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David Mitchell
Movin' Pitchas
* Preface: I need to give a thank you to Kathy Burk who introduced me to one of my all-time favorites in this topic. You’ll find it below.
I am normally a “Quiet Man” (right Dave!), but I feel almost like “12 Angry Men”, over my frustration at the failure to draw any interest from the girls (except Peggy) about movie memories. I will attempt to take “The Sting” out of my reaction with the following comments following comments.
* (Ha Ha, Just checkin’ to see if Professor Mike is paying attention?)
I thought the girls needed a break from “War (of the Worlds”) and politics, so I thought perhaps more “Friendly Persuasion” would draw them back in to “The Conversation”. But apparently Peggy is the only girl in the class that has ever seen a movie, or remembered the name of an Actor. I don’t know what her “Last Picture Show” was, but at least she decided to join in. Still, I was hoping some of you would offer you’re ”Advice and Consent” on this topic. The lack of reaction to my idea was disappointing, but I kinda’ think that “What we got here, is a failure to communicate”.
For those of you ladies who are apparently unschooled, “movies” are a form of entertainment displayed for public viewing in a darkened room by way of a projection of images from a spool (reel) of multiple tiny photographs imbedded chemically on of long strip of celluloid. The celluloid is made of some form of “Plastics”. They are projected “Through a Glass Darkly” and viewed on a large screen.
I used to enjoy many of these at places called the “Clinton” the “Indianola”, the “Beechwold”, the “World”, the “5thAvenue”, the “Boulevard” the “Grandview”, the “Broad” and the “Palace” - even the “Markham” and the “Southern” on a few school trips with the good Sisters to see those cheap Spanish (dubbed) movies about the lives of the saints or “The Miracle of Marcelino”. (note: I never got to the “Bexley” until I wuz all growed up – the realm of my youth was mostly “North by Northwest”. The “East [of Eden”] was beyond my ken.) And then one day, at a place called “Hunt’s”, my cousin Jim and I heard a world famous news broadcaster (with one o’ them pencil thin mustaches) step out from behind his (black and white) desk and say,
“Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS,,, IS CINERAMA ! ”
I think I was able to visit so many of these silver screens because “Somebody Up There Likes Me.”
Throughout “The Best Years of Our Lives” movies have provided a “Great Escape”. Good movies can be a sort of a cinematic paradise - or to make it sound more Italian, “Cinema Paradiso”. (Oh, those clippings on the projection room floor!)
*** Thank you Kathy. I had never seen this film before you told me about it, but now I absolutely love this film! (Warning: kleenex required for tears of joy at the end)
The stories portrayed are many and varied. I could probably list any number of the popular topics “From Here to Eternity” and still not cover all the possibilities, (nor even “All the Kings Men” - never mind “All About Eve”).
The Movie industry matured in a little hamlet north of LA’s “China Town” and became a “Giant” industry. It began with “Silent Movie”(s), but later someone invented a way to add “The Sound of Music” to the background. And color was also added later - “The Color Purple” - “Red October” - “A Patch of Blue” - “A Clockwork Orange” - “White Christmas” - and so on.
* (Oh, and a last minute addition “Soylent Green” - thanks Mike!!!)
Many people would “Wait Until Dark” to go to the movies, but later, theaters added air conditioning, and although most viewers enjoyed that comfort, “Some Like(d) it Hot” – which created excellent conditions for running “Barefoot in the Park”. Some even watched from a “Rear Window” to avoid being watched themselves. Still others “Watch(ed) On the Rhine”. (Note: Some younger viewers preferred the far corners of the balconies – and some theaters owners even created “double-wide seats”)
There have been movies about Love and Loss, “War and Peace”, Cops and Robbers, (“Bonnys and Clydes”), and Comedy – (Laurels and Hardys), and Romance - (“Romeos and Juliets”). Movies about “Kings (of the Universe”) and “African Queens”, “Pirates of the Carribean” Cowboys and Indians – Knights in shining armor, saints and sinners, “Psycho” thrillers – winners and losers.
“Yo, Adrian!”
