
she will be more self-assured. She appreciates his honesty about how “hard”
marriage can be since his wife used to need him around and now she doesn’t. He
frankly admits that having kids is scary, but eventually is very rewarding. They
are emotionally intimate, and the only physical contact occurs when he touches
her foot, and this act is sweet and tender.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Originally, Bob wanted to get out of the country as
soon as possible and that is why he didn’t want to do a talk show in Tokyo. But
he now says he will extend his stay and do the show since he doesn’t want to
leave Charlotte any sooner than he must. The talk show host is very
over-the-top, wearing clothes that look like he stole the material from an
awning. He does a strange welcoming dance and Bob, as usual, looks like he
walked through the looking glass into a strange new world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bob receives a call from his wife while he is in a
tile tub filled with water. She says the burgundy carpet he liked is not in
stock and he should pick out another color. He says she should pick it out
because, “I’m completely lost.” When she implies that he is making a big deal
over a carpet color he says, “That’s not what I’m talking about.” We know he’s
talking about his whole life. He says he wants to eat healthier the way the
Japanese do. She snidely says he could stay in Japan and eat like that all the
time. When he asks about the children, she again is on the offensive, saying
they are getting used to not having their father around. After they hang up Bob
sinks below the water, symbolically showing his marriage is also in jeopardy of
going under water. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoZfzD93YFa--ib-q1uhtz7kMzYupKNCv4fTXFZ68FOrXTbUoo9Wcl4prUddpV52lVB5Fyb9aujGLAyr4UjPyr9U9yw3qnqSdITA3oyjrU6ssd40DPvDj3dIeCMqBb0asCyjAYA56FT9M47TFOXaAa8RXDdOyl89X56fSqc7MKvms2AHJspbzMmX0/s348/Lit%20-%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="348" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoZfzD93YFa--ib-q1uhtz7kMzYupKNCv4fTXFZ68FOrXTbUoo9Wcl4prUddpV52lVB5Fyb9aujGLAyr4UjPyr9U9yw3qnqSdITA3oyjrU6ssd40DPvDj3dIeCMqBb0asCyjAYA56FT9M47TFOXaAa8RXDdOyl89X56fSqc7MKvms2AHJspbzMmX0/s320/Lit%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the bar, the lounge singer sits next to Bob, smiles
at him and says “Hi.” The next scene is Bob in bed and the singer is in his
room, showing that they spent the night together. Bob does not look happy about
what he has done, implying it was not the answer to his feeling of loneliness. Charlotte
surprises Bob at his door asking if he wants to go to a restaurant. She hears the
woman singing to herself in the background, and this discovery leads to Bob and
Charlotte’s first “accident,” as Bob would say, on their relationship road. At
the restaurant they are both sullen. She is sarcastic when she says it makes
sense that he slept with the singer since, “she is closer” in age to him (than Charlotte,
is the implication). She is jealous, and says, “Maybe she liked the movies you
were making in the ‘70’s, when you were still making movies.” Her comment takes
a shot at how old he is and suggests that he is a has-been. He retaliates by
suggesting she is showing immature narcissism when he says, “Wasn’t there anyone
else there to lavish you with attention?” Charlotte’s feeling “lost” is
signified by her not being able to tell the difference between the offerings on
the menu. Their very brief estrangement is seen in the fact that they are now
silent.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4BdN4lWuj0Wrm3wrBiW358YFPMa1RmR-GPL9h3kOZ8E3X3hVjwBWi4YrK11jYHRIfHqmBY9VtKsRfDLorwcolsMWPXzPunhXx3VMUjB5OB-zCXKslEaxjnaqIfgDHGHaJOUvKCj9S3CczhoZbe1FcCSCD9eHhq3hLKDM-J93OMjHxA5sgHGFfb3KV/s284/Lit%20-%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4BdN4lWuj0Wrm3wrBiW358YFPMa1RmR-GPL9h3kOZ8E3X3hVjwBWi4YrK11jYHRIfHqmBY9VtKsRfDLorwcolsMWPXzPunhXx3VMUjB5OB-zCXKslEaxjnaqIfgDHGHaJOUvKCj9S3CczhoZbe1FcCSCD9eHhq3hLKDM-J93OMjHxA5sgHGFfb3KV/s1600/Lit%20-%2011.jpg" width="284" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A fire alarm wakes them up and while waiting outside
Bob’s comic stance as he wears his kimono brings a smile to Charlotte’s face. They
again bond as they criticize having to cook their own food at the restaurant.
He’s leaving the next day and she says that she will miss him. At the bar, he
admits he doesn’t want to leave. She says, “So don’t. Stay here with me. We’ll start
a jazz band.” They are revealing their feelings for each other more openly now.
The “jazz band” reference could show how they are in rebellion against what is
around them, including the mediocre music that has been playing in the bar.
They exchange a slightly off the lips kiss goodnight.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictD4BWA35AgAV1Ou12AjOaqVsJIgnlXGYBOXw1hD8c3iEPEG6xz7gnOylo0em0enDpKzQlOZI0FHlgKh61PETjJJR6JG4PPYGp1k4AHySjV38mhA3Yg6VjcvaHJTi6fZbgBfCNP3v232oQ_MeXFmIcDbYwvApQX0iyC3nWwfx-I9W4P0mSFRXB1kS/s275/Lit%20-%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictD4BWA35AgAV1Ou12AjOaqVsJIgnlXGYBOXw1hD8c3iEPEG6xz7gnOylo0em0enDpKzQlOZI0FHlgKh61PETjJJR6JG4PPYGp1k4AHySjV38mhA3Yg6VjcvaHJTi6fZbgBfCNP3v232oQ_MeXFmIcDbYwvApQX0iyC3nWwfx-I9W4P0mSFRXB1kS/s1600/Lit%20-%208.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Charlotte says goodbye to him in the lobby unable to
show a public display of affection despite Bob’s extended longing stare at her since
there are a bunch of local people present who were attached to Bob’s visit. As
he is driven away, he sees Charlotte walking in the street. He stops the car,
and they share an extended hug and a long kiss. He whispers to her, and she
says, “Okay.” There has been debate about what he says. But that isn’t the
point. It is between them, a final act of connection in a disconnected world.
The last shots are from the inside of the car, and we get Bob’s perspective as
he now wishes he didn’t have to leave a city he first didn’t want to visit.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>The Big Lebowski</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-7650333433787945522023-04-11T12:09:00.000-04:002023-04-11T12:09:49.558-04:00Donnie Darko<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKEj3sRJLT5dwgBZqjkh2byLthvvep417XB0N0cKRtAoOXUBWIiLmPDVzzXnbdBESxvb5PepmyxvxjkNrPXmiMGhk82J8YxenvYjrwEBJU2_f_ToLFDr_yY2VEhX4UJM4yxG8ezmwXXBci4ywlz2Qm_cfy54Rl_cCY2PjX4QI0QNoD-4tywEtcYRK/s1502/DD%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKEj3sRJLT5dwgBZqjkh2byLthvvep417XB0N0cKRtAoOXUBWIiLmPDVzzXnbdBESxvb5PepmyxvxjkNrPXmiMGhk82J8YxenvYjrwEBJU2_f_ToLFDr_yY2VEhX4UJM4yxG8ezmwXXBci4ywlz2Qm_cfy54Rl_cCY2PjX4QI0QNoD-4tywEtcYRK/s320/DD%20-%201.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Donnie Darko </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(2001)
has the theme of sacrifice to save others, but the demonic rabbit costume in
this cult favorite has become iconic, so the movie also has an anti-Easter feel
to it, too.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIR7IgQE7X1tSLpzb1OwXtdohxxB-hEabUks29tNgSKBruTjPdkK6WxvymvWDyj7La4rY5_YX3x0ijCqdQ_QB38xIV7sxpYO758jqhSGRjAV96yl_0Q73UkQi6wt6YvWQ1qfYphYIL2vVPQVp4s1Xqn04EgD0SOXfhmd4itnQJLELCt6VZ76xF6xoK/s390/DD%20-%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="390" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIR7IgQE7X1tSLpzb1OwXtdohxxB-hEabUks29tNgSKBruTjPdkK6WxvymvWDyj7La4rY5_YX3x0ijCqdQ_QB38xIV7sxpYO758jqhSGRjAV96yl_0Q73UkQi6wt6YvWQ1qfYphYIL2vVPQVp4s1Xqn04EgD0SOXfhmd4itnQJLELCt6VZ76xF6xoK/s320/DD%20-%2022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film starts ominously in a dark outdoor setting
with thunder in the background. The name of Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) fits
the setting. He has been lying on a mountain road in his pajamas next to his bicycle.
It’s an odd place to have bedded down for the night. He appears to be waking up
from a strange dream. His smile seems to contrast with the threatening
situation, which points to the opposing forces in the film.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The contrasts continue as what follows is a sunny day
with the title of the film then shown, the character’s name offset by the
brightness of the image. Donnie rides his bike past a sign announcing a Halloween
event, a fitting notice for this spooky tale. The soundtrack song is sung by
Echo and the Bunnymen. Rabbits are important to this story, and give a
decidedly anti sweet, Easter feel to the tale. Here a rabbit may suggest the
White Rabbit in <i>Alice in Wonderland </i>and the idea of going down the
nightmarish rabbit hole. (In Celtic folklore, there is the character of a pooka,
a kind of ghost, that sometimes manifests itself as a hare, and can bring about
good or bad occurrences, which fits in with the contrasting theme of the film).
If you want to see all the times that a rabbit appears, go to IMDb. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2e3kwQb2XV6POv-XtXepe9DMPQ35HXRFGMMNPPu9tv18Y_m412bn7XSbxDxHfngfKKBnYcKITSHds2o0inym7W04vxeAlvHv9TCbRsXeJqFFB0szYXDVY3pe9AIb8VuABycgYdEnMFxcmJd-O4LavzrDZ66Kko5F2_Jvgpj9ByLr86kvAV9SuAkVN/s321/DD%20-%2019.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="321" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2e3kwQb2XV6POv-XtXepe9DMPQ35HXRFGMMNPPu9tv18Y_m412bn7XSbxDxHfngfKKBnYcKITSHds2o0inym7W04vxeAlvHv9TCbRsXeJqFFB0szYXDVY3pe9AIb8VuABycgYdEnMFxcmJd-O4LavzrDZ66Kko5F2_Jvgpj9ByLr86kvAV9SuAkVN/s320/DD%20-%2019.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWE4hvgO0YGC3p8YarUsE0WgwN03xVQ8Q-EA6scGTFBuKTCUTkMaDM_e5eHepauAdJVfRLAKVYLUiBtAkYyqXVKgW5KuxkYodWF1ahx7YbekHCbnvZ6yyIyj1o1CtPCEa4kn2MAVzx0dUzHZvalK0mjSPtef5CQ6ablPybGyw_XmWUKkR14bRQ41Y9/s321/DD%20-%2020.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="321" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWE4hvgO0YGC3p8YarUsE0WgwN03xVQ8Q-EA6scGTFBuKTCUTkMaDM_e5eHepauAdJVfRLAKVYLUiBtAkYyqXVKgW5KuxkYodWF1ahx7YbekHCbnvZ6yyIyj1o1CtPCEa4kn2MAVzx0dUzHZvalK0mjSPtef5CQ6ablPybGyw_XmWUKkR14bRQ41Y9/s320/DD%20-%2020.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">On a supposedly proper suburban lawn Donnie’s father,
Eddie Darko (Holmes Osbourne) uses a leaf blower, but abruptly points it
jokingly at his teenage daughter, Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) as she strolls
by. The phallic-shaped tool adds a twisted incestual suggestion to the scene,
sort of like the garden hose at the beginning of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Blue Velvet</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, implying something
dark below the tranquil suburban setting. Donnie’s mother, Rose (Mary
McDonnell) is outside at the back of the house reading the Stephen King book </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">It</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,
another creepy image undermining the possibility of safety. (IMDb notes that
this novel’s nemesis is dressed like a clown, and much later there is a clown
in Frank’s car that is dressed likewise. It adds to the Halloween motif). Donnie
walks past his mother weirdly not saying a word considering a note is written
on a piece of paper on the refrigerator which says, “Where is Donnie?” (Who
would post such a message about a missing family member this way? It adds to
the surreal nature of the movie).</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the dinner table Donnie is sarcastic and combative
with his sister, Elizabeth, who reveals that Donnie has not been taking his medication.
We discover he has a history of schizophrenia accompanied by violence and is
prone to sleepwalking, which explains why he woke up on a country road. After
dinner, Rose confronts her son about where he goes off at night. He is very
hostile telling her to get out of his room, and he calls her a “bitch.” She
says she doesn’t recognize him anymore, and that may exhort him to later take
some of his medication.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Later in the night we hear a distorted, deep voice
telling Donnie to wake up. Donnie sleepwalks again, following the voice to the
hedges at the back of the house. He sees the image of a man wearing a grotesque
rabbit costume with long upright ears. The rabbit, who is called Frank (James
Duval), says he has been watching Donnie and announces, “twenty-eight days, six
hours, forty-two minutes, twelve seconds … That is when the world will end.”
Donnie took his meds. Is he seeing clearly, and this apocalyptic vision is
real, or is his mental illness defying treatment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvMc81XaLVC28g9shmpXya8sCyxhYeuhEbEUx2SRCptpjTHNTBeGYNvDNil4WDCVse5ovBErw16Wmraah2IK_mc4HjiPxcX5IEwsg97K1kmLRrhHSYNur6Xzqxxzhm5MvIjAHUd9fHo9GVJ_Gj8p-nJbOFrZtj9WGaPlGX1MgJgIyABeaT2FzSrWn/s294/DD%20-%2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="294" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvMc81XaLVC28g9shmpXya8sCyxhYeuhEbEUx2SRCptpjTHNTBeGYNvDNil4WDCVse5ovBErw16Wmraah2IK_mc4HjiPxcX5IEwsg97K1kmLRrhHSYNur6Xzqxxzhm5MvIjAHUd9fHo9GVJ_Gj8p-nJbOFrZtj9WGaPlGX1MgJgIyABeaT2FzSrWn/s1600/DD%20-%2024.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjupTVeh-fnInHUxS976XroYjB0aAqs-6UgrCVaFCgfX768IhHwW18k-0aU3NjweVqjzSQwMffTjocWOwGCgIVg2JMOzYgaDRI3JJ8-c7lfoyibiC5ltsLZc57xTOxL2Q-itVuo6A67xhxuh8J6ZgS9spO6jcd8j0A-1O0QcLkf3649cE1YZ5TpBx3/s321/DD%20-%2021.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="321" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjupTVeh-fnInHUxS976XroYjB0aAqs-6UgrCVaFCgfX768IhHwW18k-0aU3NjweVqjzSQwMffTjocWOwGCgIVg2JMOzYgaDRI3JJ8-c7lfoyibiC5ltsLZc57xTOxL2Q-itVuo6A67xhxuh8J6ZgS9spO6jcd8j0A-1O0QcLkf3649cE1YZ5TpBx3/s320/DD%20-%2021.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The night scene cuts to a TV displaying static in
front of the sleeping Eddie, an image representing a lack of communication and
comprehension (and possibly a reference to the TV in the ghostly film </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Poltergeist</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">).
Elizabeth comes in the door and immediately thereafter the house shakes as a
loud noise sounds. Eddie awakes and runs in slow motion adding to the unreal
happening. The film abruptly shifts to the daytime and Donnie is asleep on a
golf course, another contrasting image of oddness appearing amid suburban
tranquility. That same unnerving jolt out of the ordinary occurs when Donnie
gets home and finds a jet engine being hoisted off his house. His family is
outside and his younger sister, Samantha (Daveigh Chase) tells Donnie that the
large piece of debris fell in his room. If it wasn’t for his sleepwalking, his
dive into the surreal, his real world would have ended, but in a bizarre way.
Elizabeth tells Donnie about the airplane engine, “They don’t know where it
came from.” Now that’s very weird, because there is usually a plane around when
one of its engines gets detached.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The FAA arranges for the Darko family to stay at a
hotel. Eddie remembers about a young man who died on his way to his high school
prom, and says people said the boy was “doomed.” Eddie wonders if that could be
Donnie’s case. But his son escaped his fate. Or did he? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWBElQvXuYYcC_V41Enprk8KVJnZP08Fxyf2rodcq9dN20QSdGk7AuzPN5a822mKkSy9b8uP2wZZdRNtuWoPHSqErMGuPhYThRweLLbao2yAUdTyNxg26cB021cBQtVsYMPQegM8CNTNORqvji39vYWzSZBfFaR_8zPd6hZvUAPJM_Smhorx1j5do/s728/DD%20-%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWBElQvXuYYcC_V41Enprk8KVJnZP08Fxyf2rodcq9dN20QSdGk7AuzPN5a822mKkSy9b8uP2wZZdRNtuWoPHSqErMGuPhYThRweLLbao2yAUdTyNxg26cB021cBQtVsYMPQegM8CNTNORqvji39vYWzSZBfFaR_8zPd6hZvUAPJM_Smhorx1j5do/s320/DD%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oj20yqtnprRwN71BVpt588LSkXQP33iiyMAw43KSYgy01vK8ObNp1OQHBdojKdAeBFR511wB_IC45Hza9yfxB0XcAC8kw24F0N_SnWfrETJHNWny2i28eEsx1RHWH51ZtvQi5jnRLutVL1zfZTk_PAFGpFIMEJRDXbh1AZDhjJmI7j9Xza1AVC9R/s750/DD%20-%2010.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oj20yqtnprRwN71BVpt588LSkXQP33iiyMAw43KSYgy01vK8ObNp1OQHBdojKdAeBFR511wB_IC45Hza9yfxB0XcAC8kw24F0N_SnWfrETJHNWny2i28eEsx1RHWH51ZtvQi5jnRLutVL1zfZTk_PAFGpFIMEJRDXbh1AZDhjJmI7j9Xza1AVC9R/s320/DD%20-%2010.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back at school Donnie is sort of famous for escaping
death. Teacher Karen Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) is the defiant teacher who
worries about losing children to “apathy,” and the principal later fires her
for her counter-culture ways. Here she discusses “The Destructors” by Graham
Greene. (October 2 is the day on which Frank tells Donny the world will end.
That is Greene’s birthday, according to IMDb. It is thus fitting that the man
who wrote about destruction is tied to demise here. In the fiction piece,
children break into a house not to steal money but to burn it. Donnie comments
that it is an act of rebellion to change things. His comments fit with his antisocial,
hostile attitude toward the world as it is.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF0pU_X5zPsD0oxuilFqcWPLACX2OyNkpPq8LGUY4C5ZBpfv72qRO0AbV3SPHP2Qi6jwFbhMVmh8WXqbIMFlVXVL_1kRSvZ0Xb5J3vKn0P8TL6BLu8Gyko-I-1pkYppFuV07JCe5Nb5u_9xacbJT1ZBGtblzXWGydMDhgeGE4t_BCYO-jpWPc0q0h/s1700/DD%20-%209.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF0pU_X5zPsD0oxuilFqcWPLACX2OyNkpPq8LGUY4C5ZBpfv72qRO0AbV3SPHP2Qi6jwFbhMVmh8WXqbIMFlVXVL_1kRSvZ0Xb5J3vKn0P8TL6BLu8Gyko-I-1pkYppFuV07JCe5Nb5u_9xacbJT1ZBGtblzXWGydMDhgeGE4t_BCYO-jpWPc0q0h/s320/DD%20-%209.webp" width="226" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Another strange incident occurs when Eddie drives
Donnie to his therapist, Dr. Lillian Thurman (Katherine Ross). A disheveled old
lady with fly-away gray hair stops in the middle of the road and checks her
mailbox, which she does every day, and there is never any mail. It’s sort of
like a </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Waiting for Godot</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> scenario, where meaningless action perpetuates.
Her name is Roberta Sparrow (Patience Cleveland), also known as Grandma Death.
Her appearance fits that nickname. When Donnie gets out of the car to see
what’s going on, she whispers something to him, which Donnie does not divulge
at this time. We later learn that she pessimistically stresses how every living
creature dies alone. Since dire events center around Donnie, it makes sense
that a reaper-like person should be contacting him.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5foGJBPwgy_sWmpLCita-JOv3WIjVu8iqVcU8ff2jPX9AQwdgTia050q4_jUVL3d9XiTMNlPwdqX4FNviILWn1UCwA57lCZ4Ac3i9cWhKXUFVm20Pvexnp1N4DT6uASAJ1Lnb0-NMcznhtCidkRVSlys9RLxm25hYueYx1v9p5S8RP6BwMO6M05M/s900/DD%20-%200.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5foGJBPwgy_sWmpLCita-JOv3WIjVu8iqVcU8ff2jPX9AQwdgTia050q4_jUVL3d9XiTMNlPwdqX4FNviILWn1UCwA57lCZ4Ac3i9cWhKXUFVm20Pvexnp1N4DT6uASAJ1Lnb0-NMcznhtCidkRVSlys9RLxm25hYueYx1v9p5S8RP6BwMO6M05M/s320/DD%20-%200.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie tells Thurman that his new imaginary friend,
Frank (the guy in the weird rabbit costume), told Donnie to follow him “into
the future.” Donnie says that Frank telling him that the world would end soon
was “stupid.” Yet, he calls Frank a “friend,” which sounds as if he is
conflicted about Frank’s presence.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsyRAzI-fRisa9G1jQsuEZF2z71KOU3RQBJbFqnAfPUUGOHlkGZvDd_YQssuKJ2ZyFmzjaKEfc_0VCawy13VA5C1QPEDRDtbCcYntAh6Cz1CU_OOYXdEJiywkVTmFoagcupD2NwI_ke3o1TyNyXnaolwttCYRDZzhZ3Vjjm3JCg_EkvlA6a2sshLY/s640/donnie-darko-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="640" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsyRAzI-fRisa9G1jQsuEZF2z71KOU3RQBJbFqnAfPUUGOHlkGZvDd_YQssuKJ2ZyFmzjaKEfc_0VCawy13VA5C1QPEDRDtbCcYntAh6Cz1CU_OOYXdEJiywkVTmFoagcupD2NwI_ke3o1TyNyXnaolwttCYRDZzhZ3Vjjm3JCg_EkvlA6a2sshLY/s320/donnie-darko-21.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">In a class, the health teacher, Kitty Farmer, an
uptight person, doesn’t teach but plays videos featuring Jim Cunningham
(Patrick Swayze) which focus on overcoming fear. There is an atmosphere of foreboding
in this film right from the opening scene, followed by Donnie’s personality,
the scary rabbit, and the airplane engine accident. (By the way, the movie </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Harvey</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">
deals with James Stewart’s character talking to a human-sized rabbit that is
invisible to everyone else. This film is a dark version of that scenario).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGqACu4QdMUg2ociqGKq_QhGN4R2jYyJlOjyQWOe6nKbzhOf-g4oWcAWvPwQI4gKBF15QyfsTO0lPL180asDE1NNfuN5KM0n2gC4ilKAkLYQSf7mqVYYESIlL8J5AJkzLjeFwHiY-l9QlqwcBKb6ayGIT8PDLs7oZfM26GcwYmFAeje60srt-qJ_m/s896/DonnieDarko%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGqACu4QdMUg2ociqGKq_QhGN4R2jYyJlOjyQWOe6nKbzhOf-g4oWcAWvPwQI4gKBF15QyfsTO0lPL180asDE1NNfuN5KM0n2gC4ilKAkLYQSf7mqVYYESIlL8J5AJkzLjeFwHiY-l9QlqwcBKb6ayGIT8PDLs7oZfM26GcwYmFAeje60srt-qJ_m/s320/DonnieDarko%20-%204.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Spooky Frank wakes up Donnie again and Donnie appears
to be sleepwalking (sleepwalking is a kind of twilight area between waking and
sleeping). This time he is carrying an axe. Later, the school’s mascot, which
is represented by a large statue of a bulldog, has the axe buried in its head.
And the words. “They made me do it,” are written in paint on the sidewalk. Since
Donnie committed the vandalism, his free will seems to merge with the dictates
of the supernatural that charts the destiny for everyone. However, his words also
sound like what a schizophrenic would say. The danger surrounding his
personality permeates the movie. He also uses the axe to flood the school by
breaking a water main. Donnie fits in with the Greene short story since he is a
destructor forcing change to occur.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie gets to know the new girl at the school,
Gretchen Ross (Jenna Malone). Since she has just arrived, she is an outsider,
like Donnie. Her past adds to her lack of normalcy. Her father is at-large for
having stabbed her mother and she and her mother changed their names and are in
hiding. Donnie says he was once in jail for accidentally burning down a house,
which shows his antisocial past, and a foreshadowing (there is a fire in the
Greene short story, remember). She comments that his name sounds like a comic
book hero. He responds by saying, “What makes you think I’m not?” He is being
funny, but the dialogue adds to the unreal nature of the story, and points to
Donnie maybe having special abilities. (If you have watched “the Big Bang
Theory,” you know the talk about how comic book characters have alliterative
names: Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Clark Kent, etc. As IMDb points out there
are many alliterative names in the film and references to comics, which
contribute to the film’s imaginary worldly nature). Donnie shows his intelligence
by helping her with an assignment. She comments that he is “weird,” and Donnie
has heard this before and feels he is being dismissed; but, she tells him it
was a compliment. This story inverts what most consider to be positive and
negative. He says that if the school hadn’t closed their moment together here
would not have happened. His comment suggests the idea of various timelines. The
two quickly decide to be a couple since they are compatible in their nonconformity.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In another session with Dr. Thurman, Donnie repeats how he looks in many of his scenes. His head is bent forward and he looks up,
unblinking. Jake Gyllenhaal said, according to IMDb, that he used this look to
appear more psychotic. Thurman hypnotizes him, but even his subconscious is
rebellious as he refuses to answer her questions, dwells on sexual topics, and
is about to masturbate when she terminates the session.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At a PTA meeting, Kitty Farmer rants about the
teaching of “The Destructors” because the young people in that book break a
water main and flood a house. Since the police suspect that students may have
been involved with the vandalism that included flooding the school, Kitty is
connecting the dots. Teacher Karen Pomeroy defends her selection by saying the
story is “ironic,” suggesting the tale is not a “how to” act piece. Rose questions
if Kitty even knows who Graham Greene is, and Kitty reveals her ignorance by
citing the TV show “Bonanza,” whose star was Lorne Greene. While the PTA
meeting takes place, Frank again visits Donnie, telling the youth he got away
with his axe-wielding actions. Donnie continues to take his medication which
implies Frank’s appearance is real. Frank says he can do anything, and so can
Donnie. The will of the one merges with that of the other. When Donnie asks
where Frank came from, the crazy rabbit asks Donnie if he believes in “time travel,”
which becomes what the movie revolves around.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kitty is again teaching her class based on Cunningham’s
videos. Donnie has a card that notes a hypothetical character finding a wallet.
He is supposed to fit her actions onto the evaluation line that stretches
between fear and love. Donnie complains how the whole exercise is meaningless
because everything cannot be reduced to these two emotions. Later, in the
principal’s office, where we learn Donnie’s test scores show him to be
brilliant, Kitty reveals that Donnie, basically, told her to shove her exercise
card up her ass. Donnie continues to be the defier of social convention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7rG9oHVOycWkV-eLP4jEEG7TjrBrfn35nPcFv_Bt7ISORm9S1zzVZegVielCKGENQL-4jmvXktQJJ-v7ja9jHWPOi832AqI40W7aqJq1Jm4oh97v0md1qXSc37FO9t303w8Ok6Fo9gn5Bt2dT4hhIMQPpoplgpZmCHi4rZeOsJWnaWPgbKxeiCjK/s1000/DD%20-%2026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1000" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7rG9oHVOycWkV-eLP4jEEG7TjrBrfn35nPcFv_Bt7ISORm9S1zzVZegVielCKGENQL-4jmvXktQJJ-v7ja9jHWPOi832AqI40W7aqJq1Jm4oh97v0md1qXSc37FO9t303w8Ok6Fo9gn5Bt2dT4hhIMQPpoplgpZmCHi4rZeOsJWnaWPgbKxeiCjK/s320/DD%20-%2026.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Donnie asks science teacher Mr. Monnitoff (Noah Wylie)
about time travel. He talks about wormholes, and then gives Donnie a book
entitled </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Philosophy of Time Travel</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">which was written by
Roberta Sparrow, the strange mailbox lady, who once was a nun, and then a
schoolteacher where Donnie attends. Her character is a merging of science and
spirituality. Donnie relates to Thurman that Frank mentioned time travel and
now he finds out about Roberta, so he concludes the linking of the two is not a
coincidence. Donnie takes the “alone” part of the message Roberta whispered to
him as meaning that it is absurd, given life’s inevitable solitude in death, to
search for the existence of God, and thus, the general meaning of life.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie is waking up from a nap in a chair in his house
while his father and pals watch a football game. Donnie seems to be between the
awake world and the sleep world most of this movie, and just like Edward
Norton’s character in <i>Fight Club</i>, it’s difficult to tell whether or not
he is in a dream state. He sees fluid-filled tubes coming out of Eddie’s chest,
and also out of Elizabeth and himself. They point to where a person is going. In
a way they are predictors. IMDb notes that director/ writer Richard Kelly got
this idea from watching John Madden make illustrations of where players will go
in a play. So, it’s appropriate that Donnie sees this effect while a football
game is playing. Donnie follows his tube and it takes him to his father’s
closet where he finds a handgun. As Anton Chekhov said, once you introduce a
gun the writer better fire it later. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBBNpMvmJNOPMGeDZiVi5sDhnclrEX_ShbH8QN_1tB22NLzbIbZcnAyfxewmOEaeDLlvXc9JhGElfmBKXZvq6RrLsEJ68JyMYPHO0Xel_smq1eu2yeYNT6sZB3CP7A7QjKU7Ghf382mytOgVkYPBKI0U8xl4fu5UmvPQm_EojpA-pkBTQqY0pn1zp/s2000/DD%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="2000" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBBNpMvmJNOPMGeDZiVi5sDhnclrEX_ShbH8QN_1tB22NLzbIbZcnAyfxewmOEaeDLlvXc9JhGElfmBKXZvq6RrLsEJ68JyMYPHO0Xel_smq1eu2yeYNT6sZB3CP7A7QjKU7Ghf382mytOgVkYPBKI0U8xl4fu5UmvPQm_EojpA-pkBTQqY0pn1zp/s320/DD%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqWPGC5pUlDiBMHxU6dmRls5VegwoyYIlWR5k0_-gK9iRDd5OzqJQWHFQ9cT9iHOU5NGzIEUpkk-X0q-Svy9jcVnzVjrsmf8XZPcDah9P_881VfS3wygYUzBcLBizZPAzor244O5n4r4lMH7Bk8zNYClQPAcOmdcPmNc3WijXtQvA4DRVCf9sUDl9/s779/DD%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="779" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqWPGC5pUlDiBMHxU6dmRls5VegwoyYIlWR5k0_-gK9iRDd5OzqJQWHFQ9cT9iHOU5NGzIEUpkk-X0q-Svy9jcVnzVjrsmf8XZPcDah9P_881VfS3wygYUzBcLBizZPAzor244O5n4r4lMH7Bk8zNYClQPAcOmdcPmNc3WijXtQvA4DRVCf9sUDl9/s320/DD%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3yF_L7ClqNHT4zZOQmqsOQ42ecLiYPiQC7QALJl2YMrxs8TAWOiE2aAZdYXTYkrk9IMHnpo-z5GusJ1XHIku7sPRXQiXaNGiqLtYKChd0yIXJ7T5BJosc23PyQQ_wNmyU4zvhrAPwdo9HeiY8t4Uy2FKBfDRv2j2PuP2G_uJR7kVhcCJHT8Kb0jg/s729/dd%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="729" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3yF_L7ClqNHT4zZOQmqsOQ42ecLiYPiQC7QALJl2YMrxs8TAWOiE2aAZdYXTYkrk9IMHnpo-z5GusJ1XHIku7sPRXQiXaNGiqLtYKChd0yIXJ7T5BJosc23PyQQ_wNmyU4zvhrAPwdo9HeiY8t4Uy2FKBfDRv2j2PuP2G_uJR7kVhcCJHT8Kb0jg/s320/dd%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Donnie would like to kiss Gretchen since they have
been going out for two weeks, but she wants it to be at a time that the world
shows its beauty. She coincidentally mentions time travel now, stating her wish
to be able to go back and replace troubling images with lovely ones. Even
though they are in a beautiful park there is a “fat guy” as she puts it,
watching them while smoking a cigarette. In this place, it is difficult to
maintain the beauty Gretchen seeks. Donnie does not share Gretchen’s hope for
that wonderful moment. The next scene is that of Dr. Thurman telling Donnie’s
parents that their son is becoming more detached from reality because he finds
life increasingly “threatening.” She recommends more therapy and medication for
his schizophrenia. This scene is intercut with shots of Donnie using a knife to
stab at Frank’s eye across an invisible force field that he seems to be
penetrating. Is he trying to destroy his hallucination? Or, is he trying to cut
across the barrier between the world we know and the one beyond?</span><p></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjRZiDR26rQ6APXRZU3wjahyBYnZYEjXB9w7M8vZv7xjGE6ekN4jcAp2rRTj-SmgVXjEr-w0bIy9J87zv0ql8FY32eey2m7yXC_283Gbw5ByZIKwdKgbSowumuCFjWXMRXNU8jcQwzMA5tTrIartvoOLbYTVNuJWQf0nf6HjzbXI3y1vYxt-aJxxw/s800/DD%20-%2015.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="800" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjRZiDR26rQ6APXRZU3wjahyBYnZYEjXB9w7M8vZv7xjGE6ekN4jcAp2rRTj-SmgVXjEr-w0bIy9J87zv0ql8FY32eey2m7yXC_283Gbw5ByZIKwdKgbSowumuCFjWXMRXNU8jcQwzMA5tTrIartvoOLbYTVNuJWQf0nf6HjzbXI3y1vYxt-aJxxw/s320/DD%20-%2015.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jim Cunningham presents his personal growth spiel to
the high school students. He talks about a struggling individual named “Frank.”
Could this reference point to Donnie’s own struggle? Cunningham says that fear is
intertwined with premarital sex, smoking, and drinking alcohol. IMDb notes
Donnie engages in all three in the movie, showing that he defies the
restrictions on these temptations. Donnie gets to the microphone and admits to
feeling lost and afraid (probably because of his loneliness), but he says Cunningham
is “the antichrist,” a guy who is profiteering on the anguish of others, and
not offering any real solutions.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie tells Gretchen that what he has been seeing is
described in Roberta Sparrow’s book, so he says what is happening to him is not
random. He discusses his theory with Mr. Monnitoff that these tube-like
projections show one’s destiny, and that are a way of seeing the predetermined
future. The teacher says if someone could see his or her destiny, a person
could then change it, negating predetermination. But Donnie sees, or wants to
see that we are not alone, and that the future paths can’t be altered by
individuals since they are part of God’s cosmic plan. Monnitoff wants to stick
to science and not religious matters, implying he could lose his job if it appears
that he is influencing a child’s faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie now finds Cunningham’s wallet and knows where
he lives. So, he is in the position of how to act that duplicated the exercise
in Kitty’s class that was based on Cunningham’s teachings. Gretchen and Donnie
do a presentation to the science class with illustrations about getting parents
to put these glasses on their kids when they sleep. They call them IMG’s which
are infant memory generators. Gretchen argues that pleasant images will be
shown to instill positive memories in the children. Two guys say the nightmare
of this dream proposal could occur if parents might show satanic visions, and they
mention Gretchen’s violent father. It’s as if Gretchen wants to create a
parental experience that would counter her own life events. Gretchen runs out
of the school and Donnie follows her, apologizing for the boys’ statements. She
then kisses him, maybe because she is realizing she shouldn’t wait any longer
for a perfect moment to happen, since it probably never will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASXFAULjmPf_Pnk_hzh5jBBGAeHNpEuPE9865JW3nXF9-jFxj3QVHS5LdtrZv2acemoOUVsQpq0cBi9k9giqb9lmf1MDwjTwkcs_smm-yLoc6UBpr6B_Q-GZYUWrI_R6RML-hTumpSjX4LiD2g1RG53-gPKCnEoMKrl5A7BzrvIiXO-YIMyidN14f/s2000/Donnie-Darko-2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="2000" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASXFAULjmPf_Pnk_hzh5jBBGAeHNpEuPE9865JW3nXF9-jFxj3QVHS5LdtrZv2acemoOUVsQpq0cBi9k9giqb9lmf1MDwjTwkcs_smm-yLoc6UBpr6B_Q-GZYUWrI_R6RML-hTumpSjX4LiD2g1RG53-gPKCnEoMKrl5A7BzrvIiXO-YIMyidN14f/s320/Donnie-Darko-2.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYqBmGqsJCfn0Sl4whUYCFKUPI10tL3jSPLDW8VKvd7btrlciedNBRVGQbSaSySb57a4I-zoCY4A6BTUXKa4Y2Oh1BgLBLOfz53m6p2JOQKKsS0HBcqTtuxztrW-UXPqilPp5I_Qi_m8ZrtccK0PUXFvBcdEKT8DSUblCBFvbJ3fR4rSXaJr-GoDm/s600/DD%20-%2017.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="600" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYqBmGqsJCfn0Sl4whUYCFKUPI10tL3jSPLDW8VKvd7btrlciedNBRVGQbSaSySb57a4I-zoCY4A6BTUXKa4Y2Oh1BgLBLOfz53m6p2JOQKKsS0HBcqTtuxztrW-UXPqilPp5I_Qi_m8ZrtccK0PUXFvBcdEKT8DSUblCBFvbJ3fR4rSXaJr-GoDm/s320/DD%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Again, keeping with the Halloween holiday, Donnie and
Gretchen go to the movies to see a horror film, </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">The Evil Dead</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. But that
movie is shown in conjunction with </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">The Last Temptation of Christ</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. It is
a foreshadowing since that movie deals with sacrifice to save others. Gretchen
falls asleep. It appears Donnie may be nodding off also, and then Frank
appears. Dream or reality? Donnie asks Frank, “Why are you wearing that stupid
bunny suit?” To which, Franks says, “Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?”
What is really below the surface? Is it man or beast? The lighter and darker
sides of reality join here as Frank takes off his headpiece and reveals the eye
injury that Danny inflicted upon him. Frank apologizes because he knows what’s
coming. A portal opens and Cunningham’s house appears. Frank tells Donnie to
burn it down.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Even the dance presentations of children for a <i>Star
Search</i> competition show contrasting images. One girl awkwardly dances to an
angelic soundtrack and then the performance of the young girls called Sparkle Motion
(which includes Samantha Darko) is more rock and roll. Cunningham hosts the
event, which we find adds a creepy element. The fire reveals a secret room, a
“kiddie porn dungeon” in the house. The police arrest Cunningham. The fire, a
destructive act, brings to light a horrible crime. The scene reminds us of the
opposing movie titles on the marquee and suggests that there must be sacrifice to
set things right. It also reflects what Donnie said about how the Greene story
shows that “destruction” is a form of “creation.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kitty is not willing to see the facts and remains
loyal to Cunningham (does his name show he is a cunning fellow, fooling others,
another example of false appearances?), thinks there is a conspiracy to frame
her beloved idol (the film showing relevance to current events). She will work
to defend Cunningham, and, despite Rose’s animosity toward her, she asks the
other woman to fly with Sparkle Motion for a competition. This request brings
up the airplane aspect of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacDqUt2XNrYFXrtSlLz4ST8Js48CyJ6dZ9KQ-tc1FAVwbsIdsMhs1g40Am2as4XXSjbc2Ck-tNyi-4KrN0GqOaGa6vcJJyY8J4pxaUTTAbaF8Vq32Ye4lXJBUPnYnTQM9O7krwpgTXY4ffdDg82hoKrgI3vA6QIoTAIS_3as6TB28rcX-lxbRPS1q/s640/DD%20-%206.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="640" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacDqUt2XNrYFXrtSlLz4ST8Js48CyJ6dZ9KQ-tc1FAVwbsIdsMhs1g40Am2as4XXSjbc2Ck-tNyi-4KrN0GqOaGa6vcJJyY8J4pxaUTTAbaF8Vq32Ye4lXJBUPnYnTQM9O7krwpgTXY4ffdDg82hoKrgI3vA6QIoTAIS_3as6TB28rcX-lxbRPS1q/s320/DD%20-%206.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rose sees a calendar with an illustration of the scary
bunny on it. The days are crossed off, which we know is the countdown to
Frank’s “end of the world” prediction. Rose is concerned about Donnie and wants
him to be okay. He asks what it’s like to have a “wacko” for a son. She says it
feels “wonderful.” Her allegiance reminds us of how Gretchen feels about
Donnie’s questioning mind.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In a session with Thurman, the hypnotized Donnie
confesses to his crimes and says he must do what Frank says so he can figure
out what is happening. He sees Frank (again as he crosses into dreamland) looking
upward. Donnie says he must build a time machine. He says, “the sky’s gonna
open up.” Here is another reference to the airplane and its missing engine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxeQt8-U4hgGQbra_vsjU1G4bOEJXr41_jdGO_3o2lqK7ZwIaldOIcVDPVuol3kwMohjF_83MdBQAQECFLTCE2EaldDUHwNRam_UndM-xWnJpDlPWSVId6-jjy6Ur7ZXZtcjuDf_EVfthRalkQpA6z_SiEL0qd3bnmFe9W6brrbdWMEJLUPXg8tfo/s259/DD%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxeQt8-U4hgGQbra_vsjU1G4bOEJXr41_jdGO_3o2lqK7ZwIaldOIcVDPVuol3kwMohjF_83MdBQAQECFLTCE2EaldDUHwNRam_UndM-xWnJpDlPWSVId6-jjy6Ur7ZXZtcjuDf_EVfthRalkQpA6z_SiEL0qd3bnmFe9W6brrbdWMEJLUPXg8tfo/s1600/DD%20-%203.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is one day left until Frank’s predicted day of
death. Eddie is away on business and Rose is with Sparkle Motion. Donnie and
Elizabeth decide to throw a Halloween party with their parents gone. Everyone
is wearing a costume except Donnie, whose “man suit” is a costume hiding his
nightmarish self. Gretchen arrives distraught because her mother took off. She
says, “I guess some people are born with tragedy in their blood.” Obviously,
she is a perfect match for Donnie. They make love while Rose does not receive
Dr. Thurman’s phone warning about Donnie since the mother is away. There is
also a call from Rose saying that she and the girls will be returning on a late
flight. Later, Donnie has on a skeleton outfit, which shows the tragedy
intertwined with his life.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcnKF-wcA_i-R4rM_N6iVchyCW0p9KY5Bb6ylI2r6Y9HQb5NdkGTAP-pd0p0QUc9b4t5_CKXixt3Ua7NmLlsShFvU8zSrs2t6tnR882UOpbyB4am0nZykJE26GH4mhsQsC-TTyhnnNOJq1vZ1mDK7hpDNReYhXg3k09I6mRSRAEhq-12AWDoVH1hy/s700/Donnie+Darko%20-%2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="700" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcnKF-wcA_i-R4rM_N6iVchyCW0p9KY5Bb6ylI2r6Y9HQb5NdkGTAP-pd0p0QUc9b4t5_CKXixt3Ua7NmLlsShFvU8zSrs2t6tnR882UOpbyB4am0nZykJE26GH4mhsQsC-TTyhnnNOJq1vZ1mDK7hpDNReYhXg3k09I6mRSRAEhq-12AWDoVH1hy/s320/Donnie+Darko%20-%2023.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK4nzhRFqdH9wIMMhoY5mGdRdQXMqcs2rDLbClXKCF9meiDQUkMe3OvTpArZORMFxUcamTib-HUrOcXVYXi9xQ0E2TewnNTAefxxJIk94u11t8sI8FeXn-FifJpbd9-C3puduBohF3O-Rp-djgqpEzS4M1vepAi6H1DVam7kwhpyg8_eCoGVPgPPr/s480/DD%20-%2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK4nzhRFqdH9wIMMhoY5mGdRdQXMqcs2rDLbClXKCF9meiDQUkMe3OvTpArZORMFxUcamTib-HUrOcXVYXi9xQ0E2TewnNTAefxxJIk94u11t8sI8FeXn-FifJpbd9-C3puduBohF3O-Rp-djgqpEzS4M1vepAi6H1DVam7kwhpyg8_eCoGVPgPPr/s320/DD%20-%2023.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Donnie sees those fluid tunnels again, which point to
what will happen, and he knows that time is running out since it is one hour to
Frank’s deadline. He and Gretchen go to Grandma Death’s place. He knows that
time travel connects Grandma Death to Frank. Karen Pomeroy wrote on the board
before leaving the school the words “cellar door,” which someone said were the
best combination of words in English. There is a cellar door at the house. We
are going below the surface again to reveal what hides in the shadows. The
school bullies are there, with stockings over their faces trying to hide the
nastiness underneath. They drag Donnie and Gretchen outside. One puts a knife
to Donnie’s throat and Donnie utters, “Deus ex machina.” In Greek theater, the
gods were supposed to reside above the stage and when the playwright wanted to
resolve conflicts the “god” would be lowered in a box to dispense supernatural
abilities. It has come to be a negative term to show resolution by contrived
means. Here the film is playing with the idea, since time travel is the story’s
“deus ex machina,” and that is why Donnie calls it the “savior,” which also
recalls “Christ” mentioned in the film title on the marquee.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A car approaches at a high speed. Grandma Death is in
the road, presiding over the events. Gretchen is thrown into the road and the
car strikes and kills her. The car stops and turns around. The driver is Frank.
He is wearing the scary bunny outfit. He takes his headpiece off. Donnie has
his dad’s gun and shoots and kills Frank. Again, the site of the wound is the
eye, a frequent symbol in films (<i>Blade Runner</i>, <i>Chinatown</i>, <i>Bonnie
and Clyde</i>). Here, it can refer to the terrible visions that Donnie has been
seeing. It’s as if the dead Frank came back through time to inform Donnie of
the horrors that would occur. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcCV8x0sP12h64g-eGYB8O46zKDqkRuL_PTqcjUrTg4RBx_z8KsacbEG6tvXz6F3qDTStEFIeTwgBM7DWwE2gdIFUVk6Fkai3KdeSNtkqmW09X2HVNUFGHxsycUivF7klEiaySjApYRyg9Xn_Vn-iVudHsGzNOxGjaFsgrXuZ4bSrSKDuDlpTA79T/s350/DD%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="350" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcCV8x0sP12h64g-eGYB8O46zKDqkRuL_PTqcjUrTg4RBx_z8KsacbEG6tvXz6F3qDTStEFIeTwgBM7DWwE2gdIFUVk6Fkai3KdeSNtkqmW09X2HVNUFGHxsycUivF7klEiaySjApYRyg9Xn_Vn-iVudHsGzNOxGjaFsgrXuZ4bSrSKDuDlpTA79T/s320/DD%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-OUI8tZBrgGako-3O_13QsIVt0LiqoBpjiHQ5OzT63O9C6CxvLFl0BMEwbhl6bdVi6UpZmsR0HIP6KisvTugdDAMAA5uQSBAIq8cjc6SUPv1IWH0WOSpEaWB0iejrT94Ka6LRkvQSXiafgzNbhzEZVzOqsCPg0zPcI9fNaGTbUR85lNzG-yZppQP/s1200/DD%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-OUI8tZBrgGako-3O_13QsIVt0LiqoBpjiHQ5OzT63O9C6CxvLFl0BMEwbhl6bdVi6UpZmsR0HIP6KisvTugdDAMAA5uQSBAIq8cjc6SUPv1IWH0WOSpEaWB0iejrT94Ka6LRkvQSXiafgzNbhzEZVzOqsCPg0zPcI9fNaGTbUR85lNzG-yZppQP/s320/DD%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxr92RBNT2LNTpojUIxgX21XC_C_cfR2aVyOWFhrSjS4XLAySLHrAY8mne1Q_TNVKBvwLTOjjimEbApU-XIK6YcrtedEgSFtE5Yv1Ti-UWl4bk32s1K5PScbovvwaBj05MMCmk8zvcE1oBYcjOSj9MdCRKsdTAhSDs6VKjWmqLX50ZqcLBrj_bQSJ/s1024/DD%20-%2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxr92RBNT2LNTpojUIxgX21XC_C_cfR2aVyOWFhrSjS4XLAySLHrAY8mne1Q_TNVKBvwLTOjjimEbApU-XIK6YcrtedEgSFtE5Yv1Ti-UWl4bk32s1K5PScbovvwaBj05MMCmk8zvcE1oBYcjOSj9MdCRKsdTAhSDs6VKjWmqLX50ZqcLBrj_bQSJ/s320/DD%20-%2025.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Donnie takes Gretchen’s body with him to his house and
kisses his sister goodbye. Donnie envisions dark clouds forming a time tunnel
in the sky. He drives to where the film began on a hillside road. We hear Monnitoff’s
words about all you need for time travel is a wormhole and a metal craft
entering it. Donnie also remembers Gretchen saying that it would be nice to go
back in time to make things better. The plane that Rose is on hits the turbulence
of the time tunnel, and we see the engine going into the tunnel. Donnie also goes
into the tunnel. He comes out laughing in his bed. He is not out of the house as
before when the engine hits. He is killed this time.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie wrote a letter to Grandma Death, saying that he
hopes the answers to his questions “will come to me in my sleep. I hope that when
the world comes to an end, I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will
be so much to look forward to.” He does get his information while asleep, and
it is his world that comes to an end. Perhaps he is now at peace, and he may
feel that he will survive in some spiritual form, and that those alive will
lead good lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8I_WzMqSnJDuHqjCQ_XtL0Ucdl4czHSiAGwR6hQ7C4xlyTa5B8yYbGsFtjhx8bGeEA5tEK62UoR7GsDLx3rwyTSym0xL-IuwuFX2OkQL0IdSlz21kyOqs76fXDAyQJAUB92Je1Qk1KO4nMNH2p3pBH9Y5J_zMJo_dFI24sBNnrhfnpRLRY5yW-5C/s1200/DD%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8I_WzMqSnJDuHqjCQ_XtL0Ucdl4czHSiAGwR6hQ7C4xlyTa5B8yYbGsFtjhx8bGeEA5tEK62UoR7GsDLx3rwyTSym0xL-IuwuFX2OkQL0IdSlz21kyOqs76fXDAyQJAUB92Je1Qk1KO4nMNH2p3pBH9Y5J_zMJo_dFI24sBNnrhfnpRLRY5yW-5C/s320/DD%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The camera glides over all the characters in the
story, as the song “Mad World plays with the fitting lyric, “The dreams in
which I’m dying are the best I ever had.” Those words could fit what happens to
Donnie. Gretchen, who in this corrected timeline didn’t meet Donnie, is alive.
