rohanaka

I kind of watched The Mortal Storm today while at a friend's house (but with two screaming kids around it was rugged Ha... well it can be a bit of a distraction if you aren't used to "WILD CHILD syndrome, ha. I have devised a techinque for that (when the kidling and the QT get too rowdy while I am watching tv..ha. I have had to start using the closed caption sometimes. Ha. But sometimes I still have to pull out the old "MOM" voice with a sturdy, "HEY, I'm watchin', here." Ha. it's a wonderful, painful film. I'm glad you got a chance to watch it, Miss Peacemaker. The ending kills me, too. Sullavan played quite a few tragic heroines. OH me, I am still working my way aroung that huge LUMP in my throat everytime I think about this movie today. It really was a very emotional film for me in a way that I did not expect. And Ms. Sullavan did "do" tragedy very well (if I can judge by this performance) RE: the ending... the part that just was so uplifting to me (after all that tragedy) was the bit w/ the two brothers after Young tells them what happened. (MINI SPOILER ALERT: When the one brother complained that Stewart's character was going to be free now to fight against all they stood for, I just wanted to stand up and cheer when Robert Stack said, "Thank God", WOW what a great resolution for his character. I kept expecting to see his arm band laying in the snow beside his foot prints as the camera led to the walk way outside.) You know I wanted to recommend this film to a couple of friends of mine, so I went googling around after the fact, HA.. I found this film on YOUTUBE. I could have watched it SO much sooner, but it never occured to me to look on there for this one. At any rate, I say (YET AGAIN) I am so very happy that I was able to watch it yesterday. The story itself would have been worth watching even if just taken on the surface, but for me at least, I just found SO many layers with all the characters and the plot that it truly affected me on an emotional level in a way I never expected. Oh, and I made two new fans of The Devil and Daniel Webster while I was visiting. My friend commented that the very last shot, of Walter Huston, was one of the best endings they'd ever seen. Now THAT's a movie with a lot of layers TOO. Ha. I am glad to hear that old Dan'l made some new fans. (or rather Mr. Scratch, ha. He WAS the most likeable guy I ever saw, for someone I just wanted to HATE so much. Creepy yet entertaining all at the same time, ha)

Hi Arkadin, Glad to have another fan of Sullavan and also The Mortal Storm. I do enjoy Sullavan. (I always liked her in The Shop Around the Corner... but I got to see her in The Good Fairy earlier this year and really enjoyed that as well) I don't recall ever seeing her in a drama like this before (but I am just not as familiar w/ her work as others, I am sure) She did a very good job in this film. And as for The Mortal Storm.... Wow, watta story. I mentioned earlier that I found it very emotional but I also found it to be very "realistic" too, in the way it portrayed the various mindsets of the different characters as well. When you realize this film was made in 1939, it's amazing how accurate it was to its time. I don't deny that many war films are propaganda, but I feel that in this movie, Borzage has simply tried to take facts as he understood them and present them within a storyline. I mentioned something like this elsewhere, earlier this evening, but I like how the film seemed so relatable (at least to me) to human nature in general even though it was supposed to be about a specific moment in history in a specific part of the world. Even though I knew it was about Germans, in Germany,(under Hitler) it COULD be any family's story. Because as frightening as this period in history is (in terms of seeing how FAR human beings can allow themselves to be blindly led by one determined and charismatic person to the point where they all but lose any ability to think for themselves) as the story unfolded it began to seem to me as if it could be ANY country...and ANY group of people. And that to me is what was the most gut wrenching thing about this story. It pained me to see how quickly the Nazi mindset pervaded the average person, and how easily some people developed a blind and absolute faith in their government and its politics and its leader. (And how quickly turned brothers and friends became against their family and loved ones.) At least it seemed like it all happened so easily... at the beginning anyway. To see how FAR some of the characters fully immersed themselves in the Nazi way of thinking (at the expense even of their own family's lives) to me just made the hair stand up on the back of my neck and filled my throat with a HUGE emotional lump (to think a child of mine could end up that way) UGH. What an emotional concept. At any rate, although this film was made as history was STILL unfolding, it WAS very accurate (And I find it all very frightening to see how close it truly did portray things, almost prophetic in a way.) The snowfall, silhouette of the professors statuette, quote, and cloud end title reminds us that although the world might seem dark from our perspective, goodness and light have not been extinguished. There was a message of hope in the narration at the end ( and in the one brother as well) that at least gave me a sense of peace and brought it all into perspective for me at the end. But I still know how dark a time this truly was in human history, and it gives me pause. Again, I am TRULY glad to have caught this film (and not fallen vicitm to a DUH attack like I usually do when it comes to remembering the TCM schedule, ha) It took me almost a year to get to see this one, but it was VERY much worth the wait. Edited by: rohanaka on Nov 28, 2009 8:42 PM