There were all kinds of heroes, both big and “Little Women”. Some great ladies, Joan, Marie, Elizabeth, and a family favorite – “Mrs. Miniver”. There were G-men, bad men, “A Few Good Men”, “Spidermen”, “Supermen”, and “Batmen” - even “Old Men (and the Sea)”.
A gripping film about a guy who “coulda’ been a Contender. (He) coulda’ been somebody”.
There was a great movie about what must have been “The Longest Day” in the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers trying to land “On the Beach”.
So many War movies I can’t count them all. So many that some of them, well - “They Were Expendable”. But I do Remember “The Alamo”, and something about a Japanese code word spoken three times – talk about a big surprise!
And some half-crazed British Colonel wanted to build a Bridge over some river – for what? But his troops sure could whistle a great marching tune. We held our breath for the “Platoon” who were “Saving Private Ryan”. And I was deeply affected by that scene one morning on the flight line in England with Gregory Peck in “12:00 O’Clock High”.
* (Note: The beginning of this film creates a sense of anticipation so strong I get nervous with excitement every time I watch it! My heart races as Dean Jagger stands in his grey suit and fedora on that old abandoned runway in rural England! Maybe it’s just a “pilot thing”, maybe it’s just me, but it really gets me.)
One Korean War Comedy about a “Mobile Army Surgical Hospital” was considered so disrespectful it was initially banned from theaters on U.S. Military bases – for a while, at least. But when the ban was lifted I saw it – (at, of all places, the theater on Ton-Son-Nhut Air Base in Saigon – while in transit with a long lay over), I laughed so hard my sides ached.
And oh yes, that question asked by an enraged 'Austrian Corporal' screaming over the phone from Berlin…………“Is Paris Burning”?
A Bell Tolled, but I can’t remember “For Whom”?
This whole category “Run(s) Silent (and) Run(s) Deep” with me.
And a terrific war time movie about a courageous business man who wanted to keep filling up his “List” with more names.
And how many Westerns did we see? I was always transfixed upon seeing a great warrior chief with full headdress and war paint mounted on a spotted pony.
So many brave Indians, Cowboys, horses and buffalo. Lots of version of a famous “Gunfight at Okay Corral”. So many gunfights – so little time. A Sherriff who couldn’t get anyone to help him. And what about those “Magnificent 7” gunslingers ? After all their bravery to defend a little Mexican village, in the end “the farmers always win”.
Or was it “Seven Samurai”? (Spoiler alert - same story – same director) ... incorrect!
And Paul Newman's line in “Hombe” - “We all gotta die. It’s just a matter of when.”
I can still hear the little bell tingling around the neck of Jimmy Stewart’s horse where he’d been “Ride(ing) the Far Country”. We couldn’t see the horse, but he was coming – slowly - and it made us nervous!
There was some kid yelling for his friend “Shane” to come back. (But he didn’t.).
And one tall, lonely, bitter man who became a “Searcher” for a lost girl. He finally found her but never found who he himself was. * (note: the French idolize this film!)
Another movie about making movies, where the lady tells Mr. DeMille that she was “ready for (her) close-up now.” But sadly, her “now” had passed.
And that scene where a very disturbed guy named Jack announcing “Heeeere’s Johnny!”
You could simply “Dial M for Murder” – or sit and be a “Witness for the Prosecution” (Oh my, did Marlena pull one over on Tyrone?)
A “Wonderful (movie about the) Life” of a small-town banker who didn’t realize how much he was loved in Bedford Falls until he met his new friend “Clarence” (“Every Time a bell rings an angel gets his wings”).
And yes, “Life Is Beautiful”!
Movies about dumb little elephants. And I have to agree, “I ain’t never seen a elephant Fly” either. And a baby deer, white stallions and “Black Beauties”. There were “Lion Kings”, giant Gorillas, haunting white whales and obsessed Sea Captains. There were bears and wolves and cats & dogs. "Lassie", and a "Shaggy Dog", and one loveable dog, that was both “Old (and) Yeller”, and made me cry my eyes out leaving the theater with my Dad. (Oh, Walt, you had my number back then). And there must have been at least “A Hundred and One Dalmatians.” And even a giant Japanese Lizard!