She rides by on her bike, and exchanges a sad look with Rose, and a wave. It
was a worthy sacrifice.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lost in Translation.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-59761795346263343192023-03-12T12:02:00.000-04:002023-03-12T12:02:46.734-04:00Stand By Me<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsc20FNCO06PPQd0ExFYBNPP1s0RQO2vfChkG-4ME8yQVVgjnpAy_QfZqL2faVZ_bCvmCxGoOD-gGkpy4NTXSujoKFaHIzyWNVsu5CfRJemdJniXHtQr8BwnXAwPHwfFemaedYAkS9llEN-4UUewetDKlIrZuFJhlhcpMDnw7rXJYHcduNWmWkKfY/s607/SBM%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsc20FNCO06PPQd0ExFYBNPP1s0RQO2vfChkG-4ME8yQVVgjnpAy_QfZqL2faVZ_bCvmCxGoOD-gGkpy4NTXSujoKFaHIzyWNVsu5CfRJemdJniXHtQr8BwnXAwPHwfFemaedYAkS9llEN-4UUewetDKlIrZuFJhlhcpMDnw7rXJYHcduNWmWkKfY/s320/SBM%20-%201.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxA7q4q2TUn3mJbRIcZWsLcaG5MS8WG5uxZ3E35AO_Jq1h1EzGllxjZ_gSZexr7ay9jxd3RXFCgMxt3ZUz19uannThP-WAFEl5TZzav3Ea5jeM315ZdeRzZUjQpDpCPDLYdc4CUu1fSnPesGE1KrL1RiYmZ87ZEAbfl3roMivhwKREK2Qa7qStAJV/s470/SBM%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="470" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxA7q4q2TUn3mJbRIcZWsLcaG5MS8WG5uxZ3E35AO_Jq1h1EzGllxjZ_gSZexr7ay9jxd3RXFCgMxt3ZUz19uannThP-WAFEl5TZzav3Ea5jeM315ZdeRzZUjQpDpCPDLYdc4CUu1fSnPesGE1KrL1RiYmZ87ZEAbfl3roMivhwKREK2Qa7qStAJV/s320/SBM%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stand by Me </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(1986),
which shares its title with the great Ben E. King song, was directed by Rob
Reiner and is based on a story by Stephen King (two kings make a great pair
here). The tale takes place in the summer of 1959 in the form of a reminiscence
by the narrator who is The Writer (Richard Dreyfuss). He thinks about the first
time he saw a dead body after reading about a death in the newspaper. Even
though it’s been many years since he was twelve years old, the memory has
haunted him his whole life.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOSgbRL7nk4P5mzOEOuw_xNjlQhSEOD_DYpJ2j66cxZ-5eKHUcB-pSFq9pq8Q_bZsNd_J_mua_3nrA4MrmHnZcewUSfaExchl_NcPjfo1EdAGcr3-L57bcR9I8K3COq2angbA6unT_v24DVSOIcqrtQ9PbZK-gXerXeRUu7uAqvV5IK7mrdhyvwXa/s780/SBM%20-%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOSgbRL7nk4P5mzOEOuw_xNjlQhSEOD_DYpJ2j66cxZ-5eKHUcB-pSFq9pq8Q_bZsNd_J_mua_3nrA4MrmHnZcewUSfaExchl_NcPjfo1EdAGcr3-L57bcR9I8K3COq2angbA6unT_v24DVSOIcqrtQ9PbZK-gXerXeRUu7uAqvV5IK7mrdhyvwXa/s320/SBM%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The main characters are young boys who are in a
transition period between being children and becoming adults. The Writer is the
grownup Gordie Lachance (Will Wheaton). They play cards in a tree house as kids
will do, but Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy DuChamp (Corey Feldman) smoke
cigarettes, showing they are rebelling against childhood norms. The screenplay
is effective as they engage in trashy put-down comments which fit their age
group. The Writer notes that “finding new and preferably disgusting ways to
degrade a friend’s mother was always held in high regard.” The Writer comments
that Teddy acted crazy for a reason because his violent father almost burned
off the boy’s ear once. Chris, their leader, came from a “bad” family also, and
according to The Writer, was expected to have a “bad” life (unfortunately true
for the actor River Phoenix, whose early death was a shocker). The film
suggests that external factors can abnormally thrust children out of their
carefree innocence.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">One of the boys’ crew, Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell)
enters the treehouse with news. While searching for where he buried his coins
under the house porch, Vern overheard from his brother, Billy (Casey Siemaszko)
and his pal, Charlie Hogan (Gary Riley) the location of a young dead boy, Ray
Brower, who went missing. The older teens stole a car and that was why they
were near the train tracks where they found the dead boy. Since Billy and
Charlie are staying clear of the police, the younger boys think they can get
credit for finding the body. Youths enjoy pretending to be heroes and these
boys sing the title songs of old TV shows that told cowboy stories, which shows
that desire. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As the kids concoct alibis to free them up for their
quest, The Writer notes that his mother (Frances Lee McCain) and father (Marshall
Bell) were traumatized by the death of Gordie’s older brother, Denny (played in
flashback by John Cusack) in a car accident, another initiation into the
harshness of the world. Gordie’s dad is disappointed in Gordie for not having
friends as admirable as Denny’s pals. So, these boys have something to prove to
themselves, let alone others, that they are not losers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4ugXwaMk1jBdcKoVS2i9SNQfUXRcm0V7nZi_LlqbWHGmOWZVfpbmXSinmlNYLy0Snl_LDJRqMb_6MX70ulAa54mMDQ2WXtvhfKdqE1jib_xqzpFQWfO5o-pTEoBTnDoMtMfZbpbVWjH01lEM2ZlkmjnkEGAAsccKHbwRYGVZs95Kd7GKTR33yUlh/s955/SBM%20-%207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="955" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4ugXwaMk1jBdcKoVS2i9SNQfUXRcm0V7nZi_LlqbWHGmOWZVfpbmXSinmlNYLy0Snl_LDJRqMb_6MX70ulAa54mMDQ2WXtvhfKdqE1jib_xqzpFQWfO5o-pTEoBTnDoMtMfZbpbVWjH01lEM2ZlkmjnkEGAAsccKHbwRYGVZs95Kd7GKTR33yUlh/s320/SBM%20-%207.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilryBb5t9Vie0TI2UxNd4nJMTe1ER_Z4j-yYu11DcvTvennKKMDuZV0fefn9Po4E-jf_4Aya_TYGDbaZd0pufO8Vi_Sl4l3TW5quWjoHI2XATAuJghejHN1BAF0jv1PVZ1rNJAnSZ5iWUvd5O0zdXkG2CqB3yo_Bk_pJr1YFaJCnCOyTzgI2ZOLICt/s470/SBM%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="470" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilryBb5t9Vie0TI2UxNd4nJMTe1ER_Z4j-yYu11DcvTvennKKMDuZV0fefn9Po4E-jf_4Aya_TYGDbaZd0pufO8Vi_Sl4l3TW5quWjoHI2XATAuJghejHN1BAF0jv1PVZ1rNJAnSZ5iWUvd5O0zdXkG2CqB3yo_Bk_pJr1YFaJCnCOyTzgI2ZOLICt/s320/SBM%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Chris catches up with Gordie on their way to meet the
other boys. He took his dad’s handgun, and Chris accidentally fires off a round
into a trash can behind a restaurant. The firearm holds adult fascination for
the boys, but its explosive deadliness also is frightening, which again
stresses their cusp of adulthood predicament. The boys encounter Chris’s older
brother Eyeball (Bradley Gregg), and Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland), who
overpowers the younger boys and steals the New York Yankees cap Denny gave to
Gordie. That act is particularly hurtful to Gordie who loved his brother, and
Ace’s theft is a desecration of Gordie’s memory of Denny. The preteens wish
they were older and bigger so they could defend themselves (a foreshadowing),
which stresses their in-between stage of growth. (There is a short later scene
where Ace and the other teenagers drive a car and knock mailboxes off their
posts with a baseball bat. Subsequent scenes with these older boys show that the
next stage of maleness is full of rebelliousness, egotism, obsessions over sex,
foolishness, and danger).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpyryupmLRkbjPxHLSKmxX2algSwDzGvO_T897kYYatp1vfk7B8R61DdoC2ukGIhXRfYDVcS08qA2u44vFp269_gjQUb5O_cyxw0IPbFaKLlXrE40sSj5HFYknBeS3V2XY4VNdWibNOvfoNltWg6lp2exxa2KoqU6XR2H8CkjSqPAD9hT9A8l3rcO/s3000/SBM%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2021" data-original-width="3000" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpyryupmLRkbjPxHLSKmxX2algSwDzGvO_T897kYYatp1vfk7B8R61DdoC2ukGIhXRfYDVcS08qA2u44vFp269_gjQUb5O_cyxw0IPbFaKLlXrE40sSj5HFYknBeS3V2XY4VNdWibNOvfoNltWg6lp2exxa2KoqU6XR2H8CkjSqPAD9hT9A8l3rcO/s320/SBM%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The boys follow the train tracks with their gear and
are supposed to travel around twenty or thirty miles, quite a stretch for these
youths. They act like adventurous men, but are not responsible enough to
remember to bring any food. Vern says he remembered to bring a comb, which is
funny, but also stresses immaturity. A locomotive approaches, but Teddy wants
to play “dodge train,” waiting for the last moment to get off the tracks. He
pretends he is meeting the enemy at Normandy on D-Day. The scene is reminiscent
of playing “chicken” in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Rebel Without a Cause</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, where the adolescents
head to a cliff in cars and are supposed to jump out at the last minute. Here
is the same combination of adult male bravado and youthful recklessness. Teddy’s
father, who was a hero in the war at Normandy, went insane, possibly due to war
trauma, and is now in a mental institution. There may be a subconscious desire
to prove his bravery so he can measure up to his father’s war heroics. Chris
saves Teddy from himself by pulling him off the tracks.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLWqzxJKmewveAg3IH9mjjp0k71QX4rInqDe7KUOFi7JPLAy7lbcTWfaSdNZv483sLU8bii--rm2Q6qsr4l9hTWp3jCKi74WjGzz5fAHGnzG1F_5o3vUdJjn425r6k_5Gxzs0_l0PyqmtRbUc30SSUTuFVKhmMShgGNWIS9n1d2bLUK5ERNejPXpM/s541/SBM%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="541" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLWqzxJKmewveAg3IH9mjjp0k71QX4rInqDe7KUOFi7JPLAy7lbcTWfaSdNZv483sLU8bii--rm2Q6qsr4l9hTWp3jCKi74WjGzz5fAHGnzG1F_5o3vUdJjn425r6k_5Gxzs0_l0PyqmtRbUc30SSUTuFVKhmMShgGNWIS9n1d2bLUK5ERNejPXpM/s320/SBM%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The young boys flex their rule-breaking potential by
scaling a junkyard fence despite the warning not to trespass. They use the water
pump there to hydrate and then goof around. The child in each of them still
watches </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Micky Mouse Club</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, but their budding manhood focuses on
Annette Funicello’s breasts. Gordie loses the coin toss, and he has to go to
the store nearby for food. The grocer recognizes Gordie as Denny’s brother. He
also lost a brother, only in Korea. He quotes the Bible that says death is
there amid life. Tragedy seems to be something that we never outgrow.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The grocer talks about what a great football player
Denny was. That remark triggers a dinner table memory where Gordie’s father is obsessed
with Denny and his ball playing. Denny goes out of the way to talk about how
good a writer Gordie is, but the father ignores the praise for his other son. Older
males, like Mr. Lachance and the grocer, don’t see writing as masculine, so
they focus on the athletic, muscular nature of sports.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">By the time Gordie returns to the junkyard, the owner,
Milo Pressman (William Bronder) has returned, and the rest of the boys are on
the other side of the fence. Gordie runs with all his might and climbs over the
barrier just in time to escape the junkyard dog, Chopper. The animal was
supposed to be this fearsome creature, but he turns out to be not that
threatening. The Writer says it was his first revelation about how myth did not
measure up to reality, another growth moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After getting upset when Pressman recognizes him and
ridicules his father, Teddy says he is spoiling his friends’ fun. But the
maturing Gordie says maybe they shouldn’t be treating their journey as a “party”
since they are going to “see a dead kid.” So, this journey is a symbolic one, a
rite of passage which leads away from childhood. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODPHU-M9p1RA4LAiNnZ_yhJp9o4-Unsw3HojhyNj994dX6cKaXJulRSiJm0YNX8cBiu697XCwi-Iyflr-t_1IwoQzHjtbHCHXO-ShxRcqjd8r9Siw5SolvwrcPb03nQ15-JkGYnB-pwnvnvnVGk8EDIyn492MY2t1-Ofpnf4gVkR1USFHMwukpT7i/s1266/SBM%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1266" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODPHU-M9p1RA4LAiNnZ_yhJp9o4-Unsw3HojhyNj994dX6cKaXJulRSiJm0YNX8cBiu697XCwi-Iyflr-t_1IwoQzHjtbHCHXO-ShxRcqjd8r9Siw5SolvwrcPb03nQ15-JkGYnB-pwnvnvnVGk8EDIyn492MY2t1-Ofpnf4gVkR1USFHMwukpT7i/s320/SBM%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Chris gives Gordie a speech, similar to the one Ben
Affleck gives Matt Damon in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Good Will Hunting</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, about how Gordie has to
use his brains and take academic courses while his pals are in shop classes.
Chris realizes Gordie’s writing potential, unlike Gordie’s dad. Chris says,
“God gave you something, man, all those stories you can make up.” He says that it’s
like God is telling Gordie not to lose those tales as he grows up. (And he
doesn’t since it is the grown Gordie who is telling this story). Chris is more
of a father figure here and is actually more mature than Gordie’s real dad. At
the same time, Teddy and Vern talk about who is stronger, Superman or Mighty
Mouse. These contrasting conversations further stress how these boys are in a
maturity transition.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4EggAlWmFUHcyOYCLo_eO5eNTzuULBlh-6B9EVjYXf_vJq_62GlIRRdm28XNUc3rfnE8HA6w4-Jp7uu9VnVlC6GIdY8jRaKmF9OpdBnDydJUNmnQSRMeSxRcfudQTwXfG1zC3KN8V3ARf2EsRcqLAE_4mf8eOEnhRAqv538i9Q_kQa3JefQ6o4tR/s900/Stand-By-Me-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="900" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4EggAlWmFUHcyOYCLo_eO5eNTzuULBlh-6B9EVjYXf_vJq_62GlIRRdm28XNUc3rfnE8HA6w4-Jp7uu9VnVlC6GIdY8jRaKmF9OpdBnDydJUNmnQSRMeSxRcfudQTwXfG1zC3KN8V3ARf2EsRcqLAE_4mf8eOEnhRAqv538i9Q_kQa3JefQ6o4tR/s320/Stand-By-Me-15.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdO10VKjaMvZQ3tQIBFPAz4NJwVXeayR_sZO4dpxokVyGQLzBNtgLzIBryWcm_cPowBCWvl_lpPWPL3Jy8mA9ADr2NlKAnmrPKkcDfjS0ijmqr0rbDAtXfm4ZO2_78SjKB6wthtIvSokaCbvrnQ8gJZn-9hw4gGYfF-7iJBYbfqoUDPEHzG9kD8pU/s480/SBM%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdO10VKjaMvZQ3tQIBFPAz4NJwVXeayR_sZO4dpxokVyGQLzBNtgLzIBryWcm_cPowBCWvl_lpPWPL3Jy8mA9ADr2NlKAnmrPKkcDfjS0ijmqr0rbDAtXfm4ZO2_78SjKB6wthtIvSokaCbvrnQ8gJZn-9hw4gGYfF-7iJBYbfqoUDPEHzG9kD8pU/s320/SBM%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The boys come to another challenge as they approach a
trestle. To not go far off their route they must cross it without any room to
avoid a train that might be coming. Vern loses his comb, which is sort of a
child’s safety blanket. They start to walk over the tracks when Gordie spots
the smoke coming from the stack of an approaching train. Chris and Teddy make it
to the other side. The overweight Vern is not as quick as the others and Gordie
tries to urge him to move faster. They jump off onto the dirt embankment, just
in time to avoid the train. They have leapt over another hurdle on their perilous
road to adulthood.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfWaNtlOT2bjaQLoutVmXJfTzYRFJzJqXeQbXOZIkqgDavdVAPx_CeCZwUPwOEFgIirjl2iwiE3RSA6yqRQEaVpVbcVlIdE4ygD6XQKPLMvCBGbWQJmb8Qg61RNXRszIWRGlu0fZl6o4sMOe3LTZV7nwr-9uB08AGZ8WOiOuHPYCEOgGj6sv5YXW0/s640/SBM%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfWaNtlOT2bjaQLoutVmXJfTzYRFJzJqXeQbXOZIkqgDavdVAPx_CeCZwUPwOEFgIirjl2iwiE3RSA6yqRQEaVpVbcVlIdE4ygD6XQKPLMvCBGbWQJmb8Qg61RNXRszIWRGlu0fZl6o4sMOe3LTZV7nwr-9uB08AGZ8WOiOuHPYCEOgGj6sv5YXW0/s320/SBM%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At a campfire, the boys want Gordie to tell a story.
His tale is about a heavy boy who has sustained ridicule for his size. The town
calls him Lardass (Andy Lindberg). He gets his revenge at a pie eating contest
before which he consumed a bottle of castor oil and a raw egg. After eating
several pies he initiates a cascading vomiting scene to exact his revenge on
the nasty citizens. The story fits the mindset of these boys, and vicariously
allows them to feel justice since they, too, feel like outsiders. But, Teddy’s
demons rise again and he wants a better ending where Lardass goes home and
kills his father, and then joins the Texas Rangers. His reaction shows his
pathology which has sprung from his divergent feelings about his father.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After falling asleep, howling coyotes awaken the boys.
They take turns standing guard, and despite Teddy’s acting like a military
sentry, and Vern’s exaggerated startle response to every sound, the scene is
disturbing since they are pointing Chris’s handgun. The next scene depicts the outcast
feelings of Gordie and Chris. Gordie has a nightmare where he pictures himself
at the grave of his brother and his father tells Gordie it should have been him
in the casket. He wakes up and joins Chris, and suggests to his friend he can
also take college classes. Chris says that the community considers his family
dangerous lowlifes, and presume they are guilty instead of innocent if a
transgression takes place. He stole the school milk money, implying that being
law-abiding would not better his family reputation because of the residents’
prejudices. But he gave the money back to the teacher who showed up with a brand-new
skirt she had been eyeing. Chris begins to cry since he found out how crushing
it was to find that even a schoolteacher can be so devious. It is an example of
losing innocence and moving toward cynicism concerning life’s realities. Chris
says he wishes he “could go someplace where nobody knows me,” which would allow
him to live without others unfairly judging him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLPczdQ0yhkIdjCjMizgZln4lmkoO3h5dZtIIkbuMXJvJYl7dcVWuvXzDsfHyWtXoFbp_wUBkaxfvtujU_7NCk_N1Lf6CfjSsNdUm3ePblCXBv9Qi5-Wz1uqE6hxQWv6DOBiIiYUIA8pYJWSExgaLfdXJN4OongkM-AfHRmjXbEBubOT1JrDlR1JN/s1024/SBM%20-%2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1024" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLPczdQ0yhkIdjCjMizgZln4lmkoO3h5dZtIIkbuMXJvJYl7dcVWuvXzDsfHyWtXoFbp_wUBkaxfvtujU_7NCk_N1Lf6CfjSsNdUm3ePblCXBv9Qi5-Wz1uqE6hxQWv6DOBiIiYUIA8pYJWSExgaLfdXJN4OongkM-AfHRmjXbEBubOT1JrDlR1JN/s320/SBM%20-%2016.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a scene where Gordie is alone sitting on the
train track rails. A doe comes out of the forest, pauses, and the boy and the
animal exchange looks. Stephen King said that the story is about discovering
the world, and this moment is magical for Gordie, since he says he never shared
it with anyone before. It appears that Gordie is feeling a oneness with nature.
Since it is a young deer, perhaps it is on the same journey of learning about
life. Both are shedding their past lives.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The older boys led by Ace find out about the dead boy
from Billie and Charlie. Ace decides that they will get the praise for finding
the missing boy. On their drive, Ace races against a group of boys in another
car. When a truck hauling lumber heads straight at him, Ace refuses to exit the
lane. The trucker goes off the road to avoid a collision, losing his cargo. Ace
says, “I won,” as if beating death is a contest. Ace’s toxic masculinity will
most likely grow stronger as he gets older, and the scene shows the destructive
road men may travel down because of the macho attitudes that society fosters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Meanwhile, the kids, abandoning the safety of the train
tracks that can represent civilization, cut through a forest as a shortcut. In
literature, writers have used forests as the places where unlawful or dangerous
activities take place (think <i>The Scarlet Letter</i>, <i>Tess of the
D’Urbervilles</i>, <i>The Princess Bride</i>). They misjudge the depth of a
river they cross and find themselves in water up to their shoulders. Teddy
starts to be mischievous and dunks Vern. Chris tells him to “act your age.”
Teddy rightfully says he is acting his age. The boys, except for the anti-party
Gordie, start dunking each other. They are in a perilous situation which calls
for adult thinking, but they are still playful children in that place. When
they discover that leeches have attached themselves to their bodies, the
serious nature of their quest sobers them up as they pull the creatures off
their bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLTNiICGuLIydTa2VIXB9fNdsFsT_3gQeArgz60xzVRIpUvhhjIU8NzULuKHKttvis-77QHOyg6UPXfMrN0rVXz-AJVupDGdoQsDGPRVTT7CMBAt_xtxW9s9vFkXlm_cdYjhfZM4W9eLaXGpPYyxLnMXCl631SGTeGIYc_OwuY_3S1w-72ySaU8fo/s1080/SBM%20-%203.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="1080" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLTNiICGuLIydTa2VIXB9fNdsFsT_3gQeArgz60xzVRIpUvhhjIU8NzULuKHKttvis-77QHOyg6UPXfMrN0rVXz-AJVupDGdoQsDGPRVTT7CMBAt_xtxW9s9vFkXlm_cdYjhfZM4W9eLaXGpPYyxLnMXCl631SGTeGIYc_OwuY_3S1w-72ySaU8fo/s320/SBM%20-%203.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">They finally find the body of the Brower boy off the
side of the train tracks they reconnect with after their shortcut. The boy was
hit by a train. The Writer says the boy was not asleep, not sick, which is what
the boys experienced in their previous youthful life. He is dead, which ushers
them into the next stage of their maturity. Encountering this brutal end of a
life prompts Gordie to question why bad things happen to some people. After
all, they dodged trains twice on this trip, but Brower couldn’t escape the
danger. The low self-esteem that Gordie’s father instilled in the boy causes
Gordie to tearfully tell Chris (they have now exchanged sorrowful confessions) that
he deserved to die instead. Chris consoles his friend in a compassionate
parental way (unlike Gordie’s real dad) by telling him he’s wrong, and
accurately states that Gordie has a life ahead of him being a writer.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGB36Ds24iAHKFZAECgq4bq4HrOPOx9hk_KVFHjeyqIlrJ8AbnQ5CSO3j9lyM9GbhqrWEHg2Q81soZ5kDSeITWbUojeXKZIGFL28UXqjl0NiBzQ_VzXqZQo9G0NgkrMIvnrUCIPH7gifqyx2UQ2DV_W5c-IVkEsismUXBkuVUOvlNlALt5CNerZis/s290/SBM%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGB36Ds24iAHKFZAECgq4bq4HrOPOx9hk_KVFHjeyqIlrJ8AbnQ5CSO3j9lyM9GbhqrWEHg2Q81soZ5kDSeITWbUojeXKZIGFL28UXqjl0NiBzQ_VzXqZQo9G0NgkrMIvnrUCIPH7gifqyx2UQ2DV_W5c-IVkEsismUXBkuVUOvlNlALt5CNerZis/s1600/SBM%20-%204.jpg" width="290" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpev3gxP1Oke3xJydyx0MIJlMRKwkSRD0IgJVG1Wx2J8mQTiJrjbqT5c8-qcXo0F1j-BNdzk18gr7ELMj3klDCjuFN-k_8P7VrpXIC5GgRPFRiWz2_GlNlbtsXtKQfvGs9JczdtppRxHs-WoeBWkafr0I99kzQQO-lz--WpPNLHPORlMvNIL-aJD8/s1024/SBM%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="1024" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpev3gxP1Oke3xJydyx0MIJlMRKwkSRD0IgJVG1Wx2J8mQTiJrjbqT5c8-qcXo0F1j-BNdzk18gr7ELMj3klDCjuFN-k_8P7VrpXIC5GgRPFRiWz2_GlNlbtsXtKQfvGs9JczdtppRxHs-WoeBWkafr0I99kzQQO-lz--WpPNLHPORlMvNIL-aJD8/s320/SBM%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At that moment, Ace and his gang show up and threaten
to beat up the youngsters if they don’t give up the body. Chris will not back
down. Ace starts to cross that legal line that the remote forest removes, and
pulls a knife. As he is ready to cut Chris, Gordie shoots off a warning shot
from the gun, playing its part as the equalizer, which Chris brought. Gordie
aims his wild card weapon with a steady hand at Ace, who decides to fold. But,
Ace issues a warning about the boys’ futures (a foreshadowing).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After besting the older boys, the younger ones probably
feel the quest was what was important and they no longer have the need to get
credit for finding the body. They leave it there and decide to make an
anonymous phone call to have it found. They head back to their town, which,
according to The Writer, “seemed smaller.” They have grown up some on their
journey and things aren’t as large or magical when one revisits a childhood
place.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Writer says that Gordie and Chris didn’t see as
much of Vern and Teddy as they grew up. Many of us lose track of friends who we
bonded with when younger as life’s situations place us on divergent roads. Vern
settled into the grownup world, getting married, having four kids, and working as
a forklift operator. Teddy couldn’t get into the military because of his vision
defects and ear injury, courtesy of his father. He was also in jail a few
times. Some sins of the father can’t be erased from the marks they leave on the
children. Chris did escape the judgment of the town, going to college and
becoming a lawyer. But he went into a fast-food restaurant, tried to break up a
fight, was stabbed in the throat, and died. He couldn’t escape that knife that threatened
him in his youth. It was his death that Gordie was reading about that initiated
the memory of finding the body. The Writer, the adult Gordie, has a boy of his
own now, as the cycle continues, is finishing typing the memoir we have been
hearing. He had not been in touch with Chris for over ten years, but he knows will
miss his best friend “forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The last lines he types say that he never made friends
like the ones he had when he was twelve, and asks, “Jesus, does anyone?” Don’t
we all hold onto those days when we shared our early years with precious others
while we were in that state of becoming?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donnie Darko.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-67280442112521031302023-02-14T12:55:00.000-05:002023-02-14T12:55:18.762-05:00The Cincinnati Kid<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFN5fbJiIGBkcAMHTJCuf42wRb6Fd3_ky9Js_IeRoHtBbev5GHZtsC9SLXTtUqRSlDSfSXSC_8b1_qJtVGuXAJBprK-AiKvBFphH5TDxNP6iHuPWi4m32BJmtUZkGgrSpdEXEi79Wo0cFW1_KoESnj8YqDDzznDoPo-13w1SuCW8j6qEDRCVkpCKs/s2560/CK%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFN5fbJiIGBkcAMHTJCuf42wRb6Fd3_ky9Js_IeRoHtBbev5GHZtsC9SLXTtUqRSlDSfSXSC_8b1_qJtVGuXAJBprK-AiKvBFphH5TDxNP6iHuPWi4m32BJmtUZkGgrSpdEXEi79Wo0cFW1_KoESnj8YqDDzznDoPo-13w1SuCW8j6qEDRCVkpCKs/s320/CK%20-%201.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">I recently watched </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Cincinnati Kid </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1965)
for the first time in many years and decided to write about it after realizing
how much talent is involved in the production. It has Steve McQueen, looking
like Mr. Cool, as usual. The supporting cast includes Edward G. Robinson, Ann-Margret,
Karl Malden, Tuesday Weld, Joan Blondell, Jack Weston, Cab Calloway, and Rip
Torn. The story was adapted by Ring Lardner Jr., and Terry Southern. And Norman
Jewison directed the film. Not too shabby.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif79uaoHJD6Q5lGfX_lMFYpvw0q93a2W-SSfOJDrcm9TU0iblNwILpcatvnHnnlJHO1h8dSIL-inYPfZCZSX1de2Vi4-31_1F1jKlQD2EhIG4p1ubT-FdH36fERrpBWzybr0_5kdV2UAwPQKKHFBO99F1hBvVXnLxfw6D63fzu24FCBQAOv-nvpRIB/s550/the-cincinnati-kid%20-%208.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="550" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif79uaoHJD6Q5lGfX_lMFYpvw0q93a2W-SSfOJDrcm9TU0iblNwILpcatvnHnnlJHO1h8dSIL-inYPfZCZSX1de2Vi4-31_1F1jKlQD2EhIG4p1ubT-FdH36fERrpBWzybr0_5kdV2UAwPQKKHFBO99F1hBvVXnLxfw6D63fzu24FCBQAOv-nvpRIB/s320/the-cincinnati-kid%20-%208.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film opens with The Cincinnati Kid (McQueen)
walking next to a New Orleans funeral, which, of course, is not a somber event,
with a band playing. Does this scene symbolically predict that the Kid will be
participating in his own figurative burial? He meets a young shoeshine boy who has
challenged him at pitching coins before and asks for another chance. The Kid
beats him and says the youth is not ready for him yet. In a subsequent scene,
he bests the boy at a coin toss and says the same thing about being ill
equipped to beat the Kid. At this point the Kid is an undefeated winner.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7evt5qYlva9WaInKWpZn-zBg09WJ6mAKlJzjdGDnksmr0byH4YOzqAdqyUZmuSeyS_lUidRqchUTT7ZHHHEOjyDFiARisSCwHQALamh4xOAvURAxKhM2yeCJCveoqMqhorEHkY-IYv5-dLIZx-BVKcYT4f4ZBVytyU2pYs9lZ_ivg424MJlORWCIp/s400/CK%20-%2015.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7evt5qYlva9WaInKWpZn-zBg09WJ6mAKlJzjdGDnksmr0byH4YOzqAdqyUZmuSeyS_lUidRqchUTT7ZHHHEOjyDFiARisSCwHQALamh4xOAvURAxKhM2yeCJCveoqMqhorEHkY-IYv5-dLIZx-BVKcYT4f4ZBVytyU2pYs9lZ_ivg424MJlORWCIp/s320/CK%20-%2015.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMViKmfcNfAKXKt44I2vj4US6PlYLSvX0D33cKOqFOj2kRN2JPKEF3CgCxkLGpD8dBNCW_UbI7g2Lnq_t9nYt5tvf3zeGPoB-Y-NpcIKzI4aJkBQy_ewY3btbIgkhqjM8L7FINKmSvmGyvkX8ji9kz5M3_Gg0H1XQfQUYNTLO93b7H2BIOC1174ilK/s168/CK%20-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="94" data-original-width="168" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMViKmfcNfAKXKt44I2vj4US6PlYLSvX0D33cKOqFOj2kRN2JPKEF3CgCxkLGpD8dBNCW_UbI7g2Lnq_t9nYt5tvf3zeGPoB-Y-NpcIKzI4aJkBQy_ewY3btbIgkhqjM8L7FINKmSvmGyvkX8ji9kz5M3_Gg0H1XQfQUYNTLO93b7H2BIOC1174ilK/s1600/CK%20-14.jpg" width="168" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The movie is a sort of card gambling version of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
Hustler</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, with McQueen playing the Paul Newman role and Robinson assuming
the position of the Jackie Gleason character. The Kid is the upstart, a
pretender to the crown worn by the best stud poker player. He has marks on
everybody since he has beaten everyone, but he still lives in a lowly apartment
since he hasn’t really cashed in on the big time yet. In contrast is senior
citizen Lancey Howard (Robinson), the reigning poker king. He dresses stylishly
and stays at a luxurious New Orleans hotel, where everybody knows his name. A
one-time great player is Shooter (Malden), who is known for his honesty and
ethical behavior. He is the go-between who wants his friend, the Kid, to get
his shot at Lancey.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Kid has a girlfriend, Christian (Tuesday Weld). She
is not living a chaste life with the Kid, but her name is significant since she
represents the possibility of the Kid leading an ethical life with her. She
tells a salacious tale in which men “cared more about their lives than they did
about their honor. Does that seem right to you?” His response is a selfish one
as he says, “what good is honor if you’re dead.”</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82-gurI40VgdWwgMYtnmKayR77S_ENKw94TpbGjrN5okii9KN5RFLQw7v3gk-Nx15NuoFKBw0gfqT7jzJq1nhsCHxOV10uwA1qWVVkga3agzOQT9xW4ThRQeGoMwrmLzVlFYnT-Jsy9_CGoUA6z08bq-CVFmTjXKBxjREQ-cKqnQHX5bMSi0NgcOT/s460/CK%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="460" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82-gurI40VgdWwgMYtnmKayR77S_ENKw94TpbGjrN5okii9KN5RFLQw7v3gk-Nx15NuoFKBw0gfqT7jzJq1nhsCHxOV10uwA1qWVVkga3agzOQT9xW4ThRQeGoMwrmLzVlFYnT-Jsy9_CGoUA6z08bq-CVFmTjXKBxjREQ-cKqnQHX5bMSi0NgcOT/s320/CK%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjASt3U8492P9UPfva7Lrm1wd7XF54Wd6t9yuu5j6JqxjNVwVII7z5Yl9-n9OKZaogTKGDEj1as1nXTTsWcjOQILP6yMqUwEi3V4xOoeW0ajjNKfyGwhPbNK4lxxgqrnHrsdrxDEkiPjYxe4-vPU9bdz0CLlPDwRl5MAaAz6nq9R22mdxh6mwj622/s887/CK%20-%2017.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="887" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjASt3U8492P9UPfva7Lrm1wd7XF54Wd6t9yuu5j6JqxjNVwVII7z5Yl9-n9OKZaogTKGDEj1as1nXTTsWcjOQILP6yMqUwEi3V4xOoeW0ajjNKfyGwhPbNK4lxxgqrnHrsdrxDEkiPjYxe4-vPU9bdz0CLlPDwRl5MAaAz6nq9R22mdxh6mwj622/s320/CK%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The story is a battle between the ethical, generous
world and the selfish one. Shooter is married to the seductive Melba (Ann-Margret).
(Shooter’s name suggests he is a “straight shooter, a righteous man). But he
has married Melba who goes through the movie in sexy outfits and plays the
archetypal Eve role, chomping on an apple. She is putting together a puzzle by
trimming the pieces so they will fit. She is a cheat in more ways than one. She
goes shopping with Christian, who is tempted to follow in Melba’s path. But she
is reluctant to go down that road as she tells Melba that she can’t see herself
wearing a provocative bathing suit.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKQOWPlr4S-s0q3qhYrfocLml_p6PuPWwQg1AwWsD1MD69UBHF2HxjCPL5P7plJwcy43N3H-q77zK3vbM3aIl6sc8pNxPw66tCR4VHy2qffRVsXgejYpaR7iLYXCfUOk2c5Bw4Z2liGfnr208VjSM91mKnYvpoJHlxSE2APzU0xrlz1Nj-ZmOQVX5/s541/CK%20-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="541" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKQOWPlr4S-s0q3qhYrfocLml_p6PuPWwQg1AwWsD1MD69UBHF2HxjCPL5P7plJwcy43N3H-q77zK3vbM3aIl6sc8pNxPw66tCR4VHy2qffRVsXgejYpaR7iLYXCfUOk2c5Bw4Z2liGfnr208VjSM91mKnYvpoJHlxSE2APzU0xrlz1Nj-ZmOQVX5/s320/CK%20-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9GLNCR4c9SjSPOmXqA7e7f10HbIWF15qINtR6iKCY1aGymFBmFd9ZEEFjj4WVqPXxK9wb-8PJxAlaEyrmaTLhlROn4GPaUYiCLFSbJwf-oyTaiMMEDvICR50KK2mb48Z243lSM--G-qM5m6h2QVAdT4xyxlv5KYIgplcEh4tkhp9HPhxERCsGElN/s524/CK%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="524" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9GLNCR4c9SjSPOmXqA7e7f10HbIWF15qINtR6iKCY1aGymFBmFd9ZEEFjj4WVqPXxK9wb-8PJxAlaEyrmaTLhlROn4GPaUYiCLFSbJwf-oyTaiMMEDvICR50KK2mb48Z243lSM--G-qM5m6h2QVAdT4xyxlv5KYIgplcEh4tkhp9HPhxERCsGElN/s320/CK%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Shooter arranges a card game with a rich, arrogant man
named Slade (Torn). After he loses to Lancey, his arrogance gives birth to
revenge in his mind, and he wants to pay Shooter a large sum of money to help
the Kid when he plays Lancey. Shooter is very reluctant, but he knows he can’t hold
onto Melba, who he already suspects of cheating on him. Indeed, she attempts to
seduce the Kid, who shows some morality in not succumbing to her charms so as
not to betray his friend. Shooter has business and asks the Kid to take Melba
to a cock fight (a sexual reference to show Melba’s carnal nature?). The
brutality of the event is repulsive as people show how ugly they can be as they
bet on which bird will kill the other. After the event, the Kid brings Melba
back to her place where she says she needs a drink because of “all that dust at
the pit. I always feel so dirty after one of those things.” The Kid knows what
type of person Melba is and says, “Brings out the best in you, Melba.” The best
of the worst.</span><p></p></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVo5f3vuJ6YAdg1wqUyHZ0vVwncLYCJ1iICx3YlS-QONUdB5-0buVuleaoBRmd8L6umNzeqwrwyPILazjci8wroZCVzq2SPa9lxmGvzt5Uh0GSNa0WMoaLDfc0fS1Aq_AZO46tVj4ZDksB0cuNezazHpJCVWjF5vz7aLdo_i9h42aOuY1qntmkFIt/s850/CK%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVo5f3vuJ6YAdg1wqUyHZ0vVwncLYCJ1iICx3YlS-QONUdB5-0buVuleaoBRmd8L6umNzeqwrwyPILazjci8wroZCVzq2SPa9lxmGvzt5Uh0GSNa0WMoaLDfc0fS1Aq_AZO46tVj4ZDksB0cuNezazHpJCVWjF5vz7aLdo_i9h42aOuY1qntmkFIt/s320/CK%20-%209.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Christian, realizing the Kid loves card playing more
than he could a woman, leaves him. He appears distraught by her decision, but
when he hears her intention, he grabs her bag to help her on her way out. His
selfishness is showcased here. Christian comes from a pastoral life and goes
back to be with her parents, who are farmers. It represents the moral,
upstanding life in the country as opposed to the decadence of the city. Eventually
the Kid visits Christian at the farm. It’s as if he is torn between the world
of spirituality and materialism and selfishness. Christian’s parents are stern
and judgmental concerning their daughter’s relationship with the Kid. However,
the Kid wins them over with a card trick. It’s as if he has brought trickery with
its seductive aspect that has the potential to corrupt this innocent
environment.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdhBeuKYvDWnbmUhKYeawi80W5aNdz8czcvZSRxf2qMMxuSZin5EOK5XtKeHXA7yVGjqjBvcpqjY0g4cP_yoWaQhmO0Tvogi614iKRNDZhLs6fqfYN7w55BtbhcXJzvqcPHAqax4RrH43pOtUDVhtWvKWJIkr6K9z-mrPwngh9nNLZ0LJpDIVriJC/s707/CK%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="707" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdhBeuKYvDWnbmUhKYeawi80W5aNdz8czcvZSRxf2qMMxuSZin5EOK5XtKeHXA7yVGjqjBvcpqjY0g4cP_yoWaQhmO0Tvogi614iKRNDZhLs6fqfYN7w55BtbhcXJzvqcPHAqax4RrH43pOtUDVhtWvKWJIkr6K9z-mrPwngh9nNLZ0LJpDIVriJC/s320/CK%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FxvK_-iXImK6Q1zeQkracPU78VZUxEG9lTQ7s82Kejjlfr2ePpzAqJiPuFOF3dtA0WVvgeKaIzql7ewBCsl46dP2p01s_nnBbhyZMOhRGckiBcIgFiDIXqXbn6fbnAo19U1IMs0UBjtyUBt3HZADytflVMMm87PprdHmLsqbCq-toxzWfrZhLxOr/s1000/the_cincinnati_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FxvK_-iXImK6Q1zeQkracPU78VZUxEG9lTQ7s82Kejjlfr2ePpzAqJiPuFOF3dtA0WVvgeKaIzql7ewBCsl46dP2p01s_nnBbhyZMOhRGckiBcIgFiDIXqXbn6fbnAo19U1IMs0UBjtyUBt3HZADytflVMMm87PprdHmLsqbCq-toxzWfrZhLxOr/s320/the_cincinnati_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRmoCfgKjjfyaVbk5aoccnhKk1J8b9wbjBOdoxUXPjGvDMNrE-HMgJ5ChMoO4gshEhHFuu5ONR7KxhhFjYMiTv5xdNtO0iET9twCHoeQ3onYgG0fE_AOz4lpyIF5fajHBNDynQCu_XEI4Dw1E7QMj6DD3GVg-tx6i5GJbs4vyuYBFfD4o_erNLQC5/s1920/CK%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRmoCfgKjjfyaVbk5aoccnhKk1J8b9wbjBOdoxUXPjGvDMNrE-HMgJ5ChMoO4gshEhHFuu5ONR7KxhhFjYMiTv5xdNtO0iET9twCHoeQ3onYgG0fE_AOz4lpyIF5fajHBNDynQCu_XEI4Dw1E7QMj6DD3GVg-tx6i5GJbs4vyuYBFfD4o_erNLQC5/s320/CK%2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The anticipated
game between the Kid and Lancey begins. Just as with the game involving Slade,
Shooter is the dealer because of his highly regarded reputation. The Kid does
quite well, and at one point Lancey’s age seems to catch up with him as he
almost keels over. But, he is a resilient man and keeps playing. The Kid is no
dummy, and he realizes he has been getting too many good hands. He gets Shooter
alone who confesses that he has been bought by Slade to swing the game. The Kid
is honorable enough (despite his earlier negativity toward honor) to want to
only win on his own merits. He tries to get some sleep between poker rounds.
Melba slips into his bed and since his hero, Shooter, has become corrupted, he
no longer values the friendship, and he has sex with Melba.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIGaXNQ48NW8BSO7-2X04iIeJ1lvPUHoUzx_u3Y6XZ38o1m6RDzyKdjpqKH2cjnExkgDS_UbEImqDRGnEN4zdSDCjSX_btdkzHA0L9QJ2QfZgLqsoEG9GCmYXsGFOeMpqG0SKt0BL0jwb6234OrlXdcXESCIsv3GirGOoNBo7xMV0i7P7hxe5hEMd/s1996/CK%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1996" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIGaXNQ48NW8BSO7-2X04iIeJ1lvPUHoUzx_u3Y6XZ38o1m6RDzyKdjpqKH2cjnExkgDS_UbEImqDRGnEN4zdSDCjSX_btdkzHA0L9QJ2QfZgLqsoEG9GCmYXsGFOeMpqG0SKt0BL0jwb6234OrlXdcXESCIsv3GirGOoNBo7xMV0i7P7hxe5hEMd/s320/CK%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In a case of exceptionally bad timing, Christian
returns to be with the Kid and arrives at the room just as Melba is leaving.
She leaves too and it seems that all the Kid has left is the game. In a
conversation, Lancey advises the Kid that to be the top gambler one can’t get
involved in serious attachments. Lancey may be the best there is, but he is in
the end a lonely man.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWTKqKvBsJdQnupxtT3dwAPF1uE4E2YpoBlDE_g06pJZU4Z-qfWdhSHqFVWN-f6QeuW9QlAHLla6auPqqS-41eN3g5MJ5UfpOdQ2Y-BYAftMpAbPI_YIZXLkWKALvKCEKaJc7GMeLvalo87iIhBK6utto4Iua5n9D6PyalJ55vJ7GV2qQC9cdAvvs/s620/The-Cincinnati-Kid-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWTKqKvBsJdQnupxtT3dwAPF1uE4E2YpoBlDE_g06pJZU4Z-qfWdhSHqFVWN-f6QeuW9QlAHLla6auPqqS-41eN3g5MJ5UfpOdQ2Y-BYAftMpAbPI_YIZXLkWKALvKCEKaJc7GMeLvalo87iIhBK6utto4Iua5n9D6PyalJ55vJ7GV2qQC9cdAvvs/s320/The-Cincinnati-Kid-16.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">To keep the game above board, the Kid says Shooter was
sick all night and there should be another dealer. Lady Fingers (Joan Blondell)
takes over, and the game reaches a climax when Lancey has a possible straight
flush and the Kid has a full house with aces on top. The Kid goes all in and
loses because Lancey indeed has the straight flush.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd8JcOClJQPvZEI9Thh6CvsXyn0h_bV1WDYiXNcNCnqJDj85kHZa3XF3TLm-0HIaYUhTAd3ivI1Y-OQzkmTaolwC8tn-hkHnZctzj2AVAZU9XmQX41b84mW577VeDYdMKrSNOF8gIrKy59ndBkxmqJX6c66Z22_sSqVoMU-yWO2t70K-HqX1Elwac/s1280/CK%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd8JcOClJQPvZEI9Thh6CvsXyn0h_bV1WDYiXNcNCnqJDj85kHZa3XF3TLm-0HIaYUhTAd3ivI1Y-OQzkmTaolwC8tn-hkHnZctzj2AVAZU9XmQX41b84mW577VeDYdMKrSNOF8gIrKy59ndBkxmqJX6c66Z22_sSqVoMU-yWO2t70K-HqX1Elwac/s320/CK%20-%2018.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEOFEol_WFuqNiH72Nlho4nqUK2wlxbs4oGmfvJjBBBMIHUS5p4RRVUs1SGcVV7KuK_g2ubANgV0rcbMj9vPIssVql2Gnu47bpD_HIGsDvBNcexE_yarMKXDsZ3GicSoixjCv6B-AQptDEJwgA-Z5RX12esQcwgR2L-BzPvK8jc_P5gA8I5LVg4KQ/s1999/CK%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1999" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEOFEol_WFuqNiH72Nlho4nqUK2wlxbs4oGmfvJjBBBMIHUS5p4RRVUs1SGcVV7KuK_g2ubANgV0rcbMj9vPIssVql2Gnu47bpD_HIGsDvBNcexE_yarMKXDsZ3GicSoixjCv6B-AQptDEJwgA-Z5RX12esQcwgR2L-BzPvK8jc_P5gA8I5LVg4KQ/s320/CK%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Kid exits the game broke and mentally defeated.
The shoeshine boy asks him to play once again at coin toss. The Kid decides to
compete to desperately show himself that he hasn’t turned into a loser. But the
boy beats him and throws his words back at him, telling the Kid he isn’t ready
for him yet. In the original version, that is the end of the film, with the Kid
walking away. A subsequent version has him walk and run into Christian. She
embraces him. This ending adds a redemptive quality to the story by suggesting
The Kid had to undergo a Fortunate Fall, He had to reach rock bottom in order
to be saved from a corrupt life.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Stand by Me.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-69813930787278173232023-01-04T13:15:00.000-05:002023-01-04T13:15:53.687-05:00Fences<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikvnY-UdLD0ZABZroxAla9szKBj7tbSuzvCiBzXbtH6eKUhuR5LiJ9KkcGsjHFGvSXtV7rt3Hj266pBH9MRhzq4qW0xMN9WCPcBv-gvTb1fRAkpd3sAFGmbZlxI5rEtSX6wStpX9GLAWZM1eV6DGNP1STrJt-xSYlFrg6moj0piAQkUlx1WdJBQ2Z/s402/F%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikvnY-UdLD0ZABZroxAla9szKBj7tbSuzvCiBzXbtH6eKUhuR5LiJ9KkcGsjHFGvSXtV7rt3Hj266pBH9MRhzq4qW0xMN9WCPcBv-gvTb1fRAkpd3sAFGmbZlxI5rEtSX6wStpX9GLAWZM1eV6DGNP1STrJt-xSYlFrg6moj0piAQkUlx1WdJBQ2Z/s320/F%20-%201.jpg" width="222" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fences </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(2016), written by
acclaimed playwright August Wilson, and directed by Denzel Washington, uses the
title of the story to convey various meanings. The main character, Troy Maxson (Washington),
was an aspiring baseball player. (Could the name referencing the epic by Homer
suggest Troy feels like the besieged city?) A batter in that sport “swings for
the fences” in the hope of hitting a home run. That means the player exhibits
the hope of accomplishment. Actual fences are barriers erected for physical safety,
but they can also be psychological shields that protect an individual
emotionally. They may imply the desire to prevent others from escaping the
control of the of one in power. Wilson richly employs the metaphor in various
ways.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFs-gGtqbLjghdf1qgSk17MKgVJQeEYEX2r4RSEX49ZcDn9g6WBvZRJw-kcHXNYPMkVzrEsiaoYMOabDV2jFWi5VWCOaDToli-xL4KpeoVQ9CAW7N0BuqYUlpKYz2YwExJANh-thUJEbRlqFrVYUAhvhQtorCv8PW1rQr80Cmr7sx7v3EKSXqpRPC/s1543/F-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1543" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFs-gGtqbLjghdf1qgSk17MKgVJQeEYEX2r4RSEX49ZcDn9g6WBvZRJw-kcHXNYPMkVzrEsiaoYMOabDV2jFWi5VWCOaDToli-xL4KpeoVQ9CAW7N0BuqYUlpKYz2YwExJANh-thUJEbRlqFrVYUAhvhQtorCv8PW1rQr80Cmr7sx7v3EKSXqpRPC/s320/F-17.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the
scene of many of Wilson’s plays. It begins in 1956. Troy is a trash collector,
and he works with his friend, Jim Bono (Stephen McKinley Henderson). The two
talk about Troy’s complaint that there are no Black trash truck drivers, and
Blacks always have to haul the refuse into the vehicle. Troy sees it as a
racial issue, which it is in general because of social deprivation. We later
learn that specific to Troy’s situation, he can’t read and does not have a
driver’s license.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDhBNdf2M1H72o9U1lKOVG0WEliqf35sFPrUVWML5UVBgxEgNRQYL4ggR2L_GtErvBFqWelYM8u_Ccj8Q0cx_onpxUuTzBTO1kDhXIGotux-3WAUrRTMpcAU4Nn0NTaoPVhqkg3XdddJSLW-nEIH-twN7TlSWSgvl_o6xW6te4DfY5yPjgAl6jRCO/s2048/F-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDhBNdf2M1H72o9U1lKOVG0WEliqf35sFPrUVWML5UVBgxEgNRQYL4ggR2L_GtErvBFqWelYM8u_Ccj8Q0cx_onpxUuTzBTO1kDhXIGotux-3WAUrRTMpcAU4Nn0NTaoPVhqkg3XdddJSLW-nEIH-twN7TlSWSgvl_o6xW6te4DfY5yPjgAl6jRCO/s320/F-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The conversation turns to Troy having bought some
drinks for a woman who is not his wife, Rose (Viola Davis, an Oscar winner for
Best Supporting Actress for this role). The character’s name reminds one of Spring,
and rebirth, and she tries to get Troy to emerge from the dead past in which he
likes to dwell. Bono implies that his friend is not just being polite, as Troy
argues, when a man buys several drinks for a woman. Troy gets Bono to admit
that he has never known Troy to cheat on his wife. However, no knowledge of a
fact doesn’t make it untrue, as we subsequently discover.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">They share a pint of whiskey (we find that Troy drinks
too much, since Bono teases him about hogging the bottle). They engage is some crude
sexual humor about a large woman from Florida. Troy says the woman’s girth
“cushions the ride” like “Goodyear” tires. Even if that type of joke might be
offensive to some, it fits the characters Wilson portrays. They are at Troy’s
house and Rose comes out of the house and appropriately asks what they are
“getting into.” She seems to have radar when it comes to her husband’s state of
mind. She offers her own sense of humor. Troy says that when they first met, he
told her he wanted to be her man, but didn’t want to get married. She said if
he wasn’t the “marrying kind” then he should “move out of the way, so the
marrying kind could find” her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bono
shows the deprived plight of African American families when he talks about how
difficult it used to be to get a home without an outhouse, and he thought
indoor plumbing was reserved for white folks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZjEoMT3MYZhWlCN4N__JDKqaHKja6xBwKGHXVvxR4ssnk_DJNmxBM2J5hcAxDIbYP-gN4SgHXb77qpLrKqx1nZsklNu8ARA7C5wD2U-CTj_xf2S89QlIGb9mKGqgOFKmfaGj4qhCuIO3TG6GMlo-w3bfZrZhTyjKvguKEsKrLoNPVsG_OxeQR70g/s2048/F-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZjEoMT3MYZhWlCN4N__JDKqaHKja6xBwKGHXVvxR4ssnk_DJNmxBM2J5hcAxDIbYP-gN4SgHXb77qpLrKqx1nZsklNu8ARA7C5wD2U-CTj_xf2S89QlIGb9mKGqgOFKmfaGj4qhCuIO3TG6GMlo-w3bfZrZhTyjKvguKEsKrLoNPVsG_OxeQR70g/s320/F-3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Troy is glad that his young son, Cory (Jovan Adepo),
works at the supermarket because he is able to contribute cash to the family. Cory
plays football in high school and Rose says a recruiter has approached him. Troy
again says that race will be a factor, and Cory will not be allowed to play
football because he is Black. He says that his boy should do something practical,
like car maintenance, so he “can make a living.” Rose points out that Cory
isn’t looking to make a career out of playing football; it’s just an “honor” to
be recruited. Rose and Bono point out that things have changed and that there
are many Blacks in professional sports now. Troy appears to be living in the
past, and he has put a virtual fence that keeps out thoughts of exalted aspirations.