Hello there, folks. Please forgive this brief interruption. I just want to quickly mention a film that I saw today for the first time. (and I am so glad, because I FINALLY got to cross it off of my "wanna see" list). I was very happy to get to see this one as I have been waiting for nearly a year to finally watch it. Mr. Grey, I believe you were the one who first recommended it to me... and I just want to tell you that I have finally gotten to see The Mortal Storm. Oh my. What a powerful story. And very emotional too. I will stop there as I am STILL a bit emotional about it all... and I know if I keep going it will turn into a full fledged ramble, (ha) and I don't want to derail anything that is ongoing already. So I will simply say for now that this film has truly been worth waiting for, and again, I am very happy to get to see it. Thanks very much, ladies, for letting me "miniramble" in the midst of your ongoing chat.

I just love Daniel Day Lewis...and no, I am not one of those teenyboppers who went mad over him in this film and then never paid anymore attention to his career. Ha.. well, I never thought of myself that way either... ha... but, this is just about the only film I have ever seen with him, so I haven't got much else to compare. But if any of his other performances are like this one, I likely have been missing out. But truthfully (although I READILY confess he IS something to look at, here) ha.. to me, the supporting cast (the father and son that are with him) and the two sisters, and also Magua (the bad guy) all were excellently cast as well so I don't really find myself as focused on HIM as I do just the entire movie in general. Ms. Cutter, if you will indulge me, here is a youtube of the trailer for anyone interested: Now I also readily confess that they do play up Lewis?s ?macho? status a bit, in this trailer, but I promise there is more to the story (and the film) than just his biceps or even his hair. (ha) And again, the music for me is one of the most ?captivating? parts of the whole experience. It really drives some of the action, it is so intense in places. And it gets into my head every time I hear it, (And what's funny is, this trailer doesn't even play my most favorite part, but it is stuck in my head, just from memory, ha) so I will likely be needing an extra dose of blood pressure medicine to get myself calmed back down just from hearing it again today, ha) Edited by: rohanaka on Nov 28, 2009 12:26 PM

threw Last of the Mohicans (the book) across the room when I tried to read it, Jackie.. it is a WONDERFUL film. I have always liked it (VERY much) and I second Ms. Cutter's recomendation. It has been a favorite of mine for some time now. (and she is right... the reason it is so good, is "EVERYTHING" ) ha. The actors/characters, the story, the scenery...(And the "romance" factor even... it is way off the charts..ha.).... and OH ME, the MUSIC.. It all just comes together BEAUTIFULLY. I have only seen bits and pieces of the Scott version, and I have never read the book, so I can't compare them at all. I wonder which film is closer to the written story? But the truth is, to me, I don't think it would matter, because, ha.. (this will sound rather like that joke about the difference between ignorance and apathy) but I guess what I am trying to say is, as far as which one is closer to the book, ha... "I don't know and I don't care". This film (even if it ends up being a departure from the book or not) is a VERY good story in it's own right. And if it DOES happen to match up to the written tale, ha... then for me that would just be a happy coincidence, ha. (Did I mention I like this film VERY much?) :-)