We’ve seen “Butterflies (Are Free”), and “Mockingbirds”, Wild Dog(s) of the North, And beautiful horses, and more horses - and still more as we all learned “How the West Was Won” or drove cattle herds across the “Red River”.
Fred and Ginger danced, and danced - and danced. There were people dancing and “Singing in the Rain” and even a guy who “Dances With Wolves”.
We watched little Shirley, dancing up and down the steps with Arthur Treacher or Bill “Bo Jangles” Robinson?
And you might have "me(e)t me in St. Louis", where the trolly went “Clang, Clang, Clang. ***(Judy sang and cute little Margaret’s career spanned a lifetime)
Some of us spent our vacations in a “Summer Place”, but when it was time to go back to school there was a mass “Exodus” back to “The Town” – “Our Town”.
How about a young priest and an old priest on opposing paths, but both “Going my Way”?
Or a “Nunn’s Story” (still haven’t seen it all the way through)
Or a priest who really wasn’t - (Who knew God was Left-Handed ?)
Or ‘Andy Burnett’ as “The Cardinal” (three stories and one great musical theme).
And watching Pope Kiril Lakota (Quinn) fresh out of the Gulags, and all dressed up in “The Shoes of the Fisherman” - as he took his hat off at the end - we “Can Only Imagine” where that was going? To sell the jewells for World Peace.
And way back before any of us had “tablets” Charlton came down from the mountain with 2 of them - one in each hand with "Ten Commandments" written on them - - AND snow white hair to boot - Yikes! (This was way back before they had “Come to Jesus” moments. I think this one must have been with His Dad.)
I was spellbound by a young Irish actor, who I thought only had a “Left Foot”, playing the part of “Lincoln” and I kept forgetting it was really only just an actor! (He [D.D.L.]- was really that good!)
A timeless movie about a guy who couldn’t believe his hard luck; “Of all the gin joints in all the towns, in all the world, She walks into mine”. And they all stood and sang the Marseillaise in a bar in North Africa ! (emotions ran high!)
And one about a man who sadly is “leaving my (green) valley now”. (Oh how I love this one. My Dad’s favorite book. (correction) My mom's grandmother came from those same little coal towns of Wales). *It has one of my all-time favorite movie lines - “And what is the measure of a man who would beat a boy (little Roddy McD.) with a stick?” (You go, Dai Bando!)
There were many “Love Stories” – and, love letters - beginning with – “To Sir” and ending “With Love” (“…means you never have to say your sorry”).
Have any of you had “An Affair to Remember”? Or would you dare say “I confess!”
Just the other night I watched a movie in a hospital room where “All the President’s Men” went to jail. Occasionally, a great movie could literally “Make my day.”
I often wonder if we weren’t “The Way We Were” because of some of these great movies?
There were popular movie ladies named Audrey, and Ingrid, and Grace, and Olivia, and Bette, and Liz. I figured some of “My (own) Fair Ladies” might have mentioned them as a way into the conversation, but noooo! Not even a lady named Karen (Meryl), who loved to fly in Robert’s front seat “Out of Africa”.
I thought maybe the girls would want to put on a “Charade”, or take us out to “Breakfast – yes, at a place called Tiffany’s”, or maybe on “A Roman Holiday”, or at least play some “Beach Blanket Bingo”.
But, nooo!
Or maybe instead it would have taken some of the guys to get their attention. Like Rock, or Tony, or Frankie, or Paul & Bob ("Who ARE those guys?"), or even Tab, or Elvis. But I guess not.
I hoped more of you would pick up the “Scent (of a Woman”), but it didn’t catch on.
Well, It’s way past “High Noon” and I need to let this go.
So in the words of a guy from just outside of Cadiz, Ohio - (with big ears and another one of those pencil thin mustaches) - to all of you who are sitting quietely behind this Forum "curtain" without participating -
“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn!”
p.s.
After all the fun I’ve had putting this together, it still feels like what “Awrence” said to Omar in the dessert (desert).
“Nothing is written!”
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