He acts angry about prejudicial treatment, but feels nothing can be done about
it. He implies one must give up on dreams and accept the unfair life that
exists. It is at this point that we see where his anger derives. Troy was a
very good baseball player, but he tried to rise up when he was too old, and
failed to become a big leaguer. He will not admit he needed more time before
attempting to become a baseball star. He is bitter about his failure to succeed.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rose tells her husband that his excessive drinking will
kill him. Troy says that Death visited him once when he had pneumonia, but he
beat Death in a wrestling match. He personifies the loss of life so he can feel
like he is in a contest between two men in which he can compete. He also talks
about confronting the Devil, and Rose comments that anything that Troy doesn’t understand,
he calls it the Devil. It’s as if Troy paints himself as a bigger-than-life
Sisyphus-like character, constantly battling overpowering forces. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xsckDPJ_ed6Or7gbch3vtDLHPWk5XSQPU3Rf8zBkG-EVOKCWvXa0iGHeMH80WTmySazSilLAbM0DL6vRMnTo4GDKDa4n2ngiOgz6yTedGb-yjrmBs1-MQ6GQ3MRHjpWZk064sH9zDHOSMFdqTGCkGEs6HHhq4ylY094DO0aPOKBkiO1HXgwsQN_P/s1087/F-21.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1087" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xsckDPJ_ed6Or7gbch3vtDLHPWk5XSQPU3Rf8zBkG-EVOKCWvXa0iGHeMH80WTmySazSilLAbM0DL6vRMnTo4GDKDa4n2ngiOgz6yTedGb-yjrmBs1-MQ6GQ3MRHjpWZk064sH9zDHOSMFdqTGCkGEs6HHhq4ylY094DO0aPOKBkiO1HXgwsQN_P/s320/F-21.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY2UhIFChYYjihq9kyKpy-vvR_49Z2C-oXmNB-7CfJZUkWdkgchqBjF2ekduk1gSwMUFyE-gOog8U5dp_ZfAV_V1UcCQuxfS1ZmZGfpzBuTbfD0jtfKpB3BLzzCDEWKqePlCfDFl59XKoMkGesDYUR7F7J0nFR9WVhk8L6aPfZBCABfl--ib4eFur/s962/fences-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="962" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY2UhIFChYYjihq9kyKpy-vvR_49Z2C-oXmNB-7CfJZUkWdkgchqBjF2ekduk1gSwMUFyE-gOog8U5dp_ZfAV_V1UcCQuxfS1ZmZGfpzBuTbfD0jtfKpB3BLzzCDEWKqePlCfDFl59XKoMkGesDYUR7F7J0nFR9WVhk8L6aPfZBCABfl--ib4eFur/s320/fences-6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lyons (Russell Hornsby), Troy’s older son from a prior
relationship, arrives with his guitar. Troy sees him as another person who is
not practical, only wanting to pursue his music. Lyons sees music as the reason
for living; he says he needs a reason to exist, and music gives him that
reason. Lyons asks for money, which is the only reason Troy says he is there. Lyons
says his girl, Bonnie, is working and he’ll pay back the money. Troy says he
can get Lyons a job picking up trash, but Lyons wants something better than
that for his life. Many parents want their children to have jobs that are
better than how they make a living. However, Troy represents those parents who
feel their children look down upon the work that they do. Troy feels that he
must carry the weight of dreamers on his labor-inflicted back, and thus, he
begrudges the dreams of his offspring. He says that Lyons’s mother did a poor
job of raising him. Lyons counters by saying that Troy was not around, so he
doesn’t know how he was raised. He basically is indicting Troy’s hypocritical
action since he talks about being responsible but abdicated his responsibility
toward his son. Rose gets the complaining Troy to come up with the ten dollars
Lyons asked for.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">It's the weekend and Rose sings a hymn as she hangs laundry
to dry. The words of the song ask Jesus to be a “fence” around her. Here is
where the title of the story involves the wish for protection. Rose talks about
playing the “numbers,” an illegal form of gambling before state-run lotteries
came into being. Troy calls the betting foolish. He again expresses his
contempt for seeking a dream-like impractical way to escape the plight of the
deprived. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Troy continues this rant by saying Cory wanted to
escape working on a fence on his property by going to football practice. Here,
the fence could be a metaphor for Troy trying to keep his son from escaping
Troy’s control over him, and thus, depriving Cory the luxury of holding onto
his aspirations. Rose tells her husband that he’s “off,” complaining about
everything. She takes the saying about getting up on the wrong side of bed and wittily
refreshes it by telling Troy to go back to bed and get up on the other side. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5dEYW43VaVoizdcnGDQlFrsCwn1_HOWN3os_o11a36D5YDB4NrRD9fyIXmehNTExbxYOTAqDsZcVqE0WKDjBaadpArO7TX-DFtuhlTZdcp3-UphGVxPuV3iuPc7oORIwO3IVjlouVH04_4rV51Iuk1z4UBxCi6wsSc5nkbWwZEvI6-akug5YmuYX/s2048/F-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5dEYW43VaVoizdcnGDQlFrsCwn1_HOWN3os_o11a36D5YDB4NrRD9fyIXmehNTExbxYOTAqDsZcVqE0WKDjBaadpArO7TX-DFtuhlTZdcp3-UphGVxPuV3iuPc7oORIwO3IVjlouVH04_4rV51Iuk1z4UBxCi6wsSc5nkbWwZEvI6-akug5YmuYX/s320/F-5.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Troy’s brother Gabe (Mykelti Williamson) walks down
the street yelling about selling plums that he does not have. He acts child-like,
and it is obvious that he has mental deficits which we learn was due to
receiving a serious head injury in the military. Despite his impairment, Gabe has
religious visions about hellhounds, St. Peter, and Judgment Day. It’s as if he
is an uncomplicated vessel that carries a divine message about the evils around
him and urges preparation for the apocalypse to come (perhaps that is why he
has the name of the angel Gabriel who. with his trumpet. announces God’s wishes).
He wanders off urging others to get ready for God’s arrival. He recently moved
out of Troy’s house and Gabe says that he wanted to get out of Troy’s way. Gabe
is a gentle soul in contrast to his brother, and appears intimidated by Troy, wondering
if his brother is angry with him. Gabe received $3,000 when he left the service
and Troy used that money to buy his house. So, despite Troy talking about
having to earn one’s own way, he used his brother’s disability to get what Troy
wanted. Troy did take care of his brother until he moved out. Troy expresses regret
and anger that life is so unfair that the only way he could have his own place
was because of his brother’s life-threatening injury.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Troy says he is going to work on the fence, but he goes
to the local tavern and comes back drunk. He says he is going to fix things around
the house but escapes into his drinking instead. At the same time that he rants
about Cory not doing his chores, the boy is actually home ready to take care of
his responsibilities. Troy is always on the offensive about the way he sees the
world vexing him. What follows is a universal exchange between the self-indulgent
but life-enjoying child and the practical adult. Cory says his father should buy
a TV. Troy points out that the money that would buy a TV must go to fixing the
roof. Troy humorously says what good is the TV if the roof leaks water onto
Cory’s brand-new television. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As the two work on the wood for the fence, Cory talks
about the Pittsburgh Pirates. Troy, always wearing that chip on his shoulder,
says that Roberto Clemente isn’t allowed to play all the time because he is a
man of color. Cory corrects his father’s limited perspective by telling him
Clemente plays a great deal. Troy adds that the baseball leagues play mediocre
white men while Black players must be great to get a chance. Cory, trying to add
fairness to the argument, mentions exceptional white and Black ballplayers,
including Hank Aaron. Troy dismisses the great Aaron by saying any player can
do well once he gets his timing, and says that Troy had hits off the great
Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige. Troy appears to need to compensate for a
lack of success by knocking down the accomplishments of others.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">From baseball the two move on to Cory’s football
aspirations, of which Troy again says his son has unachievable dreams. Cory
quit his weekday job at the grocery store, but will continue to work weekends.
The owner will hold his job until after the football season. Cory can go to
college because of his football abilities and good grades. That’s not enough
for Troy, who still views his boy’s hopes as a longshot because Troy interprets
his failure at sports as being due to a continuing systemic racist system that
will also affect Cory. He demands that Cory try to get his job back, or find a
new one, and give up his dream of playing college sports. Troy tells his son to
learn a trade so he will not have to haul trash like his dad. He wants his son
to succeed, but in a pragmatic sense. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A dejected Cory, trying to comprehend why his father
is denying him a chance at happiness, asks if Troy likes him. Troy reduces even
family relationships to practical transactions. He says there is no “law” that
says he must like Cory. He has a duty to take care of him because he is his
son. He said having him did not include in the bargain liking him. He tells a
now seething Cory that his son should stop worrying about being liked and focus
on who “is doin’ right by you.” Troy’s reducing family relationships to a
pragmatic contract involving duties not only leaves no room for liking someone
but also excludes love, the real glue that binds a family together.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rose again tries to break through the “fence” of
Troy’s self-delusion that the only reason that he didn’t succeed in sports was
because of racism, and not his age. She tries to tell him that he is enclosed
himself in the bitterness of the past and doesn’t want to see that things have
changed, implying that there are more opportunities in sports for African
Americans at the time the story takes place. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2rKLLMFYj_65-ZPZGenMOLc9dPnaL1yJnO7lW-g66lPmUPN8lb4ZSMFy-f1k0jAVd51HUtVIugi0lR5gFzVdh-eAhNRKpEibpVoEyyqgKAHp_6UQDOtDRbn6aA_31Yeja1NKzrwtz5I5AHJMc7twR2yHYN4x7Fl3OQecUr_pnROIV4rxPDQxILGD/s1350/F-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1350" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2rKLLMFYj_65-ZPZGenMOLc9dPnaL1yJnO7lW-g66lPmUPN8lb4ZSMFy-f1k0jAVd51HUtVIugi0lR5gFzVdh-eAhNRKpEibpVoEyyqgKAHp_6UQDOtDRbn6aA_31Yeja1NKzrwtz5I5AHJMc7twR2yHYN4x7Fl3OQecUr_pnROIV4rxPDQxILGD/s320/F-10.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Instead of getting fired for complaining about there
being no Black truck drivers, Troy instead becomes the first African American
trash truck driver (despite having no license). He celebrates with Bono and
Troy tells Rose the good news. That’s one instance of Troy being wrong about
how he sees the world. Immediately after that, there is a second example. Lyons
arrives and wants to pay him back the ten dollars he borrowed. Instead of acknowledging
his son’s responsible action, he tells him to hold onto the money for the next
time he needs a handout instead of coming to his father. Troy assumes his son
will continue to be a burden instead of admitting that maybe things can change.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5A7AEIFU6odNyADPxtqx63U7zOjXEqZdVERGOP7SEEg2pIn6QZFeXDKKtQHaiRtXtywssw8-5OFfnVsE9gU2wC7CXC3FaZreCb_vDhe59MBJyxzZh4hkpnsovQIi_RO8LvgSJZEoIdW6WKJuRPUvdYv2j5pnpFw91MuSv-n0LBscc3QcsAJZf3lv/s995/fences-7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="995" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5A7AEIFU6odNyADPxtqx63U7zOjXEqZdVERGOP7SEEg2pIn6QZFeXDKKtQHaiRtXtywssw8-5OFfnVsE9gU2wC7CXC3FaZreCb_vDhe59MBJyxzZh4hkpnsovQIi_RO8LvgSJZEoIdW6WKJuRPUvdYv2j5pnpFw91MuSv-n0LBscc3QcsAJZf3lv/s320/fences-7.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Gabe shows up with more announcements about Armageddon
and the Devil, who Troy says he did battle with. Gabe calls Lyons, because of
his name, the king of the jungle and they both growl. However, for Troy, his
musician son is no force of nature. Outside, Troy (drinking again) says his
father cared about himself first and his eleven children came afterwards. He
did stick around when others left their responsibilities behind. Still, Troy says
his dad was “evil,” as he tried to take advantage of Troy’s girlfriend after
beating Troy. It was his mother who left the family because of the father’s
ways. Yet, he understood his father, saying his dad was caught in a trap,
working at picking cotton and having many mouths to feed. Troy sees life as a
trap. Troy ran away from home at age fourteen and turned to robbing people to
get by. He was in a confrontation with a man who shot him. Troy killed the man and
was in prison for fifteen years. That time in prison is the reason why Troy
started his baseball career too late. One can understand that Troy suffered
traumatic experiences that contributed to his view of how harsh life is. His
stories about the old times along with those of his old friend, Bono, affirm
what Rose says about him being ensnared in the past.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Kd_J7TgzQ9bh7mm7KylUAdVodFegsBSYB_g9GdZALIjKqmmONPCnDj6_HVMHYgEWc_BH5CH2K8StQJsntwSTQrdP1ryTJDtwVi6dBuppoM_MVb7jCTtGczv0_3ITxfDFhKJPovqDt7wfuNxyiYK4R7BBpwqsKoZ34-szTF4POLPQpHjTVYfcPrYy/s1280/F-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Kd_J7TgzQ9bh7mm7KylUAdVodFegsBSYB_g9GdZALIjKqmmONPCnDj6_HVMHYgEWc_BH5CH2K8StQJsntwSTQrdP1ryTJDtwVi6dBuppoM_MVb7jCTtGczv0_3ITxfDFhKJPovqDt7wfuNxyiYK4R7BBpwqsKoZ34-szTF4POLPQpHjTVYfcPrYy/s320/F-19.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lyons invites his father to hear him play but Troy
refuses. He can’t find it himself to take pride in his son’s impractical artistic
nature because he perceives Lyons as just another weight he must carry. Cory
comes home angry and throws his helmet which bounces off the house porch. Cory
says Troy told the coach he can’t play football anymore. Cory says something
that hits at the core of his father’s mindset when he says that his father is
jealous of his son succeeding when Troy couldn’t. In Troy’s mind, his son can
get a good job if he works hard, but he will not accept the possibility that
his son could hit the occupational lottery when Troy couldn’t. Troy uses a
baseball metaphor when he says that the thrown helmet was “strike one” because
it missed Troy. He warns his son that he better not “strike out.” He is
threatening Cory with physical violence at this point.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhbx1UZ3ES3XcL9dplh88gKl9PN-_f6woyz2FfbWCk3QXJeYyUkuC6cc0PypTMp1Rx29Q5RgZD0TDTvVrE8ir_11itipsEyuYBcWfifQ5SXmo9Dsj2PZqHprwUFfnxjRlpnBgxZFbI_iR9g37RoFK0Dlg7pO_lpaJEq82HIifpJ-mYNTrAjSHU5r7/s1139/fences4-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1139" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglhbx1UZ3ES3XcL9dplh88gKl9PN-_f6woyz2FfbWCk3QXJeYyUkuC6cc0PypTMp1Rx29Q5RgZD0TDTvVrE8ir_11itipsEyuYBcWfifQ5SXmo9Dsj2PZqHprwUFfnxjRlpnBgxZFbI_iR9g37RoFK0Dlg7pO_lpaJEq82HIifpJ-mYNTrAjSHU5r7/s320/fences4-8.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next day Cory practices hitting a baseball hanging
from a rope on a tree with a bat. He tells Rose he will not quit football. Is
he metaphorically making sure he will not strike out against his father, the
seasoned ballplayer? Bona says that Troy is paying too much attention to
another woman. As Cory helps Troy and Bono saw wood for the fence, Bono,
referring to what he said about the other woman, announces the central theme of
the story when he says, “Some build fences to keep people out and other people
build fences to keep people in. Rose wants to hold onto you all.” The
implication is that Troy is divisive, and Rose works as a force to balance
Troy’s ways, so her song to God is echoed here where a fence is symbolic of
protection.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bono takes Troy aside and tells him he has learned a
great deal from Troy and he knows whether or not someone’s telling the truth. He
says that he doesn’t want to see Rose hurt. Troy here admits to his
extramarital affair and says that he can’t shake this other woman loose. Troy
is breaking his marital vows, and Bono reminds his friend that he should
practice what he preaches about accepting responsibility.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIo0qjGPin6L4Sju19GoUYXT-VOG6Sf_N1McitC001Ao5G3XxDvwlUNl0zjjJM9hop5QEPM8NifMwNNFSFUGm0cFUdV9iIkvt_dmLww73uXOf9gRoW_dh8sBXopgUpDHggZACp0jISdqvl0-82d7-wJYAaFZixAJQ9C1_DfNNirFp08119NtxAmjH/s685/F-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="685" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIo0qjGPin6L4Sju19GoUYXT-VOG6Sf_N1McitC001Ao5G3XxDvwlUNl0zjjJM9hop5QEPM8NifMwNNFSFUGm0cFUdV9iIkvt_dmLww73uXOf9gRoW_dh8sBXopgUpDHggZACp0jISdqvl0-82d7-wJYAaFZixAJQ9C1_DfNNirFp08119NtxAmjH/s320/F-16.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsr5zdrCNGXtbEDVMwwxoJOTifz9u43Hvfvttq7xh8DpGXuhNVb_u9tvLQw_I4lvsEmThquN_immg0nQ9a4vboufPu0Z1QCpjdlGGwk9A9rCPGuUH1jy4BmKsjCwBvtPhMB2AG_l2uSJOCzFzWoZQHdxtjirTTmTQzF4sWQWLUQRFswnziWoNLhCJ/s584/F-13.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="584" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsr5zdrCNGXtbEDVMwwxoJOTifz9u43Hvfvttq7xh8DpGXuhNVb_u9tvLQw_I4lvsEmThquN_immg0nQ9a4vboufPu0Z1QCpjdlGGwk9A9rCPGuUH1jy4BmKsjCwBvtPhMB2AG_l2uSJOCzFzWoZQHdxtjirTTmTQzF4sWQWLUQRFswnziWoNLhCJ/s320/F-13.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After what Bono said, Troy is feeling guilty and he
decides to confess to Rose. But there is more to the story than what Bono
knows; he tells Rose he is going to be a “daddy” again. Rose gets hit with both
barrels at once concerning Troy’s infidelity. Rose almost falls to the floor
from the emotional wounds that Troy has inflicted on her. She runs outside
toward the existing metal fence, as if trying to flee the barrier that she
thought protected her. She drops the rose that Gabriel gave her, possibly
signifying the relinquishing of hope for the future that her name suggested. He
tries to defend himself by using extensive baseball metaphors, using the tools
he knows. He says that he was born with two strikes against him, most likely
being Black and poor. However, he avoided that third strike by getting married,
having a family and a job. But, he says the other woman gives him an escape
from the pressure of his work and family responsibilities, and he says he can’t
give up that feeling of freedom. Rose says that it’s her job to alive pressure,
and he shouldn’t be looking for someone outside the family. In baseball
language, that would mean the relief pitcher should be someone on the same
team. He says that he feels like he has been standing still. Her angry response
is, “Well, I’ve been standing with you!” She has been supporting him and has
given up moving on by committing to her life with Troy. Just like his boys,
Troy has tried to kill Rose’s wants and dreams. She says she buried her desires
“inside” her husband, hoping happiness would grow there, but she found she
planted her hopes on rocky soil. She calls him out on his selfishness since he
always talks about what he has sacrificed and forgets how much he has taken,
most likely implying how much he has deprived her of her wishes. He becomes
angry about being accused of taking and not giving back, and grabs Rose’s arm. As
she cries out that he is hurting her, Cory comes outside and slams Troy into
the fence, threatening that barrier of authority between father and son. Troy
says that Cory now has two strikes against him, and he implies there will be
violent retribution against his son if he gets that third strike.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWGQdxMjs67dgB9S5tBwNibgdA_nxb2fp_oHw9vDXE10CHaBW4jSka-iA8BjwI7r-P8EcpaGVwvUr9z4xNX4HnlKSqNZAf4Qykdq9aHxtrt6bh6Mp_XhrI9pLHlJD6CcW3CCt1KoAvMrf5T9wfpI9SBoF2gCh2t8xSHxk8xEpb7miavCLXdX3yijZ/s480/F-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWGQdxMjs67dgB9S5tBwNibgdA_nxb2fp_oHw9vDXE10CHaBW4jSka-iA8BjwI7r-P8EcpaGVwvUr9z4xNX4HnlKSqNZAf4Qykdq9aHxtrt6bh6Mp_XhrI9pLHlJD6CcW3CCt1KoAvMrf5T9wfpI9SBoF2gCh2t8xSHxk8xEpb7miavCLXdX3yijZ/s320/F-12.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We get a montage of images that show time passing as
the weather turns cold with snow falling. Troy continues to build the fence
alone; Cory works out in the basement as he keeps his dream alive of playing
football; Rose seeks refuge in the embrace of fellow females at her church;
Gabriel visits the grave of his mother who died young. The family members are
isolated from each other. At least until Rose shows up at Troy’s workplace and
tells her husband they must talk. He says it's been six months since she hasn’t
wanted to have a conversation with him. She wants him to come straight home
after work, implying he should not visit his lady friend, Alberta. After some evading,
Troy says he just wants to stop at the hospital because Alberta may be having
the baby early. Rose’s face reflects her anguish and criticizes Troy for
signing papers that would send Gabriel to an institution (something he said he
wouldn’t do) and would award him half of his brother’s disability check. Yet,
he would not sign the agreement to have Cory play football at a college. Troy
can’t read, so it’s possible he is truthful when he says he didn’t know
anything about what Rose reports, which again stresses how his lack of an
education has hindered him. Most likely out of guilt Troy feeds his brother at the
asylum, like a nurturing father giving food to a baby.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rose answers the phone in the middle of the night. She
reports to Troy that Alberta gave birth to a girl, but she died during
childbirth. When Rose asks about what’s to be done next, Troy reverts to his
usual complaint about being burdened by life. After Rose leaves him alone, Troy
rants at Death, saying he’s going to finish the fence, to keep Death at a safe
distance until it’s his time, and then they will battle. He tells Death not to
come at him through others, like Alberta. We again have a mythological level to
the tale, as Troy addresses primal forces. It is as if he is delivering a
dramatic soliloquy, like Shakespeare’s King Lear. However, Troy’s speech shows
how he is an egotist, as if everything revolves around him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJMlrEovURUCpbKXdxRlNUF7qS77CiFfG44AzLgA5QxTBIJvK3b-kLOSpS_5F-J2x_1Tt_MDpvob9vSXVvVbWsRJitPRhn15KJG98g2cd-NTzkGNuWynY7dLa0bJ2-Lm_vAzbr1htOosXU7aPRTPBceTSeDRu7xPH8v1hghIfNGgV92ngJz_KWUZZ/s1280/F-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJMlrEovURUCpbKXdxRlNUF7qS77CiFfG44AzLgA5QxTBIJvK3b-kLOSpS_5F-J2x_1Tt_MDpvob9vSXVvVbWsRJitPRhn15KJG98g2cd-NTzkGNuWynY7dLa0bJ2-Lm_vAzbr1htOosXU7aPRTPBceTSeDRu7xPH8v1hghIfNGgV92ngJz_KWUZZ/s320/F-20.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next scene has Troy coming home with his infant
daughter. He tells Rose she is an innocent child with no mother. He is asking
for help to raise her, but the suffering Rose says there is no point telling
her that. He goes outside and is quietly defiant saying to the baby he is not
sorry for what he has done because he felt his actions were right for him. He says
he was homeless before, but not with a baby. Rose hears Troy basically saying
that he will have to care for his child outside of his home. Davis shows Rose’s
anguish just from her back as she drops what she is holding into the sink and stretches
her arms as if to support her emotional heaviness. Troy now comes straight out and
asks that Rose help take care of the baby. Rose agrees, because she knows that
the child is innocent, and should not inherit the sins of the father. Rose has
always valued the other family members above her own needs. She says his daughter
is no longer motherless, but he is womanless, stressing that she has not
forgiven his sins against her.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A short time has passed as Troy comes home to find Cory
leave the yard as soon as he sees his father. Rose leaves to bring a cake to
the church and left Troy some dinner. He goes to the local bar and talks to
Bono who he hasn’t seen for a while because Troy is now driving in a white
neighborhood. Troy is losing his family and his friend due to his actions. He
sings about his dead dog, again seeking solace in the past. Cory stops at a
Marine recruiting office, so we know Troy has lost his son even though he tried
to keep him inside his fence. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdAKDDrN_xfGds08AAjr42xi1WyNEUTPD1fdXc89-3T5CC6FzWszcotnz1Fc0DxxoCH-XaDY9XoYC2IbiobAtd7aLFUBkazOblRHjC4HqWqtP9knBe5vyElFeXH8fQw5XZNR25VQ1srxbGGabAiBHFa95hEPzpiqH0qTVK0OyduOQX8k-I-eZY-gv/s1024/F-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="1024" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdAKDDrN_xfGds08AAjr42xi1WyNEUTPD1fdXc89-3T5CC6FzWszcotnz1Fc0DxxoCH-XaDY9XoYC2IbiobAtd7aLFUBkazOblRHjC4HqWqtP9knBe5vyElFeXH8fQw5XZNR25VQ1srxbGGabAiBHFa95hEPzpiqH0qTVK0OyduOQX8k-I-eZY-gv/s320/F-18.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Cory comes home the drunken Troy blocks his
entrance, and Cory refuses to say, “Excuse me,” because he says his father, due
to his actions, doesn’t count anymore. Troy then reverts to the same list of
material things he has given his son, but Cory states how his father only made
him fear him, and was never supportive. They have a physical confrontation,
with Troy overpowering Cory, and taking the baseball bat away from him. Troy comes
close to choking and slugging his son. He kicks Cory out of his house, which
Cory reminds him is not really his since Gabriel paid for it. Troy says Cory’s
belongs will be on the other side of the fence, which emphasizes how Troy’s
world is shrinking as he alienates everyone around him. But Troy is defiant in
his emptiness, swinging his baseball bat, invoking Death again, saying he is
ready to fight the Grim Reaper. He is ready for death as an escape now, but he
will still deal with his demise as he has lived his life, kicking and
screaming.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next scene takes place several years later, and
Troy’s daughter, Raynell (Saniyya Sidney - Could her name suggest a “ray” of sunshine and the hope for a better
future?), is a youngster taking care of a garden outside. The greenery may
represent the influence of Rose, the person with the regenerative name. Bono is
there with Lyons. They are dressed up in black, as is Rose. We know they are
going to Troy’s funeral. Cory shows up looking impressive in his Marine
uniform, wearing a corporal’s stripes, and has been in the service for six
years. He has been away since his father kicked him out, since Raynell doesn’t
know that he is her half-brother. Lyons tells Cory that he is finishing up a
three-year prison sentence for cashing other people’s checks (his father was a thief
when he was young), and the penitentiary let him out for his dad’s funeral. He
reminds the bitter Cory that Troy used to say, “you got to take the crookeds
with the straights.” He recounts how his father would strike out and then hit
the ball out of the stadium, and after the game two hundred people wanted to
shake his hand. Despite his shortcomings, Lyons is saying that Troy was a force
of nature. Lyons still plays music, keeping what feeds him emotionally in his
life. Troy’s sons may not have played baseball, but they played music and
football, and refuse to give into defeat. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the kitchen are pictures of John F. Kennedy, Martin
Luther King, Jr., and Jesus, individuals that inspire and keep Rose going. She
tells Cory outside that Troy was swinging his bat at the ball tied to the tree
when he fell over and died. He went down swinging, as he said he would when
Death came for him. Cory tells Rose that he has to say “no” to his father just once
and will not go to the funeral. Rose is outraged and says that is not how she
brought him up, and he must put his animosity aside. She says her words with
the baseball hanging between them and the fence Troy built in the background.
These images show how Troy’s legacy of placing boundaries between people continues
to divide lives despite Rose’s wish to bring the family together. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cory says that his father was like a “shadow,” suggesting
it was like a black plague that infested his life. Rose says that Cory can’t
escape his father’s influence, but he must deal with it. Troy was a man of
contradictions, but she believes he wanted to do more good than harm. Her words
show that conflict between wanting to help but not knowing how to deliver it. She
says that sometimes when he touched someone, he “bruised” them, and when he
held her, she might feel him “cut” her, both in an emotional sense. He most
likely wanted Cory to be far from what Troy was in his failures, but also to be
like him in his strength. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She says that Troy was a bigger than life character
who filled up the house and all the “empty” spaces in her. But, she admits that
didn’t leave much room for her own individuality to thrive. She does take
responsibility for choosing Troy, and she has turned the negative events that
brought Raynell into the world into a positive. The girl is a symbol of
rebirth, giving Rose a new energy, which refueled Rose, who is a life force
herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVaH5P0BXujtT4XqO8ok4jZ42cvgs4J1Yox_yKcvA6ABUoG6gb_O6CQID3fUhEiFyJgPSxHmLk5JAJT_h_ETiPim47AcEps5wBk_vrdMjVPtea08SVENHYQ0y-OAyL6yPwUOCNpJ2Bt7WsHIlpZVzkHXwHpSytfllgBX0Qhm4bV-Ue0LzBVjIWir8/s1280/F-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVaH5P0BXujtT4XqO8ok4jZ42cvgs4J1Yox_yKcvA6ABUoG6gb_O6CQID3fUhEiFyJgPSxHmLk5JAJT_h_ETiPim47AcEps5wBk_vrdMjVPtea08SVENHYQ0y-OAyL6yPwUOCNpJ2Bt7WsHIlpZVzkHXwHpSytfllgBX0Qhm4bV-Ue0LzBVjIWir8/s320/F-22.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8oeK53UCornVCtY5wl1-jrJqwAjftH6qZN8n97rvylM0ZEdf6waE4Rilnme182RXsr6x6kDe1Qp9B2SIKWE5TVn-pO-X8yBGm6Lgtj2XxkrjM1R4K8A_WQE5MsN5xAzRWJpcERUBU-Hew_nduo8f8b0QSgOp5d_UE8adPsnceVRUcP7aHa18ZLit/s640/F-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="640" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8oeK53UCornVCtY5wl1-jrJqwAjftH6qZN8n97rvylM0ZEdf6waE4Rilnme182RXsr6x6kDe1Qp9B2SIKWE5TVn-pO-X8yBGm6Lgtj2XxkrjM1R4K8A_WQE5MsN5xAzRWJpcERUBU-Hew_nduo8f8b0QSgOp5d_UE8adPsnceVRUcP7aHa18ZLit/s320/F-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Raynell and Cory sing Troy’s song about his dog, Blue.
After they are done, she hugs him. The institution let Gabriel out for the
funeral of his brother, and he shows up with a trumpet, living up to the angel
whose name he carries. He blows one clear note, and the sun shines through the
clouds, which Gabriel takes as opening the gates of heaven for Troy. Raynell
holds Gabriel’s hand. Troy’s child is able to accomplish what he couldn’t do in
life, which is to bring the family together.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Stand by Me.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-28831449732063769472022-11-16T16:18:00.000-05:002022-11-16T16:18:13.950-05:00Recent Streaming Shows<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plots will be discussed!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">I thought I would provide some brief comments on shows that have turned up recently on streaming service.</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBW8YPQSKwNgaB-ld-cugf5unPz1-uA8lM3X1I2B1TudWq0kO-P_0ecGU9rFIfesF6efYsMzQl6eYEmhnspD42JHQ_fqx0TOcAVnZPuYkjCXKPUmdBaTuteKX-aQ2VFXvQU1CGATCfpCEkG04bKqbB6Ma_vuC6rhEykD8Q6Xw7H3hHPaQBLkns1BT/s1481/The%20Good%20Nurse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBW8YPQSKwNgaB-ld-cugf5unPz1-uA8lM3X1I2B1TudWq0kO-P_0ecGU9rFIfesF6efYsMzQl6eYEmhnspD42JHQ_fqx0TOcAVnZPuYkjCXKPUmdBaTuteKX-aQ2VFXvQU1CGATCfpCEkG04bKqbB6Ma_vuC6rhEykD8Q6Xw7H3hHPaQBLkns1BT/s320/The%20Good%20Nurse.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></b><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The
Good Nurse (Netflix)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">This movie tells the story of Charles Edmund Cullen, a
nurse who moved from hospital to hospital, murdering as many as four hundred
patients, according to Eddie Redmayne, who plays Cullen, in an interview with
Stephen Colbert. As is the case of many serial killers, he is a white male who
seems harmless on the surface. He gets a job at the hospital where Amy Loughren
(Jessica Chastain) works, who is the actual good nurse of the title, as opposed
to the phony admirable nurse, Cullen. Even Amy, who is a single parent with a
heart condition that requires a transplant, lets her guard down when Cullen is
supportive of her. He keeps secret her condition so she can work long enough to
get health insurance coverage for the transplant. He even helps her with taking
care of her daughter, Maya (Devyn McDowell). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Redmayne is effective in presenting this complex
character who genuinely seems to care about Loughren and Maya. He only reveals
his anger once, in a confrontation with Loughren in a diner, which hints at the
monster below the seemingly pleasant surface. Chastain is very good at showing the
ailing nurse who can be vulnerable emotionally but also morally upstanding when
she needs to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film reveals the astonishing way that the medical
system enabled Cullen to commit his crimes. Once personnel at his prior
workplaces suspected he was doing away with patients, they didn’t want to be
exposed as liable for hiring him and not discovering his homicidal tendencies
sooner. They, like the Catholic Church concerning pedophiles, simply allowed
him to transfer to other sites where he could continue his horrific acts. The
medical institutions, too, presented a phony façade and the movie implies they
were guilty as accessories, which, however, would be difficult to prove in a
court of law without definitive evidence of the knowledge of his crimes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">It is Loughren who is the honest one, who, when she
suspects, after talking with other people, that her new friend, Cullen, is
culpable, helps the police eventually apprehend him. During her collaboration
with the police officers, she puts herself and her child in possible danger if
Cullen found out about her aiding the authorities. There is a brief exchange
between Loughren and Cullen which illustrates how he was able to get away with
the killings. She asks him, “Why?” he did what he did, and he says, “They
didn’t stop me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJC9Yc66H94RMf2ovCNDyBG9bgJnfk6IRIOvEOPkBwPCW5f1HfgKkUBzXRgsKF4CN8V27r3ycZJiEy0ipExXfkTYVLe7O5y3c_bK_yyOqDnDN-30rhW0lbzbfQ4mk2Ma2Vg7PqyL1x92KZmNYV6kqKqYHvnAK4XCLNPTwrqCjKfR9Kj5MbQ9DL3hX/s900/the-watcher-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJC9Yc66H94RMf2ovCNDyBG9bgJnfk6IRIOvEOPkBwPCW5f1HfgKkUBzXRgsKF4CN8V27r3ycZJiEy0ipExXfkTYVLe7O5y3c_bK_yyOqDnDN-30rhW0lbzbfQ4mk2Ma2Vg7PqyL1x92KZmNYV6kqKqYHvnAK4XCLNPTwrqCjKfR9Kj5MbQ9DL3hX/s320/the-watcher-.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The
Watcher (Netflix)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Ryan Murphy, the creator of this limited series, is
not known for his subtlety. Anyone who has endured his shows, such as <i>American
Horror Story </i>or <i>Ratched, </i>knows he loves to shock, albeit with some
style and dark humor. However, <i>The Watcher</i> may be one of his most
restrained projects. The series is loosely based on a true story about a couple
who bought a stately home in the suburbs and then started receiving threatening
letters from someone who spied upon them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the show, the relocating couple are Dean and Nora Brannock
(played by Bobby Cannavale<i> </i>and Naomi Watts, respectively). They have moved
to the supposedly safe suburbs to escape the dangers of New York City. The
irony is that the pastoral metropolitan outskirts turn out to be pretty scary. The
performances of Mia Farrow, Terry Kinney (whose Jasper likes to get inside the
Brannock house to ride their dumbwaiter), Margo Martindale, and Richard Kind as
the weird neighbors who do not like the invading Brannocks, are weirdly funny. Dean
is not a likable character since he is a deceptive person who hides his actions
from Nora. The hostile and overbearing way he deals with others is disturbing. Watts
does what she can with a character that is not well developed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The show is suspenseful, and it introduces several
characters who could be the watcher. It is another story where what appears on
the surface is misleading. If you like a tidy ending that wraps everything up with
a conclusive bow, this show is not for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr895ekLgL9UgUtvj7RZx51dIKTSzQCI1-V6heYD_FtcM6VBAGHmD45X1Ts3IOGwJtGW-FFG9X-FldVEU5OZeJnkLcTImBALPnBzzvpDDjMhTRV3pfQ2AFoE_r6L_kJudZpiYyFY1ftEMEtB_RzWMfdM_8JprSP7pz0pHdKL1YMMKvXbE75jLOfBb/s1500/Bad%20Sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr895ekLgL9UgUtvj7RZx51dIKTSzQCI1-V6heYD_FtcM6VBAGHmD45X1Ts3IOGwJtGW-FFG9X-FldVEU5OZeJnkLcTImBALPnBzzvpDDjMhTRV3pfQ2AFoE_r6L_kJudZpiYyFY1ftEMEtB_RzWMfdM_8JprSP7pz0pHdKL1YMMKvXbE75jLOfBb/s320/Bad%20Sisters.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bad
Sisters (Apple+)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Sharon Horgan (<i>Catastrophe</i>) developed this
limited series, and stars as one of those bad sisters, Eva Garvey. This dark
comedy/drama begins with the death of the husband of one of the sisters. The
husband is John Paul (Claes Bang who brilliantly creates the character), who
the sisters, except for his wife, call “The Prick.” That is an understatement.
He is a vile person, who manipulates everyone and thrives on humiliating all
the sisters and in the case of one sister causes her to lose an eye in a car
accident. Other atrocities become apparent along the way until the end of the
series. Like some politicians, he is always the victim and never accepts any
responsibility for his harmful actions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We know from the outset that the sisters are worried
that they may be exposed as being responsible for John Paul’s death (his name
seems to suggest the demonic version of a pope). All the sisters have reason to
want the man dead. The brothers who run the secretly bankrupt life insurance
company that covered John Paul investigate to show that foul play was involved.
The story holds our interest, as in <i>The Watcher</i>, since it keeps shifting
as to whom is responsible for the murder. The writing is witty, and the acting
is superb in carving out the personalities of the various characters. The show implicates
the audience, the way Alfred Hitchcock does in his movies, as we identify with
the sisters, and become passive co-conspirators, wanting their plans for murder
to be successful. As in the very serious film, <i>Gone Baby Gone</i>, the
question here arises as to whether doing a criminal act supersedes what the law
dictates when the legal system is powerless to deliver justice. The show raises
the question as to whether these sisters are really “bad?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDiprw1armTC3kL59sUYk2KIe7HtK33fHKiM35q_-zapQlEFyrNqhnKGHAIpcC6DbUV9fAs_GsWzUNJIeKVKTS7djm_VCFTWipfCe55qAvPmpHQdMg_gd0mXlzrYKSEUjhUJ4LtpCT-L1YvxoUYVgiaJXc27JiYAvZhCgikwYe2hjfkTduWaoK2Gx/s952/The%20Patient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="952" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDiprw1armTC3kL59sUYk2KIe7HtK33fHKiM35q_-zapQlEFyrNqhnKGHAIpcC6DbUV9fAs_GsWzUNJIeKVKTS7djm_VCFTWipfCe55qAvPmpHQdMg_gd0mXlzrYKSEUjhUJ4LtpCT-L1YvxoUYVgiaJXc27JiYAvZhCgikwYe2hjfkTduWaoK2Gx/s320/The%20Patient.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The
Patient (Hulu)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">If there was any doubt that Steve Carell can perform
in a dramatic role, this limited series makes that doubt rest in peace. Carell
is excellent as psychiatrist Alan Strauss whose patient, Sam Fortner (Domhnall
Gleeson in another terrific performance), turns out to be a reluctant serial
killer. Fortner’s daddy issues (his father beat him repeatedly as a child) created
lethal anger in Fortner toward anyone who appeared to be dismissive of him. His
method of death is strangulation, which is appropriate since Fortner is
stopping his condescending victim from spouting out any negativity toward him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Strauss learns that his patient is dangerous when he awakes
and realizes that Fortner kidnapped him. His patient has chained one of Strauss’s
legs to a bed in the lower level of Fortner’s remote house. Fortner’s mother,
Candace (Linda Edmond), lives there and she is guilty of having allowed her
husband to abuse her son, and she has compounded that culpability by enabling
her boy to inflict his deadly anger on others. Fortner wants to be Strauss’s
only patient so the psychiatrist can cure him of his compulsion to kill. Unlike
most serial killers who feel no guilt about their actions, Fortner wants to
stop his deluded anger from driving him to more murders. But, he sets up a
situation that shows no feeling for the threatening position in which he has
placed his therapist. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Strauss appears calm and professional in Fortner’s
presence, but secretly suffers in fear. He undergoes self-therapy as he has
imaginary conversations with his psychiatric mentor. He experiences nightmares
that emotionally connect his imprisonment to his Jewish heritage as he
envisions inmates in the Nazi concentration camps. The show depicts his regret
over his contentious relationship with his Jewish Orthodox son.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Fortner continues to kill until he has a breakthrough
when confronting his father. But Strauss, who is at his wits end, concludes he
can’t endure the situation any longer. The ending is interesting, but I believe
it could have gone in several directions. If you have watched, or will watch
this series, maybe ask yourself how you would have concluded this tale.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Fences</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-22947686522365643332022-11-04T12:21:00.000-04:002022-11-04T12:21:11.392-04:00Bridge of Spies<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDwhuD76uPxZ6woFwQI2g4fnFCcQ_CkYayT4nYpqUudw8JALcM3Amc8PGoQQL1phKIP20owkgcHIO8oOQfG2dWfLi2I6HDSoiqt2h1pgoRJKB-ogjF8l-k-DiQF6reNykq_ZBq_CEwIbwU_SToLC0xoRoMFkm74bN8mAwyUtEoveNlA3H_-8sy3j5/s1280/BOS%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDwhuD76uPxZ6woFwQI2g4fnFCcQ_CkYayT4nYpqUudw8JALcM3Amc8PGoQQL1phKIP20owkgcHIO8oOQfG2dWfLi2I6HDSoiqt2h1pgoRJKB-ogjF8l-k-DiQF6reNykq_ZBq_CEwIbwU_SToLC0xoRoMFkm74bN8mAwyUtEoveNlA3H_-8sy3j5/s320/BOS%20-%201.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bridge of Spies</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> (2015), director Steven
Spielberg, with the help of the Coen brothers who worked on the script,
presents a story based on true events that explores how the fervor of
patriotism and fear can sometimes overshadow objectivity regarding individual
actions and the pursuit of justice. This movie, as others by Spielberg (</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">E.
T. – The Extra-Terrestrial</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Jaws</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Close Encounters of the Third
Kind</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, to name a few) focuses on ordinary people in extraordinary
situations.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjpaYJvwLSYjwcSf9NB7cf4G8rq2j211p7VJNTCiwLkUHxsxdPM-Kq3553K3SimsD0_G-OTvwx5PzoZR9nNYwPNMaDmoXNfNYUNazY8T3QQ8eNAIouFXSpg0isrOXsyWXS1lWgJ3sx-ATD7AG8yrbJ4_UZqfOll53xHAIUijJ1Fq_jGrQh4f5zRY-/s348/BOS%20-%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="348" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjpaYJvwLSYjwcSf9NB7cf4G8rq2j211p7VJNTCiwLkUHxsxdPM-Kq3553K3SimsD0_G-OTvwx5PzoZR9nNYwPNMaDmoXNfNYUNazY8T3QQ8eNAIouFXSpg0isrOXsyWXS1lWgJ3sx-ATD7AG8yrbJ4_UZqfOll53xHAIUijJ1Fq_jGrQh4f5zRY-/s320/BOS%20-%2022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The story begins in 1957 and revolves around the
capture of a Russian spy and the United States U2 spy airplane piloted by
Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) that was shot down during the Cold War. The
first shot is that of Rudolph Abel (Mark Rylance, Oscar winner for Best
Supporting Actor for this performance). He is painting a self-portrait as he
looks at himself in a mirror. As has been noted previously in this blog,
mirrors symbolize the “other,” or alter ego of people. The painting shows a
different version of Abel, looking less polished both in his face and clothes,
the person under the disguise. Abel is pretending to be a law-abiding resident
in Brooklyn while spying for the Soviet Union.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCmPxWNsVli1yAHYWeSeolFifU1wKcbLu_hSCWj3pBIt5FJkkefyYCLpFwTJp_Y6mbnLidiRuACPwMBks0XsmeaGo-AT3xxzGJMDbI18Ru3me9vnSaHhwt_39WDaiPKesQjm8f0GmDrPiBduw8KpXL3TADQU9fdAvsLlGxZOVFEQPbAUaQM6snL2j/s728/BOS%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCmPxWNsVli1yAHYWeSeolFifU1wKcbLu_hSCWj3pBIt5FJkkefyYCLpFwTJp_Y6mbnLidiRuACPwMBks0XsmeaGo-AT3xxzGJMDbI18Ru3me9vnSaHhwt_39WDaiPKesQjm8f0GmDrPiBduw8KpXL3TADQU9fdAvsLlGxZOVFEQPbAUaQM6snL2j/s320/BOS%20-%2018.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The opening sequence shows Abel is already under
surveillance by American authorities. He paints in the park and finds an
America coin that was planted under a bench. He pries the phony object open
when he returns to his apartment. There is a message inside. It is a wonderful
ironic symbol since it uses the currency of a capitalist nation on the surface
to hide the Communist efforts to undermine that monetary system inside.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">FBI agents burst into the apartment while Abel is in
his underwear in the bathroom. Despite the fact that authorities caught him in
a vulnerable situation, he is incredibly calm as he says, “Visitors.” He
professes not knowing why they call him “Colonel,” and he asks simply for his
false teeth (“false” being the operative word here for Abel’s fake
presentation). He asks meekly to be allowed to clean his painter’s palette. He
deceptively grasps the message from the coin as he wipes the paint and while
the agents search his place. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The focus shifts to James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is
an insurance lawyer. He argues with the attorney of five individuals who were hit
by a car covered by the insurance company. The suing lawyer, Bates (Joshua
Harto), argues that since there were five injuries there are five claims
because five events occurred. Donovan says it’s only one accident and the
liability is limited to “one” event. He says that if a tornado rips apart a
house it is the whole house that the insurance company covers, not each separate
piece of wood. Otherwise, there is “never any limit to … liability.” That would
put an end to the insurance business and then “nobody is safe.” The scene shows
Donovan’s insistence on precise language and definitions. The stress on “one”
transaction here ties in with later events.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLoD-T6J1N2uQvlCijCR_q71RcXx468W3Bche4O6aiRe9-zjd0rrg-MABbG2y4HV_ZuDuM_QHacnlI6-mZKLUFcuAeRaGR-sO2MsCj0TZPm-6GxUsnkQ75OqPAs4FmI55ZscIweAGetYv22gNg2TBnEUewZa9KMi3pEPuLI1avUG8I_b6R_xPp7SJ/s1920/BOS%20-%2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLoD-T6J1N2uQvlCijCR_q71RcXx468W3Bche4O6aiRe9-zjd0rrg-MABbG2y4HV_ZuDuM_QHacnlI6-mZKLUFcuAeRaGR-sO2MsCj0TZPm-6GxUsnkQ75OqPAs4FmI55ZscIweAGetYv22gNg2TBnEUewZa9KMi3pEPuLI1avUG8I_b6R_xPp7SJ/s320/BOS%20-%2023.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the law office, Donovan’s partner, Thomas Watters,
Jr. (Alan Alda) has Donovan meet an acquaintance from the Bar Association, Lynn
Goodnough (John Rue) in private. Goodnough wants Donovan to defend Abel. Donovan
helped prosecute war criminals years earlier at Nuremberg, Germany. IMDb also
notes that Donovan worked as general counsel for the U. S. military
intelligence, so he had experience with spies and war crimes. Goodnough says
that it’s important that Abel get a fair trial since the American legal system
will show itself to be legitimate. Goodnough agrees that the American people
hate Abel for being a Soviet spy and that Donovan most likely will be “reviled”
for representing him. In addition, the evidence is “overwhelming” that Abel is
a foreign agent. With dark humor, Donovan acknowledges the no-win situation
when he says, “Everyone will hate me but at least I’ll lose.” Watters tells
Donovan it’s his “patriotic duty” to “defend the son-of-a-bitch.” His conflicting
statement reflects what is the right thing to do despite one’s personal
feelings.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At home, Donovan’s wife, Mary (Amy Ryan), is against
her husband representing Abel because she sees him as a threat to the country
which is on high alert at the height of the Cold War. She calls Abel a
“traitor.” Again, words are important to Donovan. He points out that the
Rosenbergs were traitors because they were Americans and gave secrets to the
enemy. Abel is not an American so the classification wouldn’t fit as he was
working loyally for his own country, even though Russia was the enemy of the
United States. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXzpZHx6vXjH9_HhL3x3XsGMZlOR2bC09VJtQy4vDwA3zIpInX6JM9xEhFcQSA_dMvcXQY7XQix8Zwy29gR3KsA27sDq9KiOb3FhevLVy6Ta6Cp8yFZ06HFSNfAS5mmk_3LDIfzUKMMTVyxcvAaQObx5Y_dtFGx-J--G_OHzKqnZ5lmJuGxLdMTT9/s1920/BOS%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXzpZHx6vXjH9_HhL3x3XsGMZlOR2bC09VJtQy4vDwA3zIpInX6JM9xEhFcQSA_dMvcXQY7XQix8Zwy29gR3KsA27sDq9KiOb3FhevLVy6Ta6Cp8yFZ06HFSNfAS5mmk_3LDIfzUKMMTVyxcvAaQObx5Y_dtFGx-J--G_OHzKqnZ5lmJuGxLdMTT9/s320/BOS%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan meets with Abel and makes clear that he does
not work for the CIA or any part of the U. S. Government. He works for Abel.