Thanks for letting me take a walk here....... A walk on the noir side....... (cue scary music) Ha..... thank YOU, Ms. Favell, for letting me walk along vicariously with you. OH WOW what an interesting sounding story. THANK you for sharing that with us, here. I have never heard of this film at all. But boy, does it sound like it would be worthwhile. It is a shame it is not easier to find. (GORGEOUS caps, too, by the way.) Thanks again for the very interesting read. (PS did I read right, Moyna McGill is Angela Lansbury's mom? In that one pic where she appears to be in a store, wow... you can really see the resemblance)

It is heaven and he's the angel (not a bad man OH MY GOLLY, Miss G.. RE: the new picture of our beloved Tom) ha... that is ONE beautiful pic of ONE sweet man...ha. PS: Ms Cinemafan.. I have always liked Colin... my fave for him is the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. (he made a VERY good Mr. Darcy..probably my most fave for an actor in that role) (HA... PS: don't tell the Butterscotchie...ha)

HEY there little OK Kid... ha... I TOTALLY missed TBC yesterday. Sorry to hear you missed the beginning... I had the same problem with Dark Passage... bah.. I only got to see the end.) And so I went searching for DP on Youtube.. of COURSE it is not there... but I DID find THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW98hFIlwrA&feature=related So maybe I will try to check out this one sometime.... ha. (and you can try and catch what YOU missed..ha) And ps, I have become something of a Laughton fan over the past year.. so I will look forward to whatever it was you missed, too..ha. :-) Edited by: rohanaka on Nov 25, 2009 12:23 PM

If we're going to talk about "Dark Passage" that will be fine because I taped it last night I would LOVE to hear more about all that went on (leading up to the big ENDING for Agnes...ha) Since I missed the beginning..ha.. and I already KNOW what happens at the end...ha. SPOIL away. At least THAT way I can fill in the gaps between what I missed and what I saw at the end..ha. Edited by: rohanaka on Nov 25, 2009 11:09 AM

And ?T.? is for ?t?omato Why, yes it IS!!! (HA!) (and I bet all the folks who have NOT heard my true tomato confession yet are going... "Tomato?? HUH??? ha. Sorry folks... ha... FOR NOW it is just an inside joke...ha. MAYBE someday I will tell all...ha) Miss Maven I MISSED the first half of this movie.. maybe even a bit MORE than half... (UGH) I was gone half the afternoon and almost the whole evening... (and when I left my tape of the films that were aring EARLIER yesterday was stilll running... but it ran out LONG before DP came on... so I wasn't able to get it taped, either) but I DID start watching anyway.... because... (sigh) I just HAD to try see my old pal, HB one more time... ha. (and I must confess he IS growing on me still, but is NOT quite as an immediate "love" for me yet as that first real tomato was so VERY long ago...ha.) At any rate.... my first glimpse of Agnes was through that tiny window in her door when he came to see her near the end of the movie... (so I totally missed all her earlier performance) but WOW.... that ENDING for her... OH MY GOLLY. Madge had a social disease... meaning she wasn?t socialized properly ; didn?t seem to understand not to be around people who didn?t want her. Maybe she was naive. Maybe she was a royal pain. (I?d have to read the book to see how the author intended her). She definitely was a woman hurt by not having her love returned. Just from what LITTLE I did see of her, I'd say that is a PERFECT way to describe her. And golly, did she SPIT her venom good when she figured out who he was there toward the end... OH ME. I have always liked her as an actress... and have seen her play many differend roles, but this MUST have been one of her finest. I want to see this whole film someday just so I can see HER part in it... And then of course.... there is that whole "tomato" thing going on too.... ha. (But HEY... I DID at least RECORD The Big Sleep.. so maybe I will get that watched soon... and then will have MORE "Veggie Tales" (ha) to report.