Abel says that he was offered to work as a double agent, but he refused to be a
spy against his country for the United States. As Donovan says most Americans
would like to see him go to the electric chair, but Donovan is there to ensure
that there is a proper handling of the law. Donovan says one of the charges is
that Abel didn’t register as an agent of a foreign government. Abel’s humor
remains intact when he asks do many foreign agents register. It is of course a
ridiculous requirement to have a spy from another country announce his purpose.
Given the extreme nature of Abel’s potential punishment, Donovan notes that
Abel does not “seem alarmed.” Abel’s response is, “Would it help?” I have often
repeated that line when I find myself worrying about something. It may be
difficult to react as Abel does, but he is right that being alarmed does not
help the situation in any way. This first conversation has Abel asking for some
drawing materials and cigarettes. Donovan says at first it’s not possible. Abel
then says that America has spies doing the same for the U. S. and if they were
caught Abel is sure Donovan would want them treated well.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOHjPD-lRTFWryZ0hIxOD8sQRuEop0T9EyPncpWHEZ89pEX5ZVZawmZxEmxtoWfBVhS3eG3BKE48MYMeIJ_Z_Act6j3uBaMzA8XYEQ3PxGG5_Q1k8SN5ltbYqgE1u1Fc1t-qQ4dmDl7F-oN8tnqGJ159bkdrbQ5v1oFZcy4tBnkV3PG0hRXnXfGYE/s640/BOS%20-%2015.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="640" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOHjPD-lRTFWryZ0hIxOD8sQRuEop0T9EyPncpWHEZ89pEX5ZVZawmZxEmxtoWfBVhS3eG3BKE48MYMeIJ_Z_Act6j3uBaMzA8XYEQ3PxGG5_Q1k8SN5ltbYqgE1u1Fc1t-qQ4dmDl7F-oN8tnqGJ159bkdrbQ5v1oFZcy4tBnkV3PG0hRXnXfGYE/s320/BOS%20-%2015.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a perfect cut to the situation Abel refers
to. We see Powers along with others receiving top secret orders to spy on
Soviet nuclear capabilities. So, the film says that it depends on your
perspective as to who is the hero and who is the villain. In a way, Abel does
surveillance on the ground of his enemy’s land while Powers does it from the
sky. From a distance it is easy to place individuals into stereotyped
categories. Once a person gets to know another, that set of criteria may
change. As Spielberg said, “everyone you think should be wearing a black hat isn’t
necessarily wearing that hat … how could we possibly come out caring about this
person in the least? But in this case, we do.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The bias that Judge Byers (Dakin Matthews) has against
Abel is evident in the first pre-trial meeting Donovan attends. Byers basically
says there will be a pretense to due process under the law, but that Abel should
be convicted. Byers considers Donovan’s plea for a continuance that would
delay the inevitable guilty verdict a ridiculous request. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwNBBQsML8K95UPfUlm6mHpl3DrvhMXADZSYtvExKrV95gAB-EttuyY0T3lTSQkh89_8QfyFOja3DWBsb0lgKdtZjsnpqrVOskmBV69CaT9dkNdmZubFnPuya1wrXC1D_x4COVfR_zDFcTTn4x7q-xMFwNOzbOMevK8rl0t-xVAwBwOxypJpq1fBk/s620/BOS%20-%209.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwNBBQsML8K95UPfUlm6mHpl3DrvhMXADZSYtvExKrV95gAB-EttuyY0T3lTSQkh89_8QfyFOja3DWBsb0lgKdtZjsnpqrVOskmBV69CaT9dkNdmZubFnPuya1wrXC1D_x4COVfR_zDFcTTn4x7q-xMFwNOzbOMevK8rl0t-xVAwBwOxypJpq1fBk/s320/BOS%20-%209.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After the meeting, Donovan can’t get a cab. It is
night and raining, which adds a sinister quality to the scene. A man follows
Donovan. He turns out to be CIA Agent Hoffman (Scott Shepherd), who, after they
go into a bar, attempts to acquire from Donovan what Abel tells the attorney. Hoffman
scoffs at attorney-client privilege and says there is “no rule book here” given
the circumstances. Donovan says he is Irish and Hoffman admits he is of German
heritage, but the “one” (that number again) thing that makes them Americans is
the adherence to the “rule book,” the Constitution. Donovan is angry at this
point with the ease with which Byers and Hoffman dispense with legal
safeguards. There is an intimidating force behind Hoffman’s question to Donovan
when the CIA agent says, “Do we have to worry about you?” The irony here is
that Donovan feels threatened by his own government for doing his job according
to the law that is supposed to protect democratic principles.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0VLQozK0TIYwq5afEErzw2LflcVHighktd_aAchr9OPIPgpfYWb07j0ICCrdeK4pcwGgYSqfD-nMnjJcpYUrhFSGfe05ItxP8vpZ1w7no_9ICxxIrYnv9D6lhA76F5tnyUnridCrhd7vHXPbe5aUMRlq94wWxYiFA1U4AjFF7yYtdWP6oyf6QfNF/s962/bridge-of-spies-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="962" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0VLQozK0TIYwq5afEErzw2LflcVHighktd_aAchr9OPIPgpfYWb07j0ICCrdeK4pcwGgYSqfD-nMnjJcpYUrhFSGfe05ItxP8vpZ1w7no_9ICxxIrYnv9D6lhA76F5tnyUnridCrhd7vHXPbe5aUMRlq94wWxYiFA1U4AjFF7yYtdWP6oyf6QfNF/s320/bridge-of-spies-4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Donovan looks at the evidence acquired from Abel’s belongings,
but there was no search warrant for the items the FBI acquired. He points out
to the judge that even though Abel is not a U. S citizen, due process still
applies, and the evidence should not be used. The judge doesn’t seem to care
about the letter of the law and says that given the Cold War he denies Donovan’s
motion. The film shows that the judge’s decision isn’t an interpretation of the
law but simply a dismissal of it, which is a dangerous act. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">He justifies his actions later by saying there
are “bigger issues” at stake. Donovan says to Abel that he is not a U. S.
citizen, but his “boss” says he’s not a Soviet citizen either, since Russia is
not going to acknowledge that it had a spy in America. Abel again uses his
humor despite his dire situation. He says, “Well, the boss isn’t always right.
But he’s always the boss.” His remarks apply to the judge, too, which means
both countries can be wrong but those in power can ignore the truth.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-c1DXLcBOGqFd3f9Ma4uT6VqKJH8PW0rEKruHDoIsQg2iEVp_z11SNxuw5XQ77oZuSlsRYOvRmDmikVfO_npCbxch1wIw5SsCPGnJQzkHHzkewrGi72Pw96ob4eQU4yjv-qF3x8mb_QECJeZ4W06plymp6GYfT-Y5anKNZ3BuhcCXne_wWu-uBEhc/s474/BOS%20-%2016.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="474" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-c1DXLcBOGqFd3f9Ma4uT6VqKJH8PW0rEKruHDoIsQg2iEVp_z11SNxuw5XQ77oZuSlsRYOvRmDmikVfO_npCbxch1wIw5SsCPGnJQzkHHzkewrGi72Pw96ob4eQU4yjv-qF3x8mb_QECJeZ4W06plymp6GYfT-Y5anKNZ3BuhcCXne_wWu-uBEhc/s320/BOS%20-%2016.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a nice cut to students making the “Pledge of
Allegiance,” which states there should be “liberty and justice for all.” This
story shows that provision doesn’t always apply. Then there are school children
in tears as they watch a film showing the devastation that a nuclear blast can inflict,
which can sway people away from that “justice for all” belief. The government
gave out false hope that people could withstand the blast by following the
“duck and cover,” action, and filling bathtubs and basins with water if the
utilities are not functioning. Donovan’s son, Roger (Noah Schnapp), is in his
bathroom preparing for the water shortage and tells his father about how their
house will be in the blast zone. Donovan tries to calm his boy by saying that
no attack is imminent. Apprehension causes even his own son to question why he
is defending a spy who could help make the Soviet attack possible. Donovan
saying he is doing his job is not sufficient for Roger, as he, like the judge,
is willing to dismiss the rules when fear is present. That negative attitude carries
over into the population at large as people recognize Donovan from his picture
in the newspapers showing he is representing Abel.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ATgam_2IF9hr1erP9LUPimLUzf99h0YbWczNcnO4718Kvay6emaWxqiP1mo6FEDO2LH2aam0xYI4x9zZ_cbIwnIgIBHuNiPGccfU_iL_QjhonhSWLru1E7hzkC9aQMDstP2z8n3Q402R0lEMpkYX6JK2vkejncnlfVOeE38DRBehBRek47O7R6YE/s1920/bridgeofspies_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ATgam_2IF9hr1erP9LUPimLUzf99h0YbWczNcnO4718Kvay6emaWxqiP1mo6FEDO2LH2aam0xYI4x9zZ_cbIwnIgIBHuNiPGccfU_iL_QjhonhSWLru1E7hzkC9aQMDstP2z8n3Q402R0lEMpkYX6JK2vkejncnlfVOeE38DRBehBRek47O7R6YE/s320/bridgeofspies_12.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan gives Abel a drawing he left in the courtroom
and discovers from Abel that his wife plays the harp in a Russian orchestra.
Abel also tells a story about how his parents were beaten. Abel’s humor, unwillingness
to give into fear, and the facts about his family make him a human being, not a
stereotype for Donovan. Abel says that there was a friend of his father who
suffered repeated beatings but still stood up. Those inflicting the pain gave
up and called him, “standing man.” Abel sees in Donovan that same type of
resilience.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The movie does not depict the trial since that is not
the focus of the story. The jury finds Abel guilty, despite the illegally
acquired evidence. He is, in fact, guilty of espionage. Donovan tells Abel that
the death sentence isn’t a lock. Donovan goes to the judge’s house who is
preparing for a March of Dimes event to combat polio. The judge is not without
his humanitarian interests. Donovan makes a practical argument by stressing his
insurance background and says that Abel should be kept alive in case an
American is captured doing the same act, spying for his country. Then a trade
could be made, which is what the rest of the film depicts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X8j_AYnfUJPxjSG7eaD0Trs5uCgn6syFrZKJoCpbjwpDmboFiAVYLAFCxv5bhRScPeEQ6XUiWUyx_7ATAfBm53Pua7aTAPW-zwm9p8NApVXydjcCqhv4YY2a5sjg6nq2vY4jx6JUeewucWP1Nk_Mj35gXNMwzK1xelEy0fT3_E1cZ3Z7-8ObWDGM/s1078/BOS%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1078" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X8j_AYnfUJPxjSG7eaD0Trs5uCgn6syFrZKJoCpbjwpDmboFiAVYLAFCxv5bhRScPeEQ6XUiWUyx_7ATAfBm53Pua7aTAPW-zwm9p8NApVXydjcCqhv4YY2a5sjg6nq2vY4jx6JUeewucWP1Nk_Mj35gXNMwzK1xelEy0fT3_E1cZ3Z7-8ObWDGM/s320/BOS%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjfidldnX5_K5yWBP42G2ZcZcRrzmyY8uC3nyTVrN3SKyO8JoZZDWo5ugx1gbEripFj8QjGvfzzWDp1HA_VhaIykEnLKL4nbBHdZQihAmMgqaqIPVpvvKDHuh8s1iLEKLepNVPJo5_azSkQPm3HbZRWIK4U-T98xTp38rqGZhR4N8dNSknyKi6x8I/s475/BOS%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="475" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjfidldnX5_K5yWBP42G2ZcZcRrzmyY8uC3nyTVrN3SKyO8JoZZDWo5ugx1gbEripFj8QjGvfzzWDp1HA_VhaIykEnLKL4nbBHdZQihAmMgqaqIPVpvvKDHuh8s1iLEKLepNVPJo5_azSkQPm3HbZRWIK4U-T98xTp38rqGZhR4N8dNSknyKi6x8I/s320/BOS%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Donovan’s insurance argument works as the judge
sentences Abel to thirty years imprisonment. There is an outcry in the
courtroom as people yell for Abel’s death. There is a massive number of
reporters taking Donovan’s picture as he exits the courthouse. His wife is
frightened by the outcry and Donovan’s partner, Watters, says that Donovan has
done his job showing that Abel received a decent defense. If Donovan pursues an
appeal, although legally sound, it is not, as Mary says, worth the “cost” to
his family and the firm. Again, the environment of fear surrounding the Cold
War threatens the letter of the law. Even Abel warns Donovan that he should be
“careful” about what can happen to him in an atmosphere of hate as he tries to
follow the lawful path.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Abel and the warnings of his wife and partner come to
fruition as shots are fired into the Donovan house. The neighbors shout intimidating
remarks and even a police officer is confrontational telling Donovan that he
shouldn’t be defending Abel. Donovan, the “standing man,” is not one to back
down, and stands his ground (Tom Petty reference intentional) as he says that
he did his patriotic duty by serving in the military and the policeman should now
do his job (which is what Donovan has been stating he is doing).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a switch to instructions that the U2 pilots
receive. They are told that their mission is secret, and they must not let the
plane fall into enemy hands. There is a self-destruct mechanism on the aircraft,
and they must go down with the plane. If they think they will be captured, they
will have a dollar coin with a lethal poison on a pin inserted in the currency which
they are to use. Agent Williams (Michael Gaston) says, “spend the dollar.” It
is interesting that we have a second reference to American money, and by
extension its capitalist system, that has hidden action attached to it: with
Abel, it is to discover the military secrets of the United States; with the U2
pilots, it is to protect those secrets. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCHp8mUBTMI5kOTzKjoRs4QVbNGSmAPo0geQLHF-L29YabiB_V-nix70E-mXN8Bmway8VX9abkN7ikvlEbUeZ8EAcPjnJKCkf9Bk6hxQIJgoQlBRa_qsBQLOcSAXC-hz_i4X5JWcmlYYVvSlZIMZny44dQeQPBvIAmNFZDTRrZ8Io4fF9hFC6PT-_/s620/bridge_of_spies%20-%208.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCHp8mUBTMI5kOTzKjoRs4QVbNGSmAPo0geQLHF-L29YabiB_V-nix70E-mXN8Bmway8VX9abkN7ikvlEbUeZ8EAcPjnJKCkf9Bk6hxQIJgoQlBRa_qsBQLOcSAXC-hz_i4X5JWcmlYYVvSlZIMZny44dQeQPBvIAmNFZDTRrZ8Io4fF9hFC6PT-_/s320/bridge_of_spies%20-%208.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">We have a series of cuts between the pilots preparing
for their spy flights and Donovan getting ready to make his case by citing the
Constitution in front of the Supreme Court. In essence we are seeing two
versions of fighting for American democracy. Before the Supreme Court, Donovan argues
that Abel should be given “the full benefits of the rights that define our
system of government.” He makes the case that by showing “who we are,” is “the
greatest weapon we have in the Cold War.” He is basically saying that not
following the laws that make America an exemplary form of government shows the
world that we are no better than the enemies of democracy that we fight
against. But he loses his logical argument in the face of an irrational situation,
and the Court upholds the conviction.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR14NKh5_cxVLI4Diywccrp2TSV9A3RjUmpDbMP8vC17l5nm4Eke18V0nLFetD8giZhvkGc6q5t4PBHAnCRwpaBxhYfg0w7BgiX87xdpNBU9Ej_Vdk0ziwXgvQbJ_VgRa266cLSa4TtMdVXhrr5Nbkty2b3pL17bLF9riG8vtGPbv2xxX8MWPyC-G/s764/bridge-of-spies%20-%2017.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="764" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR14NKh5_cxVLI4Diywccrp2TSV9A3RjUmpDbMP8vC17l5nm4Eke18V0nLFetD8giZhvkGc6q5t4PBHAnCRwpaBxhYfg0w7BgiX87xdpNBU9Ej_Vdk0ziwXgvQbJ_VgRa266cLSa4TtMdVXhrr5Nbkty2b3pL17bLF9riG8vtGPbv2xxX8MWPyC-G/s320/bridge-of-spies%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In a dazzling piece of cinematography, the film shows
Powers’s plane hit by enemy fire. He attempts to throw the self-destruct switch,
but the cockpit canopy blows apart as the plane falls to the ground. Powers temporarily
remains tethered and again attempts to flip the self-destruct switch. But his
connecting line to the craft breaks and he opens his parachute. The Russians
capture him and he, like Abel, receives a conviction for spying. the filmmakers
have stressed the analogy between the two men.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan receives a back-channel letter from East
Germany that purports to come from Abel’s wife. Abel says the writing style
shows it to be a fake but says that Donovan may as well answer it since it’s
difficult to know what “move” to make when one doesn’t know “the game.” There
is the implication that the letter may be an attempt to get Abel back to Soviet
territory. Donovan meets with Allen Dulles (Peter McRobbie), Director of the
CIA. He acknowledges that Donovan was right about the possibility of a prisoner
swap and believes that the Soviet Union is using East Germany so it will not have
to acknowledge Abel as a Russian spy. The CIA wants Powers back before he
cracks and gives up secrets, and Russia wants Abel returned for the same
reason, although Donovan knows Abel would never cooperate. Dulles wants Donovan
to appear to act (more deceiving appearances) as an independent citizen so that
the U. S. Government does not appear to be involved. He will receive no help if
“things go south.” As Dulles and Donovan state, there is a fiction being
presented on both sides of the Cold War. So, Donovan must pretend that he is corresponding
with Abel’s “wife,” and must be a spy himself now as he must go undercover,
keeping his mission secret from everybody, including his wife. To complicate
matters Russia wants to stop the negative appearance of refugees escaping from
East Berlin to West Berlin and is ready to construct what becomes the infamous
Berlin Wall. Dulles is funny when asked by Donovan what he should tell Abel.
Dulles says, “tell him to stay alive.” It is ironic that the country that
wanted Anel dead now needs him to be that “standing man.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4RAxC3FzfhOvpadU7XZyHwL1KuBolWmYxkN6BgWqZ_nu7YsPVwecfJc6Z-R-bZ-qPfILWknzDHkdVduqhWKSc9xLHwnfMDHGE7nX6kESXMEos8Ft4rbsehUW4rmvyL5PlOr4jSp4R4FQ2U8nuUpoq0qM_YdHYwoJtutYOLRiiWY24B4WyjQKA2j3/s640/BOS%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4RAxC3FzfhOvpadU7XZyHwL1KuBolWmYxkN6BgWqZ_nu7YsPVwecfJc6Z-R-bZ-qPfILWknzDHkdVduqhWKSc9xLHwnfMDHGE7nX6kESXMEos8Ft4rbsehUW4rmvyL5PlOr4jSp4R4FQ2U8nuUpoq0qM_YdHYwoJtutYOLRiiWY24B4WyjQKA2j3/s320/BOS%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Another element is added to the exchange plan. As the Communists
build the Berlin Wall amid chaos among the citizens of the city, American
doctoral student Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers) rides his bicycle to get his girlfriend,
Katje (Nadja Bobyleva) out of the city. Even though he has identification documents
and is carrying his dissertation on Communist economics, the East Germans authorities
arrest him.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan travels to Berlin and he hears about the
arrest of Pryor who the East Germans are saying is also a spy. Donovan, again
trying to do whatever he can to make things right, wants to try and get Pryor
out, but the U. S. stance is to worry about the student later. The lawyer,
Wolfgang Vogel (Sebastian Koch), representing the fake Mrs. Abel is also
Pryor’s attorney. It appears that the East German and Soviet interests may not
align, since the East Germans don’t want the Russians to treat them as pawns. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCQPeiCf3m0TVPzU4PShHpesidN1Fn_TVocnFKIMZhpBFOWVfJeVDAnEQZjMEWrug4EhhvrP7Pm0Zwqx5TzD2VZ4q7hsj19-q-Px8XFl1Guw7GyRw7kOrG-ZFeLaQl0wsfZZxf1Ahg0WM51gPiTQqkcDtAB85GLy-Erl0zLZgnSh5XAb6alaRoflb/s300/BOS%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCQPeiCf3m0TVPzU4PShHpesidN1Fn_TVocnFKIMZhpBFOWVfJeVDAnEQZjMEWrug4EhhvrP7Pm0Zwqx5TzD2VZ4q7hsj19-q-Px8XFl1Guw7GyRw7kOrG-ZFeLaQl0wsfZZxf1Ahg0WM51gPiTQqkcDtAB85GLy-Erl0zLZgnSh5XAb6alaRoflb/s1600/BOS%20-%2014.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">It is very dangerous for Donovan as he travels to East
Germany without U. S. support. Food is scarce in East Berlin so there is crime
and little police enforcement at this point to keep criminals in check. If Donovan
gets too close to the wall he could be shot. He must also not draw attention to
himself since he is a foreigner and could appear to be a spy. He has papers
added to his passport which justify his entrance to East Berlin. He demonstrates
his boldness by confronting the guards at the entrance to speed him ahead of
the long line. It is very cold and youths accost him and he must give up his
coat and walk in the freezing weather to his meeting. Donovan is also not
feeling well since he caught a cold. The story shows the courage and persistence
of the man in his pursuit in what he believes is just.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrkIY8IZno2IyNknGop2RIdXWo-yeM9e0QXbSHRvH9jcEEypOTcKBme7xxJxLu-xtpGuZsZlniZhXGSc60x1ogbaPCej_NP_IUerJN-PnB9W0wiHSnIjw5U_cUFipt8S6YK7RaYtvo9w6zW09u6rdrUo8YjvjQ8tFpFwlykygmZzGv2ym_deJSSba/s1280/BOS%20-%2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrkIY8IZno2IyNknGop2RIdXWo-yeM9e0QXbSHRvH9jcEEypOTcKBme7xxJxLu-xtpGuZsZlniZhXGSc60x1ogbaPCej_NP_IUerJN-PnB9W0wiHSnIjw5U_cUFipt8S6YK7RaYtvo9w6zW09u6rdrUo8YjvjQ8tFpFwlykygmZzGv2ym_deJSSba/s320/BOS%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the Russian Embassy where Donovan is to meet Vogel
he encounters three people who say they are relatives of Abel. As Abel had
said, the woman is pretending to be his wife and she has a fake daughter and
cousin with her. They put on a show of grief that they hope will soften
Donovan’s negotiation terms, but Vogel can see past their drama. Ivan
Schischkin (Michael Gor), who says he’s a secretary at the embassy, but is
really a KGB chief, appears instead of Vogel since the lawyer is a German and
would make the negotiation between the U. S. and Russia more indirect. The two
play a clever diplomatic game. The Russian wants to get Abel first so as to
save face and then they will release Powers. Donovan rejects that move knowing
they may never get Powers back. Schischkin suggests the quickness desired by
Donovan means Abel has already given up what he knows and wants to stop Powers
from doing the same. Donovan concludes that Powers must not have divulged anything,
or the Soviets would agree to a fast trade. He suggests that Abel may still
have secrets and will be willing to divulge them for some American favors and
suggests that future Soviet prisoners might do the same if Russia will not seek
their return expeditiously. Donovan says that that the two of them must work
together so that their countries do not escalate their problems to the point
that war is possible. Donovan makes a bold request to make Pryor part of the
deal, but it is the East Germans who apprehended him, complicating the deal.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IEhFsKlTYMlDyYDS5xzup1IPTDD0snmaNetxLtcOp6O7_X_6ySd_bUIUzwkIRFNpKjmdZSWUsAI45AJ26cP3Vb0b-6diriQNJbbl4XarKiq6zyzT_1dfJmska92lnHqxMRw4bhS6ITTNc2B2LUSVH_0234AODqcI4chopyg53D5fty7Pz06Y5uf-/s640/BOS%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IEhFsKlTYMlDyYDS5xzup1IPTDD0snmaNetxLtcOp6O7_X_6ySd_bUIUzwkIRFNpKjmdZSWUsAI45AJ26cP3Vb0b-6diriQNJbbl4XarKiq6zyzT_1dfJmska92lnHqxMRw4bhS6ITTNc2B2LUSVH_0234AODqcI4chopyg53D5fty7Pz06Y5uf-/s320/BOS%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan finally meets Vogel at the lawyer’s address. Vogel
says that the United States must recognize East Germany as a sovereign state in
exchange for Pryor. But Donovan can refuse that demand because he is not
officially representing America and can’t grant that request. Vogel says that
he also is not a representative of East Germany, so basically he is Donovan’s
counterpart as their respective governments want to keep their distance from
the activities. Vogel agrees to provide Pryor as part of the exchange. The
implication is that if East Germany handles getting Abel back for the Russians it
will acquire respect on the world stage for doing the Soviets a favor. The Feds
just want Powers, but Donovan insists on Pryor being part of the deal. Powers
was captured and didn’t commit suicide, so Donovan cuts through any humanitarian
hype about getting him back. He knows that there is no love for the pilot and
that the U. S. Government just doesn’t want him to leak information.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Soviets apply tactics seen in <i>The Ipcress File</i>
on Powers. They keep waking him up to wear him down, hoping to squeeze
information about the spy flights out of him before the trade. There is a
fitting symmetrical cut to the Feds arousing Abel in his cell to go to East
Berlin. Schischkin says Russia has consented to exchanging Powers for Abel.
Donovan thinks he also has a deal to get back Pryor, who everyone knows is not
a spy, from the East Germans. But when he meets Vogel again the lawyer is angry
that Donovan has made a deal for getting two-for-one. East Germany wants all
the credit for getting Abel. Donovan again uses his insurance argument that this
transaction is all part of one deal. Donovan rides in Vogel’s car because he is
going to West Berlin. Vogel points out the devastation in East Berlin and
reflects his country’s anger at Russia for deciding not to rebuild the city. He
deliberately speeds the car and the police stop them. Vogel knows that without
the proper credentials the authorities will detain Donovan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film then provides shots of what is now four
incarcerated individuals in this story: Powers, Abel, Pryor and now Donovan.
The police release Donovan and, as he rides the train to West Berlin, he
witnesses the shooting of people trying to scale the Berlin Wall. That scene adds
visceral shock to the horrors taking place in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The U. S. Government has been keeping Donovan under
wraps and placed him in an obscure, dingy, cold dwelling. He decides to be
defiant considering what he has endured and shows up at the Hilton and orders a
proper breakfast at the place where CIA agent Hoffman is staying. He points out
to Hoffman that his night in jail wasn’t much worse than where the CIA set him
up to stay. Donovan learns that the East German Attorney General, Herald Ott (Burghart
Klaubner), called to meet Donovan, but Hoffman sees that as nothing important
since they will be getting Powers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan never wavers from his moral imperative of
trying to get Pryor returned. Donovan takes the meeting with Ott who is congenial
about exchanging Pryor for Abel but is outraged when Donovan mentions Powers.
Ott says the release of an innocent man is understandable, but why care about what
in essence he sees as spilled milk when it comes to Powers. Ott gets a call and
Donovan waits outside Ott’s office and a worker there tells Donovan the Attorney
General had to leave. Here is where Donovan takes advantage of his unofficial
negotiating status by making the demands he sees as morally fit, unencumbered
by the political posturings of the countries involved. He gives the employee a
message stating that there will be no exchange for either the Soviets or East
Germany if the deal isn’t for both Pryor and Powers. He adds weight to his
demand with the scenario that if Abel realizes he will not return to Russia he
may change his mind about cooperating with U. S. intelligence. Ott must call by
the end of the day since there will be no point in going to the Glienickie
Bridge in the morning if the deal is off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv47nNVURltN0KX1x3VULWCi5nI1QnHC_UNy-MnhRtmj8eJhCXPEvczki2w4Cg07YKDQqzLl4y1QprHc28W1v1AMrPpewZbv4GWeHBdcNzZZQ8nB5-Gyzn1VGX4FrVT7G6R80j4tKNSLrb1N-DjbscIONi0o6ZwoUBF-y1IvTTWLn1YF2Fo9GDH_yM/s2048/BOS%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv47nNVURltN0KX1x3VULWCi5nI1QnHC_UNy-MnhRtmj8eJhCXPEvczki2w4Cg07YKDQqzLl4y1QprHc28W1v1AMrPpewZbv4GWeHBdcNzZZQ8nB5-Gyzn1VGX4FrVT7G6R80j4tKNSLrb1N-DjbscIONi0o6ZwoUBF-y1IvTTWLn1YF2Fo9GDH_yM/s320/BOS%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">As IMDb points out, as Donovan passes a movie theater
on his way to calling his wife the marquee shows the film playing is </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Spartacus</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">.
Dalton Trumbo wrote the screenplay when he was on the Hollywood blacklist and
this movie was the first to show his real name during that time. The inclusion points
to how destructive the anti-communist fear was in America. In another scene
Spielberg also includes a reference to the film </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">One, Two, Three</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">, a
satire about the Cold War, again stressing the preoccupation with this time in
history. Donovan’s family thinks he is in London and his children are too
“busy” to say hello to him on the phone. Given what he’s been going through
it’s funny when he asks Mary if the kids even noticed he hadn’t been “around.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Donovan receives a call saying the exchange is on, but
Pryor will be released at Checkpoint Charlie only after Abel and Powers are
traded. The tenseness of the scene at the Glienickie Bridge is heightened since
there are snipers from both sides in position to open fire if needed. Abel is happy
to see Donovan there, knowing that this person who works for his enemy is an
honorable man. Donovan’s actions show what he said earlier that demonstrating
the best of American ideals is the strongest weapon against the enemies of the
United States. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCSPFWTXfB0Gk5Amc409KOlYSCZjzix3fgnbhDB3PniKShvFLMJTJNb3Fv5p3Y9XCbW_g1UHmpq7vyeVbYhVTCe9aIBCxf980q0ykB2LWK5gp0u4EupmKdlicQjcfIDXrzY4n1IsPYyP8KoDT6sWEvpyYHRDadr555PROqECo6r06IvEzHeD2AUK9/s1653/bridgeofspies_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1653" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCSPFWTXfB0Gk5Amc409KOlYSCZjzix3fgnbhDB3PniKShvFLMJTJNb3Fv5p3Y9XCbW_g1UHmpq7vyeVbYhVTCe9aIBCxf980q0ykB2LWK5gp0u4EupmKdlicQjcfIDXrzY4n1IsPYyP8KoDT6sWEvpyYHRDadr555PROqECo6r06IvEzHeD2AUK9/s320/bridgeofspies_6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">These two keep their sense of humor in this dangerous
situation. Fellow U.S. pilot Officer Murphy (the recently Oscar-nominated Jesse
Plemons) is there to identify Powers. Abel wonders who will ID him and Donovan
says that he hopes it isn’t his fabricated East German family who couldn’t
identify each other. When Donovan asks Abel what will happen when he gets back
home Abel says he’ll “have a vodka.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">He
then soberly says he will be considered to have acted honorably if he’s
embraced. But, if the Soviets show him “the back seat” of a car, he might be
punished. To help Donovan, Abel refuses to cross the bridge until Pryor is
released. When the word comes that the student has arrived, the two prisoners
cross the bridge. Donovan looks in dismay as there is no embrace for Abel, only
the open door to the back seat.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiyDqFCGPKDS_u1UY2YyNa9515TRJoP0qAcsUx_Ijb72bm0RJKma187EgJlwi1qP_dOB09t-JbbyhP6ZSEHZsQpx4WN6vyFgnds6kpSMRrHaYGbh7i7Sx38SW49ju52VIzSsYZoU16JEyYpkkOQpyuzdI2Zs7OxQuTZ79mLrOk4NIkfqI0bItjiC3/s1170/bridge-of-spies-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1170" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiyDqFCGPKDS_u1UY2YyNa9515TRJoP0qAcsUx_Ijb72bm0RJKma187EgJlwi1qP_dOB09t-JbbyhP6ZSEHZsQpx4WN6vyFgnds6kpSMRrHaYGbh7i7Sx38SW49ju52VIzSsYZoU16JEyYpkkOQpyuzdI2Zs7OxQuTZ79mLrOk4NIkfqI0bItjiC3/s320/bridge-of-spies-3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Nobody will acknowledge Powers on the airplane back
home. The CIA and military see him as a failed soldier no matter what he says
about not divulging anything. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">For them,
he should have sacrificed his life as a patriot instead of allowing Russia to display
him as a spy. He tells Donovan he told the Russians nothing. Donovan tells him
it doesn’t matter what others believe, only Powers knows what he did. He could
be talking about himself, since Donovan was hated for his defense of Abel. But
he knows he did what was right legally with Abel, and secretly fashioned the
release of two American prisoners without seeking thanks. He only wishes to go
home.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">However, when Donovan arrives home he receives
acknowledgement of his efforts on TV to his family’s astonishment. A passenger
on the train to work now sees the bigger picture that Donovan was a part of and
smiles at him. Donovan may have come home, but when he sees boys jumping over a
backyard fence, his face looks troubled as we know he is thinking of those shot
at the Berlin Wall. The horror of the time has come home with him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A title card at the end of the film says that
President John F. Kennedy recruited Donovan to negotiate the release of 1,113
prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion. He arranged for 9,703 to be let go. He
was an extraordinary man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next post will offer comments on recent streaming
shows: <i>The Good Nurse</i>; <i>The Watcher</i>; <i>Bad Sisters</i>: <i>The
Patient</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-2445177823886224332022-09-27T13:05:00.001-04:002022-09-27T13:05:55.594-04:00Bound for Glory<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJzvNXbxbE-6RGtKKyWjPuzZOD2ra2i-q8cTKV3rDB0zh3PMVy_aSimQfdl_9DCb98WvxRvfv45vR_aifP0BPlGC8hEEb0Xk9ixtMUIRL2E_BnWlpe2dZgmMBQHdUBoV70DQLD2CAj7do_cbLYPo0CK8LyIqK6G7qfX3jwkNfw_xJUCkj1j19rdy3/s1440/BFG%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJzvNXbxbE-6RGtKKyWjPuzZOD2ra2i-q8cTKV3rDB0zh3PMVy_aSimQfdl_9DCb98WvxRvfv45vR_aifP0BPlGC8hEEb0Xk9ixtMUIRL2E_BnWlpe2dZgmMBQHdUBoV70DQLD2CAj7do_cbLYPo0CK8LyIqK6G7qfX3jwkNfw_xJUCkj1j19rdy3/s320/BFG%20-%201.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bound for Glory </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(1976),
directed by Hal Ashby (<i>Harold and </i>Maud, <i>Coming Home</i>), is an
episodic story that reminds one of <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>. It starts out
with a line from Woody Guthrie that urges others to not get “plumb” down. We
have here an optimist even though he sang songs about the Great Depression, the
toughest economic time in American history.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The story begins in Pampa, Texas in July, 1936. Woody (David
Carradine, who plays guitar and sings in the role) strums his guitar while
other men talk about wanting to go to California or the Gulf of Mexico. Old Man
Jenkins (Delos V. Smith, Jr.) says, “In California, you just plop a seed into
the ground, you find a sprout the very next day.” They want to escape to
anywhere that might suggest the promise of a better life, even if those dreams
are as insubstantial as the smoke coming out of a pipe. Woody says these men
are “depressing,” probably because of their pathetic ramblings. But they have
lost their jobs and there is nothing promising where they are.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A man named Collister (Beeson Carroll) arrives to get
gas for his car and says he’d pay a fortune teller who can inform him of something
interesting. Woody says he knows the man must work for the oil company because
nobody else could afford a fortune teller and a “soda pop.” He adds that the
man is serious about his work because his eyebrows are knit together. He goes
on to say that Collister is looking for a better idea and wants a big company
to buy him out. Collister asks when he should make the transaction. Woody
laughs and says he isn’t a mind reader, which is funny since he has made such
an accurate assessment of the stranger. Collister gives him a dollar and
compliments Woody, saying he’s the only man not claiming to know everything.
The exchange shows Woody’s insight, humility, and honesty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZPvpZZ3W5Pz9coKSx8Tr_by7BjvKkTEp5UZn56eP7Dkd8aS78y0BSNcnt6lHr-x1NoRsVRTavtNf_2-fCV28he8zoChYR4Y-HLA_atW0sYgYegc7xhTyLvadgf0bjpvEqPjadD69LZMJaBQlg2f6k1H-x0Qjc40YgZJS3AwRz6qVyLKRlZMDNZqx/s500/BFG%20-%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="500" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZPvpZZ3W5Pz9coKSx8Tr_by7BjvKkTEp5UZn56eP7Dkd8aS78y0BSNcnt6lHr-x1NoRsVRTavtNf_2-fCV28he8zoChYR4Y-HLA_atW0sYgYegc7xhTyLvadgf0bjpvEqPjadD69LZMJaBQlg2f6k1H-x0Qjc40YgZJS3AwRz6qVyLKRlZMDNZqx/s320/BFG%20-%2015.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Since he made some money from talking, Woody paints a
sign advertising his communication skills. His wife, Mary (Melinda Dillon),
tells her husband to be practical about making money from his artistic
sign-making ability. Woody ask her not to harp on that point, which shows him
to be an impractical man interested in artistic and extraordinary practices. That
same idea comes up around the family dinner table later when Woody’s father,
Charlie Guthrie (Robert Sorrells), says there are jobs in Amarillo Texas at a
department store. Woody says he isn’t going to be “no shoe salesman.” Mary is
sarcastic about how maybe Woody can tell his daughter’s fortune when the child
is “begging for milk.” The artistic and the practical just don’t mix well in
Woody.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Because he now has a reputation as a fortune teller,
people expect him to have other extraordinary powers like helping those that
are sick from inhaling the dust from the storms prevalent in the middle of the
country. These actual storms seem to mirror Mother Nature’s symbolic comment on
the waste land that has taken over the United States. Woody gives a mind over
body speech to encourage an ill woman to keep fighting for survival. He tells
her that God gave her a mind which is “the boss of the whole body.” So, her
mind can tell her body to drink water and thrive so she will not leave her
husband and children behind. When the woman starts to drink water her relative
offers Woody some money, but he refuses it. He probably feels doing a good deed
is compensation enough, and he is proud that his words could do what they did. This
ability to influence others through words eventually leads to his being a singer/songwriter.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody’s individualism comes across when instead of
painting a shipowner’s sign with white letters against a black background, he instead
uses red as the backdrop. He tells the owner that red stands out better which demonstrates
his artistic sensibility and defies traditional standards. That defiance gets
him fired from the job, showing that the nonconformist finds resistance from
those that subscribe to rigid standards. That rebelliousness can lead to
selfish behavior since we see a scene where a woman makes sexual advances after
he sings. His infidelity is not an admirable aspect of rule breaking as Woody
ignores the commitment to his wife.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT6imc3WTmuoK51Jdr4oGnAISCgMAkB2aDIno-AC_hVHJgiKTJoPrH5lPyPYFkfAQbUrzTWQ2Wja44Ba-53ezqqDfR6dHTaug31uiTt3RLyYy-lRAUQWcf8fkcTyLbBrWKU_mqpUE7JcU-mFH8pBQMws4BIBpG5UB8KjzoboNdNkPzY1Epo0xu0Av/s1280/BFG%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT6imc3WTmuoK51Jdr4oGnAISCgMAkB2aDIno-AC_hVHJgiKTJoPrH5lPyPYFkfAQbUrzTWQ2Wja44Ba-53ezqqDfR6dHTaug31uiTt3RLyYy-lRAUQWcf8fkcTyLbBrWKU_mqpUE7JcU-mFH8pBQMws4BIBpG5UB8KjzoboNdNkPzY1Epo0xu0Av/s320/BFG%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A large man named Heavy Chandler (Lee McLaughlin) introduces
himself to Woody as an “insane” man. He says that he was in an asylum and that
ever since he was young he saw “newsreels” in his head. He says that those images
showed that “the boom is over,” and “the dust storms are getting darker and
there’s people fighting and killing, and there’s kids sick.” As a fellow
fortune teller Woody most likely feels a kinship with Heavy’s premonitions, and
he says, “Ain’t nothing wrong with your head.” The artist traditionally had the
label of being “mad” as he felt the influence of outside forces flow through
him, the literal meaning of “influence.” Those with insight into the dangerous
paths that society follows often experience ridicule from the short-sighted. Heavy
goes on to say that he also sees “shapes and designs and I see how to build
roads better.” In his special way of transcending present limitations he can see
how things can be better. Woody recognizes a kindred soul and gives paint and
brushes to Heavy so he can present his vision artistically for the rest of the
world to appreciate. Woody realizes that his role is the same one he advocates
for Heavy.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SCHCMwmM2Mz79VSIkTccN86RHzB8W1dumYHFqSxskt5JJOlSA89JGFtBerdIEfSrnlDy4giTDaI3uraUJPOM_uefIDKpgnYF2PlxyK35bh06ZKtsuFxDt6HBjvWgGZHKAsUAjaEK6G-BpwSMQlgKpvrIYiiTRsP2UKaP29RpWpTRCT-K3rfeaiIN/s2046/BFG%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="2046" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SCHCMwmM2Mz79VSIkTccN86RHzB8W1dumYHFqSxskt5JJOlSA89JGFtBerdIEfSrnlDy4giTDaI3uraUJPOM_uefIDKpgnYF2PlxyK35bh06ZKtsuFxDt6HBjvWgGZHKAsUAjaEK6G-BpwSMQlgKpvrIYiiTRsP2UKaP29RpWpTRCT-K3rfeaiIN/s320/BFG%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody plays fiddle with some local musicians at a
local square dance. Everyone is having a good time despite the tough circumstances.
But it’s as if Mother Nature will not allow them to experience enjoyment since
a huge dust storm interrupts the party. Woody fights the unbreathable air as he
rushes home to try and protect his family which must cover all openings to
their shack. As they listen to Woody’s music they must cover their noses and mouths
with damp cloths. The suffocating environment is symbolic of how life is trying
to choke the life out of the impoverished. He sees the depressed barber who has
no customers in his dust-laden shop, and the resident who can’t get his
motorcycle started because of the dirt. After learning that there will be no
more square dances even the positive Woody admits to his wife that things are
getting desperate.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts-MJaI5Ls2da55USLMxwLajhGERgaC619q_c5ZYpZQXd8iOUZzE8KBzJUQO86RdH80F8sP2SJA7MDtJq_Tzm44UBZYk278uB0ySW-w6k5jyImqyQrss4kA07iyNnY1yHegCw-CgzACNmJxLiJ8hz1M568m48aPHc-t8QhWIudI2dVnqZDf3wBTnJ/s725/BFG%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts-MJaI5Ls2da55USLMxwLajhGERgaC619q_c5ZYpZQXd8iOUZzE8KBzJUQO86RdH80F8sP2SJA7MDtJq_Tzm44UBZYk278uB0ySW-w6k5jyImqyQrss4kA07iyNnY1yHegCw-CgzACNmJxLiJ8hz1M568m48aPHc-t8QhWIudI2dVnqZDf3wBTnJ/s320/BFG%20-%2011.jpg" width="249" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody’s free spirit can’t tolerate staying in the
bogged down existence of Pampa, so he leaves a note to Mary that says he is
going to California. He hesitates for only a moment, but when he sees he can
get a ride out of town he takes off. It’s not easy for the audience to accept his
decision to leave his wife and young children. He travels with nothing more
than the clothes on his back, his paint brushes, and a harmonica. He becomes an
illegal passenger in a cramped train boxcar with other poor travelers chasing what’s
left of the American Dream out west to California.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7-Yrsps2kcSuR1GskLTSGwHppeHmnBGXf9Yoju_KcKFAhlRjDZBap5ukov33QBrMuWZOdqHRHikOeV9PUNWNHHJQpYdI47zDvLsnLHL8r84312wDSHaNUWWQWwhG-K0MHFHL8PVHz1YdJuQJtPnjcXPfuk8GPpweEMkCyN4iQmZnXSY-W1SRNdcF/s460/BFG%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="460" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7-Yrsps2kcSuR1GskLTSGwHppeHmnBGXf9Yoju_KcKFAhlRjDZBap5ukov33QBrMuWZOdqHRHikOeV9PUNWNHHJQpYdI47zDvLsnLHL8r84312wDSHaNUWWQWwhG-K0MHFHL8PVHz1YdJuQJtPnjcXPfuk8GPpweEMkCyN4iQmZnXSY-W1SRNdcF/s320/BFG%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He becomes friends with another hobo, an African
American named Slim Snedeger (Ji-Tu Cumbuka). On the train he also meets Po
Steve and Crippled Whitey (James Jeter). Their names reflect their sad fates.
Whitey calls himself a “fight spotter,” because he can “spot a fist-fight on
the street three blocks” before he reaches it. He fits in with the motif of the
fortune tellers, poor folks with prophetic visions who can see things that
others can’t. Slim says that people can get short-tempered riding boxcars, but
Woody’s optimism surfaces when he says that it still “beats walking.” But
Whitey’s prediction of a fight in ten minutes is right as a brawl breaks out
among the stowaways. Slim and Woody jump out when the train slows, and they
climb on top of one of the train cars. Slim echoes the earlier pie-in-the-sky idea
that one can find “whatever a man needs” in California. Woody keeps music as
his companion as he plays the harmonica. As the train rolls on we get a taste of
Woody’s most famous song, “This Land is Your Land,” that remind Americans that
the country should belong to everyone, not just a privileged few.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSf0Cj1CAghE3ZPDqhlk2TyABEqEnsLFw2iHQ6yRe5AeKM832J6wsVbNX5szoI4PyFpGevaApz8hV1VrPSj5AJpLxgZY5S-6VxWPw8gNOD4s-iKiizVjyIpxnjb_1lUGrG70fkoKxHlvbWGioEcza8rX-HGhKsjT2Nsa9HPs49tAj7gU8dla4s45i/s1000/BFG%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1000" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSf0Cj1CAghE3ZPDqhlk2TyABEqEnsLFw2iHQ6yRe5AeKM832J6wsVbNX5szoI4PyFpGevaApz8hV1VrPSj5AJpLxgZY5S-6VxWPw8gNOD4s-iKiizVjyIpxnjb_1lUGrG70fkoKxHlvbWGioEcza8rX-HGhKsjT2Nsa9HPs49tAj7gU8dla4s45i/s320/BFG%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The travelers receive a mean unwelcoming by men with
clubs and guns as the train pulls into a station. One of the armed thugs
threatens to kill one of the hobos. Some must give up what little money they
have to continue to travel. Those like Woody who don’t hear coins “jangling” or
money “folding” in their pockets are considered vagrants and must walk,
threatened with thirty days imprisonment if caught riding a train for free
again. Slim is able to get a ride on the train, so Woody loses his new friend
in a hurry and continues traveling alone.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody can’t even get kindness from a clergyman, who is
supposed to be in the Christian compassion business. Woody asks for work to
earn a meal. The pastor says that there isn’t any work so it would be charity,
and that would cause “harm” in the long run. The film suggests that it is cruel
to not help people to live when there is no other alternative for them to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody’s musical abilities are many since he can sing, play
the guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and now a piano in a bar for tips. The song he sings
stresses Jesus’s compassion for the poor, which makes it relevant to the Depression
era. He writes songs along the way, winning over a woman’s submission by saying
he wrote a particular song just for her. Despite his leaving and infidelity, he
still writes letters home to his wife. One may find this act either touching or
hypocritical.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody is thrilled when he gets a ride that crosses the
Arizona border into California. However, that exhilaration lasts a New York
second as many transporting their belongings must pull over. The police from
Los Angeles require that every man must have fifty dollars to get into
California. These are not deadbeats that are trying to enter the state, but down-on-their
luck fellow citizens. So much for America being the land of the free. Woody
shows his generosity by giving money to the fellow that drove him even though
he is dirt poor himself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He receives help from others that are destitute. A man
shares a blanket and campfire with Woody. Another fellow helps Woody get on a
guarded train as it starts to quickly depart. For his attempt to travel onboard
with Woody, the guards shoot him atop one of the cars. We have citizens
shooting other citizens who are just looking for a reprieve from their poverty.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8maKiOuajLTt0pWizo-2W6-fY86-gMmLiSPHqaHEMdRnHaZLfy7dkdiRVEmOIKcUZV9jRyqAJCw34mcZ1jk1IoxWdPWOtPv7NxCJLmEmu_eapGbH9PjsRAlzVPfOAEe_FaKKLHboT9YrVjanq4Q73vi2y9abfy3eT6kThwwQqRwhIwF0CNkcE8nBe/s2048/BFG%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="2048" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8maKiOuajLTt0pWizo-2W6-fY86-gMmLiSPHqaHEMdRnHaZLfy7dkdiRVEmOIKcUZV9jRyqAJCw34mcZ1jk1IoxWdPWOtPv7NxCJLmEmu_eapGbH9PjsRAlzVPfOAEe_FaKKLHboT9YrVjanq4Q73vi2y9abfy3eT6kThwwQqRwhIwF0CNkcE8nBe/s320/BFG%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody must jump off the train at a station since he
can hardly stand up after holding on between cars so no one will notice him. But
he has made it to California. However, the hopes for a better place to live there
are not in the cards. He cleans up the kitchen area of the restaurant of a
Chinese cook and receives chili to eat as payment. But again, there are no jobs.