She assured me everyone was getting the accomodation they deserved...ummm...I mean desired Ha... no... April, you had it right the first time.. (when you said "deserved") HERE is Mr. Grimes' room..ha. PS: Molo... YOUR room is still under construction... we had it all ready for you.... and somehow a dadgum SNAKE got in there (dejavu?? ha) and I had to BLAST that little sucker to kingdom come..ha. Sadly, I am not the shot I used to be... old age is setting in... and my eye sight is going. ha. So the picture you posted of your room is the end result. (But I did call in a construction crew to remodel it for you... hopefully after the holidays you will be up and running.) In the meantime... feel free to bunk w/ Grimes... (in that pretty white padded room I reserved for him) HA! Straightjackets are optional at dinner, (hope you like tapioca) However you MUST empty out all the loose change and keys, etc, from your pockets.... and you will have to turn over your belt, and the laces from your shoes... (all "padded cell" rules apply.)

Ha... if it rains us out, we can move the party inside to the "Fancy Eating Table" ha.

I don't care what my room looks like, so long as I get invited to the party out by the cement pond. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THphATy5ji4

Woo hoo, thanks for the tip Miss G. (that you put ANY of them ahead of Gaslight tells me I am in for a treat.... because I LOVE that movie so these others must be REALLY good) I will do some checking and see (if I have to make any "choices" in terms of how to prioritize which I will tape or not) depending on how much tape time I have and what sort of schedule my day ends up being tomorrow. Anyone else have a list (in order of preference)?

I am going to get a copy of Donovan's Reef as soon as I send back another film to Netflix Woo hoo, little young'un. I will look forward to hearing from you. :-)

They are stocked it you need more rope. Well Glory, Be..ha. THANKS Mr. Movieman for pointing that out for me.. ha. I can always use a new rope around here...ha. PS, sorry to hear you are chairless.. but HEY.. Frank Grimes still has a seat open...right smack there in the MIDDLE (ha.. of course that would be the HOT seat...ha, so you might not want to sit there) ha. PS... April... the Queen Mum is not into "hillbilly decor" ?? Well, doggone. I had her figured all wrong..ha. :-) But HEY... looks like your new thread will be big hit...ha. Just look at all those folks waiting in line out on the steps to come in and ramble!!

How do you like our new digs? I thought the "weathered" look gave it a nice "lived in" appeal. Ha... I am lovin' it for sure, folksy kinda gal that I am. ha. (Plus.. I am for ANYTHING that looks older and more "weathered" than ME!! ha)

OH my golly Miss Maven (and I am only guessing here, but I am SURE you meant Nov 24 instead of Sept24...HA) But WOWSA look at you. I am hiring YOU as my official NOIR secretary...ha. (I have to have a LOT of reminders to keep track of all these films. ha. I tend to keep missing movies because I am TOO DOPEY to remember to check the schedule) I will pay the USUAL fee... name your candy... ha. (I have an endless supply of internet "snacks" and goodies at my disposal..ha) Boy, tomorrow looks like THE day (for noir lovers) for sure. And wouldn't you know it... I am busy LITERALLY from BEFORE sun up till WAY after (at least 9PM tomorrow night) so I am going to do my best to try to TAPE as much of this stuff as I can and then I envision some sort of NOIR film festival in my very near future. (because the ONLY one of the films I have seen on the list you gave me is Gaslight) so I have a LOT of catching up to do, for sure. And PS: Mr. Grey... I have NOT forgotten our "pow wow" for The THIRD MAN someday soon, too. SO many movies... so little time. Thanks again, MissMaven for the heads up!! And I hope you and everyone else will chime in on some of these films as well, because I look forward to hearing YOUR comments along w/ many others too!!

Ha... Just LOOK at you, kid. In here starting a whole new thread while I was typing away in your old one.. ha. I just posted in your "Movie Rambles, Sr" (ha... we can call this one "Rambles, Jr. ha) saying that anytime folks were ready to move on (from DR) to go ahead and ramble away... and YOU already had a crate pulled up to that pot bellied stove just a waitin' for us.. ha. Nice work, youngun'. It WAS getting crowded in that old thread.. and with so many "buried" chats in there it is almost impossible to find anything anymore. Smart thinkin'. This will give us a place to start ALL over again on some films and dive into brand new chats as well. :-) Ha.. I wonder HOW many rumbles... I mean rambles we can get going now with so much open SPACE to move around in... ha. :-)

Hello there Miss G... (and would you like some lovely strawberry preserves on YOUR toast, youngun?? ha) I think I will be happy to see your comments (and screencaps) on DR WHENEVER you are able, so you take your time and pop in when you get them all ready, kid. Because I KNOW they will be worth reading. AND I still want to hear more about the "big screen" showing you got to see on this one. I think you told me about it way back when... but I want to hear MORE!! ha. PS: To you and Mr Movieman, and anyone else ready to move on.... ramble away folks. I am sure we can always come back to the reef whenever we want to!! (I bet the water is ALWAYS just right!! ha) :-)

The moderators of this site seem to have a real problem communicating with the members of this forum. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling this way. No, Molo, you are not alone. I think MANY of the problems that this board continues to have could be alleviated simply by better communication between the admins and the message board members. (and I mean actual PEOPLE when I say "members") because we all know that all screen identities are not created equal and that multiple user names and "sock" identities continue to plague this message board because they are not a violation of the code of conduct. (but I digress). At any rate, though I am SURE the job of webadministrator is a very trying and challenging one, I believe THEIR job (and our posting experience as well) would and could all be made MUCH easier if only there were better attempts by those "in authority" to communicate with the members of this board in a more open and a less (SEEMINGLY) unfriendly way. What I mean to say is that it is hard to read "attitude" over the internet, and also hard to read intent on a computer screen, especially when no explanations are given for certain actions or decisions that are made when editing posts, locking threads, or even deleting someone's entire comments from the board. And PS: I am glad that Bronxgirl's thread was reviewed and unlocked, but what happened to all the hard work that went into the post she made (that appears to still be deleted)? This sort of behavior by the webadmins is bound to lead to hard feelings when people get upset. (and rightly so) because they do not understand why their post was altered, moved, or locked. And I think a lot of the aggravation so many people have begun to feel toward these sorts of tactics and pracitces is a clear sign that the webadministrators truly do need to reevaluate the way in which they communicate with the members on this board as well as the way they enforce certain "rules' that COULD be open to interpretation depending on WHO is sitting at the webadmin desk on any given day of the week. I don't wish to sound judgemental, or overly critical, but I think that this sort of miscommunication has gone on for FAR too long and should be addressed by those in authority over this message board in an effort to improve the relationship between TCM and its Message Board members. Thank you for letting me "spout".