When he helps a couple with a bent wheel on their truck, the man, Luther
Johnson (Randy Quaid), says everything in California is “bent.” The promised
land is not delivering on its reputation.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody rides with Luther and his wife, Liz (Elizabeth
Macey), and their infant child. Luther is a migrant farm worker. They go to a
place where there are only about three hundred jobs and there are a thousand
more than that number hoping for work. Most of the people live camped outside,
crowded together, hoping against all odds to get employment. Wages are so bad
that they can’t buy essentials. Woody says that there ought to be something
done to help the workers. Luther mentions the possibility of a union, but a
strike would bring hardship to those already suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkX2ArsSFd0Vc9szTbfjck2brD0Lhdv1FQ8nSPgs_hZwfAiwY_UbA4x4ZMJNgg1loQME5Yjrsau3LvrlacKMoFXkt7vlfL0xE7CDsSosYpfrM5CM_CyrQMT-Z_Z122soonB6Tk6mmcQA_K2QH9cHFVPLdz_lG8eRxLHfG6XFHYOrd8QtTjMDMCdSz/s2048/BFG%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1404" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkX2ArsSFd0Vc9szTbfjck2brD0Lhdv1FQ8nSPgs_hZwfAiwY_UbA4x4ZMJNgg1loQME5Yjrsau3LvrlacKMoFXkt7vlfL0xE7CDsSosYpfrM5CM_CyrQMT-Z_Z122soonB6Tk6mmcQA_K2QH9cHFVPLdz_lG8eRxLHfG6XFHYOrd8QtTjMDMCdSz/s320/BFG%20-%2018.jpg" width="219" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He goes into town to pawn Luther’s guitar for him and
stops at a soup kitchen. Woody is not used to getting handouts and expects to
work for the soup. He eventually accepts the free meal from Pauline (Gail
Strickland) but promises to paint a sign for the kitchen the next day. She
agrees to red and white, and it appears Woody sees a connection between them. After
painting the sign, he says he hopes she will make dinner for him. She realizes
the romantic implication here and says she can’t grant his request. Woody rubs
his scruffy beard and says, “of course you can’t.” She insists that it is not
Woody’s downtrodden appearance that is the reason for the rejection. But, he shows
no hurt because he says it is a good reason.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody then goes to a bar just to play a relaxing song,
but a fight breaks out between two men. It seems there is no place of peace in
this tension-packed world. Back at the migrant camp, tempers are also running
high as only thirty people get jobs. Luther says that all the employers are
alike no matter where a worker goes. The depression was truly great. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBkeE4MWa-BMQUCnk_fmUCZHU0jG6ShTDlLF9FUn8-OJXPMZDhz78O42IzQsVo7xPyKhm1Tn5Dhtnn3ukpixz76Tl0X5vNtCL0kGn_oZD1Qc_IYdlpsAj65i_3p_pCF5h938DcaRNmKgnzZCDPy6RoZglY9_XKDY--wjQpxezJK0yE2YOlBJudtos/s1600/boundforglory-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBkeE4MWa-BMQUCnk_fmUCZHU0jG6ShTDlLF9FUn8-OJXPMZDhz78O42IzQsVo7xPyKhm1Tn5Dhtnn3ukpixz76Tl0X5vNtCL0kGn_oZD1Qc_IYdlpsAj65i_3p_pCF5h938DcaRNmKgnzZCDPy6RoZglY9_XKDY--wjQpxezJK0yE2YOlBJudtos/s320/boundforglory-8.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj_cL92xZ9PdRrKnOegjOPfiWBHRBLqD_imGTaESmUu8Uh1RtOHnCTS30htSZwt5M2E8xtIuNLwUxCi4hkE9ngUhF7R61RUcpezkcSVmpuyHFTKoWRhza6WUOVJi0eUrYzIF-lhTqGd29FsgTuKHVThkQwHJn_it_iGUmw9-r4v7I57FL6m0Egd0x/s1280/BFG%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhj_cL92xZ9PdRrKnOegjOPfiWBHRBLqD_imGTaESmUu8Uh1RtOHnCTS30htSZwt5M2E8xtIuNLwUxCi4hkE9ngUhF7R61RUcpezkcSVmpuyHFTKoWRhza6WUOVJi0eUrYzIF-lhTqGd29FsgTuKHVThkQwHJn_it_iGUmw9-r4v7I57FL6m0Egd0x/s320/BFG%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Ozark Bule (Ronnie Cox), a singer, arrives at the
campsite and those present are excited by the possibility of entertainment. He
brings fruit to eat and says he will only play his guitar if they all shout
“Union!” He sings a song that criticizes the employers for saying workers will
get their reward in heaven. Ozark’s ability to generate the desire to change
the horrible conditions of the poor through his music gets Woody’s attention. There
is a hoe-down into the evening and Woody joins with others in singing and
playing music. Woody sings his songs, including “Bound for Glory,” about a
righteous train traveling. The people there applaud Woody’s performance. The
boss’s enforcers try to run Ozark off and fighting breaks out. Woody rides off
with Ozark, who tells Woody he should start “trying” to use his talent to make
a difference.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYttvvudA4KAprbFL6yzc1HjPuqpgBpJvsDFRbUa3ZwxKjpbhbo7jgXK8GZcdF5YeAyvZ2H9QLrd4o1U4KINHtwFBlkDdTaXPW3hqSh0wFc5h1RZPSFJZPLic6Mzho6BlKe4MC4qHCuh4OeE4nY0DHahw3cUF58Ve1NlicN9EeKq1qqOvayNKlpf9/s400/BFG%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYttvvudA4KAprbFL6yzc1HjPuqpgBpJvsDFRbUa3ZwxKjpbhbo7jgXK8GZcdF5YeAyvZ2H9QLrd4o1U4KINHtwFBlkDdTaXPW3hqSh0wFc5h1RZPSFJZPLic6Mzho6BlKe4MC4qHCuh4OeE4nY0DHahw3cUF58Ve1NlicN9EeKq1qqOvayNKlpf9/s320/BFG%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwp6VFys2v0u5ea5Q8lGF_adfrluasbpztBqfUfizi8gcKooSxBP1uGOxuTAtcbyv5bEP7IW93VxGgBsxKgjecrS34FOTOoFNdnFufS7TzyMnKPg1t4Dx5XgfA-zayPJ5KhXx-L-iB2lTmtO5-Qxx7FR0qV87X-05MUrOo5f_xW7NiAi16r9Udfrk/s470/BFG%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="470" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwp6VFys2v0u5ea5Q8lGF_adfrluasbpztBqfUfizi8gcKooSxBP1uGOxuTAtcbyv5bEP7IW93VxGgBsxKgjecrS34FOTOoFNdnFufS7TzyMnKPg1t4Dx5XgfA-zayPJ5KhXx-L-iB2lTmtO5-Qxx7FR0qV87X-05MUrOo5f_xW7NiAi16r9Udfrk/s320/BFG%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Ozark gets Woody an audition at the radio station and
Woody gets a weekly job playing his music. He joins with Ozark and other
musicians performing at the studio. He sings about not having a home, with the
police hassling him as he wanders about, with the bosses cashing in on his hard
work. He goes around to the fields with Ozark talking about joining a union and
the employer’s goons come by and attack them as they barely escape with their
lives. The movie is presenting the abuse of unrestrained capitalism.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody now looks cleaned up and goes to the soup
kitchen where Pauline still says she doesn’t want to have him over for dinner because
she doesn’t know him. He is persistent and funny when he says he would like
gravy with his chicken. When he goes to her neighborhood he finds it to be quite
upscale. He is funny when he says to Pauline that he thought the mayor would be
answering the door since the building looked like city hall. At dinner he asks
her if she ever feels “embarrassed” about having so much when others have
nothing. He says he met many people on the road who were dead broke who didn’t
want charity, just work. Woody says despite being deprived they could still
give him something of themselves. When he met rich people they wouldn’t even
look at him. In other words, they became dehumanized because they were always afraid
of someone taking what they had. He is suggesting what Brad Pitt’s character in
<i>Fight Club </i>says how the things you own begin to own you. Pauline is adamant
that she has feelings and cares just like others. He says that isn’t good
enough, but he thought she had “possibilities” because she was the first rich
person “that looked back” instead of ignoring him for being poor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At a union meeting there is much discord among those
present. Woody literally writes a song on the spot and he and Ozark sing about
“Stickin’ with the union.” His music and words transcend the animosity and get
the crowd on their feet in unison. The goons are there, too, however, and start
to use blackjacks on the men. Woody and Ozark join those in the fight to defend
their bodies and their rights.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back at Pauline’s house, Woody nurses his poor, bruised
body in her luxurious tub as she sits in her bed. So, they have obviously
become intimate. She admits that she is happy knowing him. Despite her being wealthy,
he has added an intangible richness to her life. The next morning he confesses
that he is married and has children. He can’t lie to her because he knows that
they care for one another. Unlike the way he was with other women, when it
comes to Pauline, he can’t be selfishly deceptive with her. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J7vwy3l7DOx_ecd1m0mxUcIseVFUCaN265G3S8rOhiO912pqHfV3_gsZS1EEWXNL70pRJmvVCm-jNYrCN4qc9lfACCcg15GQSrnDfDnGWbbaD3DVJ13gyCl23HQ8FoPjJsehYKh7S8C0R_gMO3yYciOhKvQz-sGyvUVrLcelR7JoWMWoDOZ3xmO7/s728/BFG%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J7vwy3l7DOx_ecd1m0mxUcIseVFUCaN265G3S8rOhiO912pqHfV3_gsZS1EEWXNL70pRJmvVCm-jNYrCN4qc9lfACCcg15GQSrnDfDnGWbbaD3DVJ13gyCl23HQ8FoPjJsehYKh7S8C0R_gMO3yYciOhKvQz-sGyvUVrLcelR7JoWMWoDOZ3xmO7/s320/BFG%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody now feels that he has enough money to have his
family join him. He calls Mary and tells her he loves her. Woody is ready to be
a family man again, and buys a house so he, Mary, and the children can live
like they hoped they would. They are ecstatic in this new life, but that
elation will contrast with the sadness that they will encounter later.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody receives fan mail, and the station manager,
Locke (John Lehne), offers him a nightly gig with increased pay. However, Woody
will have sponsors who want him to steer clear of “controversial” topics. The companies
want to cash in on his talent but they want to own his soul so he will not attack
them. Ozark gives him a knowing nod to agree to the deal, which suggests he
expects to have Woody still preaching the union gospel, but not on the radio. Woody
has a difficult time separating the job one uses to make money and one’s moral
responsibility. He rebels on the air as he sings a song about the dashed dream
of leaving the “dust bowl” for the “sugar bowl” of California, only to discover
that visitors are not welcome unless they pay their way in. Locke wants a list
of the songs he is going to sing, but Woody would rather have Locke fire him if
he must compromise his artistic freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After a show at the station, a man named Baker (Bernie
Koppel) meets Woody and eventually becomes his agent. Woody travels and sings,
but finding workers earning only “pennies” for their labor depresses Woody. He
says to Mary that somehow it made more sense dealing with what Mother Nature
served up than people’s “greed.” It seems that he is saying that Mother Nature did
not knowingly try to hurt others, unlike humans. Mary worries about him losing
his job and doesn’t want to return to an impoverished, unhealthy existence. It
is a precarious life at this time when the state of the society can quickly
lead to a ruined life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-l-nbapWhE06tXsvR18AZNrt4bEvAiQ-8R4mHajI8BvpvD3H_u5NBqb6YJRnG2e89E47IOeCa0wkhrkElSLxaDfZhd54ihgl4uP___JavYcV0VEPGpEJNmDsSUyLA8rFXbix-yAc7tJ4wt9iP3FJ9VEPQtdcEQVl5hSYEgMAHBFc7yt4CPqSPmKj/s1629/BFG%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1629" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-l-nbapWhE06tXsvR18AZNrt4bEvAiQ-8R4mHajI8BvpvD3H_u5NBqb6YJRnG2e89E47IOeCa0wkhrkElSLxaDfZhd54ihgl4uP___JavYcV0VEPGpEJNmDsSUyLA8rFXbix-yAc7tJ4wt9iP3FJ9VEPQtdcEQVl5hSYEgMAHBFc7yt4CPqSPmKj/s320/BFG%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1jf5GW3M7AnRd9eX1vaAzQ5jpmc0vKvbyqmF8DNIigscIuNyY1SATuUDCwVXGEyTTzqvxX6JyNUZjQnd_fTvyrq66Cq6K9IGS4tdC34ageU_zQ0he5QSF-K-KuFILNZmvXwGy2Gacl65eqOARioS-Ps9UGM52bhDnZdrBv2gC3MpZSAsUkzyk_6O/s500/BFG%20-%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="500" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1jf5GW3M7AnRd9eX1vaAzQ5jpmc0vKvbyqmF8DNIigscIuNyY1SATuUDCwVXGEyTTzqvxX6JyNUZjQnd_fTvyrq66Cq6K9IGS4tdC34ageU_zQ0he5QSF-K-KuFILNZmvXwGy2Gacl65eqOARioS-Ps9UGM52bhDnZdrBv2gC3MpZSAsUkzyk_6O/s320/BFG%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Woody runs into his old traveling friend Johnson, who incurred
a face wound from strike-breakers. Johnson says he learned from his baby that
you must make noise to get what you want and tells Woody to keep being the
voice of the poor workers. After he gives Locke the list he wanted, Woody is
angry and starts to wreck the studio out of guilt for capitulating to the
demand. He hits the road again to visit the workers and uses his songs to urge
them to become union members. At one spot the company thugs beat him up and
destroy his guitar. There is a cost for fighting inequity. Woody left the job
and the family, again, and when he returns, Mary is crying when she says, “You
don’t think nothing about running off whenever you get the urge.” They have a
heated fight. His wife and children become collateral damage in this war Woody
wages against the rigged economic system, and the film stresses how difficult
it is to fight against those in power.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Woody returns to the radio studio but refuses to stop
singing his songs dedicated to the field workers. Locke fires him, but Ozark is
jubilant because the agent Baker lined up a CBS performance that will allow
Woody to sing to the entire nation. He and Ozark go out celebrating and Woody
returns home with gifts for the family. But Mary has had enough of the mostly
absent and unreliable Woody going off on his crusades. She has left with the
children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Woody auditions at the exclusive Coconut Grove
venue the booking staff wants to package him as a hillbilly act and do not care
about the message he is bringing. He tells Ozark that he doesn’t want to
perform in front of rich folks who, according to Woody, are cut off from the
rest of the population and, thus, do not bother themselves with the plight of
the destitute. Baker has already told him the that he has to avoid
“controversial” topics on the CBS show. It’s the same situation that he found
at the radio station, where those with money, sponsors, dictate what the artist
should say so their own affluent lives can remain impervious to criticism. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">He walks out and Ozark finally says goodbye to Woody
who says he just wants to be somewhere else. He echoes what he said earlier
that he always feels he should be somewhere else. He is not content to settle
in and be comfortable and complacent. He’s like a soldier who keeps looking for
the battle. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pNRRT9ctewgiiTJES4XeL-fhVoGXVvVoEkv67bzt0p6fcVW7hYhYueythh_fna0ETcEb9EbkeZwuprlu5ekTe6qh53PF8SlNOPXdnAJ5oqdrGBfglhAw1iySvX5u5ej0zrEj5nDjmkPdGC2YQS5UCJShHLRdfi2QJ59t4njEKExdM-EKjV5rIDJI/s1920/BFG%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pNRRT9ctewgiiTJES4XeL-fhVoGXVvVoEkv67bzt0p6fcVW7hYhYueythh_fna0ETcEb9EbkeZwuprlu5ekTe6qh53PF8SlNOPXdnAJ5oqdrGBfglhAw1iySvX5u5ej0zrEj5nDjmkPdGC2YQS5UCJShHLRdfi2QJ59t4njEKExdM-EKjV5rIDJI/s320/BFG%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a voice-over narrative in which a recording
of the real Woody Guthrie says that he hates songs that run people down by
saying they are bound to lose. As Woody rides yet another train he sings “This
land is Your Land,” which stresses that we should be bound for glory. Woody
would die of a terrible ailment, Huntington’s disease, but his music and hope to
eliminate oppression lives on.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bridge of Spies.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-83481364711567687482022-08-23T11:10:00.000-04:002022-08-23T11:10:54.346-04:00Angel Heart<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM_GrtgZzhdmLlvFWdqGrBP7FW4vDzh9lk7zmjROAJBnppGsKwt7_QOk28qE9SqpaSBweQ4MJeY2kDYzjr12wtFPUmX8_CxXkbavdXeoYw7Hc1tL-JNLa74wUkWe71-6lXYrF3lkN0oGU-6mGAcgT1uZxeOrcES5ugS4DUenHz38qpofXD1ndOrTf/s2958/AH%20-%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="1931" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM_GrtgZzhdmLlvFWdqGrBP7FW4vDzh9lk7zmjROAJBnppGsKwt7_QOk28qE9SqpaSBweQ4MJeY2kDYzjr12wtFPUmX8_CxXkbavdXeoYw7Hc1tL-JNLa74wUkWe71-6lXYrF3lkN0oGU-6mGAcgT1uZxeOrcES5ugS4DUenHz38qpofXD1ndOrTf/s320/AH%20-%201.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel Heart </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(1987)
depicts a world bereft of goodness and morality, where evil reigns. The movie
is most notable for Allan Parker’s directing that creates visceral responses through
surrealistic and religious imagery and symbolism.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The initial setting is an inhospitable wintery New
York in 1955. The opening shows a dirty, dark alley with smoke rising from
vents which, in the context of this film, suggests the fires of hell. A dog and
cat prowl the spot, making animal sounds possibly pointing to the bestial
nature that exists even in a metropolitan city. There is a dead body with a
blood-smeared face in the alleyway. No one is singing “New York, New York”
here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOtL3H8lhAm8jz6W5NZQM98F91BvJ_9D9chKcX6WWQUMDBZ7yzjHOUQ824pQYwD4nHycsHqIVkwIiggt9zt17ym-gA_RkQcr52dAR96G7yoW3zlC6Fe2FR8kw_KBrLohXh2O-TtDZrNIF5Sfi-dupb_tnvpWsB0SUcL6dQRx8hdVde5H3_JorLU2G/s500/Ah%20-%200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="500" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOtL3H8lhAm8jz6W5NZQM98F91BvJ_9D9chKcX6WWQUMDBZ7yzjHOUQ824pQYwD4nHycsHqIVkwIiggt9zt17ym-gA_RkQcr52dAR96G7yoW3zlC6Fe2FR8kw_KBrLohXh2O-TtDZrNIF5Sfi-dupb_tnvpWsB0SUcL6dQRx8hdVde5H3_JorLU2G/s320/Ah%20-%200.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke), which turns out to be an
ironic name (the title of the novel on which the movie is based is called <i>Fallen
Angel</i>), is a lowly private eye with a messy office. He receives a phone
call from attorney Herman Winesap (Dann Florek) to meet Louis Cyphre (Robert De
Niro). The last name sounds like “cipher,” which means something cryptic that needs
decoding. Well, if you put the first and last names together you get what
sounds like “Lucifer.” So, meeting this guy can’t be good.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel must go to a church in Harlem which turns out to
have a funeral procession outside, an ominous scene. The place is not what one
usually associates with a place of worship. Pastor John (Gerald Orange) is
overtly greedy as he tells his flock to open their “wallets” and “purses”
because he should not be riding in a Cadillac, because if his parishioners “love”
him he should have a “Rolls Royce.” Angel meets Winesap who has a partner named
Mackintosh. As IMDb points out they have names of apples, and in the Bible the
apple represents temptation which brings sin into the world. (Not the only time
lawyers are associated with evil. There is <i>The Devil’s Advocate</i> with Al
Pacino as Satan. The senior partners in the TV show <i>Angel</i>, another
deceptive title,<i> </i>are demons). Angel sees a woman wearing a black hood
(spooky) cleaning blood off a wall. Winesap says a man committed suicide by
shooting himself. What a church. Do they sing “Oh, Happy Day” here?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf6FS2FigXg_CMFwF7yWdSe1R6U3qZnAiRDmxBqJGzbUv73mxtxq1-iAv7rrZLK7ACXjBbTta-M8NO_G5sLlYjMr4xtJGBtC6Z_c_lYiTXzpBCVCjq_81kpxIR4ZhP3TB1di5_Bd7qVO_XrFe59cdzOghMwBe2GMgGJ_CDNLLDHwaKkYyP_BApq3W/s1280/AH%20-%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf6FS2FigXg_CMFwF7yWdSe1R6U3qZnAiRDmxBqJGzbUv73mxtxq1-iAv7rrZLK7ACXjBbTta-M8NO_G5sLlYjMr4xtJGBtC6Z_c_lYiTXzpBCVCjq_81kpxIR4ZhP3TB1di5_Bd7qVO_XrFe59cdzOghMwBe2GMgGJ_CDNLLDHwaKkYyP_BApq3W/s320/AH%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Angel meets Cyphre who sits on a small platform almost
like he is on a throne. He wears black clothes (nothing subtle about that). He fiddles
with a cane (a scepter?) His fingernails are long, a possible reference to his
being a demon, and he has a pentagram ring on his finger. Be afraid, be very
afraid. Winesap greets Cyphre by holding his hand, like in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Godfather </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">or,
in a different context, the way one kisses the Pope’s ring. The image is one of
paying tribute to a powerful leader. There are electric fans in the room which
become a motif in the movie. Cyphre wants Angel to find out if a “client,” a
singer named Johnny Favorite, who was injured in the war and supposedly
suffered from amnesia, was alive or dead. He received treatment at an
institution. Winesap, using legal language, says that there was a contract
between Cyphre and Johnny, and there was to be payment for what Cyphre
supplied. If he is the devil, then one would suspect that Johnny sold his soul
to achieve some fame. Cyphre suggests that he and Angel met before, which is
also ominous.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNQ1_pLx9I_KZ07Ei3dyP4RQu8_XjSzzCRi3vEjkifq_hJh13brv-9vikvsT-Q1_A6cF9xHhvP7rVNbn_Noy_KLs848bM5Y7wJXD6dy8reaXWuVqhpoteBG4rncSVcUrvxtAz3izWo1fjN1ib85fqROtE3itYeoc4mMr_F2T9HRVI8mOINJg4ONk6/s1920/angel-heart-23.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNQ1_pLx9I_KZ07Ei3dyP4RQu8_XjSzzCRi3vEjkifq_hJh13brv-9vikvsT-Q1_A6cF9xHhvP7rVNbn_Noy_KLs848bM5Y7wJXD6dy8reaXWuVqhpoteBG4rncSVcUrvxtAz3izWo1fjN1ib85fqROtE3itYeoc4mMr_F2T9HRVI8mOINJg4ONk6/s320/angel-heart-23.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Angel drives to the place that treated Johnny. He has
a bunch of fake ID cards, which shows his use of deception in his work, and
pulls one out for the “National institute of Health.” IMDb also mentions that
Angel has several keys that would be “skeleton” keys (a deadly name). In the
novel they are pass keys that can, supposedly, magically open all doors, which
adds to the supernatural element in the story and fits how a private detective
tries to discover secrets. He discovers that a Dr. Albert Fowler (Michael
Higgins) transferred Johnny Favorite (whose real name is Liebling) out of the
institution. (“Fowler” is pronounced like “Foul-er,” suggestive of one who
commits foul deeds. But, as we find, chickens disturb Angel, so “fowl” works
here, too).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7hKqJrZE12aF4SOOHNTyTybbXiyZ7tl3Yc888sVuEMGk4BitlnSG_P8jrtDpoVYoJHq_dgPFlQLJEjS-Tr5duf657kYAN17dgNNkUlOGI4-pY-AxOKvQoME-c4Kd-TFILC4If-toEQXUuXybTI9VtIrbt3rE1B9vXrNPhF9oua4xvh_VTBK_jmy_/s640/AH%20-%2018.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7hKqJrZE12aF4SOOHNTyTybbXiyZ7tl3Yc888sVuEMGk4BitlnSG_P8jrtDpoVYoJHq_dgPFlQLJEjS-Tr5duf657kYAN17dgNNkUlOGI4-pY-AxOKvQoME-c4Kd-TFILC4If-toEQXUuXybTI9VtIrbt3rE1B9vXrNPhF9oua4xvh_VTBK_jmy_/s320/AH%20-%2018.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Angel tracks the doctor down through the phone
directory and breaks into the dilapidated residence. Next to a bible in a
drawer is a revolver, offering up opposite images of destruction and salvation.
Angel finds morphine in the refrigerator, an illegal substance to privately possess.
So, when the sweaty Fowler, looking for a drug fix, comes home, Angel threatens
to snitch on the doctor if he calls the cops. Angel found out that the
deceptive Fowler faked a transfer to a VA hospital and took a bribe of $25,000
to release Johnny to a man named Edward Kelly and a girl while maintaining that
Johnny was still hospitalized. Angel locks Fowler in his room so he can’t get
at his morphine to make him desperate enough that he may remember who took
Johnny. In the room is another slow-moving fan that alternately shifts its blade
direction. These fans seem to announce the presence of evil or of corrupted
souls.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The surreal quality of the film increases as Angel
hears his name whispered as he walks down a street and he sees two nuns through
a swinging church door silently praying, while what looks like blood drips into
a basin near them. There is an old-fashioned elevator door opening and closing
inside, too. Could these images suggest the opposites of going to heaven or
hell, gaining salvation or being damned? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The camera focuses on Angel holding the key to
Fowler’s bedroom, another reference to trying to discover what is happening by
finding out what is hidden. When he unlocks the bedroom, it appears that the
doctor killed himself with his gun, the one that Angel found in the drawer
outside the bedroom. How did Fowler get it if the door was locked? Angel lights
a cigarette by striking a match on the dead man’s shoe, an emotionally cold
thing to do. As it turns out the bible Angel discovered was hollowed out and contained
bullets. Talk about danger hidden below a benevolent surface! Angel wipes down everything
to erase his fingerprints (more deception). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisufSU8g380khA1AA0tmr66td95dGNKPBS0MpxKL6v3voKGupJI0ttGrj6qZssff1Kx9CG8IsMU6yzI9HKFQrJIxUiQHVn93Ctt9GzyyHyXpCcQzxV4EtY1qO7EugOOEnYTWd5XPpSHDtJeSOhfy0uIEHZD0iSN3YsHC1PiqJLdOd4hOl1YquQ6VyZ/s1038/AH%20-%2013.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1038" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisufSU8g380khA1AA0tmr66td95dGNKPBS0MpxKL6v3voKGupJI0ttGrj6qZssff1Kx9CG8IsMU6yzI9HKFQrJIxUiQHVn93Ctt9GzyyHyXpCcQzxV4EtY1qO7EugOOEnYTWd5XPpSHDtJeSOhfy0uIEHZD0iSN3YsHC1PiqJLdOd4hOl1YquQ6VyZ/s320/AH%20-%2013.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Angel meets Cyphre in a nice restaurant which is strangely
empty. Angel tells Cyphre what he has learned about Johnny, informing him that
Johnny left with his face bandaged because of an injury. Cyphre is undeterred,
equating Johnny with a slug who always leaves a trail of “slime” when they
leave. It is a damning metaphor, and Cyphre says it as he loudly cracks the
shell of a hard-boiled egg. He convinces Angel to continue his investigation by
upping his fee despite Angel worrying that he could now be a suspect in Fowler’s
death. Cyphre says that in some religions “the egg is the symbol of the soul.” He
asks if Angel wants an egg, but Angel declines and throws salt over his
shoulder. IMDb says that superstition says that one is throwing salt into the eyes
of the devil, blinding the demon. Cyphre then devours the egg staring menacingly
at Angel. If this guy acts like he is eating souls then he is either the devil
or thinks he is.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yUVqMk_6RR4aatX1LYlWQ3eonY6qI3nQ5O1CDpbXaqXH121yEv73Cyi-rXx9JZmcHUXGUjPujjEy3oJINbLVjIdn9YvCeddl51GRda4td2dqJiHK05ZG5CRmW3qaEigV5wKlPv2thWp7zdjI0O2Jj6nv4WLraWMwVlzWQKjplXC-l1zVwClNCYze/s800/AH%20-%209.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="800" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yUVqMk_6RR4aatX1LYlWQ3eonY6qI3nQ5O1CDpbXaqXH121yEv73Cyi-rXx9JZmcHUXGUjPujjEy3oJINbLVjIdn9YvCeddl51GRda4td2dqJiHK05ZG5CRmW3qaEigV5wKlPv2thWp7zdjI0O2Jj6nv4WLraWMwVlzWQKjplXC-l1zVwClNCYze/s320/AH%20-%209.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_ty2cgHhOm5mp3UMzLT7WYrldWBpS8Mpy1vRA5Ta_nAbLLUzJnUBnow41octn8DDXx4QXAy-MCJwOp6uijL0bpTlCH8l7eDlr8M119cb-eNFN09ELioWwbY80mw3N_lq8VsokCrs8Tf1bViY-hpGSh0k6Lhk17vj0jZ8ob6HuyRl2AgkWlkApc3T/s580/angel-heart_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="580" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_ty2cgHhOm5mp3UMzLT7WYrldWBpS8Mpy1vRA5Ta_nAbLLUzJnUBnow41octn8DDXx4QXAy-MCJwOp6uijL0bpTlCH8l7eDlr8M119cb-eNFN09ELioWwbY80mw3N_lq8VsokCrs8Tf1bViY-hpGSh0k6Lhk17vj0jZ8ob6HuyRl2AgkWlkApc3T/s320/angel-heart_14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Apparently, the church where Angel met Cyphre harbors
an evil cult because when Angel returns there he finds a dead monkey that was
killed as a sacrifice and other items, such as an inverted cross. Men (probably
members of Pastor John’s cult) attack Angel as he is about to confront a hooded
person (the person who cleaned up the blood earlier?). He escapes to a bar and
meets a woman named Connie (Elizabeth Whitcraft) who works for the New York
Times. She provides Angel with information as they undress (not very romantic
as there is no room for love in this world). He now has a picture of Johnny Favorite
who had a fiancé named Margaret Kruzemark (Charlotte Rampling). She, along with
Johnny, and other companions, practiced magic. Angel then has a series of
images: soldiers celebrating in Times Square; a trellis elevator, which is what
he saw at the church; a person going up a staircase; a woman’s feet; and a fan
in a window (lots of fans here).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWQrsZM0x_kWLAH8mScj8jCkTP9xon-QpOBLa2LS6BRifxopRPgiyqR4-W2enWo7_0RKxiVQ-czzTClR0LdwWPB2QiZbizSVO_dn9DBDOwf9AQcmL3JUbdU7Vi6cCIc0O_I9ZWZjD60ROnM-hIa20qubIc51pJThYfqek2qhWFVs7MkMtMWR-yyk8/s728/AH%20-%2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWQrsZM0x_kWLAH8mScj8jCkTP9xon-QpOBLa2LS6BRifxopRPgiyqR4-W2enWo7_0RKxiVQ-czzTClR0LdwWPB2QiZbizSVO_dn9DBDOwf9AQcmL3JUbdU7Vi6cCIc0O_I9ZWZjD60ROnM-hIa20qubIc51pJThYfqek2qhWFVs7MkMtMWR-yyk8/s320/AH%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angel tracks down Johnny’s associates and starts with Spider
Simpson (Charles Gordone) who is a patient in a hospital. He tells Angel that there
was a musician named Toots Sweet (Brownie McGhee) who went to New Orleans.
Angel suspects that Johnny and Margaret also went there. Johnny also was
intimately involved with an African American woman named Evangeline Proudfoot. She
had a “spooky store” in Harlem. There was also a palm reader named Madame Zora who
had a booth at Coney Island. Angel goes there and it looks desolate which fits
the time of year and the tone of the film. There is a geek named Izzy (George
Buck) there who says he bites the heads off rats. We are definitely in the
realm of the bizarre here. He wears a nose guard but there is hardly any sun.
He gives one to Angel, who puts it on. He looks scary, like he is wearing a
mask, possibly showing his true nature. There is a possible reference to </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Chinatown
</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">where Jack Nicholson’s private detective wears a bandage over his nose
after getting cut, which suggests he is following the wrong scent. Angel learns
from Izzy’s wife (Judith Drake) that Zora was actually Margaret who eventually went
home to Louisiana.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCc_D6edlJiHkpzssaTdgbxPoGVz9o4hTHl5af-Iro1-zHeweqPz2-8_fmePlza5rdynQq_WHI4O4xjnd4sUvtK9oJC33EQZUBfEDr4tCWSkFmTx8zYW1iw8uC93Xk1nTjRXBStdd-vC95lgjASsE5twD34dbDh2FVe5iguxr3k1e-bOhgmxt4kHr/s1024/Angel%20Heart%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1024" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCc_D6edlJiHkpzssaTdgbxPoGVz9o4hTHl5af-Iro1-zHeweqPz2-8_fmePlza5rdynQq_WHI4O4xjnd4sUvtK9oJC33EQZUBfEDr4tCWSkFmTx8zYW1iw8uC93Xk1nTjRXBStdd-vC95lgjASsE5twD34dbDh2FVe5iguxr3k1e-bOhgmxt4kHr/s320/Angel%20Heart%204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEhXIybJhycgqGDBl3i75hqGBARHGeZJA57nujboD7H-OYF_YnxIjWWM_Wd8AIsYXAnR-AdQz87Gz8U26y5S8YVcjYhuluHR66xtAHhDCGpVhbUC7u1A-oJi_Svuy867-Wd3TTjuPYfKvJ87ukTZFQJ3iwXIwefVX-5mM3J9V-N1xS6Ejh8OQ-ppS/s260/AH%20-%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="236" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEhXIybJhycgqGDBl3i75hqGBARHGeZJA57nujboD7H-OYF_YnxIjWWM_Wd8AIsYXAnR-AdQz87Gz8U26y5S8YVcjYhuluHR66xtAHhDCGpVhbUC7u1A-oJi_Svuy867-Wd3TTjuPYfKvJ87ukTZFQJ3iwXIwefVX-5mM3J9V-N1xS6Ejh8OQ-ppS/s1600/AH%20-%2019.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angel goes to New Orleans which is the opposite of New
York because it is sweltering. Angel is traveling south, possibly symbolically to
hell. He notices an advertisement for M. Kruzemark, a fortune teller. He makes
an appointment with her. He sees a woman who turns out to be Margaret, which is
kind of magical in itself, and follows her to her place. She asks his date of
birth, which is on Feb. 14, 1918. She says that she knew another born on that
date and she admits that he hurt her. It’s Johnny’s birth date and he
eventually tells her he is trying to get information about the singer. She
abruptly ends the session, saying Johnny is dead. She quickly reads his palm on
the way out telling him he wouldn’t like to know what she sees, which is a bit
of foreshadowing. He notices she wears a necklace that has pentagram similar to
the one Cyphre wore, which indicates her ties to the satanic realm.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJmm0IxuECoa1dLuZC0qhLabzENlA_13KOC3SzaoAChs0zo0kTPLpuoCVg322cstxDRLDEgkmhCnIMenkxezcsljx68HroWy_xXKGv2BdhOt-Ir-9mpYSb1RMhoxXqrL3FhRvOckI2gM0UJUNPZB0BYX5kfQC4zf0BiaVdYXDYJoyHoNVXQ4dNuYO/s700/AH%20-%2010.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="700" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJmm0IxuECoa1dLuZC0qhLabzENlA_13KOC3SzaoAChs0zo0kTPLpuoCVg322cstxDRLDEgkmhCnIMenkxezcsljx68HroWy_xXKGv2BdhOt-Ir-9mpYSb1RMhoxXqrL3FhRvOckI2gM0UJUNPZB0BYX5kfQC4zf0BiaVdYXDYJoyHoNVXQ4dNuYO/s320/AH%20-%2010.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angel discovers that Johnny’s secret love, Evangeline,
is dead. He goes to her grave (another Gothic element added to the story) and hides
as a young woman approaches the gravesite. She has a baby and changes offerings
that are on the plot, which contrasts with the Catholic cemetery setting. The
girl says to her child that it is her grandmother there. Angel follows her and finds
that Evangeline’s daughter’s name is Epiphany (Lisa Bonet) (an “epiphany” is
usually a sudden insight into something and usually has spiritual overtones). Angel
accidentally scares the child with his nose shield glasses, which adds an
ominous tone to his presence. She denies knowing anything about Johnny or Toots
Sweet. Angel compliments her on her beauty and she smiles, showing she might
find him attractive, too. (The chickens around the yard upset Johnny and he
mentioned his problem with them before. Does it have something to do with Cyphre
saying eggs were symbols of the souls of people, and he has lost his?).</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jhqXEhg3jfrWJRzLjnCk90YnVafoTw4fD-05-sYUuFcJ8W_LX-kYzvEuUw5FnDxk0pmpikp75GH_FLnYuVJhKHK2JiQFQvpKXIq5GKnihRuZVsOMEwapjlFgf9cy3F45g3pK2M6HLyHsynHW10bE_tBkFugokKt6FnJbr3bDV6Sqxw6S4kndtaP-/s480/AH%20-%2017.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="480" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jhqXEhg3jfrWJRzLjnCk90YnVafoTw4fD-05-sYUuFcJ8W_LX-kYzvEuUw5FnDxk0pmpikp75GH_FLnYuVJhKHK2JiQFQvpKXIq5GKnihRuZVsOMEwapjlFgf9cy3F45g3pK2M6HLyHsynHW10bE_tBkFugokKt6FnJbr3bDV6Sqxw6S4kndtaP-/s320/AH%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Angel goes to a bar where the guitar-playing Toots
Sweet performs. Angel asks about Johnny, but Toots is evasive. Angel follows
him into the men’s room, and Toots is now upset with Angel. He is shaken when
he sees a black cloth tied around a chicken foot on the sink, an obvious
witchcraft. voodoo object. A bouncer sticks the foot in Angel’s face, and he
again says he has a thing about chickens before the big bouncer tosses him out
of the club. Angel follows Toots to a voodoo gathering in the woods where
Epiphany, while dancing, performs a blood ritual by cutting the throat of the
chicken and spilling it on her. The recurrence of associating blood with ritual
adds a dark supernatural feel to the story.</span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">There is another slow-moving fan in a stairwell as
Angel climbs steps, which somewhat mirrors the previous image he saw as a kind
of premonition. He is following Toots. He attacks Toots who has a razor like
the one Epiphany used in the previous scene, which links the two characters
together. Toots cuts Angel on the face, which echoes the sacrifice scene.
During the fight that follows a religious statute falls from its perch and
cracks on the ground, suggestive of the fall in the Bible from religious grace.
Angel takes the razor and overpowers Toots. Angel then threatens to reveal Toots
presence at the ritual. Toots also has the symbol of the pentagram decorating a
tooth, which links him to Epiphany and Cyphre. Toots tells Angel that Epiphany
is a priestess in the cult and the chicken foot was a warning for Toots that he
talks too much. The association of chickens with occult groups may be another
reason why Angel basically says the only good chicken is a dead one. As he
leaves Angel drops Toots’s razor and a fan stops turning as he goes. Could it
mean that Angel is the source of the evil symbolized by the turning fan blades?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel has a nightmare where he enters a dark room. The
elevator appears again. His shirt is soaked in blood. He sees a razor and picks
it up and blood gushes from his hand. The same person with the dark hood sits
there. As he is about to reach for the anonymous person, he wakes up. Could
Angel be the one causing the bloodletting, and, thus, guilty of crimes? The
scene seems to link him to the blood sacrifices. Cops wake him up because someone
killed Toots. His assailant cut off his penis and stuffed it in his mouth,
causing him to asphyxiate. Talk about being full of yourself. The police found
Angel’s note leaving contact information with Toots. He tells the cops that he
was just asking Toots for some information and tells them the lawyer he is
working for. Angel touched the implement of death twice now – the gun that
killed the doctor and now the razor that a killer used on Toots.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyGr_2-VzAB6EdFvvztPgdVx5uwmrVOVEEJEtcpbRWPnCEd98K3Gl39s620tEItjB4_mivLvkg-wqVM1l2q4E4sbDhkG3skruHjl6JMDBW5PPKE492SwJbtVMpACLPNDDISWcdIW9Hb9zuunN4KxW8MNCJZ2IhChmRRBeBl7jnp6XsSlZqV8w_H3/s1920/angel-heart-8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyGr_2-VzAB6EdFvvztPgdVx5uwmrVOVEEJEtcpbRWPnCEd98K3Gl39s620tEItjB4_mivLvkg-wqVM1l2q4E4sbDhkG3skruHjl6JMDBW5PPKE492SwJbtVMpACLPNDDISWcdIW9Hb9zuunN4KxW8MNCJZ2IhChmRRBeBl7jnp6XsSlZqV8w_H3/s320/angel-heart-8.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">In another bar, Angel prepares to call Margaret as he
looks at his reflection. Mirrors in gothic tales usually represent the other,
darker side of a person. Angel gets images of himself in that elevator again
and soldiers celebrating. The fan makes another appearance. These images seem
to connect Angel with something sinister. And something sinister occurs in the
next scene. Angel goes to Margaret’s place and finds her dead, The same ornate
knife he found interesting on his first visit is the murder weapon. Someone
carved out Margaret’s heart and left it on the coffee table. Those associated
with Johnny Favorite are turning up dead. Again, Angel handles the implement of
death. He is upset and nauseous, but still searches the premises, finding a
mummified hand in a box, which resembles the chicken foot that appeared
earlier, another connection to dark ritualistic practices. Angel removes his
name from Margaret’s appointment list so as not to be a suspect.</span><div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGsLZ4pKyT-yXgn4q_iIBzBSimlM3UOHjq6I7u3aX-Fytyfc7fkHqBr7oXOY2noqhNHs2FyNggqDyPTX3tqSrIXcf-M85yH39cLwqR_yabqPa75OjV1nZdkRFWtphpI7eXIG19ONJsqJCa_akCBD3wQRbf-HhRGahkfrPF5In8dBO6wLr8Mne2qAU/s960/AH%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="960" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGsLZ4pKyT-yXgn4q_iIBzBSimlM3UOHjq6I7u3aX-Fytyfc7fkHqBr7oXOY2noqhNHs2FyNggqDyPTX3tqSrIXcf-M85yH39cLwqR_yabqPa75OjV1nZdkRFWtphpI7eXIG19ONJsqJCa_akCBD3wQRbf-HhRGahkfrPF5In8dBO6wLr8Mne2qAU/s320/AH%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y88cE7IhHdTEEIxkw-H0y7no5IehnPASTFusFdN8pTXp19fmSeSnI_vRM_SFcNtlXYZIsxuFhReFmtOgNFdr7TI0R7XCcC-wBwpyytOcQ-Q9gZeCDm1WDN5orFf0REBfuMdV49_qe32fM9s4UP5SmIYksTto6bjk7sgoWDb6AsPqGfG-2kxE6rcQ/s620/AH%20-%206.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y88cE7IhHdTEEIxkw-H0y7no5IehnPASTFusFdN8pTXp19fmSeSnI_vRM_SFcNtlXYZIsxuFhReFmtOgNFdr7TI0R7XCcC-wBwpyytOcQ-Q9gZeCDm1WDN5orFf0REBfuMdV49_qe32fM9s4UP5SmIYksTto6bjk7sgoWDb6AsPqGfG-2kxE6rcQ/s320/AH%20-%206.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The unnerved Angel passes by a church (religion is on
the sideline here) and drinks in another bar that has another ominous fan. Incongruously,
there is a religious statue in the window, maybe showing the desecration of the
spiritual. He drives past a baptism in a nearby lake, but that religious scene
contrasts with a suspicious truck following Angel’s car. Angel stops at a dock
and the men from the truck unleash their dog that attacks him. One of the men
says Margaret’s father, Ethan (Stocker Fontelieu), is a rich man who wants
Angel to go away.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel meets up with Epiphany and tells her she set up
Toots since she was the only one who knew Angel was looking for him; thus, she
sent the chicken foot warning that Toots talks too much. Epiphany is adamant
that her religious group does not kill people. She now admits that Johnny
Favorite is her father, but she does not know where he is. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjUksELAntBsxPYCWUXprV1Bo22BSGnMF_F5BzRc7BHYWJYKiYBVF19gwWIqK4Q8-2By7UjL0SzlD3hgjDhJIR_Ce-ndDCU9X3sbdZ7EB_IgQ7BfoGaCQ4z7PD4O6R1TDk8CuZf-4kl_Q_z03uubRiHzrryaUU8PL6YpD7gTK9pvJV1hZ-IRvuxS0/s704/angel_heart_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="704" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjUksELAntBsxPYCWUXprV1Bo22BSGnMF_F5BzRc7BHYWJYKiYBVF19gwWIqK4Q8-2By7UjL0SzlD3hgjDhJIR_Ce-ndDCU9X3sbdZ7EB_IgQ7BfoGaCQ4z7PD4O6R1TDk8CuZf-4kl_Q_z03uubRiHzrryaUU8PL6YpD7gTK9pvJV1hZ-IRvuxS0/s320/angel_heart_3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Angel receives a message from Cyphre who is now in New
Orleans and requests that Angel meet him at a church. These two again being in
a place of traditional worship adds to the theme of evil undermining Christian
ideals. It is funny when of all people, Cyphre chastises Angel for using vulgar
language in a church. Angel tells Cyphre about the murders and notes the
strange element of religious practices present. Cyphre comments on the twisted
nature of the world when he says, “There’s enough religion in the world to make
men hate each other, but not enough to make them love.” Angel thinks Johnny is
killing those who disliked him, and he was setting up Angel to take the blame.
Cyphre says he is only interested in collecting what Johnny owes him. It is
ironic that he says he has traditional beliefs, such as “an eye for an eye.” We
have the devil quoting the Old Testament Bible, which darkly associates the
deity with his adversary.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bRfjfLzvuOaKiwPeXPAlB6ViAsTTvDznygEpWcSehVA6wk73jxHa8gAbOBLyqb3EONYs_6USGiuDFAFMsJfF0yx-bkJzwymCI4nfTNmXhoEkNNw1W2Uci97ihQCOc5ZJH6sN7OZoSjdIPL98VqTbdIeZwOmU6ajB-ojEkvC1K6FZns1iTNpYcVO5/s1920/Ah%20-%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bRfjfLzvuOaKiwPeXPAlB6ViAsTTvDznygEpWcSehVA6wk73jxHa8gAbOBLyqb3EONYs_6USGiuDFAFMsJfF0yx-bkJzwymCI4nfTNmXhoEkNNw1W2Uci97ihQCOc5ZJH6sN7OZoSjdIPL98VqTbdIeZwOmU6ajB-ojEkvC1K6FZns1iTNpYcVO5/s320/Ah%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">What follows is a dark surrealistic mixture of sex and
violence referring to previous images in the film. Rain is pouring as Angel
finds Epiphany near his room, which is leaking from the ceiling. Inside she
says her mother thought that Johnny “was as close to true evil as she wanted to
come,” but he also was a wonderful lover. Evil, which can destroy also seems to
fuel the fulfillment of one’s sexual appetite here. As the two make feverish
love the rainwater turns to blood. There are cuts to the hooded figure cleaning
the suicide’s gore, the sacrifice of the lawyer Winesap, the elevator, and the
fan. Epiphany reaches a screaming climax that sounds more violent than
pleasurable. Angel gets out of the bed and punches the mirror, possibly
reflecting anger at his darker, other self.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsejR5zfFVdPFU7b70v3qN2gQgLd9z4JRoS07c7WotfXqymqglMcbfSVzlgOZK2FEiPMWSXaZIA1L3Ijv2Ze4ai-dGerYV2oxb1uJ-TMF-P815G_KNsVCjGpRcPR74ew7XMLP_GGsN82t6N8a6E16szvmgwC3-xO19-OaIa-GsQskEvZNiIgbKJur/s1280/AH%20-%207.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1280" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsejR5zfFVdPFU7b70v3qN2gQgLd9z4JRoS07c7WotfXqymqglMcbfSVzlgOZK2FEiPMWSXaZIA1L3Ijv2Ze4ai-dGerYV2oxb1uJ-TMF-P815G_KNsVCjGpRcPR74ew7XMLP_GGsN82t6N8a6E16szvmgwC3-xO19-OaIa-GsQskEvZNiIgbKJur/s320/AH%20-%207.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The police visit Angel, and one cop spews racial slurs
after seeing Epiphany in the room. They ask questions about Margaret. The
police are feeling the pressure from the dead woman’s powerful father. So, they
try to squeeze Angel for answers, but he blows them off. The guys in the truck
with the dog wait for Angel outside. He goes after them and chases one into a
barn. The other man follows and again sets the dog after Angel, who runs off
through a yard full of dreaded chickens, the objects of voodoo sacrifices.</span><div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialFpnhSgA50ADvB8npYRRjds61bsTLJRN5Ndjv4_ZXJ3Fwx70grXOmRxfWEZg0HtrKQKsnEMk7Us0WO1uy2gyDmnAMyc_ubTtGolySfS5uy3yaOBiCUDFTcn2kR7NRlgucD_mPs-AITSmZrqURnQm1-OVf2LewOieOXxbYt1CZLTafzTohhWK0Kan/s728/AH%20-%201.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialFpnhSgA50ADvB8npYRRjds61bsTLJRN5Ndjv4_ZXJ3Fwx70grXOmRxfWEZg0HtrKQKsnEMk7Us0WO1uy2gyDmnAMyc_ubTtGolySfS5uy3yaOBiCUDFTcn2kR7NRlgucD_mPs-AITSmZrqURnQm1-OVf2LewOieOXxbYt1CZLTafzTohhWK0Kan/s320/AH%20-%201.5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel attends a sordid gathering of people skinning
animals and conducting cock fights, another example of the depraved environment.
He meets Margaret’s father, Ethan, who Angel now believes is the Edward Kelly
who, with Margaret, took Johnny Favorite out of the medical institution. Ethan
takes Johnny to where gumbo is cooking. The bubbling cauldron looks like it is
boiling blood, another disturbing image. Ethan says he and his daughter left
Johnny, with amnesia and a bandaged face, in Time Square on New Year’s Eve in
the crowd in 1943. Ethan says he did it for Margaret’s sake because she and
Johnny were delving into dark magic. Ethan says the mummified hand Angel found
represents the Hand of Glory that can open all doors. This idea refers back to
all the skeleton keys (another deadly reference) that Angel possesses. While
Ethan talks, Angel becomes increasingly agitated, chopping at mounds of ice in
Ethan’s office (The fires of hell attacking its opposite?) and he knows Ethan
is more complicit than he lets on, and threatens the man. Ethan says that he
introduced Margaret to Johnny, who conjured up Satan, to whom he sold his soul
to become famous. Johnny then tried to cheat the devil by performing a demonic
ritual which included taking the soul of his victim, the soldier, and his identity,
by eating the man’s heart. Afterwards, Johnny was drafted and came back
injured. Margaret hoped he would restore his memory by being in a New Year’s
Eve crowd again, but instead Johnny disappeared. Ethan says that Margaret kept
the unfortunate soldier’s dog tags in a vase. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">After hearing this tale, Angel vomits in the bathroom,
most likely because he is learning the truth about himself. He looks in the
mirror, reflecting the other side of his being again, and visualizes the recurring
images of the hooded person wiping blood off the wall, the fan, and the soldier
in a crowd. When he exits the bathroom, Angel finds Ethan dead, his head
plunged into the boiling gumbo, as fire wins over ice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel bursts out of the building and runs to
Margaret’s apartment. He rummages through the place and finds the dog tags that
show his name, Harold Angel, on them. He is the soldier that Johnny Favorite possessed.
If Epiphany (who lives up to her name in being part of Angel’s revelation) is
Johnny’s daughter, then Angel in a way has committed incest. Also, Angel’s
subconscious self (Johnny) killed all those associated with Johnny who helped
him along the way to deny the devil his due. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kph5RE_v1397b8yWtB5Z02zwbOqjZW9s-G44L2EjkHGZr7BDj6-wUPNsJQ1Zt0TC0Yn3j_TIzq0OFIgJ8Js2q569FChBBHnE0quPYNHg1TQSEtRBXZVYrIb0A2lxryTygn8AlkdpKui70zkj1tyPiIrQVn4W54BwMqRC2YT1IVt1BLvjHoEpPDRO/s600/Angel-Heart-12.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="600" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kph5RE_v1397b8yWtB5Z02zwbOqjZW9s-G44L2EjkHGZr7BDj6-wUPNsJQ1Zt0TC0Yn3j_TIzq0OFIgJ8Js2q569FChBBHnE0quPYNHg1TQSEtRBXZVYrIb0A2lxryTygn8AlkdpKui70zkj1tyPiIrQVn4W54BwMqRC2YT1IVt1BLvjHoEpPDRO/s320/Angel-Heart-12.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">On cue, Cyphre is there. He has used Angel to do his
work for him. However, Angel is still in denial, saying the name Louis Cyphre
is just a cheap joke reference to Lucifer. He says Cyphre killed all of the
people and is using Angel as the fall guy. Angel keeps saying he knows who he
is, but the opposite is true. Cyphre says Angel/Johnny was living on borrowed
time, and now Angel’s soul belongs to him. As he says those words, his eyes glow. Cyphre puts on a record of “Girl of My Dreams,” the song that has
been playing throughout the film and which was associated with Johnny, showing
how Johnny was in Angel’s subconscious mind. Angel has flashbacks of his killing
the victims.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Angel runs to where he is staying and finds the cops
there next to Epiphany’s dead body, which has his dog tags around her neck,
courtesy of Cyphre. Angel admits that it is his place and says that Epiphany is
his daughter. Epiphany’s child is there and his eyes glow like Cyphre’s, which
suggests that the devil is the father. The policeman says Angel will burn for her
murder, and Angel says he knows, because his soul will suffer in the fiery pit
of hell. We see that elevator going downward, suggesting his soul is descending
to Lucifer’s realm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The next film is </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bound for Glory.</i> </span></p></div></div>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-70921824584522757202022-07-31T19:32:00.000-04:002022-07-31T19:32:18.749-04:00If....<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZwfUoucliBO5VuDl6JH6rEAbMJm7X5e86dT6c8TnITQsMKKwfAqo7STMyHfm1ONwzqre3s3MgCEdtkD9He9POqh7GjLh1PtVSZbJbWpwwZcTYOP-R4lGqyhEv7JpDGMPXfWowt-jN6LxsXAZ7dYYQhDS9mQBcsO33WcZ6Hz6Q3BtqoUZwu2jrX9h/s475/If%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZwfUoucliBO5VuDl6JH6rEAbMJm7X5e86dT6c8TnITQsMKKwfAqo7STMyHfm1ONwzqre3s3MgCEdtkD9He9POqh7GjLh1PtVSZbJbWpwwZcTYOP-R4lGqyhEv7JpDGMPXfWowt-jN6LxsXAZ7dYYQhDS9mQBcsO33WcZ6Hz6Q3BtqoUZwu2jrX9h/s320/If%20-%201.jpg" width="205" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If …. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(1968), directed
by Lindsey Anderson, has as its primary theme that abuse by those in power can initiate
a violent reaction against such extreme authority and, ironically, produce the
type of chaos the ruling class wants to suppress. The title comes from the
Rudyard Kipling poem and its upper-class superior tone of reining in freedom is
what the film takes aim at.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The story is set at an English boarding school, and
Anderson said he likes stories that are a microcosm of society. A note at the
beginning urges the need for knowledge, but the result of what these students
learn is the opposite of what the educational establishment desired. The somber
words of the school song are sung, and they brim with loyalty and duty. As the
credits roll, the music is replaced with disruptive sounds of boys in contrast
to the lyrics, showing that there is a desire to fight rigidity and just enjoy
their youth. The film breaks the story into chapters with different headings
and some begin with religious readings and singing which then contrasts with
the actions of those in charge and those that revolt against them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The seniors, or “Whips,” rule as prefects over others.
This oppressive hierarchy is entrenched in British custom. At the beginning of the
school year, those returning to the school call the first-year students “scum,”
and remind them they have no right to address the older students. One Whip tells
a new student to carry the senior’s belongs to his room, and in a very
derogatory command tells the youth to warm up his toilet seat. Basically, they
treat the first-year students as slaves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fVESxZNKouKxT0HG_7I-BrcPsa81TC2ziQhpqalQxm--XLqs1nYVYxR7d4rU3zwSipovrQPpSPdCKDWaMXU0BLNcZOit5HHYKLM9Qe2v52t8uoSVrCAHfFdjrHri8tsqN3t7NMvMhk80ygIbM1nISIn8ibsDVia4mdaNXSU18K1ItQrEYl1WDijl/s448/If%20-%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="448" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fVESxZNKouKxT0HG_7I-BrcPsa81TC2ziQhpqalQxm--XLqs1nYVYxR7d4rU3zwSipovrQPpSPdCKDWaMXU0BLNcZOit5HHYKLM9Qe2v52t8uoSVrCAHfFdjrHri8tsqN3t7NMvMhk80ygIbM1nISIn8ibsDVia4mdaNXSU18K1ItQrEYl1WDijl/s320/If%20-%209.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When the rulers are not present, the young boys are
loud and fight with each other, showing that attempting to overly contain
natural impulses only leads to an equal and opposite reaction. New student Jute
(Sean Bury) is taken to the “sweat room,” where he finds his circumscribed
cubicle that must contain his belongings. The students must not keep food that
does not subscribe to ridiculous rules. The new students must not move slowly. Rowntree
(Robert Swann), the Head Whip, tells them to “run in the corridors,” to meet
the time restraints of their tasks. Also, haircuts must meet certain
requirements. The film was made in the ‘60’s when long hair was considered an
act of defiance.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwX2cv4jRCr-nbKVLuEAvEfKuskJDxu5FJPD7r8XCXhe8CrBwoEo7p7wOLwcW9myv0DfDoGaytW9t1r9KkBEK70i8kKxDitgpkvzyj5-4NmUyttI3s7jpHgdoKpNzy9og8GPck68VxE2hSXH_pWF-ygK21jVwlEJiHd3Mz_HLZUXIEEUWeOLtwAV1/s290/If%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwX2cv4jRCr-nbKVLuEAvEfKuskJDxu5FJPD7r8XCXhe8CrBwoEo7p7wOLwcW9myv0DfDoGaytW9t1r9KkBEK70i8kKxDitgpkvzyj5-4NmUyttI3s7jpHgdoKpNzy9og8GPck68VxE2hSXH_pWF-ygK21jVwlEJiHd3Mz_HLZUXIEEUWeOLtwAV1/s1600/If%20-%2010.jpg" width="290" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Mick (Malcolm McDowell in his film debut)
arrives, he has a scarf over his mouth and nose. He looks like a bandit, and it
fits his outlaw-like personality. He is actually hiding a mustache, a forbidden
form of appearance. Stephans (Guy Ross) says, referring to Mick, “God, it’s Guy
Fawkes back again.” The reference to the British revolutionary is a
foreshadowing here. Mick says he grew the mustache to “hide his sins.” Actually,
it seems to reflect his inner lawbreaking self, and when he shaves it now, it
may imply that the bare face is a pretense to conformity. He shares what he did
during the summer with his friend Johnny (David Wood), telling him he spent
time with a girl frequenting pubs. It seems that he enjoys living a rowdy life
and when a bell rings, he wants to know when they get “to live,” instead of
enduring regimentation.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The students gather in a hall and are told that they
should “work,” and “play,” but “don’t mix the two.” I guess these students
aren’t supposed to whistle while they work. They are urged to see themselves as
a family, which as it turns out is quite dysfunctional. Those in charge believe
“discipline” will contribute to helping the entire school which, in turn, will
help each individual. Sounds good in a speech, but in practice, the result is
not what is hoped for. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Rowntree is a sadist who relishes his power over the
others. He threatens them if they repeat the prior year’s slackness, and
reminds them that they are restricted from going into the nearby town. Bells
sound before each activity, used almost like a Pavlovian type of behavior
modification. What follows is a humiliating inspection for venereal disease.
The boys must drop their trousers and the matron (Mona Washbourne) inspects
their genitals with a flashlight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The dormitory inspection ranks with what the U. S. Marines
must endure. The Whips go to each room and the students must be in their beds.
Jute can’t even keep his diary there, but must leave it in the sweat room, such
is the absurd strictness of the institution. There is “lights out” ridiculously
early and “no talking.” After the Whips leave, Mick sarcastically applauds and tells
Stephans what a good job he has done, mimicking the Whip’s compliment. Mick’s
pals echo Mick, and one says, “One night we’re gonna massacre you, Stephans.
I’ll do it for free.” At the time it sounds like an exaggerated schoolboy threat,
but it turns out to be more foreshadowing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is more religious singing which is offset by the
students complaining about the denial of access to girls at another school. The
more the institution denies these youths adequate freedom, the more irreverent
they become. The history teacher (Graham Crowden) introduces a bit of unorthodox
behavior as he rides his bike into the classroom while singing a traditional
song, undermining the lyrics. He also opens the windows as if to let fresh
ideas enter the minds of the students as he questions them about their ideas.
Perhaps his actions suggest that history offers a basis to question the
present. However, the film also depicts the corruption of power by showing the geometry
teacher, who is also the chaplain (Geoffrey Chater), as someone who preaches
proper behavior while hitting students and otherwise manhandling them. There is
a stark contrast as he teaches geometric rules while breaking those of human
decency. The Headmaster (Peter Jeffrey), while teaching a class, acknowledges
that some of Britain’s rules are “silly,” but necessary, nonetheless. However,
he does not provide an adequate defense of the statement. He goes on to say
that “Britain today is a powerhouse of ideas, experiment, imagination.” He says
that the schools must “meet” the “challenge” of dealing with all the changes
that are occurring.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">But the Headmaster has an idealistic approach to his
job, calling it “exciting.” The school is entrenched in regimented behaviors
that are anything but adrenalin inducing. What follows his speech is an
indoctrination of Jute to learn, in addition to his regular studies, all the
jargon and slang that Rowntree requires. That perversion of education includes misogyny,
as the Head Whip wants town girls to be called “tarts.” Brunning (Michael
Newport), a fellow student, tells Jute that, “it’s not just a matter of knowing
the answers. It’s how you say it.” If he fails then they all “get beaten.” Such
is the extreme nature of how power can corrupt a child’s school life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A0VNIvoXp8fs0cwDCHoRM2yfuNEIhOdYEbPlNqNGaDJWvRgIhwJi0OwjspI8YeiWJymAp0zV_7MFf0X5and33PnCUzLN52jgz0I_0ARmKHFIBamGGUFam8P35MZVcAWOaxgJ2VNKoJa5Tzd8gx3gYw5cBceIx7WdGB6dVv-RW6brX_s4Wfty8mAP/s1280/if...8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A0VNIvoXp8fs0cwDCHoRM2yfuNEIhOdYEbPlNqNGaDJWvRgIhwJi0OwjspI8YeiWJymAp0zV_7MFf0X5and33PnCUzLN52jgz0I_0ARmKHFIBamGGUFam8P35MZVcAWOaxgJ2VNKoJa5Tzd8gx3gYw5cBceIx7WdGB6dVv-RW6brX_s4Wfty8mAP/s320/if...8.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Mick has pictures of soldiers plastered all over his
room, and is cutting out photos of ferocious animals, including lions. IMDb
points out that there are also pictures of Che Guevara and Geronimo who
represent icons of revolution. Later Mick’s tendency toward violence becomes
manifest as the means not only to create revolt against oppression but as an
end in itself. Despite the desire of the school to clamp down on unacceptable
behavior, or maybe because of it due to modeling or as a need to release their
frustration with containment, students act sadistically toward other
classmates. For example, a group of boys grab Biles (Brian Pettifer) and dunk
his head in a toilet.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBkM2bfyyHhLU_QiPDQJ3ZfCBsiswgb7KyOHEVKQBEr_WN4EOM-1F6z8rwLYl8pryf3Ze0QDAaBPp3O8qEwf6EQZ9mBTs9yxJMtJW_4MuPdc7C3Ln1P2iZmLgC1d-X-OP3tcehfP33kX0xnoqlJMWxLlNW2C1xXkTECwUaiAzHtlAtCjx7G_Ui3eP/s1200/If%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBkM2bfyyHhLU_QiPDQJ3ZfCBsiswgb7KyOHEVKQBEr_WN4EOM-1F6z8rwLYl8pryf3Ze0QDAaBPp3O8qEwf6EQZ9mBTs9yxJMtJW_4MuPdc7C3Ln1P2iZmLgC1d-X-OP3tcehfP33kX0xnoqlJMWxLlNW2C1xXkTECwUaiAzHtlAtCjx7G_Ui3eP/s320/If%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Denson (Hugh Thomas) chastises his fellow Whips for
their “homosexual” remarks about the scums. Given the power arrangement it is
more like sexual abuse. Rowntree calls in the nice-looking blonde underclassman
Philips (Rupert Webster) to tempt Denson, trying to show that he isn’t as
upright as he pretends. Rowntree is right because when he assigns Philips to be
Denson’s servant, the latter does not object. The move is trying to show the
falseness of the surface integrity of those in charge.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5qA_5A7IWx5aXCkdUwIR9GE3_BaKIAz2RoemkFuE0O10eFtsEDEZecGNakhq7Rvmx0xQqNNYMfyxvVmODSCJA9B4aa2X4Mos8IjmDDW_LwV3MYskrdLED1myHuoqoGym9r9hhzVzCL1n1y9BKuFfD8bRRaF6j-6EKv4oEMctSOVVfgdHx-rzegAt/s2048/If%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1561" data-original-width="2048" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5qA_5A7IWx5aXCkdUwIR9GE3_BaKIAz2RoemkFuE0O10eFtsEDEZecGNakhq7Rvmx0xQqNNYMfyxvVmODSCJA9B4aa2X4Mos8IjmDDW_LwV3MYskrdLED1myHuoqoGym9r9hhzVzCL1n1y9BKuFfD8bRRaF6j-6EKv4oEMctSOVVfgdHx-rzegAt/s320/If%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">While with his pals, Mick says, “the world will end
very soon.” He adds, “There is no such thing as a wrong war. Violence and
revolution are the only pure acts … War is the last possible creative act.” He is
an anarchist with an apocalyptic vision that seems to say that society is
corrupt beyond redemption and must be purged. Wallace (Richard Warwick)
complains about going bald, having bad breath, and concerned about becoming
senile before he gets out of the institution. He says that his “body is rotting.”
His comments add a sense of urgency to break free of the school’s dominance. Mick’s
response to Johnny reading the newspaper headline that a person in Calcutta
dies of starvation every eight minutes is that “eight minutes is a long time.” His
remark heightens the desire to rush into action. When he is presented a picture
of a beautiful naked young woman Mick says the only thing you can do with her
is make love in the sea and then die. This is one dark fellow who seems to find
joy in the moment followed by oblivion. Later, Mick and his pals do some
fencing and Mick is ecstatic as he yells “War” and is almost orgasmic when he
sees his own blood on his hand from a wound. (Mick seems to have some qualities
of McDowell’s character in the later </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">A Clockwork Orange</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Uf6p4lVmH_iKVmh82Cb5BLkMepmCQnKTKPLLyC9JOy4Ar9WWTVeaV50u9XLGY7cqcltfS05Bm9Y82Uw2uBVNHM5ioIB8r7Cq06HGR_IL-y0toAdRfx6dMz3ycXS_Ms9I86WwCD-HvHw6Dz551Bj50NFQR8k_-OpTNYKwI8aEjILhERRV3dGiXxIF/s1599/If%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1599" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Uf6p4lVmH_iKVmh82Cb5BLkMepmCQnKTKPLLyC9JOy4Ar9WWTVeaV50u9XLGY7cqcltfS05Bm9Y82Uw2uBVNHM5ioIB8r7Cq06HGR_IL-y0toAdRfx6dMz3ycXS_Ms9I86WwCD-HvHw6Dz551Bj50NFQR8k_-OpTNYKwI8aEjILhERRV3dGiXxIF/s320/If%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzSxmntx64Us-VQ1S05agwu4BjVdnEZ9rknRUpbri_MVPthQ16PachKmXWu3bCgrO2VbEg69uLmM_X6xwwA00S99cdZXvY7_vGG6ty2_tnjjvG0mwHmizfIIlT8ze2DorhwgHH36c3L361AFFq_vpW-STIxUFMF6nbxDjkqs6Xmasuh7rhQ3K7tI9/s294/If%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="294" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzSxmntx64Us-VQ1S05agwu4BjVdnEZ9rknRUpbri_MVPthQ16PachKmXWu3bCgrO2VbEg69uLmM_X6xwwA00S99cdZXvY7_vGG6ty2_tnjjvG0mwHmizfIIlT8ze2DorhwgHH36c3L361AFFq_vpW-STIxUFMF6nbxDjkqs6Xmasuh7rhQ3K7tI9/s1600/If%20-%2020.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Mick hears someone approaching and the young men hide
their vodka (a reference to the Russian revolution?) and pornography, assuming
the phony upright appearance of what is expected of them. Denson enters and
although he suspects transgressions, he can’t prove anything. He still says
they will take cold showers for their long hair. It’s as if he must exert some
form of punishment as part of his position. Mick does provide one visible act
of nonconformity, wearing a necklace of teeth that Denson notes still have
blood on them. The image adds to the animal ferocity bubbling beneath the
surface of Mick. Denson makes Mick spend a sustained amount of time in the cold
shower the next morning, which, instead of cooling Mick down, only inflames his
anger.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEPZMaPqFH8nqsZ-PmBdWlkmpBm09UXu1kNMM_62nESd-XGNFSii5r54HCS-t4njEc-MuPq4RYm0YIdmk5nKPwicAhvx4qRGgdxiibeoS6MV049Imcl8ayViwmPQtNO2uzHWrLrG40t1AJLw2LRimn2TU0oGL-7Kthne6zSWOhRsaW0SoO-QtE1Pt/s320/If%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEPZMaPqFH8nqsZ-PmBdWlkmpBm09UXu1kNMM_62nESd-XGNFSii5r54HCS-t4njEc-MuPq4RYm0YIdmk5nKPwicAhvx4qRGgdxiibeoS6MV049Imcl8ayViwmPQtNO2uzHWrLrG40t1AJLw2LRimn2TU0oGL-7Kthne6zSWOhRsaW0SoO-QtE1Pt/s1600/If%20-%2017.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Mick and friends sit next to the </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">soft-spoken</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Mrs. Kemp
(Mary Macleod), the wife of the House Master of Mick’s dorm, Mr. Kemp (Arthur
Lowe). As the boys ask if she wants anything, such as ketchup, with her meal, Mick
adds his element of perverse violence by asking if she wants some “Dead man’s
leg.” Mrs. Kemp touches her bare throat and the edge of her clothes in a sort
of combination of worrying about modesty and experiencing sensuality.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzLn5eq3Q7OTziuD4AAlC2Ah1HlB-4jUv7MspCehbyX6_H-M52C4vDqTEeJVQ6_vOBDLI11doEc3YTyE36x_6c7a6Y6L4wilAoBjGXSW5wTah8ZEBSTGWhp-A8ZB8_u_3oug0UYlKs_IgGaqYiXbdPnRMLqB1T-x-R-YqZSF6AefjKdcp6e4oRMlG/s1878/If%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1878" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzLn5eq3Q7OTziuD4AAlC2Ah1HlB-4jUv7MspCehbyX6_H-M52C4vDqTEeJVQ6_vOBDLI11doEc3YTyE36x_6c7a6Y6L4wilAoBjGXSW5wTah8ZEBSTGWhp-A8ZB8_u_3oug0UYlKs_IgGaqYiXbdPnRMLqB1T-x-R-YqZSF6AefjKdcp6e4oRMlG/s320/If%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VNHGLK8ECMYnmn94Z0PPozanYOd_-m2fTriM6HmzNw9oZLSphmJCiiz59a8NQN15vN-SMEe5OGfEDhKfgAfm8tU5OIvzurKGNorb6Lgu7OFIJDvRONstiQyHOBDSxTSXKfqbqQuxVh6NAVrF0K8NqRfbN-EsM0R-Z22Xd9jqEHN-DOmkEBbLjUaS/s640/If%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="640" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VNHGLK8ECMYnmn94Z0PPozanYOd_-m2fTriM6HmzNw9oZLSphmJCiiz59a8NQN15vN-SMEe5OGfEDhKfgAfm8tU5OIvzurKGNorb6Lgu7OFIJDvRONstiQyHOBDSxTSXKfqbqQuxVh6NAVrF0K8NqRfbN-EsM0R-Z22Xd9jqEHN-DOmkEBbLjUaS/s320/If%20-%2013.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Mick and Johnny escape to the town in defiance of the
prohibition against going there and cavort playfully on the sidewalk as they
enjoy their freedom. Mick then steals a motorcycle (a car would be too tame) and
he and Johnny ride off into the countryside (a precursor to </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Easy Rider</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">?).
They arrive at a restaurant where they are served coffee by a pretty waitress. Mick,
fittingly, stresses that he wants his coffee “black.” Then he contrarily dumps
a ton of sugar into the cup just to be extreme. He grabs the girl and kisses
her. She responds with a slap. This type of male abusiveness is abhorrent, but
Mick has found a connection with this young lady. She touches his shoulder as
he plays music on the juke box. She tells him it’s okay to look at her body but
also says she’ll “kill” him. She says when she looks in the mirror her eyes get
large like a tiger and she says, “I like tigers,” and growls at him. He sniffs
at her and they act like snarling animals. This type of ferocity is a call to
the wild for Mick. The scene abruptly shifts surrealistically to the two
grappling on the ground clawing and baring their teeth, naked and making love. (There
is a shift here from color to black and white. IMDb notes that economics and
technicalities forced Anderson to sometimes shoot in monochrome. However, he
then liked that the shifts added a sense of disorientation and movement back and
forth between reality and fantasy. The style is consistent with the feeling
that the status quo is being disrupted by Mick. Also, the title of the film is </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">If…</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
which suggest a possibility, not a reality. Usually when a work of art calls
attention to itself as not realistic it implies that the art form is presenting
a fiction that points to aspects of reality).</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z631SHS3KOFr29XeUeeox-SngZ5eb5LsYh8z1Z6ZRTmvYZE2r-TRJ7mScrrMEBqjZMmKQOkZGzxOEH4RXZJ4lU42sV3Ao8YrfRwdt3UEFzxyR7iWAIQLgqDu0bJSU_XO1tWFSfTT6cDZxEXBZ9lL9njQ1AIXnjlxkNtPUqARSqsMJq4VtLAMJQMN/s1000/If%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z631SHS3KOFr29XeUeeox-SngZ5eb5LsYh8z1Z6ZRTmvYZE2r-TRJ7mScrrMEBqjZMmKQOkZGzxOEH4RXZJ4lU42sV3Ao8YrfRwdt3UEFzxyR7iWAIQLgqDu0bJSU_XO1tWFSfTT6cDZxEXBZ9lL9njQ1AIXnjlxkNtPUqARSqsMJq4VtLAMJQMN/s320/If%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Philips watches as Wallace practices his routine on a
parallel bar and it is a sweetly erotic scene slowed down slightly that allows
the audience to marvel at the interaction between the athlete and the observer.
The two become close and they share a prohibited smoke together. They are in the
armory room that is filled with rifles, a surrounding full of danger if there
ever was one. Philips says he wants to be a criminal lawyer, which shows he
wants to argue cases against the establishment and points to his
anti-authoritarian stance. He says that it will take him twenty years to reach
his goal. Wallace says ominously that they’ll be dead by then. Philips accuses
Wallace of having no ambition, and Wallace agrees. He is a follower of Mick, which
means living only in the moment. We later find the two of them in bed together,
which is consensual and out of caring as opposed to the exploitative way the Whips
viewed Philip.</span></span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Mick is so obsessed with death that he practices his
own demise, putting a bag over his head as Johnny times him to see how long he
can last without running out of air. Mick wonders what’s the worse way to die,
and he, Johnny, and Wallace suggest different ways. Johnny says cancer is bad
because his mother endured six months of suffering before the end came. He
seems upset by this fact, but Mick shows morbid fascination about how nasty
death can be, which shows how pathologically dangerous he is. He even comments that
“the night’s dead,” which indicates how he sees lifelessness in everything. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Led by Rowntree, the Whips control Mr. Kemp and get
him to allow them to administer strict discipline to those in his dormitory who
they see as trying to rock the boat, even if their brutal actions turn the ship
into the Titanic. After singing their religious songs the students can indulge
themselves in some dessert. But, the deceptively sedate Mrs. Kemp comes down
hard on one lad as she yells that he was trying to pick up another bun. She does
not want the boys to indulge their appetites.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW27E79HIEj_52l9DWn49rStQJS4B004FOYOcDWrzvX4C_odbcbT5_RfZFSpqoMuyTx4wsvLQNYKzK4BbDXdOHBuu5ItLO9hswgPf0I8FniHYVZ9y_lOauiqONi48b9r0Cee9g29SXz93XEJIuIBD_ECxHNRqCL1cczW5eDMytmTiwzBBAnMWuuap/s1280/If%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW27E79HIEj_52l9DWn49rStQJS4B004FOYOcDWrzvX4C_odbcbT5_RfZFSpqoMuyTx4wsvLQNYKzK4BbDXdOHBuu5ItLO9hswgPf0I8FniHYVZ9y_lOauiqONi48b9r0Cee9g29SXz93XEJIuIBD_ECxHNRqCL1cczW5eDMytmTiwzBBAnMWuuap/s320/If%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSda2RInB1TNhKjfCewpaRGJMrPHxjWS7O5ITSG5YLq_7OOP6EJEonffPt8X9BluW0sbzdhYRgNLKLQrkDWqEwy8-AzJ2ogKrXxJKTQONgBrG-uLJbQNFKwqVgCWtZ8vkg36iDxIPWa1ow1nbHcpRIT0rKyoUKtCJMHSxXNCVuew1DlwwMFCpSXwE/s1108/If%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1108" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSda2RInB1TNhKjfCewpaRGJMrPHxjWS7O5ITSG5YLq_7OOP6EJEonffPt8X9BluW0sbzdhYRgNLKLQrkDWqEwy8-AzJ2ogKrXxJKTQONgBrG-uLJbQNFKwqVgCWtZ8vkg36iDxIPWa1ow1nbHcpRIT0rKyoUKtCJMHSxXNCVuew1DlwwMFCpSXwE/s320/If%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Whips call Mick, Johnny, and Wallace into their
office. They say they will be punished for being a “nuisance,” and having an
“attitude.” Denson criticizes Mick for his “slouching about,” with his hands in
his pockets. These so-called offenses present no real harm. Rowntree says that
Mick and his mates “have become a danger to the morale of the whole house.” Talk
about the crackpot calling the kettle black. Rowntree wants to make an example
of the three to ward off anyone who might follow in Mick’s </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">off-road</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> footsteps. Mick’s
sharp retaliation is, “The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca Cola to your scum and your best teddy bear to Oxfam and expect the
rest of us to lick your frigid fingers the rest of your frigid life.” He is
attacking Rowntree, and the other privileged members of society, who give
crumbs off their table to those deserving souls who need compassion and then
expect to be praised for their minimal generosity.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXAcAIHaiwBNINEfjyknqlBPlyDTchut2kPgADc81hR66KvSlh1KV_T4uLno6ubTzg7N4blj1INscpwtWQMuVda20sqT5x-T-TiezZ0fPXeKdIkUohhr3taIeCVT76yXFE_GvYOWjahtzyXLe9mcdi0FIkfbIjO4OB-GZmIf-A4-EA4OExs4-44Cp/s728/If%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXAcAIHaiwBNINEfjyknqlBPlyDTchut2kPgADc81hR66KvSlh1KV_T4uLno6ubTzg7N4blj1INscpwtWQMuVda20sqT5x-T-TiezZ0fPXeKdIkUohhr3taIeCVT76yXFE_GvYOWjahtzyXLe9mcdi0FIkfbIjO4OB-GZmIf-A4-EA4OExs4-44Cp/s320/If%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Whips take the boys to the gym and administer a
“caning” punishment. The Whips live up to their name as Rowntree whacks the
boys viciously on the buttocks with a slender cane that cause bleeding. Wallace
and Johnny receive four lashes each, which we do not see, but only hear the
slamming of the cane. After enduring this vicious infliction, the boys must
humiliate themselves by shaking Rowntree’s hand and saying, “thank you.” Mick,
however, as the ringleader, gets ten lashes, and we do witness this brutal punishment
as Rowntree runs up to the bent over Mick so that he can maximize the impact of
the beating. The other boys in the school can hear the punishment. One is
looking at germs under a microscope, which seems to symbolize how cruelty is
like a dangerous virus that spreads when allowed to exist.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62J2d88IHQhEIkXCkfSjrIl6Lix00wlG14njfgquoHiIPXlpI36nSxEWuuQs64N5wPkDx-lj54I06doxfTst0zcP0OJf0Pojaso7ePd99dpaIsg0cS_TceGT4voUHQ8tSdaCWbAvYXhsXaGGXllERhwM4LMRFakNjVTZoCANdVJCzs-U16irbKmi3/s494/If%20-%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="494" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62J2d88IHQhEIkXCkfSjrIl6Lix00wlG14njfgquoHiIPXlpI36nSxEWuuQs64N5wPkDx-lj54I06doxfTst0zcP0OJf0Pojaso7ePd99dpaIsg0cS_TceGT4voUHQ8tSdaCWbAvYXhsXaGGXllERhwM4LMRFakNjVTZoCANdVJCzs-U16irbKmi3/s320/If%20-%205.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">While the other students celebrate the winning of a
trophy and cheer College House, Mick, in contrast, is alone in his room as he
loads a paint gun and shoots at pictures on the wall of British celebrities and
even of the Houses of Parliament. His defacing of all things famously English
shows his scorn and violence toward the establishment in power. He takes a
blood oath with Johnny and Wallace by saying the words, “Death to the
oppressor.” The spilling of blood seems to be what intrigues Mick as it appears
to represent to him the ultimate example of nonconformist behavior. He says,
“One man can change the world with a bullet in the right place.” Mick presents
them with “real bullets.” He is talking about assassination of tyrants.
However, negative results, can result from a bullet such as in the killings of Lincoln,
Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and the Kennedys.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCvYTbOCATiH5GVWbagC8XE4_j7u7E3hVUp8AhWllaPdg-rAb8WJImJdPqFvyLmZ8kGZ-SKo7hZUPc1ubaFgy0Prg2m7ZrALs4Td4cFurpAVBBcynyTlWXM7jnnwyTDvGXmO4C3AOprdbKyIV4wuJL5d2QmStyAU3NyDHmQW3Lo-NK8I3j62KMQ6h/s1200/If%20-%2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCvYTbOCATiH5GVWbagC8XE4_j7u7E3hVUp8AhWllaPdg-rAb8WJImJdPqFvyLmZ8kGZ-SKo7hZUPc1ubaFgy0Prg2m7ZrALs4Td4cFurpAVBBcynyTlWXM7jnnwyTDvGXmO4C3AOprdbKyIV4wuJL5d2QmStyAU3NyDHmQW3Lo-NK8I3j62KMQ6h/s320/If%20-%2016.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There are scenes which illustrate how people acting
pious in public hypocritically indulge in socially inappropriate behavior in
private. While Mr. Kemp sings in his bedroom about love and mentions Venus, the
goddess of that emotion, and his wife plays the recorder, the school’s matron reacts
by becoming sexually aroused. The shot of the bedroom shows husband and wife
have separate beds, suggesting an abstinence of sexual activity whose
suppression can manifest itself in objectionable ways. Later, Mrs. Kemp walks
naked through the student residence as the boys are outside, and touches soap
and towels. Again, that sexual suppression finds a way to the surface in an
inappropriate manner.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLqh9Z1LwddnXLnXHCOfiuODH6qO80lSjWO_YSV6h_c2WupEJ_kTGbOE3mer0pfoJHoK1AGRUXZH8GBAp5DoB5G146imKxPmIaqnLa_O6MqgCYzgxEYitd-pXX_iqjeDMy_krrxzGfPwxZtlX6D9U4cH4GWnnbirvPPZ1gZxpk7xFzT6Cn-Fv7_eg/s620/If%20-%2015.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLqh9Z1LwddnXLnXHCOfiuODH6qO80lSjWO_YSV6h_c2WupEJ_kTGbOE3mer0pfoJHoK1AGRUXZH8GBAp5DoB5G146imKxPmIaqnLa_O6MqgCYzgxEYitd-pXX_iqjeDMy_krrxzGfPwxZtlX6D9U4cH4GWnnbirvPPZ1gZxpk7xFzT6Cn-Fv7_eg/s320/If%20-%2015.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The next section, called “Forth to War,” begins with
the chaplain giving an onward Christian soldiers speech, framing devotion to
peace-loving Jesus ironically as a call to arms. The students are dressed as
soldiers and march as if going off to war. They proceed to engage in war games
where they practice “the yell of hate.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not
quite what Christ intended. This melding of religion and combat gives spiritual
justification to violence and sends a message to the students that backfires (gun
reference intended). Mick uses real ammunition to fire close to the students
and the chaplain, who, despite the call for bravery earlier, now cowers on the
ground when he actually faces danger.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Headmaster tells Mick, Johnny, and Wallace about
how the reverend could have been hurt. As he says these words, a bit of
surrealism occurs. The Headmaster opens a large drawer in which the chaplain is
stretched out as if resting in a coffin. He then rises and shakes the hands of
the three students as a sign of accepting their apologies. Again, Anderson is
jarring the audience out of the comfort of a standard narrative to show that
their status quo is under siege. The Headmaster then says that although he
knows that acts of youthful individualism are to be expected, there are limits
to that expression. However, he then gets petty about the limitations, focusing
on hair length. He spouts the platitude that “Those who are given the most also
have the most to give.” However, this statement is not about generosity being
disbursed to the needy. Instead, he assigns the boys manual labor as a way of
“giving” back to the school and they must clean out the church basement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Philips joins them, and one object they find during
their chore is a stuffed alligator. It could be that the dangerous animal
symbolizes what evil can lurk below the surface of a benign exterior. Ditto the
deformed fetus they discover in a locked cabinet. The waitress suddenly appears
in this scene, another bit of taking us out of the normal course of the
narrative. Together they find a large supply of military weapons, including
mortars, hand grenades, and various types of guns. The grinning Mick tells us
without words what he plans to do with these destructive tools.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next section is called “Crusaders,” which calls to
mind the combatants of the Middle Ages whose wartime exploits were blessed with
religious justification. That merging of religion and war is emphasized at a school
assembly on Founders Day where parents and dignitaries assemble. General Denson
(Anthony Nicolls) and a church bishop are in attendance. The general, most
likely the father of the student of the same name, goes on about how some are
belittling traditional rules and obedience, and that they must defend those qualities
to preserve freedom. What his words imply contradictorily is that one must give
up freedom to hold onto it. He then adds the need for warlike actions to
preserve liberty. That justification for violence can be used by others who
feel that their freedom is being deprived by those in power. That
interpretation can encourage insurrection. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikda26N4IoCBo7-L-3TpJiE5ntrZj7zn1SpcEwNIAxksywvPrER3EuYrnDVPMU5ojrQYjjVDbgrx_RoYcFXMb-JlKGgAPONnom7VinWAZIFJN_KWT7inZ3EcX6_fZ-QD4QPyXMLqWnz0E8uO2MGmFpZYQLaQHxvyjF0BG7kvIolFkoqKuhM5bNRwxi/s970/If%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="970" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikda26N4IoCBo7-L-3TpJiE5ntrZj7zn1SpcEwNIAxksywvPrER3EuYrnDVPMU5ojrQYjjVDbgrx_RoYcFXMb-JlKGgAPONnom7VinWAZIFJN_KWT7inZ3EcX6_fZ-QD4QPyXMLqWnz0E8uO2MGmFpZYQLaQHxvyjF0BG7kvIolFkoqKuhM5bNRwxi/s320/If%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Cue the new “crusaders” who start a fire under the
auditorium (reminiscent of Guy Fawke’s history) and the smoke causes those
assembled to cough and flee from the gathering. As those in attendance emerge outside
Mick and his followers open fire from the roof onto the people below. Those on
the ground acquire weapons from the school armory and fire back. The Headmaster
urges a ceasefire, but it is too late for peace. Mick’s girlfriend takes a
pistol and shoots the Headmaster through the forehead.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film ends with a closeup of Mick firing his
machine gun directly at the camera as if telling the audience they better fix
things or this story might turn into real life. His image is followed by a dark
screen with the word “If …” painted in blood red. The movie has delivered its
warning shot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Angel Heart</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-42491823536224712152022-07-03T13:15:00.000-04:002022-07-03T13:15:28.756-04:00Night and the City<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC6me5XeaFWLFZoZuBdZnfY5CUCUTofvKc-bH_4Kxv0WL5mZYCt_JvwUuNqdtm-u4xqXc53EtWKYVRsfA6qArPm6Ov0QKEAXAf4Wlss5z68WxUKxfR69xCeBhha3q_0PkxBRxoBT69zQUTg_YPw3hARsxCjuRAPsT1WSOa7luAfpAJsYb3qdH50Su/s1300/Night-and-the-City-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1300" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC6me5XeaFWLFZoZuBdZnfY5CUCUTofvKc-bH_4Kxv0WL5mZYCt_JvwUuNqdtm-u4xqXc53EtWKYVRsfA6qArPm6Ov0QKEAXAf4Wlss5z68WxUKxfR69xCeBhha3q_0PkxBRxoBT69zQUTg_YPw3hARsxCjuRAPsT1WSOa7luAfpAJsYb3qdH50Su/s320/Night-and-the-City-1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The first shot of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Night and the City </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">(1950),
directed by Jules Dassin, is, of the London Tower Bridge. It is nighttime and
we see only the silhouettes of people, as if just the dark sides of individuals
exist here. The opening voice-over announces, “The night is tonight, tomorrow
night, or any other night. The city is London.” The joining of continual
darkness and the setting of a city epitomizes elements of film noir, where the
underside of humanity thrives (although Dassin, in a 2004 interview, said he
didn’t know about film noir elements when he made the movie).</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ks6egDBrRNqAmEGkEHGl5C1J8q_Piqa454wVfPzJ5v1SJZsxawjRAH9AW1J_Tgk8f3Yhtz5tw5Ei-e2zYOQUUWV2dQc8r5ktjpyTigN57hzovTfHeKm0U3nfxHY_zNWsSCmdH3QRp-XZBgIiOTVpF5vUwpU2-Xv56N4bhqc_ogqG_6vbPdjGZ_lf/s408/nightandthecity%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="408" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ks6egDBrRNqAmEGkEHGl5C1J8q_Piqa454wVfPzJ5v1SJZsxawjRAH9AW1J_Tgk8f3Yhtz5tw5Ei-e2zYOQUUWV2dQc8r5ktjpyTigN57hzovTfHeKm0U3nfxHY_zNWsSCmdH3QRp-XZBgIiOTVpF5vUwpU2-Xv56N4bhqc_ogqG_6vbPdjGZ_lf/s320/nightandthecity%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVL9Gu7bJOv8f3zm6Gp0YpU8QbSjlArQ5k7vkGql8Y0F0w5gt_DDhpSFRqKr2M0MGwj5_DvJnA-166z7nwzy0aRzj_Wh_wT1pD0KX-Cl1nbjV79cUzDJiw5C_AtA01kS0jEGZ_mxc7nK_0Vo1ImGExQbo31Lb5h0gLcSom4AZ-pbTUT-GM2sLNfuK/s1200/NATC%20-%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVL9Gu7bJOv8f3zm6Gp0YpU8QbSjlArQ5k7vkGql8Y0F0w5gt_DDhpSFRqKr2M0MGwj5_DvJnA-166z7nwzy0aRzj_Wh_wT1pD0KX-Cl1nbjV79cUzDJiw5C_AtA01kS0jEGZ_mxc7nK_0Vo1ImGExQbo31Lb5h0gLcSom4AZ-pbTUT-GM2sLNfuK/s320/NATC%20-%202.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The first scene after the credits starts with an
overhead shot showing a person running, trying to escape from danger, which is
always present in this world. The image of “running” and the repetition of the
word becomes a motif in the film. (Dassin said producer Darryl F. Zanuck warned
him to leave the country because he would be targeted by the House Un-American
Activities Committee and its “blacklist” of alleged Communist sympathizers, so
he fled to London. That running away had its influence on the film). </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">The fleeing man is Harry Fabian (Richard
Widmark). He runs through narrow, twisting alleys and streets. The impression
is one of a maze, a puzzle that is meant to thwart a solution.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry’s pursuer follows him to his flat and stays
outside. Harry places a flower in his lapel that he dropped on the street. It’s
as if he is trying to clean up for appearance’s sake the dirty part of himself.
He enters the flat and calls for his girlfriend, Mary Bristol (Gene Tierney). (Zanuck,
unlike some of the characters in the story, showed compassion by wanting to
help Gene Tierney who was suicidal after a disastrous love affair. He wanted
her cast in the movie, according to Dassin). When she doesn’t answer, he picks
up her purse. She then surprises him, saying there isn’t money there. We
immediately realize that she is aware of his seedy nature, but, contrarily, still
is with him, showing how illogical relationships can be. His first response is
anger, and his face is ugly as he accuses Mary of spying on him, as if she is
the one doing something wrong, not him. He then quickly switches to a charming smile
and tries to cover up his transgression by saying he was just looking for a
cigarette. It’s a lame excuse since there is a whole glass full of smokes next
to the purse. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoPleI0RyJJAoR6Py0nOj704xZzNCWGLGCBVSxYDey9-tEAh2XsQxOik6_lEii_ptiqLEGn6KVAGLm1kky2KfeAaFbJkxUBGH1-cqLMnEZprIrvCpBGpLcTHyjcB0Y3p1mj2h07djkqFoyBWkbmHWeOsNLvAOitgrwvpIO7s6cru0-_4wkT7SM1w9/s1280/NATC%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoPleI0RyJJAoR6Py0nOj704xZzNCWGLGCBVSxYDey9-tEAh2XsQxOik6_lEii_ptiqLEGn6KVAGLm1kky2KfeAaFbJkxUBGH1-cqLMnEZprIrvCpBGpLcTHyjcB0Y3p1mj2h07djkqFoyBWkbmHWeOsNLvAOitgrwvpIO7s6cru0-_4wkT7SM1w9/s320/NATC%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">She asks who he was running from now, and he acts like
that doesn’t happen to him, although we know otherwise. She was worried that he
was the victim of foul play since he was gone for three days. He says he was
away trying to become a partner in a greyhound racing track operation. She
knows he wants her money for the investment. She says they have been through
this routine “a thousand times.” It appears that Harry is always looking for a
get-rich-quick scheme at the expense of others to satisfy his selfish wants. In
contrast to Harry’s pie-in-the-sky activities, she is working hard at a bar to
make a decent living. She holds up a happy picture of the two of them in a boat.
She describes them as if they were strangers, good people who wanted to lead
“decent” lives. It’s as if they have left that part of themselves behind, and
what’s left are just empty shells of their former selves. However, the boat
they are in is still an object of movement, suggesting the hope for stability
was an empty dream. His response to her words is, “I just want to be somebody,”
a self-centered statement given that she was talking about their life together.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Mary knows Harry is hiding from Phillip Nosseross (Francis
L. Sullivan) and she sees the man Nosseross sent to follow Harry at a phone
booth below the window of their place. (“Nosseross” sounds a bit like
“rhinoceros,” a large, dangerous, charging animal, something one would run to
escape from. Harry says that Nosseross is heavy, equating him with the large
creature). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUD8wOtlWbzwLaKBq-_Qji3Vv2lcXl0qXmv9nTmoA7a1e5BxLdNSl5GOVCuWu3mNA4YSmUf9tM3lLGZWMWzVb05tWunJYw-HQLiZpwrJ3XoYmVDmTvsEFLxUImeEK-RNyLSFj2Z3CU1GfnI3ZexK6hIsVsfkhhOz9X650vwUXEUx2fjgb131X0Kph/s1280/NATC%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUD8wOtlWbzwLaKBq-_Qji3Vv2lcXl0qXmv9nTmoA7a1e5BxLdNSl5GOVCuWu3mNA4YSmUf9tM3lLGZWMWzVb05tWunJYw-HQLiZpwrJ3XoYmVDmTvsEFLxUImeEK-RNyLSFj2Z3CU1GfnI3ZexK6hIsVsfkhhOz9X650vwUXEUx2fjgb131X0Kph/s320/NATC%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry needs five pounds to discharge his debt to
Nosseross. While Mary goes out of the flat to see if she can get some money
from a neighbor, Harry appears sad as he looks at the photo of the two of them
that Mary held, and probably sees something of his past self in that picture.
Mary goes to the flat of Adam Dunn (Hugh Marlowe) who has burned his spaghetti
and Mary helps douse the flame. He is a designer, and he may have designs on
Mary since he says he wishes that they had different schedules. He works during
the day (which probably means he is not a creature of the night, like Harry). Does
the fire show that he has the “hots” for her, and only she can douse his
passion? She works at night at Nosseross’s club, not because she wants to go to
the dark side, but has been dragged there by Harry.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Mary says it’s difficult to resist Harry’s charismatic
imagination and zeal for his projects. Adam says, “Harry is an artist without
an art.” He explains that Harry wants to express himself but doesn’t have the “means,”
the specific skill or outlet, to put his imagination into concrete form. Adam
says that can “make a man very unhappy,” creating a frustration that may be “dangerous.”
He is suggesting that the search to make Harry’s dreams a reality can lead him to
the criminal underside of society. In contrast, Adam is artistic in his designs
of objects, including figurines and a replica of a bank that holds his money
and plays music. Adam has been able to focus his imaginative skills in a
creative and not destructive way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry goes to Nosseross’s club, the Silver Fox, where
his wife, Helen (Googie Withers), firmly sets the rules for the young women workers
as to how to get the male customers to spend more money. The attractive women
are the pleasant exterior which hides the mercenary practices in which they are
engaged. Nosseross also assigns Harry to engage in a deceptive practice of
drumming up business for his club. Harry gets information about a trio of successful
American businessmen at a venue. He acts like he found a lost wallet, which is
really his, and turns it over to one of the employees there, who is on the
take. This action makes it appear (the operative word) that Harry is an honest
fellow. He then pretends that he knows an acquaintance of the three men, and
thus bonds with the men. It is then he suggests they go to a “private” club for
some entertainment. Harry retrieves his wallet just before the three gentlemen
depart for Nosseross’s club.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFCJJ9hQVaNtYVC-XTKCOQzSqbLbSSyNDVdzAiOx5Vyf39nmhvXzcwdaeECBTE3Stt7kmMufWDiu1le14Js0jzOTYoQqkgxBAmbBgqAlFek9EedXu33RXH028TS2JXTfAVTUI-t6QQhVqeMnrHKoOCQ1xLw1TRLbeivuO4dugTVVKouKl5Ad06cNQ/s300/night-and-the-city-16.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="300" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFCJJ9hQVaNtYVC-XTKCOQzSqbLbSSyNDVdzAiOx5Vyf39nmhvXzcwdaeECBTE3Stt7kmMufWDiu1le14Js0jzOTYoQqkgxBAmbBgqAlFek9EedXu33RXH028TS2JXTfAVTUI-t6QQhVqeMnrHKoOCQ1xLw1TRLbeivuO4dugTVVKouKl5Ad06cNQ/s1600/night-and-the-city-16.webp" width="300" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy0M-7EaegB-T4PFRvIfwe7ncOBZTwfZk5XMNTxunmiYUOsAL7fsCTQr0nYP-bFa5tG9Keg3SzEQxdqKmkBOGQCKBXkHyy2i1GODsb2MUYOzdEWQxrjtJMo-j6PfxdDr0uKerriJF3TxLlojUBL7PJak5vqnQdLO758DzDqfgmzLpARhM7zx_haP9/s259/NATC%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRy0M-7EaegB-T4PFRvIfwe7ncOBZTwfZk5XMNTxunmiYUOsAL7fsCTQr0nYP-bFa5tG9Keg3SzEQxdqKmkBOGQCKBXkHyy2i1GODsb2MUYOzdEWQxrjtJMo-j6PfxdDr0uKerriJF3TxLlojUBL7PJak5vqnQdLO758DzDqfgmzLpARhM7zx_haP9/s1600/NATC%20-%2010.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry goes to a wrestling match to hustle more
customers. However, a bouncer recognizes him and prepares to toss Harry out.
Harry says it’s a public place, and the bouncer says, “so is the morgue,” a
darkly witty line that suggests that is where Harry may end up. There is an
outburst by a man named Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyszko), a once world-famous
wrestler who is there with a young wrestler named Nikolas (Ken Richmond). He
yells at his son, Kristo (Herbert Lom), for bringing them to an inferior match.