Burnt Toastmaker HA!!!! Sawdust Eater!!! (ha) That sounds like you are looking to get me off my toes Only a few inches off the ground.... it would be a SWINGIN' time.. ha. I wrote about how horrible Wayne was an actor Ok... maybe it will be a few FEET off the ground, now.... And it's all those "boys will be boys" scenes in Ford's films that I do not like. They just don't interest me. I rarely ever find them funny. And I say that liking Victor McLaglen. I will laugh at him at other times, most especially when Maureen calls him an arsonist in Rio Grande. Ha... she is really good at letting him have it. (My favorite bit for her and him (is in the Quiet Man) and she raises that big heavy mixing bowl at him and says something like "You do, and there'll be a fine wake in this house tonight") HEY... that is another addition I should make to my ARSENAL for you... a big heavy duty mixing bowl... it would make QUITE and impression on you, I'm SURE! ha. It's a beautiful film, in many regards. Well at LEAST you are willing to go that far. And that is worth SOMETHING. And, yet, I list it was my least favorite Ford film. I didn't find it very entertaining. It's almost as if Donovan's Reef is the flipside of Wagon Master with me. I didn't find much emotion in the latter yet I found plenty in the former. But from an entertainment point of view, I found the latter to be quite good and the former to be lacking. The mixture of cute and goofy was too much for me. Now I had to sort of "mull" over what you are saying here.... and I think I understand (because comparing those two films (for me) is like comparing apples to.... ha... ORANGUTANS.. ha. Not even the same TYPE of movie. But still, I think I see what you are trying to say (at least in comparing why you like one, but not the other and what they both have going for them and what you think they both lack, etc) I think Amelia did have some of those prejudices, she just came to understand and accept those who are different than her, yet also the same. I will stop just short of saying "prejudices" but will agree she likely had some "preconceived" notions regarding the culture and customs. I like the scene you posted about her asking if Leilani believed in gods and goddess because I think the ANSWER she got was a TERRIFIC example of what a mature and grown up kid Leilani was. And I think that, along w/ the plaque that was up there on that hillside really OPENED Amelia's eyes, too as to how her preconceived notions really WERE just that (notions) and that in reality there was a lot more going on (with all the people she was coming to know) than she realized. PS Little Butterscotchie... HOW could I have forgotten those LOVELY black gloves??????????????? ha Edited by: rohanaka on Nov 22, 2009 4:02 PM

Hey there Ms Favell.... I have been too busy lately to travel around this board much... but I took a quick look in here today, and WOW. You've got a LOT going on. First, I wanna say I know NOTHING about Coco.. but wow was she something (at least in those pics you posted) and thanks for the comments you made about her life and her "fashion". It was an interesting read. (and that gal that played her in the new film... gee... she is a VERY close resemblance) And then NEXT...ha... the other day I was reading SOMETHING on here somewhere and the name John Hodiak came up. And I am thinking to myself... who the heck is John Hodiak.. ha. And then I look in HERE and I said, OH, so THAT'S John Hodiak.. ha. I even watched the Harvey Girls the other night (again) and was trying to recall WHO that was playing Judy's love interest... (and I just never had the time to go in to look it up for myself.) So THANKS for solving THAT little mystery for me. Ha. I have not seen too many of his films, but I did enjoy him in THG the other night. (and wow.... watta BRUNETTE!!) ha. And finally... MISS G!! Great pics of Tyrone Power... oh me, oh MY! ha. And ha.. as I was scrolling down I was just wondering to myself... I wonder what he would look like without his hair all combed back (a la Hollywood 40's and 50's style) and more "natural looking" like men wear their hair today.... and then BINGO..ha. there was the pic of him (the black and white) down toward the bottom of your list... FABULOUS!) ha. Great job gals. Thanks for the fun "view". :-)

This is a film that is made to be watched more than once, and many a lover of it at first initial viewing didn't like it at all, so give it a go and see if your first impression eventually changes Hi Cigarjoe, I am actually a repeat viewer already but it was LONG time between my first and second showing of this film. (And I have come a long way from TOTALLY disliking it to "grudgingly" admitting there are some redeeming moments to it all...ha. So I guess that is SOMETHING. :-) PS... thanks for the info on the Opera stuff. I actually THOUGHT opera when I rewatched that clip (of the final showdown and Bronson's flashback) the other day. It did seem to have that sort of feel (musically) to me. (But then again, I have to confess I am NO opera expert by any stretch of the imagination, so maybe I just had a "lucky" random thought that matched up to someone more learned for a change.) ha. :-) PS Grey Guy: think Once Upon a Time in the West can be rather jarring to those who are fans of "traditional" westerns. Jarring... ha. Now THERE's a word for it..ha. (mindnumbing could be another...ha) KIDDING!!! Only kidding. I believe you and Miss G are similar in your western sensibilities. Well, I can't speak for the Goddess, but I do tend to lend myself more to the traditional when it comes to Westerns. But (along with the "old style" westerns) I also like realistic and gritty (so long as it is not graphic) so I can appreciate some of the later westerns as well as the classics. For me it is all about the story and characters. (which may be one reason why I can say I have any respect at all for Once Upon a Time (etc etc) ... because the actual story and the characters WERE interesting to me.) I guess it is all in the presentation.... and I am just not a fan of Leone's style, I suppose. I think I recall saying early on (in our conversation a few weeks ago) that I would have loved to see this film made by someone else... like (dare I say it) FORD..ha. Or Mann... (or even Hawks for that matter) because I THINK it could have been a much better film if directed from a different point of view than w/out all that "art" thrown into it.... but (as you already have pointed out) ha... that's just ME. :-)