Gregorius blames his son for the extent to which wrestling has declined.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX3KWLC5aGGt5ouShT7JhNiXRc3XcRHc1m5JRj0ejk7ll70u15tu-AzaFRYwV-h5V0OfQ8bziUqnI5nu4uuzTPizhXpCIVLKoC5efzouVkR85pXIUB6fi6-4QenF4uqZefkXcbiX7yOzMjvtxUZ0TiM2y3jv3clyAFmkVD4FnFGO_fN5ENQFy6mzp/s259/NATC%20-%2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLX3KWLC5aGGt5ouShT7JhNiXRc3XcRHc1m5JRj0ejk7ll70u15tu-AzaFRYwV-h5V0OfQ8bziUqnI5nu4uuzTPizhXpCIVLKoC5efzouVkR85pXIUB6fi6-4QenF4uqZefkXcbiX7yOzMjvtxUZ0TiM2y3jv3clyAFmkVD4FnFGO_fN5ENQFy6mzp/s1600/NATC%20-%2018.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qs5bPKVSWh1S6S36S5u9eqhedQlToMrsRgU7biYzKwPVgVsWSpmM1CMqb-d2LstxvBHyL9XbJ3CIcVjIazcDEjPhOnlMAnncEr44k0hbzn0k_1pSLrYQ43f_6_loempQ3wjYk1fJu0KkMUblaaR-iwkDSBKg1IDqhfs9Th10wA7o2eeWmKA2kSW_/s255/NATC%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="255" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qs5bPKVSWh1S6S36S5u9eqhedQlToMrsRgU7biYzKwPVgVsWSpmM1CMqb-d2LstxvBHyL9XbJ3CIcVjIazcDEjPhOnlMAnncEr44k0hbzn0k_1pSLrYQ43f_6_loempQ3wjYk1fJu0KkMUblaaR-iwkDSBKg1IDqhfs9Th10wA7o2eeWmKA2kSW_/s1600/NATC%20-%2012.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Harry sees a
financial opportunity in Gregorius’s displeasure, and stages an outburst where
he demands his money back for such a terrible “spectacle” as Gregorius and
Nikolas pass by. His rant and some subsequent flattery endear him to the
ex-champion. He gets them to have a drink with him. Meanwhile, at the Silver
Fox, Nosseross gives a silver fox fur to his wife and asks for a kiss in
return. Helen is looking away from him and displays a look of revulsion, but
she allows the kiss. The large Nosseross grabs her and is rough with her as she
breaks away from him. His base nature here rises and transforms his sophisticated
surface.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu22Bc0Y_juUjcKZy_N1OQ_U3b7JLeJGdOh5lBIZOWG3aOL45g6oLTBusQq1WTi8IqWiw8jbiA9Iw_FM9auiAZNr8imtjbkOERpuJLUS31VxWtk4k8YETXCn20E7H6aJOgk-aRz7iz97AWDm9HJXL3hW0beBPAoGya6VVa5vyD4_tIwUvUEYnQvzd/s720/night-and-the-city-15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="720" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOu22Bc0Y_juUjcKZy_N1OQ_U3b7JLeJGdOh5lBIZOWG3aOL45g6oLTBusQq1WTi8IqWiw8jbiA9Iw_FM9auiAZNr8imtjbkOERpuJLUS31VxWtk4k8YETXCn20E7H6aJOgk-aRz7iz97AWDm9HJXL3hW0beBPAoGya6VVa5vyD4_tIwUvUEYnQvzd/s320/night-and-the-city-15.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Harry bursts in and says he can control professional
wrestling in London, but Nosseross loudly laughs at him, and Helen wants Harry
thrown out. Harry is angry at the dismissive way Nosseross treats him, and says
he will get 200 pounds on the condition Nosseross will match it for the
investment. Harry goes to the underbelly of society seeking funds from beggars,
forgers, and those operating in the black market since he resides in the illegitimate area of
finance.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsaFOlXn0ZaH4xqf0D6ykRRgj4XFteQhcPyPyrMDZ69mTNZw7O7xWgQt6aGFdIdeC0DRDI85iyZnJqW2rKhxw7DeaND_EtqmnQPXUIMBSIvonOhKgnsm4VHSAAMXIV7drMeq01wPc-1G3nxdZbTng1oqM8kWMATvFzJfGkfRDKubuV111ILVD_q1N/s400/nightandthecity_14.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsaFOlXn0ZaH4xqf0D6ykRRgj4XFteQhcPyPyrMDZ69mTNZw7O7xWgQt6aGFdIdeC0DRDI85iyZnJqW2rKhxw7DeaND_EtqmnQPXUIMBSIvonOhKgnsm4VHSAAMXIV7drMeq01wPc-1G3nxdZbTng1oqM8kWMATvFzJfGkfRDKubuV111ILVD_q1N/s320/nightandthecity_14.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There is a scene where Nosseross and Mary do not know
where their romantic partners are. Harry is at a bar and Helen finds him there.
Harry is angry at her for forcing him to put up the 200 pounds before Nosseross
will commit to supplying some cash. Helen kisses Harry, and we realize there
was an intimate connection between the two, and that is why Harry feels
betrayed by Helen’s prior statements. However, she has the 200 pounds which
causes Harry to be elated. But, she wants him to get the other 200 from her
husband to get her a license for her own nightclub which she bought unknown to
Nosseross. She can’t tolerate her husband anymore and needs to break away. She says
she knows all about running a nightclub since she currently does all the work.
She wants Harry to scam her husband and Gregorius. He says he’ll go along with
her schemes, but we wonder if he will. So, there is deception upon deception
here.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Fergus Chilk (Aubrey Dexter), Kristo’s lawyer, along
with a henchman, pay a visit to Nosseross. The attorney tells the club owner
that Kristo is “disturbed” by Harry’s attempt to be a rival wrestling promotor,
and Chilk wants to meet with Harry. (Nosseross’s office looks like a cage, with
bars for its ceiling. The design conveys a feeling of entrapment, as if those dwelling
in the darkness of the city create paths that lead to confinement. Similar images
are in Alfred Hitchcock’s <i>The Birds</i>, where people, instead of the winged
creatures, are caged. Think of Tippi Hedrin in the phone booth, the car, the
attic, etc.). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When Helen returns, her husband says he wants to sell
the club, and that he has more wealth than she knows. He wants them to travel
and enjoy life. But, escape from the world he has attached himself to is not possible.
He’s a parasite feeding off a dark part of society, and he can’t leave the
host. Helen latched onto him and doesn’t want to leave, since she wants to draw
what she can from his nefarious enterprises to start her own. Harry shows up
with the money and expects Nosseross to match the sum and they will be
wrestling promotion partners. But Nosseross is suspicious as to how Harry attained
the cash, and finds that some of his stash is missing. He concludes that Harry
and Helen are conspiring against him. Nosseross gives Harry the money, but says
he is to be a “silent partner,” and wants the business only in Harry’s name. He
doesn’t want any evidence that he was competing with the powerful Kristo. Nosseross
rips up the lawyer’s card as he talks to Harry. Nosseross is preventing Kristo’s
warning from reaching Harry and is supplying the rope for Harry to hang himself.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickbYQxQeYIQ2_3T0vubqWi_24VOobD6anDWYOmpVZj9lenn8llGyaWZ1ZkFuZ7mUA4aAEnzSmGkB1DMc8PgY_PPB0ThLgxaLDwfJJdqWwgX9yKLBLnYPBIWAScBOqjDq2sNe8aRENw8UxHDltAfBRhMJ5jasCJ5r7fs9CikgDt-2BlbpC1O36o3Xy/s400/nightandthecity_9.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickbYQxQeYIQ2_3T0vubqWi_24VOobD6anDWYOmpVZj9lenn8llGyaWZ1ZkFuZ7mUA4aAEnzSmGkB1DMc8PgY_PPB0ThLgxaLDwfJJdqWwgX9yKLBLnYPBIWAScBOqjDq2sNe8aRENw8UxHDltAfBRhMJ5jasCJ5r7fs9CikgDt-2BlbpC1O36o3Xy/s320/nightandthecity_9.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">It appears that Harry has double-crossed Helen as he
has established Fabian Promotions and has his own office and gym for wrestlers
to work out. Gregorius and Nikolas are there. He is thrilled to get a desk sign
in the mail that announces he is in charge, since feeding his ego has dominated
his life. One of Kristo’s wrestlers, The Strangler (Mike Mazurki), shows up to intimidate
the men there on behalf of Kristo, but Harry gets him thrown out. However,
Kristo shows up in person with his lawyer and tells Harry that he can’t promote
matches in England. Kristo rips up Harry’s promotional contract for an upcoming
match just like Nosseross ripped up the lawyer’s card that Nosseross was to
hand to Harry. The tearing image suggests how there are no ruled to abide by in
the world of film noir. However, Kristo thought his father left for Greece and
doesn’t know that Gregorius is now Harry’s partner. When Harry reveals this
fact, Kristo tells his father that Harry is a swindler. His dad takes no heed
of this warning and Kristo tells Harry that if he continues to do business, he
better not try and cheat Gregorius. As Harry and Kristo talk, Harry hits a
punching bag and Kristo tries to grab hold of it. The action shows the violent
interaction present, and the situation is so precarious that even the relationship
between father and son takes on sinister connotations.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry calls
Helen and says that he has her nightclub license, but then tries to dodge a
meeting to hand it to her since he is not telling the truth. She is talking to
Harry secretly, thinking her husband is asleep (more deception). But Nosseross overhears
the conversation, which adds evidence to how Harry and Helen are working
against him. Harry pockets the fee from Helen that he says he needs to secure
the license, but instead he gives her a forged paper. Everybody here is using
everybody else for personal gains. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Despite Nosseross trying to keep his name out of
Harry’s business to avoid repercussions, Kristo knows Nosseross’s money is
behind Fabian Promotions. Kristo says Harry has promised to conduct wrestling
matches in legitimate Greco-Roman fashion. Kristo says Harry will fail from a
business standpoint because the public wants showmanship type of wrestling
matches. His cynical observation shows how corruption is preferred and prevails
in the dark side of life. But economic failure is not enough for Kristo. He
wants to defame Harry in Gregorius’s eyes so that Kristo’s father will leave
Harry. Nosseross no longer fears Kristo because he openly wants to help him reach
this goal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">To do Kristo’s bidding, Nosseross tells Harry that he
is pulling out and will not provide extra money for licensing. He says that
Greco-Roman wrestling be a failure financially. He says he will only back Harry
if he has big names in a match, and suggests booking The Strangler. Harry knows
that Gregorius hates The Strangler’s style that panders to the audience’s baser
instincts and will leave Harry’s business. Nosseross knows that Harry is only
in it for the cash and has no ethics, so Harry promises to set up a match with
The Strangler.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi937LmMn0EnXHLskl8j2QJ3t1FAPu1FW9o93ZsQkihqYYGiqkpnLe7S97YL3CzJNHAF88TyE2x3SNcXT72O-s8QMnEp03sfH0oS4uitEHAf4f_VB663R2fw2EbZHyVzhvBilb4BxgblCc6B2DrECxHIFTHUbmQMW1oiKIPfRX3pzD4oAcbQFBhLfId/s259/NATC%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi937LmMn0EnXHLskl8j2QJ3t1FAPu1FW9o93ZsQkihqYYGiqkpnLe7S97YL3CzJNHAF88TyE2x3SNcXT72O-s8QMnEp03sfH0oS4uitEHAf4f_VB663R2fw2EbZHyVzhvBilb4BxgblCc6B2DrECxHIFTHUbmQMW1oiKIPfRX3pzD4oAcbQFBhLfId/s1600/NATC%20-%203.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry attempts to create enough animosity between The
Strangler and Gregorius that the latter will agree to a match between The
Strangler and Nikolas. At a restaurant he makes The Strangler overhear his
remarks about how Gregorius scared The Strangler away at the gym, and that Gregorius
demeaned him. The Strangler runs to the gym, threatens Gregorius, and wants to
fight right there. Harry passionately tells Gregorius that they should have
Nikolas crush The Strangler in the ring and end The Strangler’s cheap form of
wrestling that dishonors the sport. (There’s no argument here that Widmark really
chews up the scenery in this role). Gregorius agrees. So, Nosseross was right –
Harry is a swindler and will lie and manipulate for his own selfish reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry goes to Nosseross to supposedly tell him the
good news that he has The Strangler signing up for a match that Harry is
promoting. Nosseross makes a call to talk to Kristo to Harry’s shock. Nosseross
says that he will tell Kristo that Harry stole The Strangler from Kristo. There
is now honesty as Nosseross admits that he wants Harry dead because he stole
something he paid for. Harry understands that he means Helen, which her husband
views only as dehumanized goods. Of course, Helen only married Nosseross so she
could inherit his wealth. There is no morality to be seen anywhere. Harry
reveals that Gregorius wants the match, so Kristo didn’t put a wedge between
his father and Harry. But, Nosseross refuses to give Harry the money to pay The
Strangler’s manager for his client’s participation. Without backing, everything
Harry planned will fall through. Nosseross calls Harry, “a dead man,” and this conclusion
about Harry continues in the story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Again not caring about the feelings of others, Harry
calls Mary to say he’s in trouble to get her out of the flat so he can steal her
money to make the wrestling match possible. But Adam sees Harry go into the
apartment after Mary leaves and when he runs into Mary tells her that he saw
Harry at their building. When she finds him rummaging through her things, she warns
him that others are “killing” him. This remark is another reference to
declaring Harry as a dead man figuratively and literally in a foreshadowing
way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJGo_kiIvfixc35EnlEPxvevM_VlZ9lAt9j1xTsb0TYDRAByK5CmoIfODV7-2rnrztzu_RvLCTE_4HjSa3d80iyL7VE6rmBiFuaET1By3X1yoSJ0uXNJnKKydEEpVQCe7CkXVvWJDGBLXyB5QnE2o5rxegTQYRDXkQhoGp2QvYgU1EJlNoFyNiEG9/s259/NATC%20-%2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJGo_kiIvfixc35EnlEPxvevM_VlZ9lAt9j1xTsb0TYDRAByK5CmoIfODV7-2rnrztzu_RvLCTE_4HjSa3d80iyL7VE6rmBiFuaET1By3X1yoSJ0uXNJnKKydEEpVQCe7CkXVvWJDGBLXyB5QnE2o5rxegTQYRDXkQhoGp2QvYgU1EJlNoFyNiEG9/s1600/NATC%20-%2017.jpg" width="259" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry goes back to the gym and The Strangler is there,
drunk, and he taunts Gregorius who is training Nikolas. They begin to fight (the
restrictive area of the wrestling ring is another symbol of imprisonment). In
an attempt to protect Nikolas, Gregorius tosses him out of the ring,
accidentally breaking Nikolas’s wrist. The Strangler’s agent, Mickey Beer (Charles
Farrell), says they can’t stop them now because the wrestlers are “like mad
bulls.” Civilized rules have been stripped away in this underworld zone and only
brutality remains. Gregorius gets The Strangler in a bear hug (more animal
imagery) and causes his opponent to temporarily pass out. Kristo arrives and
Gregorius says that is what he does to his son’s “clowns.” But the fierce
struggle is too much for the older wrestler and he dies. Before that happens he
tells Kristo that he should preserve the “art” and “beauty” of Greco-Roman
wrestling. Gregorius comes to represent the lofty accomplishments of ancient
cultures that have fallen into decay in the modern world, which is mirrored by
his own descendant’s corruption.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry doesn’t stick around. Krsito does not seem to
blame The Strangler. He most likely sees Harry as using him as a tool in to
implement his schemes. Beer confirms this suspicion when he confesses to Kristo
that Harry taunted The Strangler by making up antagonizing remarks that he
attributed to Gregorius. Harry gave The Strangler booze, adding fuel to his
irrational rage. The Strangler hears what Beer says and he sees that Harry
manipulated him. Kristo puts a bounty on Harry’s head of 1000 pounds and the
word goes out to the denizens of the underworld to hunt Harry (an earlier
equivalent of what happens to John Wick).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Strangler barrels through Nosseross’s china shop club
like that mad bull that Beer called him. The image of him wrecking the place is
very effective in showing how the dark drives of humans can subvert the attempt
to suppress them. The Strangler warns Nosseross that he better not be
protecting Harry, and says it was not himself but Harry that killed Gregorius.
Harry’s selfish ambitions have caused a domino effect that has destroyed lives.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Helen is packed and tells Nosseross her club permit is
now her “birth certificate,” implying she can be reborn into a new life. When
she tells her husband that she will partner up with Harry, he doesn’t go into details,
but he tells her there is no future with Harry. She says she can control Harry,
another instance of how people in the film noir story seek power over others.
He tells her she will fail and come crawling back to him. But he does not show
anger here; it is more like describing the sad inability to escape the vicious
circle which the darkness of the city inflicts upon individuals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">That futility in not being able to break free from this
dangerous wheel of fortune is stressed by seeing Harry running again through
the rat maze of the city streets, repeating his activity at the beginning of
the movie. Harry reaches out to Figler (James Hayter), the leader of the city’s
beggars, for help. Harry has not shown caring for others so there is no help
for him. Figler is just as deceptive as Harry. Even though he pretends to offer
sanctuary for Harry, he calls Kristo with information about Harry, hoping to
collect the reward.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As Helen prepares to open her new club a police
officer stops by saying he received no word that the establishment was cleared
for business. Helen shows him her license and offers him a drink. The officer
says he is on duty, but he can have some ginger ale. He remarks that he is a
new recruit. He represents innocence that has not been corrupted, at least not
yet. When he puts his glass down its condensation blurs the print on the
license and he concludes that it may be fraudulent. He says he will have it
checked out. A dejected Helen returns to the Silver Fox, trying to renew her
prior meal ticket, just as Nosseross predicted. But, Nosseross has committed
suicide, death apparently being the only way to escape the festering corruption
thriving here. Molly (Ada Reeve), a lowly, older worker at the club, who Helen
treated badly earlier, informs her that Nosseross left his estate to her.
Perhaps it was Nosseross’s last attempt at to repent for his sins. Helen’s hope
of being born into a better life is aborted.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy2kt_QzIsz7kpRKYx1CQV4JOI4NFWMLzFxhTrijpk1Ckhu8dJrb8t1M0gedjlDI03CDQ3ofXoPKSviFO-UhyJ0mZPbi-tMA9nSUvEEtvoCpgjPsVA9NaQw2mLa9K2OuaqEEL9m64A88DNcbzPL9AuSgXMeXUXw_25wgc_JonnjjgpjqxMFUfeINW/s420/NATC%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy2kt_QzIsz7kpRKYx1CQV4JOI4NFWMLzFxhTrijpk1Ckhu8dJrb8t1M0gedjlDI03CDQ3ofXoPKSviFO-UhyJ0mZPbi-tMA9nSUvEEtvoCpgjPsVA9NaQw2mLa9K2OuaqEEL9m64A88DNcbzPL9AuSgXMeXUXw_25wgc_JonnjjgpjqxMFUfeINW/s320/NATC%20-%2019.jpg" width="304" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry goes to Figler’s place. Harry knows the selfish
ways of people, it taking one to know one. When Figler acts too protective of
him, assuring Harry it wouldn’t be safe if he should leave, Harry gets suspicious.
After Figler receives a cryptic phone call, Harry knows he is being sold out
and knocks out Figler and leaves. He winds up at the shack of Anna O’Leary (Maureen
Delaney) near the riverfront. He is exhausted and says he has been running his
whole life, from “welfare officers, from thugs, my father.” It appears that his
whole life has felt like a trap from which he has tried to escape. He says he
can’t run anymore, and in this fallen world with no way out, that makes him a
dead man walking.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry mourns the fact that he was so close to achieving
the acclaim he sought, but then “an accident” occurred (the fight between the
wrestlers) and “everything fell apart.” The best laid plans, etc. But, Harry
set those wheels of chaos in motion. He seems to get some insight into his bad
actions, repeating, “The things I did.” He says that he hurt Mary, who loved
him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsHg65s8-MRaDbvpzcWHWx2S9yBbIcJxhU8Y49FOwoDdLxL_mm2Dsug4yPl3dqWaGm0NBZzxGmx026my3Lnmx2DxR-z9n0HVeZJrjzhJA50XCPRmb52PpM8Ih81IkfO-9OE_x1ajPaAWxSiyD5S1ZK5ePTEMVVKvGXwKuFTzsAuqGckX0Fk6IErI1/s329/night-and-the-city%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsHg65s8-MRaDbvpzcWHWx2S9yBbIcJxhU8Y49FOwoDdLxL_mm2Dsug4yPl3dqWaGm0NBZzxGmx026my3Lnmx2DxR-z9n0HVeZJrjzhJA50XCPRmb52PpM8Ih81IkfO-9OE_x1ajPaAWxSiyD5S1ZK5ePTEMVVKvGXwKuFTzsAuqGckX0Fk6IErI1/s320/night-and-the-city%20-%207.jpg" width="280" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Mary shows up and Harry can’t even look at her. He is
so ashamed, as he says to her, “Don’t be kind to me” when she offers him money
to get out of London. Admiring his “brains” and “ambition, she generously tells
him, “You could have been anything, anything.” (Her words sound like Marlon
Brando’s speech in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">On the Waterfront</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">,” when he says he could have been a
“contender,” instead of a “bum”). However, Harry always chose “the wrong
thing.” The implication is that when one goes down certain paths a person can
lose one’s moral way.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVw__KMPv1XhK8pE-idUJD9V8tiduHmk9rSZcAA9H7ubVF4HQi1FlJdVJ0qsIP49ULCIRgOi14ksOSxkc2fqmF_ZoMBoWf86i4ndlqtwyEPw1ZQz60kT92T4B_l7HUvFzCZz4cqmeHDe0FqpFRFAlQCSW1k5abUK-S-XclxGYItK_nkkE2WlJC5L4/s408/nightandthecity%20-%2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="408" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVw__KMPv1XhK8pE-idUJD9V8tiduHmk9rSZcAA9H7ubVF4HQi1FlJdVJ0qsIP49ULCIRgOi14ksOSxkc2fqmF_ZoMBoWf86i4ndlqtwyEPw1ZQz60kT92T4B_l7HUvFzCZz4cqmeHDe0FqpFRFAlQCSW1k5abUK-S-XclxGYItK_nkkE2WlJC5L4/s320/nightandthecity%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Harry tells Mary he can sacrifice himself and make it
look like she betrayed him so she can collect the 1000 pounds. He is duplicating
what Nosseross did, attempting a last act of repentance for his misdeeds. She,
being a decent person, tells him goodbye, wanting no part of the blood money.
Harry still tries to get her the reward by yelling so that Kristo will believe
that Mary deserves the bounty. The Strangler appears and lives up to his name,
choking Harry and throwing him into the river, granting Harry’s death wish.
Adam arrives with the police who supposedly will arrest The Strangler who again
has been treated like a tool used by others. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYppQyGrAPkp6vEQbwVwpYiGGyfFrKNH-saZ0fytF21RkctbsO0iews37weUEN32D3V97EOLAVoFsSOscccVyL1ZeG4L1AV8hktFNm-ai8fEnCDVeZYFXVH08umFKPc78W_SmQ5ckFy3rHtxLeWsCeZq4ACpOhCrR7PukjCAesNRDVSKfUPqv93qHn/s1790/NATC%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="1790" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYppQyGrAPkp6vEQbwVwpYiGGyfFrKNH-saZ0fytF21RkctbsO0iews37weUEN32D3V97EOLAVoFsSOscccVyL1ZeG4L1AV8hktFNm-ai8fEnCDVeZYFXVH08umFKPc78W_SmQ5ckFy3rHtxLeWsCeZq4ACpOhCrR7PukjCAesNRDVSKfUPqv93qHn/s320/NATC%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Kristo observes all this activity standing high up on
a bridge, like a demonic god ruling over this fallen place where even those who
survive are still tainted by the darkness of the nature of this world.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Next film is </span><i><span style="color: #0c343d;">If….</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-6223690187158675612022-06-05T18:19:00.000-04:002022-06-05T18:19:44.347-04:00The Breakfast Club<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed!</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRy3eQ5uMl-ZaHIvI_qzkuYkGkigs3TgoEUB33ZJBS2WSk7horWpRat4LKn-rSqI4GPuo8zXMpp9BZHbZPH6FC1A8LOFfxvq44g6m_g9SkS1EA5jOCn2iec7XgJFe8PnxoWlX5m-ZF0svkKSRrOeZZ3bKRWwYjhRc-SY9AY0hmr2Vtzf-0nuZS4fS/s1422/TBC%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="909" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRy3eQ5uMl-ZaHIvI_qzkuYkGkigs3TgoEUB33ZJBS2WSk7horWpRat4LKn-rSqI4GPuo8zXMpp9BZHbZPH6FC1A8LOFfxvq44g6m_g9SkS1EA5jOCn2iec7XgJFe8PnxoWlX5m-ZF0svkKSRrOeZZ3bKRWwYjhRc-SY9AY0hmr2Vtzf-0nuZS4fS/s320/TBC%20-%201.jpg" width="205" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Breakfast Club </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">(1985)
is a study in group dynamics among high school students that focuses on how
others, including adults and peers, stereotype individuals. The story demonstrates
that although it is comforting to find a secure place to exist, it’s also possible
to transcend limited viewpoints. The film is witty, irreverent, and touching,
quite an accomplishment for writer/director John Hughes.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The opening sequence contains the hit song “Don’t You
Forget About Me,” which stresses the desire of these youths to not just go
gentle into that good night. There is a quote shown from rocker David Bowie’s
“Changes” that also emphasizes the need for individuality. The lines are
followed by glass breaking the camera image, as if to stress the iconoclastic
need to destroy being placed in prefabricated molds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLv1gGKhoWgd94CT5SJoyHXSAb7R0TRf2WPpGuHO0PlWcQ6pBXjUbad3KgRaRxmjOEpR8pSEU6-Vb5RSkWgQ6td8iNfi7gobr5lCdkj6VaciKoQhGAxxH3xoU0PCWBPKszl7aFNq485gI5HV2NBNnC09cNwkco-rFActHgxEiR3yOkXg4-nMNH15P/s600/the-breakfast-club%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLv1gGKhoWgd94CT5SJoyHXSAb7R0TRf2WPpGuHO0PlWcQ6pBXjUbad3KgRaRxmjOEpR8pSEU6-Vb5RSkWgQ6td8iNfi7gobr5lCdkj6VaciKoQhGAxxH3xoU0PCWBPKszl7aFNq485gI5HV2NBNnC09cNwkco-rFActHgxEiR3yOkXg4-nMNH15P/s320/the-breakfast-club%20-%203.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) narrates a letter
addressed to Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), the disciplinary principal that he
writes at the end of this detention on Saturday morning in 1984. The assignment
from Vernon was to state who they are. Brian says that Vernon pigeon-holed them
“in the simplest terms” as “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and
a criminal.” He admits that is how they even saw themselves, because they were
“brainwashed.” As he speaks, we see a destroyed locker. It is Brian’s, and we
later learn why it exploded. There are also scribblings displayed that repeat
the word “Help!” in a notebook. The movie implies that the plea pretty much
sums up the feelings of alienation of adolescent youth.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Claire (Molly Ringwald) arrives in a BMW. IMDb notes
how the students come to detention is meaningful. Claire and Allison (Ally
Sheedy) ride up in expensive cars, showing their affluent backgrounds. We don’t
see Allison’s parents, and the car drives away making it appear as if she is an
abandoned child. Brian and Andrew pull up in middle-class vehicles, which hints
at the possibility that the parents hope their boys will one day move up in the
world. John Bender (Judd Nelson) walks to school, indicating that he is at the
bottom of the social hierarchy here with no caring parents, and which may
suggest why he shows the most anger being the outcast. (His last name suggests
he is someone who “bends” the rules imposed on him).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Claire, feeling privileged, wonders why her father
couldn’t use his influence to get her out of the punishment. Brian’s mother
orders him to find a way to study during the detention, piling on the pressure
to succeed. Andrew’s father tells him that he will not get an athletic
scholarship if he becomes “a discipline case,” but doesn’t offer an ethical
model, since he says his son’s mistake was getting caught, not doing something
wrong. The most enigmatic character is Allison, who not only arrives in a
Cadillac, but also wears an expensive coat under which she has clothes that
make her look like a homeless person. Definitely a person of at least two
minds. Her car almost hits Bender who is oblivious to the danger as he walks in
front of it, not caring about what others do or think, or what happens to
himself. He may be self-destructive, which we learn derives from his home
experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTn7JQ4ZYz3-nQIRHKZVX8AOj9EXHJRd3hKJL7t7sX4mlDCFWsohzfFcWWsZ9sReW7NzVJfgKC8wc15tPlwy-GfCA13CcljLRLDBIoxEFpkoV_MqjUiDdamkr7IexOv40gTJ8zmrcx1Ds8FYlhZy9ZmLYNLp9CgSZfApF7vEm8f8gtVkHCFe-TwGV/s728/TBC%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTn7JQ4ZYz3-nQIRHKZVX8AOj9EXHJRd3hKJL7t7sX4mlDCFWsohzfFcWWsZ9sReW7NzVJfgKC8wc15tPlwy-GfCA13CcljLRLDBIoxEFpkoV_MqjUiDdamkr7IexOv40gTJ8zmrcx1Ds8FYlhZy9ZmLYNLp9CgSZfApF7vEm8f8gtVkHCFe-TwGV/s320/TBC%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">They gather at the school library. Bender comes in
knocking stuff around on the librarian’s desk and taking a paper pad, as he
broadcasts his dismissal of following any rules. He makes Brian move for no
other reason than to intimidate the youth, and uses two chairs to elevate his
legs to show he does not take the situation seriously. Allison scurries to the back,
stressing her outsider nature.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT83JmgCbe8CCFEJkUgEpmQ6ejtmt6yqx11370wx2QWZpmBe8ePXfun6SS1WwNkdIfXiMxmIw44YEHEnrJRYpKayzYvKB4orInOfA6svrOKR4P4VwSfSDD1AnU5DaIdy-tXQba8SdFfhmHCpfjJ6vjiSrWXF2JvtS4dD-kMH8TZtmCTgIWmmVoO8Zk/s700/TBC%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="700" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT83JmgCbe8CCFEJkUgEpmQ6ejtmt6yqx11370wx2QWZpmBe8ePXfun6SS1WwNkdIfXiMxmIw44YEHEnrJRYpKayzYvKB4orInOfA6svrOKR4P4VwSfSDD1AnU5DaIdy-tXQba8SdFfhmHCpfjJ6vjiSrWXF2JvtS4dD-kMH8TZtmCTgIWmmVoO8Zk/s320/TBC%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Vernon comes in and has nothing but contempt for the
young people, which, of course, just leads to feelings of resentment and
intimidation on their part. Vernon requires them not to move from their seats
or talk for nine hours, ridiculous demands. It is here that he tells them to
write the essay about who they think they are. Bender goes out of his way to be
gross by spitting and catching his own spit as it falls back into his mouth. He
is against anything that is socially acceptable. But if he is anti-social, why
does he do things that draw the scrutiny of others? Does it show the need for
attention that he has not received? It is interesting that he wears layers of
clothing. Is it symbolic of armor, the desire to protect himself from the pain
he has endured? (Gene Hackman’s character in the movie </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">Scarecrow </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">did
something similar). In fact, there is shedding of outer garments by others
which symbolizes removing emotional shielding as the story unfolds.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6bTgly0Uay88ejLvt-_W8uVinRGYmESduoJlU5O061UVedTjFlQwvGV0cb8EXHVQoekw3p78bkk0l4PKfMANBUnXyjeHIuFx23DFxCzI3YYTjoP3LX7AXg-lgYaJG5na52EafAOJ7sX_IEth_R-TBoLpTPbVabzq5FvVliA1k9F2mGpjM8t0RGMW/s1600/TBC%20-%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6bTgly0Uay88ejLvt-_W8uVinRGYmESduoJlU5O061UVedTjFlQwvGV0cb8EXHVQoekw3p78bkk0l4PKfMANBUnXyjeHIuFx23DFxCzI3YYTjoP3LX7AXg-lgYaJG5na52EafAOJ7sX_IEth_R-TBoLpTPbVabzq5FvVliA1k9F2mGpjM8t0RGMW/s320/TBC%20-%208.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Allison is the real loner. She starts making loud noises
as she bites her nails, but she doesn’t do it to draw attention. She is used to
being alone. Bender says wittily to her, “You keep eating your hand you’re not
going to be hungry for lunch.” Her nonverbal, primal response is to spit a
fingernail at him.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender continues to be outrageous to shock others, his
way of interacting. He acts like he has to pee and pretends he will urinate in
the library. He then says they should close the door and, “We’ll get the prom
queen impregnated,” a reference to Claire. Lines like that make it difficult at
times to feel compassion for his character. (Molly Ringwald has spoken out that
she felt upset about these references to implied rape). Andrew shows the proper
amount of outrage at Bender’s statement and threatens him. He says that Bender
is a nobody and would never even be missed. Bender’s face shows how upsetting
that thought is. Claire tells Andrew to ignore Bender, to which Bender says,
“You couldn’t ignore me if you tried.” It is a response that can resonate in
different ways. Bender wants to make an impression, even if it is a negative
one. But, it also suggests the desire of young people to not be dismissed or
ignored, and to want to count for something. According to IMDb, Ringwald said
this movie is about, “the universal feeling we all have, especially in high
school: that we are all outsiders; we all feel alone; and yet we all want to be
accepted.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The topic of connecting with others continues. Claire says
to Bender that no school clubs would take him. He, of course, says he wouldn’t
want to be members of any of the organizations because they consist of
“assholes.” While they are talking, Brian states that he belongs to different
academic clubs which shows he is accepted in certain circles. Allison continues
her nonverbal responses by forming a gun with her hand and pretends to shoot
the awkward, rambling Brian. Bender asks if Claire attends any of the groups
with which Brian is associated, and she scoffs, implying they are only for
nerds. Bender criticizes her for being elitist. Bender is also sarcastic toward
Andrew for competing in wrestling, saying he wants to be just like Andrew, so
he needs to get, “a lobotomy and some tights.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender stops the room door from staying open, instigating
the appearance of Vernon, who demands to know who closed the door. Allison’s
asocial response is to make squeaking sounds. Bender says a screw must have
fallen out of the door. Vernon demands the screw from Bender, who says screws
fall out all the time because it’s an “imperfect world.” It’s a funny line, but
it also mirrors teenage angst about the world they will inherit. In the face of
a common enemy, Vernon, Claire actually backs Bender, asking why he would want
to steal a screw. When Vernon asks Andrew to get up to help him keep the door
open, Bender mocks attempts by the adult to make things work when he says if
they all get up there will be “anarchy.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender continues his sarcastic attacks against Vernon
and incurs two months’ worth of detentions. Again, Claire wants to help him
out, telling him to stop aggravating Vernon and incurring more punishment. Vernon
might actually be right when he tells Bender that he should stop trying to get
attention in this negative way. But, IMDb suggests that it’s possible Bender
knows that if he is in detention on weekends it’s less time to spend with his
abusive father. He may also be acting tough as camouflage so others will not
see him as a victim of family trauma.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The students try to amuse themselves individually with
juvenile activities, but Allison reveals that she is quite an artist as she
sketches a winter scene of a covered bridge in the country. She wears her hair
in front of her face, hiding herself from the rest of the world. She uses her
own dandruff to create the impression of snow on the drawing, a gross act which
offsets her talent and again sets her apart from others. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">They finally get around to talking about their parents
when Claire says she thinks that her mother and father use her against each
other. Allison finally speaks and yells “Ha” as if to question Claire’s take on
her family. It is ironic that Claire then tells Allison to “Shut up!” since the
girl hasn’t said anything up to then. Bender asks Andrew how he feels about his
parents and Andrew sees the Catch-22 in the question for teenagers. He says,
“If I say Yes, I’m an idiot, right?” Bender says if he says he gets along with
his parents, he’s a “liar.” Bender might want everyone to be like him, deprived
of a happy family, which makes him less isolated. The suggestion is that you
are a freak if you truly do have a good parental relationship. So, when studious
Brian says that his parents’ idea of compassion is “wacko,” Bender tries to
invalidate good student Brian’s attempt at joining the anti-parent club by
saying to him, “You are a parent’s wet dream.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBG2uWydi1jDUuitjOszMl9sUkOIuaU5P6cg2eiIIwv3POwo1bKW19DWyRwHRfbQGP7oRfQ2GaqaE1cf_cqZevt30fYr7iZ0q4k3WuvZdqR1kknTfPca0la2XKjVfGisQ_lL5GqV5S-b2lRzJR2SjFJHUct23GFokG3TEAphBii9qfXKlQIlz3XIu/s1600/TBC%20-%2016.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBG2uWydi1jDUuitjOszMl9sUkOIuaU5P6cg2eiIIwv3POwo1bKW19DWyRwHRfbQGP7oRfQ2GaqaE1cf_cqZevt30fYr7iZ0q4k3WuvZdqR1kknTfPca0la2XKjVfGisQ_lL5GqV5S-b2lRzJR2SjFJHUct23GFokG3TEAphBii9qfXKlQIlz3XIu/s320/TBC%20-%2016.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender starts to get very suggestive with Claire,
asking her if she ever was sexual with anyone, and claims he knows that she is
an uptight virgin. Claire seems embarrassed by the talk, but she also seems a
bit envious that she hasn’t had any physical experiences. Andrew again feels he
must become the female defender. He gets Bender in a wrestling hold and then
tells him not to talk to Claire. Bender says that he is trying to help her. He
probably thinks he is attempting to liberate her from social restrictions that
have repressed her freedom.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fkilqefKXbW-u8xq52-H-ZVivY0wEUd9U1_2cdOCuhqZF525Z7Rdb0e0F7Q_7lCA6fPn4qacUJFNFnCedGt0QwQPeAcIdyw7XkWQ6LTyUEJ5_LDKxWETuf8vZRHlDTc3YDoyF7JKcs1taYDElxOGEQmqeyE_RWacxkvi62UAcBZSG3d3DphTRJ5r/s1280/The_Breakfast_Club_25.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1280" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fkilqefKXbW-u8xq52-H-ZVivY0wEUd9U1_2cdOCuhqZF525Z7Rdb0e0F7Q_7lCA6fPn4qacUJFNFnCedGt0QwQPeAcIdyw7XkWQ6LTyUEJ5_LDKxWETuf8vZRHlDTc3YDoyF7JKcs1taYDElxOGEQmqeyE_RWacxkvi62UAcBZSG3d3DphTRJ5r/s320/The_Breakfast_Club_25.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Carl (John Kapelos), the janitor, arrives in the
library and Bender asks how Andrew might get into the “custodial arts.” (Andrew
doesn’t think that’s funny because we already heard his father predict failure
for him if he lets up on the path to success). Carl cuts right through Bender’s
sarcasm and says that he knows everything that goes on in the school, most
likely because others ignore him. So, he knows what they talk about and what’s
in their lockers, which creates concern on Bender’s face. Perhaps a stash of controlled
substances is in his locker. On his ways out Carl notes that the clock there is
twenty minutes fast. A smile of respect appears on Bender’s face as he realizes
there is much more to Carl than is on the surface. That realization is at the
heart of the theme of this story that explodes stereotypes.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZbvGjx15oA7KXM8NrnaD5H63hpV_lr8DoWvfji-oNowa24NlBFLqj1hpYEgo32Eo1_N6aVgt0fBY38NB_l6KQV4OI794WCOB-AmpxjYptsWs5mTDTHbrMVO08302jgOtGXlaT7NyTE1_4X-rnS4Q4eFVVOuWQqZTdjYzVrHjW6uiCM-RqrG6l13T/s600/breakfast-club-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="600" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZbvGjx15oA7KXM8NrnaD5H63hpV_lr8DoWvfji-oNowa24NlBFLqj1hpYEgo32Eo1_N6aVgt0fBY38NB_l6KQV4OI794WCOB-AmpxjYptsWs5mTDTHbrMVO08302jgOtGXlaT7NyTE1_4X-rnS4Q4eFVVOuWQqZTdjYzVrHjW6uiCM-RqrG6l13T/s320/breakfast-club-28.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The group puts aside their differences and they join
together when dealing with a common enemy, which is Vernon. He says it’s lunch
time, and they object that they must stay in the room to eat. They at least
want milk. Claire says she needs the liquid or she dehydrates. Andrew humorously
says, “I’ve seen her dehydrate sir. It’s pretty gross.” Vernon chooses Andrew
and Allison to help with the milk retrieval. When asked what she likes to drink,
Allison tells Andrew she drinks “tons” of Vodka. In her own way, she likes to
shock like Bender. She evades the reason why she is at the detention (we never
really find out) and asks Andrew the same question. He evades, too, by talking
about his athletic status, and she calls him on his not answering her question.
They are not ready to be honest with each other just yet.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender, again using sexual outrageousness, tries to
open up the buttoned-down Claire and Brian about their sexual experiences. Bender
may be trying for honesty, but he also could be looking for weaknesses in
others since he feels as if he is always being judged. Brian doesn’t want to
admit that he is a virgin and at first lies about his carnal exploits,
indicating he didn’t want to talk about them in front of Claire. Bender twists his
response to make it seem Brian is indicating he had sex with Claire. Once Brian
admits his celibacy, Claire legitimizes the lack of sexual experience and
praises Brian for his abstinence. In this way she reverses the usual admiration
for males being sexually experienced and, again, undermines a stereotype.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbS4x7qAtdUo8mCAJX5y9h_74zeKAGxn-nUxfkdSlUejX_mhfTSmeMR7H1vmMgoxBgphAaXgMSSUeUKZE-F3Qp_oSNXUH7H5mxaOYtQICr_71rrTSkPxSytXuwDwlsnofKn3GDI_P2tskCOTwEOTun1y4JmDjLCsCHHQZhuCtcrg_N5zMrR_qLtozn/s381/TBC%20-%2023.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="381" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbS4x7qAtdUo8mCAJX5y9h_74zeKAGxn-nUxfkdSlUejX_mhfTSmeMR7H1vmMgoxBgphAaXgMSSUeUKZE-F3Qp_oSNXUH7H5mxaOYtQICr_71rrTSkPxSytXuwDwlsnofKn3GDI_P2tskCOTwEOTun1y4JmDjLCsCHHQZhuCtcrg_N5zMrR_qLtozn/s320/TBC%20-%2023.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y-ff7DAMK3OkJJO4MKDLbRUlU4r9ejMnE7CSJs80LTEzg4-4cIHNpwWfO9hCpRlSN6Ue6KbMRn1Zm-6x33N23JgnhB_9ZbReKn5Mrlgu1MoTjk-SL2G2GsQ6z-IQlv94hoSvND0cjM5ecyxLZUEGy3iDvF-HNmcJBuJCVq-1u8QrapixMfW4TuuV/s1000/TBC%20-%2017.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y-ff7DAMK3OkJJO4MKDLbRUlU4r9ejMnE7CSJs80LTEzg4-4cIHNpwWfO9hCpRlSN6Ue6KbMRn1Zm-6x33N23JgnhB_9ZbReKn5Mrlgu1MoTjk-SL2G2GsQ6z-IQlv94hoSvND0cjM5ecyxLZUEGy3iDvF-HNmcJBuJCVq-1u8QrapixMfW4TuuV/s320/TBC%20-%2017.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Lunch is very funny, as food matches the perceptions
of the youths’ positions in the student hierarchy. Claire is eating sushi,
Andrew has an abundance of choices to feed his athlete’s diet, and Allison
makes a wacky sandwich consisting of Pixie Stix and Cap’n Crunch cereal. Bender
points out that Brian has the standard “nutritious” lunch consisting of apple
juice, soup, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust cut off. He jokingly
asks if his mom married “Mr. Rogers,” to which the naïve Brian says, no, “Mr.
Johnson.”</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA7VAuRV_GsmHJ-9X5Wpl3tPAHv1wPRNIf6VhkS1Z2JJth5gdOFii28fT9lSy9czYK2tMmnFYIJsbOGkLorhJwTd-UE2gN195iBWIl9nEDVvhbGEP_mAcfu4oUh3IGk1DN9yEpbzpyMVUDuu7cIkBX2WnSRA_dzPEdaJLBDMGMWOZ1muXzmbIyKJF/s460/the-breakfast-club-27.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="460" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA7VAuRV_GsmHJ-9X5Wpl3tPAHv1wPRNIf6VhkS1Z2JJth5gdOFii28fT9lSy9czYK2tMmnFYIJsbOGkLorhJwTd-UE2gN195iBWIl9nEDVvhbGEP_mAcfu4oUh3IGk1DN9yEpbzpyMVUDuu7cIkBX2WnSRA_dzPEdaJLBDMGMWOZ1muXzmbIyKJF/s320/the-breakfast-club-27.webp" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bender then gets nasty by imitating what he considers
to be the bland, superficial conversation that occurs in Brian’s home. He ends
the dialogue with a punch to the imaginary face of one of the family members to
show his distaste for the banality of Brian’s conforming family existence. He
is narrowly categorizing Brian’s life as others do. When Andrew asks what
Bender’s home situation is like, Bender depicts a savage, abusive picture,
where his father calls him, “worthless, “stupid,” and a “jerk,” to which his
mother adds “ugly,” “lazy,” and “disrespectful.” He then imitates his father punching
him. Andrew says Bender made up the scenario to match his reputation. But
Bender shows them a cigar burn mark on his forearm that he received for
spilling paint. Because he feels he is not understood by the others there, he
then withdraws into his alienated state. He climbs up onto the landing to the
upper level like an animal and looks caged as he puts his head near the steps.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhMIXeqB_5jBDkobEex2gWtE8myqXUV2zq4qM3Pd5ouN7GTKYyj1JZUy9SWcgFmqIoMLsa7U_AqueiIbei5yWChreSvEqsitYU1FATkqlod0QV0Ue7X2BmntmfaAm_lN4lfWNBKE5KpoINjZqu7aDUecI7PkQbbQjDeHkeKgMODTugp1CMy27NLr5/s970/TBC%20-%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="970" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhMIXeqB_5jBDkobEex2gWtE8myqXUV2zq4qM3Pd5ouN7GTKYyj1JZUy9SWcgFmqIoMLsa7U_AqueiIbei5yWChreSvEqsitYU1FATkqlod0QV0Ue7X2BmntmfaAm_lN4lfWNBKE5KpoINjZqu7aDUecI7PkQbbQjDeHkeKgMODTugp1CMy27NLr5/s320/TBC%20-%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There is a lapse in transition at this point as Bender
is now with the others as he leads them out of the library when Vernon leaves
his jailer’s post. They go to Bender’s locker in a combined desire to break
free of their Saturday prison. Bender retrieves marijuana from his sloppy
locker to the outrage of the straight Brian. The quirky Allison steals Bender’s
locker lock, which fits in with her outlandish persona. When they hit a dead
end getting back to the library, Bender sacrifices himself by singing in the
halls and playing basketball in the gym to distract Vernon so the others can
get back to the library undetected. He has the least to lose since he is
already considered a lost cause and he uses that impression to protect the
others.</span><p></p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back at the library, Vernon reveals that Bender is in
detention because he created a false fire alarm. Vernon has a point when he
says that it wasn’t a funny act because people rely on the warnings to prevent
real catastrophes. He tells the others they shouldn’t find Bender entertaining
because in five years Bender will be a total loser. That fear of the future
haunts Vernon as we see later. He takes the defiant Bender, who pushes things off
desks, out of the library. He brings Bender to a closet and says when he is out
of school he will find him and beat him up. Bender is stunned by the violent threat
from this so-called model of discipline. Vernon says that nobody will believe
Bender over Vernon, who has an upstanding reputation. It is here that the film
shows how appearances can be deceiving and thus a person’s dignified façade may
hide a monster beneath. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyzxKBzWLrzcuV5_q7JBCv2hYig6ZMiERw5YjFFErOMsd4OxaLahTKNFbkHwfeG6ri0I-ztSBRiYYsgni8kXskoRn3gSAi9rko8iYMPMV-32kKXZcxO0_HrYhWlbc0tjg2jf6YmJIi9BVDnLswpXJUKUBHxYl9VlJmWH3b9_Fhgc_8HJZ5iyfMNKE/s770/TBC%20-%2031.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="770" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyzxKBzWLrzcuV5_q7JBCv2hYig6ZMiERw5YjFFErOMsd4OxaLahTKNFbkHwfeG6ri0I-ztSBRiYYsgni8kXskoRn3gSAi9rko8iYMPMV-32kKXZcxO0_HrYhWlbc0tjg2jf6YmJIi9BVDnLswpXJUKUBHxYl9VlJmWH3b9_Fhgc_8HJZ5iyfMNKE/s320/TBC%20-%2031.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Not one to be confined, Bender escapes the closet
through a ceiling panel and crashes through another on his way back to the
library. Again, the group coalesces when Vernon enters asking about the “ruckus.”
Bender hides under Claire’s desk and continues his sexual harassment of her by
putting his head between her legs. Bender retrieves his pot from Brian who he
used for his unsuspecting appearance. Thus, he used stereotyping as a weapon
against itself. Andrew warns Bender against smoking the weed there, but peer
pressure exerts itself as Claire, and then the others, follow Bender.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyu1Wo6zgEbZ1LrkUfTJsMFI0LaNAUGPZcRxghIvrAHpF8K94ivklC5IhebMSvxSPX8ibLzNqJOQUFd3j2ppRsNdvQW5k6AwWUtQUWhgDsdm3wfxW3fRYR4ijlwG-__cFEbD8zmnzsi3d5CT1lNWyttmdS5UKSzgPMf4WWLbC0zmktNVCAqi8meFk/s1259/TBC%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1259" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyu1Wo6zgEbZ1LrkUfTJsMFI0LaNAUGPZcRxghIvrAHpF8K94ivklC5IhebMSvxSPX8ibLzNqJOQUFd3j2ppRsNdvQW5k6AwWUtQUWhgDsdm3wfxW3fRYR4ijlwG-__cFEbD8zmnzsi3d5CT1lNWyttmdS5UKSzgPMf4WWLbC0zmktNVCAqi8meFk/s320/TBC%20-%2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-j-eKMVu5m1GMiOYpRcRkq3krBBjTCVteNdOeFrIBL50Rwj4ljiWFdBNueIxf5du7O501k_NIHBAu7hWvZ5p3AaqNQ5p41cGZs3zp-Vnl4PXWkWvxxHj2sh98Iu9gf3F4TfWhbLs5CHIggdrwdEJ-Vrqv2cuIkFb75EOAjhM5Xq4sFQMXThCH03zl/s1600/TBC%20-%205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-j-eKMVu5m1GMiOYpRcRkq3krBBjTCVteNdOeFrIBL50Rwj4ljiWFdBNueIxf5du7O501k_NIHBAu7hWvZ5p3AaqNQ5p41cGZs3zp-Vnl4PXWkWvxxHj2sh98Iu9gf3F4TfWhbLs5CHIggdrwdEJ-Vrqv2cuIkFb75EOAjhM5Xq4sFQMXThCH03zl/s320/TBC%20-%205.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The following sequence shows how they get to know each
other. The marijuana removes inhibitions as Brian sports sunglasses, and the
result is to make his look cool instead of nerdy. Maybe he really has a cool
side hiding underneath the dorky exterior. Andrew does an energized athletic run
around the second floor which includes jumping over bookcases and doing
cartwheels which relieves him of inner restrictions. He goes into a room and
screams and the glass in the door shatters. The image mirrors what we see at
the beginning of the film which symbolizes breaking constricting barriers. Bender
goes through Claire’s purse, and the act is symbolic of delving below the surface
to see what’s hidden from others. Allison burrowed into Brian’s life, and reveals
that she has learned Brian’s height, middle name, Social Security number, etc.,
because she stole his wallet. Andrew finds a bad fake ID in the stolen wallet,
and Brian says that he had one made, not to get booze, but to vote. So, his
rule-breaking action, which is contrary to his programming, was really in the
service of civic responsibility. Brian, like the others, turns out to be a complex
individual.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-03z1zBTWdGZ-oz1TcFJcrZQ8k7qTKMMvDWukST1H46RjBWOspFePzZ_vMZ5qZc5BVtBG1MUV8BjBlVpv-o7nvfB_xzs-dLmJ8g5LO1_cisdDfgZk47IY8hiFPyl8i0oibf6u3IFdvnik5hkOsVcwOUT584rMDhwcmck-QcM5ey-BlWBQ9z49HLp/s1600/The%20Breakfast%20Club%20%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-03z1zBTWdGZ-oz1TcFJcrZQ8k7qTKMMvDWukST1H46RjBWOspFePzZ_vMZ5qZc5BVtBG1MUV8BjBlVpv-o7nvfB_xzs-dLmJ8g5LO1_cisdDfgZk47IY8hiFPyl8i0oibf6u3IFdvnik5hkOsVcwOUT584rMDhwcmck-QcM5ey-BlWBQ9z49HLp/s320/The%20Breakfast%20Club%20%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Allison wants to join in the unmasking and empties the
numerous contents of her bag in front of Brian and Andrew. She says that she
carries so much stuff as backup if she needs it. When Brian asks if she is
going to live on the streets, she says, “I can run away to the ocean, I can go
to the country, I can go to the mountains. I can go to Israel, Africa,
Afghanistan.” Her words show her desire to escape the confines of the life
dictated for her, which is probably one reason why she acts so unconventionally.
Brian asks why she must run away at all, and her response is that her life is “unsatisfying.”
Andrew’s take is that all young people have unsatisfying lives or else they
would never leave their parents’ homes. He is seeing it as a universal
situation for everyone growing up which shows that no matter how different they
may seem they share a similar fate. Allison however doesn’t seem to want her
uniqueness diminished and responds with hostility before departing. As Brian
says, “The girl is an island unto herself.” But Andrew tries to break through
Allison’s anger and connect with her. He asks if she has problems. She,
probably feeling signaled out as defective, counters by saying he has a problem
because he does whatever he is told to do. Andrew senses that Allison, by dumping
out her bag’s contents, is reaching out to make a connection. He asks if she
has problems with her parents and she seems surprised that he has hit upon what
is bothering her. When he asks what they did to her she says they “ignore” her.
Her outlandish, isolating persona may be a result of her parents’ rejection.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Vernon and Carl have a conversation after Carl finds
Vernon snooping through confidential files. Carl says he will not expose
Vernon, but he now has leverage over the man despite his seemingly menial job
as a custodian. (IMDb points out that in the opening montage Carl’s picture
shows he was “Man of the Year” when he attended the school, showing how the
future can sometimes be unfulfilling). Vernon says the kids have turned on him,
changed, and it worries him that they will take over the country when they are
adults. Carl tries to make him see that all teenagers see adults as adversaries.
Carl is probably hoping Vernon will have some understanding about the kids and
not aggravate the divide between authority and youth. His argument appears to
be that if Vernon doesn’t let up on his animosity, he should not “count” on the
youth of today taking care of Vernon when he is older. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii4Ppk6BsYtZJ5zyFyt9CUZOojqAPaRoR58pOdXEOUjvRPBZEFLPBgN7z8uRFMAiGjrdJmDpdJwzuqWChEhSPkqfEoXKYIVi8QX3Omrv2ALxCYpagCQ2A2pQITdoP4tpehn8LqpJpRPgrSaVObTLsFGUH1s6yZryaAdL3T2LhyVI97GvU3Y8IcK2p/s1600/TBC%20-%2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii4Ppk6BsYtZJ5zyFyt9CUZOojqAPaRoR58pOdXEOUjvRPBZEFLPBgN7z8uRFMAiGjrdJmDpdJwzuqWChEhSPkqfEoXKYIVi8QX3Omrv2ALxCYpagCQ2A2pQITdoP4tpehn8LqpJpRPgrSaVObTLsFGUH1s6yZryaAdL3T2LhyVI97GvU3Y8IcK2p/s320/TBC%20-%2012.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The students talk about what they would do on a dare,
and Allison shocks again by saying she’ll do anything sexual. She says she is a
nymphomaniac, and had sex with her psychiatrist, who is married. Claire is
disgusted by this admission, and refuses to answer the question about her own sexual
history. Allison points out the double sexual standard when she says that if
Claire is a virgin, she is considered a prude and if she had sex, she’s defined
as a “slut.” Allison implies that the standards that society uses to label
people are a “trap.” She says that a girl who acts sexually but does not
consummate is considered a “tease.” Andrew then generalizes and says that all
girls are teases. His statement shows how society instills its views on its
members. The group puts pressure on Claire until she finally shouts out that
she never “did it!” Allison now admits that neither has she, and that she is “a
compulsive liar.”</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYv_WhVjqro9sFNJ7sPwfBVM3lgxaov9dfziqzeHCdRexkkK7D-5a0TaH3Ftf2XQSdVCAL7cU_2kNEuXHl3TsEIBO2e4tR5AWHrjSpOBoZuFtKJiPLcHoTIDTXRKvrsZaBQxihLjG_4fsfJzTWTSUX7KaOrWrLTkWL0l-6f4Reefc5DFSZBwRJ35G/s600/TBC%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYv_WhVjqro9sFNJ7sPwfBVM3lgxaov9dfziqzeHCdRexkkK7D-5a0TaH3Ftf2XQSdVCAL7cU_2kNEuXHl3TsEIBO2e4tR5AWHrjSpOBoZuFtKJiPLcHoTIDTXRKvrsZaBQxihLjG_4fsfJzTWTSUX7KaOrWrLTkWL0l-6f4Reefc5DFSZBwRJ35G/s320/TBC%20-%2019.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Claire is outraged how she was manipulated, and calls
Allison “bizarre.” Andrew then stresses the theme of the story when he says
that they all are bizarre but “some of us are just better at hiding it.” The
suggestion is that what we present to others may disguise who we really are. Andrew
then admits, with Allison’s prodding, that he can’t think for himself. He was
in detention for taping a boy’s “buns together.” It sounds like a youthful
prank, but it caused the boy to lose some skin when the tape was removed, and
the victim was humiliated. Andrew realizes that he did this act because of his father,
who always brags about the wild stuff he did when he was young. He keeps pressuring
Andrew to be “number one,” and that Andrew always has to “win.” Andrew grew up with
his father dictating that boys don’t show “weakness.” The boy Andrew attacked was
skinny and weak, so Andrew practiced what his father preached. He can’t
conceive now how to apologize for what he did and says he hates his dad for
being his role model. Andrew reveals that he isn’t some dumb jock, but instead is
sensitive and insightful below the macho surface. Bender realizes he isn’t the only
one there that has suffered parental abuse and shows his kinship now with
Andrew when he says, “I think your old man and my old man should get together
and go bowling.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Brian says he must meet high academic standards, but
failed shop because he couldn’t make a lamp. He thought he was taking an easy
class, saying “dopes” take shop. His condescension angers Bender who says he
took shop. Brian may know trigonometry, but Bender points out the fallacy of
social bias when he says without lamps there would be no light. He implies
workers are needed to turn intellectual theories into reality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-SG2uCyEN64C0d2tx15vjdSbHLZUutKrO6Kklj0zcQA7V9JOFju4Y2B84fghluqDTgbFqjR8DVIf2BYUEAPa-DQIHFRO4Xh2YoAe148pXmcW0cd2bGvCAhoGat2hCwmLrhnQwTGpadY4MxwT4xNbsfF1VSdLvdamFqiEvhEUTeLXFkD8fWpGdcLz/s640/TBC%20-%2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-SG2uCyEN64C0d2tx15vjdSbHLZUutKrO6Kklj0zcQA7V9JOFju4Y2B84fghluqDTgbFqjR8DVIf2BYUEAPa-DQIHFRO4Xh2YoAe148pXmcW0cd2bGvCAhoGat2hCwmLrhnQwTGpadY4MxwT4xNbsfF1VSdLvdamFqiEvhEUTeLXFkD8fWpGdcLz/s320/TBC%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After the confessions about individual limitations there
is a segue into confidence building. Allison, trying to diffuse the tension
between Bender and Brian, says her talent is to eat, brush her teeth and play
piano with her feet. Brian boasts that he can cook spaghetti. Bender wants to
know Claire’s special talent as he says everyone has something to be proud of.
She is embarrassed but proceeds to put a lipstick between her breasts and colors
her lips without using her hands.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Instead of laughing along with the others, Bender
ridicules Claire for the superficiality of her “talent.” She is hurt and when
she says she has feelings just like him, he is outraged by the comparison. He mocks
her affluent family and says he was given a carton of cigarettes for Christmas.
Andrew then voices a cautionary concern when he says, “My God, are we gonna be
like our parents?” Claire, showing how Bender’s attack hit home, answers, “Not
me, ever.” Bender’s nod acknowledges that he made an impression on Claire. But
Allison says it’s inevitable that they will turn into the adults they despise.
She says, “When you grow up, your heart dies.” Her pessimism implies that
maturity brings with it the end of youthful sensibility. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Brian says he considers them to be his friends now and
wants to know what happens when they see each other in school. He hopes that
they will continue the friendship they built (which only could have come about
by extracting them from the environment they are used to being in). Claire says
that they will go back to their old cliques. The others are upset with Claire for
submitting to the dictates of peers and her stating that the others will do the
same. She says she hates the way things are but tells Brian that he doesn’t
understand the pressure exerted on her. Brian starts to cry when he says that
he knows the effects of “pressure,” and shows how he is connected to Claire by
his feelings of pressure. He admits that he is at detention because he had a
gun in his locker. He admits he contemplated suicide because of the “F” he
received. But, it turns out that he had a flare gun and it ignited, setting
fire to his locker. They all laugh, including Brian, at the lame action, and get
hysterical when Allison says she committed no offenses, but is there because
she didn’t have anything better to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5UEPNaCzjDXZSMVNC_6w21qKUcW21u0dtlVXaTyQ7z8K1A54EEtzpJRST-sbSQP34vLQZlqhXdO8QrNln-qVd8yWCaqN_Ep-BVY6D69yU2cWBwh9wXKd6e8LXxU2cNM520bkfE-ir-b59532gbEtQ04ZdBDA4kUJCQoXXQY8i_X7lREub6CXSI4p/s1280/TBC%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5UEPNaCzjDXZSMVNC_6w21qKUcW21u0dtlVXaTyQ7z8K1A54EEtzpJRST-sbSQP34vLQZlqhXdO8QrNln-qVd8yWCaqN_Ep-BVY6D69yU2cWBwh9wXKd6e8LXxU2cNM520bkfE-ir-b59532gbEtQ04ZdBDA4kUJCQoXXQY8i_X7lREub6CXSI4p/s320/TBC%20-%204.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCRx8SNyKqR99IxiisPG_056R85wkqpSQQUeNOFqAyZVnmBDh9JNn4mrV5q55NVQaA7lZZ1_3RqEwWQGOao3WOiEFoh13ZlamA3SQI9yxBIj0EYzJTCOQY_q3fsdsj4JeIbC4PeUSdarDDnj2FhdGG9WCLpMHD5t0F3IMgI7dfYAXnxzqP0F8kZM0/s1280/TBC%20-%2035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCRx8SNyKqR99IxiisPG_056R85wkqpSQQUeNOFqAyZVnmBDh9JNn4mrV5q55NVQaA7lZZ1_3RqEwWQGOao3WOiEFoh13ZlamA3SQI9yxBIj0EYzJTCOQY_q3fsdsj4JeIbC4PeUSdarDDnj2FhdGG9WCLpMHD5t0F3IMgI7dfYAXnxzqP0F8kZM0/s320/TBC%20-%2035.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The group cuts loose as Brian plays rock music and
they start to lose their inhibitions as they dance wildly. They decide to let Brian
write the answer to Vernon’s assignment about who they are. In this way the
group speaks as one, united, a far cry from where they were at the beginning of
the movie. Claire gives Allison a makeover pushing her hair away from her face
and applying make-up. Allison asks why is Claire being nice to her, and Claire
says, “’Cause you’re letting me.” It is a meaningful statement. Once Allison allows
someone to approach her, lets her defenses down, she can receive friendship,
something she previously denied experiencing. Claire’s statement also shows
that the attention is not forced upon Allison, who makes the decision to accept
a connection. The new look catches Andrew attention. (Ally Sheedy didn’t like
the message the makeover sent which is that the girl had to change to get the
guy. One could say her character accepted the dictates of what a boy should
find attractive which would be contrary to the theme of not going along with conformity.
Or, it could be that what she looked like before was the costume, and the
transformation brings out that part of her that was lurking behind the surface).</span></span><p></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqNyoLT5GSLECRxRCsXkyr8fBcqFUfzV4pWgo2DFnC0SD8sDigsh2aJW6WPKm2_K7bHK-FIllpqzAiALnf4JEpe7jnoaQcXmJUpv5YsrzEqKB-QSG-gwYVU4aYUBvu2xoShQmt83FgdBOGCE0JGHbXoxhvDRp3Y5cl3XaAzf6maht7Dp3b8mNm22L/s892/TBC%20-%2034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="892" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqNyoLT5GSLECRxRCsXkyr8fBcqFUfzV4pWgo2DFnC0SD8sDigsh2aJW6WPKm2_K7bHK-FIllpqzAiALnf4JEpe7jnoaQcXmJUpv5YsrzEqKB-QSG-gwYVU4aYUBvu2xoShQmt83FgdBOGCE0JGHbXoxhvDRp3Y5cl3XaAzf6maht7Dp3b8mNm22L/s320/TBC%20-%2034.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Bender sneaks back into the closet where he was
supposed to have remained. Claire surprises him and kisses him. One can argue
that he brought down her resistance to someone from his social class and liberated
her. However, one could object that he shouldn’t be rewarded for being nasty
and a sexual bully.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZAY8wOCYLpDZ55n0pMW9EQbeZCbNULGY_cJQxC5Qttr2YPa9WuwZAovShajtEuQLgH0LOmUmGeH_RARtHmWORdQwc5vKsiJ31Sk8lvqEZbh_v8_sw8ip5BBon0KwM03Ju-2GGWOxTY103il7wiHBDqIwVLaQSsvDh8ediT2bVyD9U1S-YjBulFKm/s1906/The%20Breakfast%20Club%20-%2033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1906" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZAY8wOCYLpDZ55n0pMW9EQbeZCbNULGY_cJQxC5Qttr2YPa9WuwZAovShajtEuQLgH0LOmUmGeH_RARtHmWORdQwc5vKsiJ31Sk8lvqEZbh_v8_sw8ip5BBon0KwM03Ju-2GGWOxTY103il7wiHBDqIwVLaQSsvDh8ediT2bVyD9U1S-YjBulFKm/s320/The%20Breakfast%20Club%20-%2033.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsDMbavoCxenRPbzJf2bFK5mGRfaOXfsBEFF960jC1-b82zBeiqDjOTMds8wachUj26rOM75L93E6foZSE90NzNTQL5rQG8JDEIAqPfHEJOumZsellHrkJeSVkmROQKbN-qtMniPDY0I1G2VEewbgYIkz2UCw-kf5TVCVkB89yaY0JDcG_52-Bm6T/s1000/TBC%20-%2030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsDMbavoCxenRPbzJf2bFK5mGRfaOXfsBEFF960jC1-b82zBeiqDjOTMds8wachUj26rOM75L93E6foZSE90NzNTQL5rQG8JDEIAqPfHEJOumZsellHrkJeSVkmROQKbN-qtMniPDY0I1G2VEewbgYIkz2UCw-kf5TVCVkB89yaY0JDcG_52-Bm6T/s320/TBC%20-%2030.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnW8Kw2rH75R0XXVuIjnaRZaLicRXcXET9536dZYMpHvea5dXNMNpMopQBrtc8Gsph-XvhRQHcHDHSpxjt5DzVPydcdD5pm2W-xbgaBuiwZAQ6j5Hmvtityk-TXrLJpAYYqsDC2NaRzdn944FSAnUtK3tlREHC0efErFlIotTc4fOQsqNmHx1-HEl/s1280/The_Breakfast_Club_22.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1280" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnW8Kw2rH75R0XXVuIjnaRZaLicRXcXET9536dZYMpHvea5dXNMNpMopQBrtc8Gsph-XvhRQHcHDHSpxjt5DzVPydcdD5pm2W-xbgaBuiwZAQ6j5Hmvtityk-TXrLJpAYYqsDC2NaRzdn944FSAnUtK3tlREHC0efErFlIotTc4fOQsqNmHx1-HEl/s320/The_Breakfast_Club_22.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKZbgrTyVMvbfdyv-qZRRpDOWMCB8KD1YlRZYagnWKBxfnruvoCbhuczglZON_7xTxBPTCmu1WlmL1_1bta0AMQzL2F8r3Ul0-TrTaBXLQ8uWvHkZbMKwPPO-evyJCYaITlS0L0gff0wfVroR7qeNjbmUNqt0VczevznNGcNgtbGMeclP9FVigeqY/s551/TBC%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="551" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKZbgrTyVMvbfdyv-qZRRpDOWMCB8KD1YlRZYagnWKBxfnruvoCbhuczglZON_7xTxBPTCmu1WlmL1_1bta0AMQzL2F8r3Ul0-TrTaBXLQ8uWvHkZbMKwPPO-evyJCYaITlS0L0gff0wfVroR7qeNjbmUNqt0VczevznNGcNgtbGMeclP9FVigeqY/s320/TBC%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When they leave the school, Allison and Andrew kiss
goodbye and she takes a patch off his jacket as a token of their connection.
The same happens between Bender and Claire. She gives him one of her earrings (in
front of her father, which is courageous) and he wears it in one of his
piercings. Brian narrates what we heard at the beginning which is a repudiation
of the roles assigned to them by others. Brian says they discovered their
complexity, that each of them is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a
princess, and a criminal. The essay from the Breakfast Club is a declaration of
youthful independence, which visually is echoed by Bender’s raised fist as he
walks on by.</span></span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>Night and the City</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275724764962064834.post-18753983601301268242022-05-07T12:03:00.000-04:002022-05-07T12:03:04.198-04:00Manchester by the Sea<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">SPOILER ALERT! The plot will be discussed.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivKs8kcpJjJQmuYg-93WvSPXyTEu7uzw3IXg8JIx4UIU5PCVEQjvmK-kGGUKIoJrGl0MDcC56lRYLlC1eqXUE6OazlOgEnILK0V8eJqIkg1rmPlj7xLZWxye6eyudj1ft9Cz1xyTC_kVfJfai-VkG4c4juvZlVZ4l0dSF0WHbpEeXgqFclw04i_6-/s2048/MBTS%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivKs8kcpJjJQmuYg-93WvSPXyTEu7uzw3IXg8JIx4UIU5PCVEQjvmK-kGGUKIoJrGl0MDcC56lRYLlC1eqXUE6OazlOgEnILK0V8eJqIkg1rmPlj7xLZWxye6eyudj1ft9Cz1xyTC_kVfJfai-VkG4c4juvZlVZ4l0dSF0WHbpEeXgqFclw04i_6-/s320/MBTS%20-%201.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Manchester by the Sea</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">
(2016), written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, deals with the impact of the
traumatic loss of a family’s children and how that tragedy disrupts any
connection to others.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ1VeexzWyPlz892p4AX058hCdQKuhYkDUcaCXQBbtcj5SxNc6sV0HBx38dEEbA76ny0AJ1hRLsG5vO4NpRNiS9L3JSqgPV_0X7LVvxD475uMvnS2tNELQGpD72KV6HZUhwywsMa5mT42VLAyD3kAvtwRMFGgoWu3DxFSgWQXs5q1W80PPhhpKcIe/s1920/MBTS%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ1VeexzWyPlz892p4AX058hCdQKuhYkDUcaCXQBbtcj5SxNc6sV0HBx38dEEbA76ny0AJ1hRLsG5vO4NpRNiS9L3JSqgPV_0X7LVvxD475uMvnS2tNELQGpD72KV6HZUhwywsMa5mT42VLAyD3kAvtwRMFGgoWu3DxFSgWQXs5q1W80PPhhpKcIe/s320/MBTS%20-%2010.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The film begins in the coastal community of
Manchester-by-the Sea in the past with Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck, who
received the Best Actor Oscar for this role) on a boat with his then
eight-year-old nephew Patrick (Ivy O’Brien). The two are playful together, as
Lee jokingly says he knows more about life than Patrick’s dad and, thus, would
be the one to choose if stranded on an island. The idea of isolation is
introduced early here. As it turns out, Patrick starts out with a natural
father and a father-figure, but he loses both. The sea suggests freedom but the
isolation of being on the water can point to what happens later in the story.</span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWGhZOsbDxIPdwmiHKq7uoOo245y_3HebtUDCua4ktAEFV6AQZxwvRIXfRwSwvmpv6HisurNMXj-rSM190kzpm-2jjrZuYlGtfuzhi22PLiueFeOOP-WWxnrVUINI8FSkU1swBNH7DTNBMf9RGKNrvqRUX59p-URR5hQN5dlGzP0eFa3fD_9mUIaz/s636/MBTS%20-%2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="636" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFWGhZOsbDxIPdwmiHKq7uoOo245y_3HebtUDCua4ktAEFV6AQZxwvRIXfRwSwvmpv6HisurNMXj-rSM190kzpm-2jjrZuYlGtfuzhi22PLiueFeOOP-WWxnrVUINI8FSkU1swBNH7DTNBMf9RGKNrvqRUX59p-URR5hQN5dlGzP0eFa3fD_9mUIaz/s320/MBTS%20-%2015.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a jump to the present in Boston where Lee is
working as a handyman at an apartment building. It is winter and it is snowing,
presenting a feeling of an unwelcoming environment. Lee’s constant acts of shoveling
and filling up a dumpster with trash seem fruitless, like Sisyphus continually
rolling his rock uphill. Lee can keep trying to dig himself out of his
predicament, but the task is overwhelming to him. There is no feeling of
community in this place as the residents seem to not have any social skills,
which reflects Lee’s current state of mind. The tenants argue or are sexually
inappropriate showing how they do not know how to interact with others, and Lee
responds angrily when provoked by them.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">This disconnect continues when Lee goes to a bar. A
woman spills a drink on him as an awkward attempt at staring a conversation
with Lee. Her action demonstrates an inability to connect in a meaningful way.
He tries to avoid looking at the woman, indicating his unwillingness to interact
with anyone. Two businessmen there appear to be talking about Lee and he
accosts them, punching them both. Lee carries with him anger and shame because
of his past, and he misdirects that wrath toward others. The Ray Charles song
in the background is ironic because he is singing “Oh, what a beautiful
morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee lives in a basement apartment, alone of course,
and its subterranean location shows how he has buried himself physically and
emotionally in his withdrawal from life. There is even a sign on the back fence
that says, “Keep Out,” which could mirror Lee’s mental state toward others. He
has exiled himself from his hometown. But circumstances thrust him out of his
personal purgatory in Boston back to Manchester-by-the-Sea. He learns that his
brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) is in the hospital but by the time Lee arrives he
finds out from a friend, George (C. J. Wilson) that Joe is dead. Lee has become
so numb from his prior trauma that he shows little outward emotion, maintaining
his flat affect, common to those with post-traumatic stress disorder. Except for
one angry f-bomb, irritability being another characteristic of PTSD, he
maintains his distanced appearance. George’s sobbing contrasts with Lee’s stilted
reaction. Director/writer Lonergan said that Lee is trying to keep the “walls
from caving in,” so he exerts extreme effort not to collapse under the
onslaught of his tortured emotions. However, when Lee goes to the morgue to see
his dead brother, he does show emotion, hugging Joe’s body and whispering to
him. It’s as if Lee is more equipped to connect with the dead than the living.
Later, Lee has trouble even talking on the phone to the funeral home to set up
arrangements for his brother. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7BtyzfumFtrBqwDukZfdbBVk8YjQxuR2DiR_VyCJHvoLlMWbUXjDBZklTyDCrJUgIAZTisdhVIhXjn9vDRzQpR7DBBNH-l0uEMm0TVDw2wQLww3mPC2KLpNu2Ci7pnESN6zfV1ORyLGk6aztpZU8iLvQN3Ex7WEnYRK6-I11H41NOynk4z0eGksH/s1777/MBTS%20-%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1777" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7BtyzfumFtrBqwDukZfdbBVk8YjQxuR2DiR_VyCJHvoLlMWbUXjDBZklTyDCrJUgIAZTisdhVIhXjn9vDRzQpR7DBBNH-l0uEMm0TVDw2wQLww3mPC2KLpNu2Ci7pnESN6zfV1ORyLGk6aztpZU8iLvQN3Ex7WEnYRK6-I11H41NOynk4z0eGksH/s320/MBTS%20-%2022.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">There is a flashback to Joe’s previous hospitalization
for congestive heart failure which his wife, Elise (Gretchen Moll), does not
take calmly when Dr. Bethany (Ruibo Qian) tells the family that Joe has only
five or ten years to live. When the doctor says, “it’s not a good disease,”
Joe’s no-nonsense response is “What is a good disease?” The doctor says, “Poison
Ivy,” and Lee adds, “Athlete’s foot.” They deal with bad news with humor to
lessen the blow, but Elise can’t cope with the situation and leaves, feeling
that Joe is not taking the threat seriously.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Another flashback of young Patrick and Lee with Joe
shows how Lee would tease his nephew about how there are sharks ready to get at
the boy even if he throws a bloody band aid in the water. These scenes show how
familiar and at ease Lee and young Patrick were and how their prior
relationship contrasts with the tension that exists in the present. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzUxl4ykZvwxPTh_Ws55ODkh-EpUi2NPJCwokk-p6z_TY5dmheZWWlo85KhHXNe4PQ7dZAOpK3HV0_TWJzaNOGieWC5c2VKxNSmfcp4uFMHJN6-OZwZWLQxKP7W0FIf6HDjMWpeGVkQ0MqNIQ_uJyBVEPmFiyETydEhpcH4dNRl16tN6iowFHdIq4/s1280/MBTS%20-%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzUxl4ykZvwxPTh_Ws55ODkh-EpUi2NPJCwokk-p6z_TY5dmheZWWlo85KhHXNe4PQ7dZAOpK3HV0_TWJzaNOGieWC5c2VKxNSmfcp4uFMHJN6-OZwZWLQxKP7W0FIf6HDjMWpeGVkQ0MqNIQ_uJyBVEPmFiyETydEhpcH4dNRl16tN6iowFHdIq4/s320/MBTS%20-%206.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">As Lee drives through the frigid Manchester-by-the-Sea
he remembers coming back from his happy day on the boat to the warm domestic
world of his wife, Randi (Michelle Williams), and his three young children.
Randi has a flu-like illness, but Lee wants to be romantic despite that fact,
and the two tease each other. The comfort and love are symbolized by the lit
fireplace that will, ironically, be the thing that turns Lee’s life into a
living hell.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee drives to pick up the teenage Patrick (Lucas
Hedges) at his school to break the news about his father. He talks to Paul (Paul
Meredith), the Assistant Principal, who tells Lee that Patrick is at hockey
practice. The conversation between the men is broken up on the cell phone, and when
Paul asks about Joe, Lee acts as if his brother is still alive. We have
here a scene which stresses the lack of Lee’s ability to deal with another.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">That lack of communication shows up again in the scene
at the hockey rink. As soon as Patrick sees his usually absent uncle, he knows that
there is something wrong with his father. Patrick is like his uncle, and
instead of telling his coach (Tate Donovan) what he assumes, he yells at him
instead. The camera shows Patrick and Lee talking at a distance, thus stressing
Lee’s inability to express himself by the omission of any audible conversation.
Even though that distanced conversation continues with his teammates, one of
them hugs Patrick. This show of affection toward another living person contrasts
with the embrace of a dead person that Lee showed earlier. Both Paul and the
coach reveal that Lee is known for his tragic past, and how he may be to blame
for what happened. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy93-3RVcEp3GFdTrB6Suu9NTnI7JxTnOzqq2O5o46RikBvPCLC_BvcDfWUFHlR6C0Jh9ONyTV_n9-XHpkmRx93H0QCLmExMw9iCGQ5CqSEiMZ6yXE414zHxTuat2JqoaQrTjMwZhIqW0OwZeWJR2heFJlXwpww65zSluiN5KogaE5G-sDKSxeRWZ/s320/manchester-by-the-sea-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy93-3RVcEp3GFdTrB6Suu9NTnI7JxTnOzqq2O5o46RikBvPCLC_BvcDfWUFHlR6C0Jh9ONyTV_n9-XHpkmRx93H0QCLmExMw9iCGQ5CqSEiMZ6yXE414zHxTuat2JqoaQrTjMwZhIqW0OwZeWJR2heFJlXwpww65zSluiN5KogaE5G-sDKSxeRWZ/s1600/manchester-by-the-sea-16.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The inability to connect with another continues into
the next scene where Lee and Patrick are in Lee’s car. Patrick can’t say
whether he wants to see his father or not as Lee tries to explain how the boy’s
father appears. When they get to the hospital, Lee asks Patrick if he wants to
go home or see his father. Patrick says, “Let’s just go.” Lee starts to pull
the car away and Patrick is angry, because he thought he said, “Let’s just go
inside.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Patrick asks Lee if he could have some friends over, including
Patrick’s girlfriend, Silvie (Kara Hayward), to which Lee consents. Lee stays
in the kitchen and goes upstairs, maintaining his distance from others. There
is an awkward scene when Patrick asks Lee if Sylvie can stay over, and Lee says
why is Patrick asking his permission. Lee asks if he should tell his nephew to
use a condom. Patrick also asks if they should contact his mother, but Lee says
they don’t even know where she is, which tells us how estrangement has widened as
time progressed. (A flashback shows Lee and Joe coming back from an outing with
young Patrick, and Alise is passed out, half-naked on the couch, with a bottle
of booze next to her. Perhaps Joe spent more time with his brother and son, and
not enough with his wife). There are silences between talking, as if both are
trying to figure out what to say. Patrick hugs Lee, who seems stiff, as the
hugging motif continues, showing Lee’s inability to show affection for the living.
Patrick appears to be used to having an adult parent and Lee is at a loss as to
how to fill that role. He later has difficulty typing an email to his mother,
another moment of a failure to connect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">On the way to the lawyer’s office to hear Joe’s will,
Patrick tries to reach out to his uncle by starting up a conversation with Lee
about rock music. But Lee shuts it down by saying all the bands sound alike to
him. Patrick does a quick shake of his head and lets out a short sigh as if in frustration
with Lee’s inability to engage with him. At the lawyer’s office, the attorney surprises
Lee by telling him that Joe chose his brother to be Patrick’s guardian. Joe set
aside funds to take care of his son and for Lee’s moving back to
Manchester-by-the-Sea. Lee is adamant about how he can’t carry out what the
will says, but realizes that Joe didn’t discuss the matter with him because Joe
knew Lee would have not agreed to its terms. It’s as if in death, Joe was
trying to bring Lee home to reconnect with Patrick, and thus give him back some
of the family he lost. Lee comes to the hard realization that he has no choice
but to take care of Patrick.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8Bu_TxEgbtW-TbechWMHlwHyzsNYdD8lzQZPNGNsVEKmqraLECDE5VmJKIuU8E7YEKTYjea2R8E3KpNQutRgMbriJ-Rx41-tbtsFX1nUDwem95oChYzz6UoqQARHgWZ4mL8t2fBJpDfBVL8S-b882QtXB22k1gyLu-AhFWNH_yetdkG3cqAsmb3p/s320/manchester-by-the-sea-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8Bu_TxEgbtW-TbechWMHlwHyzsNYdD8lzQZPNGNsVEKmqraLECDE5VmJKIuU8E7YEKTYjea2R8E3KpNQutRgMbriJ-Rx41-tbtsFX1nUDwem95oChYzz6UoqQARHgWZ4mL8t2fBJpDfBVL8S-b882QtXB22k1gyLu-AhFWNH_yetdkG3cqAsmb3p/s1600/manchester-by-the-sea-17.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx1iydhgM2YMc-0yq6XtRzyO4f0qjStrGMl5d37FcWZ0NcCxQNEQl3BFJ2_n6bhgxbhl8sO0UnCIyQ2_waN7fpZcXaOOR0Sg1WaLpM59-KO3M9usfJjyqSUlw2NJDuiDSD7FAhyVui9Ragrzy5CirL9fYlWs_n6oOU6jI_cvvRiSEBQxCtZMRmWbz/s1280/MBTS%20-%2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfx1iydhgM2YMc-0yq6XtRzyO4f0qjStrGMl5d37FcWZ0NcCxQNEQl3BFJ2_n6bhgxbhl8sO0UnCIyQ2_waN7fpZcXaOOR0Sg1WaLpM59-KO3M9usfJjyqSUlw2NJDuiDSD7FAhyVui9Ragrzy5CirL9fYlWs_n6oOU6jI_cvvRiSEBQxCtZMRmWbz/s320/MBTS%20-%2020.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHYst99NqNDtvCt_fsYHtZ1z1DRZJzFUPT8j97uu7XmZ1Dsbtxwnv3nUJmKY5xOYzEx6kpAS0H0LqCFsKLvHW5k5LC0wxmqBuUhJwA0L-4NSF__zWkTQi5Sir_jGHzT_i1HbixquSTI3fwf_7g8Ij5ydj1tp1UZiEuh1iqiDvkzTkm1W-I-TEIXys/s728/MBTS%20-%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHYst99NqNDtvCt_fsYHtZ1z1DRZJzFUPT8j97uu7XmZ1Dsbtxwnv3nUJmKY5xOYzEx6kpAS0H0LqCFsKLvHW5k5LC0wxmqBuUhJwA0L-4NSF__zWkTQi5Sir_jGHzT_i1HbixquSTI3fwf_7g8Ij5ydj1tp1UZiEuh1iqiDvkzTkm1W-I-TEIXys/s320/MBTS%20-%207.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKU8_DD2Jh3Z-TMLHBKo6v7B2DQDzqAmtjl7AE2KltS2Hiv1E5ErvnD0QyC2qtJxlxKgpmBmJFT45PYjMsCHZrNZTPbZWSW5tdkeUHpBFE1bas2rZSIxg2ztGHGyBve5GkIQSMnyyGuUwu9fYGHdc6XWG4pT30n-LQsq0sf52EQS-X-1BO1g3WNH0/s602/MBTS%20-%2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="602" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKU8_DD2Jh3Z-TMLHBKo6v7B2DQDzqAmtjl7AE2KltS2Hiv1E5ErvnD0QyC2qtJxlxKgpmBmJFT45PYjMsCHZrNZTPbZWSW5tdkeUHpBFE1bas2rZSIxg2ztGHGyBve5GkIQSMnyyGuUwu9fYGHdc6XWG4pT30n-LQsq0sf52EQS-X-1BO1g3WNH0/s320/MBTS%20-%2014.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">While in the lawyer’s office we discover through a flashback
the event that devastated Lee and Randi’s life. He was having a gang of his
friends over one night and they were drinking. Randi slept downstairs and the
kids were upstairs. The guys were loud and she told them to leave. Lee joked
with his friends as they departed, but this fun time turned to tragedy. Lee,
drunk and high on drugs, walked to the grocery store for more beer since he knew
he couldn’t drive. He later told the police that he started a fire in the
fireplace because it was cold upstairs, and his wife’s sinuses wouldn’t
tolerate the forced hot air of the heater. He was trying to be conscientious, but
forgot to put the fireplace screen in place. He says that a log must have
rolled out and set the house ablaze. Randi was able to get out, but the
children died in the fire. The police said it was a mistake, but the odds of
what happened were so unlikely that Lee was not considered to be criminally
negligent. At the police station Lee’s guilt is depicted as being overwhelming
and, because he wasn’t charged with a crime, he wanted to put himself out of
his misery. So, he grabbed a cop’s gun and tried to shoot himself, but the
policemen restrained him. The bleak cold and snowing that the camera reveals
mirrors Lee’s emotional landscape.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJLMQG1RkAVtFgFQ4swvipcWumCAbg08r2X2ilVdGKF7I2IqA0-vSzrBnlXmDuIySIUxeZ7n7RfU16AED2BDzC4x6WMj7wR8BW3zQKkYZaK7QZifo_eJolMgM6bMcez7nHie3mPdII-t58pLbbhROP9p1YLEK01Gly3rCa0kvzvUBR-E1jXHIGoLC/s306/MBTS%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="306" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJLMQG1RkAVtFgFQ4swvipcWumCAbg08r2X2ilVdGKF7I2IqA0-vSzrBnlXmDuIySIUxeZ7n7RfU16AED2BDzC4x6WMj7wR8BW3zQKkYZaK7QZifo_eJolMgM6bMcez7nHie3mPdII-t58pLbbhROP9p1YLEK01Gly3rCa0kvzvUBR-E1jXHIGoLC/s1600/MBTS%20-%204.jpg" width="306" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee is furious at having been placed in a parenting
situation with Patrick when he is sure that is the last thing he is qualified
to do. His anger at himself is misdirected at others. He is harsh toward
Patrick when the boy jokes about the next stop might be the orphanage. He nastily
berates Patrick about his desire to take care of the family boat, telling him
he can’t maintain it, and is loudly hostile when a passerby comments
sarcastically that Lee is showing “great parenting.”</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee and Patrick meet with George about the boat. Lee
does not want to return to Manchester-by-the Sea, the scene of where he
considers his crime took place, so he blurts out that Patrick will be moving to
Boston. Because he feels that he is unreliable, Lee wants to relinquish as much
responsibility as possible, asking if George knows someone who will buy the
boat. He goes so far as to put George on the spot by asking if he would like to
be Patrick’s guardian, even though George already has kids to take care of. During
this scene the conversations overlap, creating a cacophony of sound that
furthers the theme of miscommunication. After leaving George, Patrick reveals
that he has been emailing his mother after she contacted him, and discovered
she lives in Connecticut. Lee is caught between what he wants, which is to
withdraw from family concerns, and what he should do, which is not to have
Patrick’s mother have custody of the young man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">After going to the funeral home, Patrick is initiated
into the depressing realities of the funeral process. He learns that his father
is being kept in a freezer until the ground thaws for the burial, and he says
that “freaks him out.” He has no idea of the undertaking process and wants to
get a small steam shovel to bury his dad quickly. Lee has no patience or
empathy and becomes irritated instead of consoling his nephew about the youth’s
concerns.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsi-N8jwqOzGz56EdbTaWQ8Ubl7V7o0RFfvMQPWTNsVinaq7HaPUFqL6xjA-KHWrqeKRpN6anGE_7O95Ch5LSaBIoV4KFdezl4tQJ0zWlMub4uo1RDPQCAX2tdy5LoxhO31QWMmYwmQtHjaXkTmVEFIXqlfRukVuxdFHQUovtyqFJerRungaBNvsO/s275/MBTS%20-%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsi-N8jwqOzGz56EdbTaWQ8Ubl7V7o0RFfvMQPWTNsVinaq7HaPUFqL6xjA-KHWrqeKRpN6anGE_7O95Ch5LSaBIoV4KFdezl4tQJ0zWlMub4uo1RDPQCAX2tdy5LoxhO31QWMmYwmQtHjaXkTmVEFIXqlfRukVuxdFHQUovtyqFJerRungaBNvsO/s1600/MBTS%20-%2019.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee brings Patrick to his other girlfriend’s house for
practice with a rock band. Her name is Sandy (Anna Baryshnikov), and her mother
is Jill (Heather Burns). Because of his alienated state of mind, Lee would
rather stay outside in the cold car than go inside the house to pick up
Patrick. Jill invites him in for dinner but of course Lee refuses.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Back at Joe’s house, Lee gets a call from his now
ex-wife, Randi, who asks if she can come to Joe’s funeral. She offers
condolences, but then drops a bomb on Lee, saying she is ready to have a child
with her new husband. Randi has been able to move on and now is starting a new
family, while the only companion that Lee has is his guilt. The church scene is
shot in slow motion, which makes Lee’s suffering seem unrelenting as he sees
Randi with her husband there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">At the reception at George’s house afterwards, the crowded,
noisy room interferes with George calling to his wife about the food. They
can’t hear each other, another example of the verbal disconnect between people.
Back at Joe’s house, Patrick talks about all his connections in
Manchester-by-the-Sea and doesn’t understand why Lee can’t be a janitor there
since he has no ties in Boston. Because Lee is unable to talk about his feelings,
he is unable explain that he can’t live in a place that holds nothing but
misery for him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Patrick opens the refrigerator and wrapped frozen meat
falls out. He begins to become extremely agitated and slams the freezer as
packages fall to the floor. We know that he is thinking about his father, but
Lee is so detached he feels helpless trying to understand Patrick’s behavior.
Patrick finally unleashes his feelings and cries. There is finally
communication between them when Patrick connects his actions to hating the
thought of his dad being kept in a freezer. Lee stays with the boy until he
falls asleep, which is what a parent would do for an upset child.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A flashback shows the devastated Lee moving into a
spare basement apartment after, we assume, he has broken up with Randi. Joe
says they must get him furniture, but Lee yells at Joe to leave him alone.
Probably, Lee doesn’t feel as if he deserves to have a comfortable home. But
Joe quietly gets his brother to have some furniture in his new surroundings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In the present, Lee concedes that Patrick can stay in
the town until the end of the school year, and he can work with George on the
boat in the summer. Patrick is not placated and there is again overlapping
dialogue as they argue over how long it takes to get from Manchester-by-the-Sea
to where Lee lives. They can’t even agree on the distance between two places. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee compromises, gathers his things in Boston, and
moves back to Manchester-by-the-Sea through the summer. He goes around town
looking for work, but people turn him down because they too feel he is
responsible for the deaths of his children. It appears that it is impossible
for him to live in this place because of his past. He looks out of the window
in Joe’s room and suddenly punches his fist through the window. He hurts
himself because of his anger for having to be back in the town, but he may be
punishing himself for what he feels he deserves for his past actions. When
Patrick asks what happened to his hand, Lee says, “I cut it.” Not much of an
explanation. Patrick stresses this lack of communication by sarcastically
saying, “for a minute there I didn’t know what happened.” Further breakdown in
connecting to another occurs when Patrick’s mother, Elise, calls, and Lee can’t
get himself to say anything before hanging up. He is most likely unable to deal
with anything connected to the loss of his brother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee continues his lack of talking by not telling
Patrick his mother called. Patrick says she emailed him and she is sober and
wants Patrick to meet her and her fiancé. Patrick says he can live with Eloise.
Typically, Lee says he doesn’t want to talk about it. But, he is willing to
call her back and if she sounds okay, he will let Patrick meet his mother. He
is stuck chauffeuring Patrick around and suggests a driver’s education course,
but Patrick says his father didn’t want him driving until he is seventeen. Lee
is still torn between what’s best for himself and his nephew.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Patrick says he wants Lee to spend some time with Sandy’s
mother, Jill, who he says is attracted to Lee. Patrick wants some time so he
can have sex with his girlfriend while Lee is with her mom. Lee, reluctant as
ever to be social, agrees, since Patrick pleads with him so he feels he should
help him out. But he is so lacking in any social skills at this point that Jill
finds the time with Lee unbearable. Patrick criticizes Lee on the drive home
for not being able to even participate in small talk, that is how dysfunctional
Lee has become. (It is humorous that Patrick is upstairs half-naked with Sandy,
but trips over her doll house, which points to how these young people are
caught in that awkward stage between childhood and adulthood). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr0kes593t_JbSObM1NnZLnENqwmXY8r6oTsFww35WRNM1NxaSoiPSz4N9yhP34_8rLkA2VG1zgknh8k6dFDdNNnEBk6B7C9X2egOrzb-10m2y4g2w0kPEmIdpCzw0SSNW1PoB6fm7rZ-OkdYoJCa-qmud1_6Wl02inOC-YmQ3pqdlK0uWzuonMIZ/s1920/MBTS%20-%2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrr0kes593t_JbSObM1NnZLnENqwmXY8r6oTsFww35WRNM1NxaSoiPSz4N9yhP34_8rLkA2VG1zgknh8k6dFDdNNnEBk6B7C9X2egOrzb-10m2y4g2w0kPEmIdpCzw0SSNW1PoB6fm7rZ-OkdYoJCa-qmud1_6Wl02inOC-YmQ3pqdlK0uWzuonMIZ/s320/MBTS%20-%2021.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">On the way to Elise’s house Lee and Patrick continue
their inability to connect even down to the smallest detail. They can’t even
confirm the address. Elise looks clean and sober as she introduces her fiancé,
Jeffrey (Matthew Broderick). Lee leaves and they have dinner. There is a
religious painting over the fireplace. They say grace before the meal, and
Elise says she didn’t hear Patrick say “Amen.” Elise seems nervous, as Patrick
reports to Lee on the ride home. He also comments that Jeffrey is “very
Christian,” suggesting that she depended on religious strictness to keep her
addiction in line. Lee acts positive, saying Elise is sober and not in a mental
institution. Patrick, who wanted to break ties with Lee, does a reversal
because of how uptight his mothers’ home is. He accuses Lee of trying to get
rid of him. Jeffrey sends an email to Patrick saying that they can’t rush Elise
into her son joining the household and that all future communications must go through
him. His message shows how fragile Elise’s sobriety is, and Patrick slams his
laptop closed, which shows how his hope that his mother was fit for him to live
with can’t be realized.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8542QvTvmByRiy-dcMMNdRxrKbFilSaT9IOYoEfbk26oTDUx6lgGgwl76vTcFtOH1u0W_KNOPuQTkxmJZf0KBDSeNI2TOsPsVGRWU3h4v93elSksb16PWymgZ9xRiluZLEbHssAJLcIODoxVNk2W3s8R2WPnn0x6EFapANfVyjb-UHLovFEbeJ6ts/s1173/Manchester%20by%20the%20Sea_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1173" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8542QvTvmByRiy-dcMMNdRxrKbFilSaT9IOYoEfbk26oTDUx6lgGgwl76vTcFtOH1u0W_KNOPuQTkxmJZf0KBDSeNI2TOsPsVGRWU3h4v93elSksb16PWymgZ9xRiluZLEbHssAJLcIODoxVNk2W3s8R2WPnn0x6EFapANfVyjb-UHLovFEbeJ6ts/s320/Manchester%20by%20the%20Sea_12.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Patrick is sad because of what happened with his mom, so
Lee makes an attempt at empathy by asking what Patrick’s friends are doing or
if he wants to invite Sandy over. It’s not enough to raise Patrick’s spirits,
but the boy admits that at least Lee is now trying. Earlier Lee refused to get
a loan for a new engine for Joe’s boat. Now, he eyes Joe’s rifle collection and
says they could be worth enough to pay for a new boat motor. Patrick smiles,
admitting that is a good idea. Lee is finally successful in reaching out to his
nephew and bonding with him through this act. He also gives some free time for
Sandy and Patrick to be together, knowing how important it is to his nephew. When
they put in the new motor and the boat is sailing Lee smiles, maybe for the
first time in the present. The shot mirrors the opening when he felt at home and
at ease on the waters of his town.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiRTVWeGyKKpO1-zPCTptONaDI75bRjaTNKsLoWubMFkqrTRxhVQBV0A6Fie1TAR8l_d4H4a1S4s0ZgLT_ian0YoVk6IPoUWCzJRA7E3uLh0qqvAnJt3k_GeAc3YvvdV3eoSKMYex8KSnQWSHe3zdCSOK3AX3U74mh_gRvHheHeoOgTkWT83QVeED/s2300/manchester-by-the-sea-3.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2300" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiRTVWeGyKKpO1-zPCTptONaDI75bRjaTNKsLoWubMFkqrTRxhVQBV0A6Fie1TAR8l_d4H4a1S4s0ZgLT_ian0YoVk6IPoUWCzJRA7E3uLh0qqvAnJt3k_GeAc3YvvdV3eoSKMYex8KSnQWSHe3zdCSOK3AX3U74mh_gRvHheHeoOgTkWT83QVeED/s320/manchester-by-the-sea-3.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee encounters his ex-wife, Randi, on a walk. This
scene shows the writing, acting, and directing at its best as the two struggle
to have a conversation as the trauma due to the loss of their children still devastates
them. Randi has her new baby with her, which adds to Lee’s emptiness. As they talk,
they appear to be on either side of a divide, Randi is on the left side of a wall’s
edge and Lee stands on the other. The image stresses the emotional barrier that
separates them. Randi seems to want to bridge that separation by asking if they
might have lunch together. Randi begins to cry as she says she is sorry for horrible
things she said to Lee at the time of their loss and admits that she still
loves him. She admits that her heart is still broken, but she represents the
type of person who deals with that damage by trying to continue living some version
of a meaningful life. Lee remains in anguish, saying “there is nothing there”
for him to hold onto that could allow him to connect to Randi. It’s as if her
offer confronts him with how much he has lost, and he must leave to avoid that
feeling.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">That sense of profound loss fuels Lee’s anger at
himself and he again vents it by attacking others as he gets into a barroom
brawl. George rescues him after Lee is hurt and takes him to George’s house. There
he cries, releasing emotion that he has suppressed for so long. Once he
experiences feelings again, Lee is able to give his nephew some affectionate
pats on the shoulder. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee starts cooking something on the stove and then
takes a nap. He dreams of his two very young daughters who ask him why he can’t
see that they are burning. He wakes up to the sound of the fire alarm which was
triggered by the burning food on the range. It’s as if Lee is unable to escape
the fire that burned up his life years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Lee talks things over with George. Two of his children
will be leaving home so Lee sets it up for George and his wife to adopt
Patrick. He will stay with them until he’s eighteen. Patrick will then have his
father’s house and do with it what he wants. This way he will be able to stay in
his hometown. Lee secured a handyman job elsewhere. Patrick wants his uncle to
stay in Manchester-by-the-Sea, but Lee tells him, “I can’t beat it.” Lee finally
communicates with Patrick about his pain and then hugs the boy, showing
affection that he has not shared for so long. He has made plans that he knows
will be the best for his nephew, and knows that he can’t live in the place that
haunts him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6F0-YGhyGDP47RA940y7IlrNSdiadnXAW_X-Incx0IQ8B5BmE-QnO5d4pCeJF2bBhJqFj_eEsI-aM5Kd9_0RRzFZfi10ETlQN4qOb8N6bNCrAvAnFangh8EK8BZBz566SOrBDEMf_AgHEBOLaRv9ICtASzVrulIpFtSSSLro_fKk0iywhgyeXyMC/s275/MBTS%20-%2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6F0-YGhyGDP47RA940y7IlrNSdiadnXAW_X-Incx0IQ8B5BmE-QnO5d4pCeJF2bBhJqFj_eEsI-aM5Kd9_0RRzFZfi10ETlQN4qOb8N6bNCrAvAnFangh8EK8BZBz566SOrBDEMf_AgHEBOLaRv9ICtASzVrulIpFtSSSLro_fKk0iywhgyeXyMC/s1600/MBTS%20-%2013.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">When the ground is warm enough they can bury Joe. Lee
is looking for an apartment that has an extra room for Patrick if he wants to visit,
Patrick doesn’t say anything except he will not be looking to go to college in
the city. He probably is still not thrilled about his uncle leaving. Lee is
bouncing a ball he found outside an ice cream shop and the two sort of have a
catch, like a father and a son.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSmbKQv2JTdWg7hPJfNE6JBAdFeAJQx_Cp31a3LnaXOeGBi2YzAp07gw9Sgh9IjFx8T8uj2T_INq2ZZOf3fz37iiP-YZlqLgmatG28wHH_NlXtexgg29IRLViaGiY1DP3QFKp_u5K9K8FPjtiUWWLTM1U385axWQ0FHeMB2joFlMmqZBSaMOqq58m/s640/MBTS%20-%2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="640" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSmbKQv2JTdWg7hPJfNE6JBAdFeAJQx_Cp31a3LnaXOeGBi2YzAp07gw9Sgh9IjFx8T8uj2T_INq2ZZOf3fz37iiP-YZlqLgmatG28wHH_NlXtexgg29IRLViaGiY1DP3QFKp_u5K9K8FPjtiUWWLTM1U385axWQ0FHeMB2joFlMmqZBSaMOqq58m/s320/MBTS%20-%2025.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The last scene mirrors the first one, as Lee and
Patrick fish on the boat. This time it is quiet, with no teasing, but even
though they are not audibly communicating, it is still comforting for the two
of them to be together.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The next film is <i>The Breakfast Club</i>.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gus Cileonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08060175141266813957noreply@blogger.com0