guess I should ask Fordy Guns and Quiet Gal what they think of the score. Maybe Cowboy Chris, too. Well, guys? What do you think Let's check the record, shall we??? (ha) Way back when, Rohanaka said (to Miss G) Oh.. and the music.. well.. The same three songs.. over and over.... and if I had to hear that woman's voice going Whooo whooo whoooo one more time I was going to go find a harmonica and shove it in HER mouth.. HA!! Then later in the ramble, the Grey One chips in with the following: Each character has their song, for we all have a song, our song. If you stop to listen, you will hear that song for all those you know and some you don't To which Rohanaka replied: Ok.. now I DO agree with you here.. that each character has their own song.. It is just that it is SO overdone.. and repetitious.. It began to WEAR on me very quickly I still stand pretty much by what I said back then. But having said THAT, I readily confess there ARE some VERY good musical moments in this film... And to prove my point I will also confess that last night, I went back and rewatched the big "showdown" between Frank and Harmonica (mainly because I wanted to refresh myself on some points before I posted what I did about Frank leaving Harmonica alive) and when I watched this time... something that REALLY stood out for me WAS the music. (HA!! Maybe because I had not just spent a GAZILLION hours listening to it OVER and OVER again. (ha) and maybe that's still the point... Did I mention I thought it was too repetitious?) ha But wow.. Parts of it STILL were very good. I want to share a "youtube" for anyone interested... because it is aGREAT example of what I am talking about (in THIS part of the movie for sure) But first a word of WARNING: THIS IS A HUGE SPOILER MOMENT in the story.... so click on this link at your OWN risk... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ4bNTU965E Something else that caught my attention when watching this again... goes toward what is being discussed about the "spiritual" connotations.... is Harmonica death? Is he an avenging angel? I still don't see it either way... but maybe because I have not examined it closely enough to form a definite opinion. But what I think Harmonica CLEARLY is depicted as (at least in my mind... and if I ONLY saw just this clip and never any other part of the movie I could SURELY see it in this "showdown) is that he is GOOD standing up to EVIL. Maybe in the end, it is as basic as that. Look at how Fonda approaches him... from a "round about" way.. Evil RARELY ever comes at you head on.... but look at how Bronson steps up to Fonda... he meets him coming straight ahead. (and of course there is also the blatant use of black VS (albeit a rather dingy) white. He COULD be an avenging angel... or maybe he is just supposed to be the personifcation of GOOD standing up to absolute EVIL. I don't know... but it makes for fun speculation. Now Grey Guy, I HATE having to say this... (ha) but as TOUGH as I am on old Leone and his "masterpiece", I readily confess there ARE parts to this film I did like. And I think this "showdown' moment has grown on me a LOT as I have revisited it (so PS, THANKS Ms. Favell, for being a Late Bloomer on this ramble, kid) ha. Am I EVER going to like this film enough to say I LIKE it???? Doubtful, but (as MUCH as it pains me to admit it) YOU, Mr. Grey (and your ART angle) have finally started to edge me CLOSER to the middle (as to not TOTALLY hate it as much as I thought.. ha). That's gotta count for SOMETHING. ha. :-)