rohanaka

CAROLINA!!!!! Mr. Grey when you set out to ramble, you don't mess around!! You and Molo both have just gone above and beyond what I ever imagined for this conversation.... MY HAT is off to both of you! :-) I know...you are wondering... WHAT sort of hat, Kathy???? Well whatever sort it is... it's NOT a big round-rimmed white one...I have NOTHING to hide. Ha. The tough part for Geoff is that he mustturn cold to keep the guys going. He has to force himself to say, "who's Joe?" As you said, to keep their spirits up. Geoff knows he cannot do it all alone. He knows it's a team effort. He needs them. "Got a match?" I like how you said this... and it is true... he "forces" himself to be tough. He takes a job from one guy who refuses to fly because it is dangerous and then he turns around and gives it to McPherson.... knowing the previous conversation they had already had about only giving him jobs that he would not send a "friend" to do... but then he turns around (I think AFTER McPherson leaves) and FIRES the friend for refusing to fly. I am sure it was as much to protect him (since he did not have "what it takes" to do the more dangerous stuff... but also because he can't let there be any "buck" in his system. In his mind... to keep all the planes up and everyone safe... It was his way or the hiway. my third favorite 30s film That's quite a list... I've never thought of making up a list of favorites by decade... You've got some titles on there that I have on my Wanna See list... and a few I may need to check out. You have a few on you list that I am also a fan of.. I LOVE those monster movies you have on there... King Kong is... the KING. ha. And you just can't beat Frankenstein or The Mummy... These films all set the standard for me... present day "stuff" really falls way short... no matter how much more "technologically advanced" they might be. I like Stage Door and also The Awful Truth but I don't know if they would be favorites... But THANKS for mentioning STAGECOACH!!!! One of my all time faves. I also really enjoyed getting to see Fury and The Lady Vanishes this past year. TLV might be one I could put on a fave list. I REALLY enjoyed that one a lot. But HOW could you mention 30's films and NOT mention: Gone With the Wind!!! (I know... YOUR FAVORITE!! Ha.) And also... The Wizard of Oz!!!!! Ok... neither of them would fit into your Noir-ish world... but I had to at least try. :-) The next Hawks film I'm going to watch is To Have and Have Not. That one is on my Wanna See list too... I have a request in at the library for it as a matter or fact. Rio Bravo I like this film a lot.. it is one of my favorite Duke's. And there is a possible "comparison" that could be made w/ Bonnie and "Feathers" I wouldn't say they are EXACTLY alike... but they do have some things in common... Grant was given the opportunity to do it all in this film. His character is not flat, he's exceptionally rounded. The emotion he shows in the film is wonderful. I just love it when he kicks the chair in disgust after telling his best friend, his right-hand man, he's done flying. It kills him. That's a side of Grant I have rarely seen. He really IS a Papa to them all... and if something "hurts" one of his "children" he hurts too. And he cares enough to do what is right to protect them...even when he knows it will break their heart.... VERY parent-like. For sure. And then his tearful scene reminded me of Clark Gable's in Gone With the Wind. Both Grant and Gable's tearful scenes featured a woman who was comforting the tough guy. I KNEW sooner or later you'd get to GONE WITH THE WIND!! ha. I think back in the 30's the idea of a man "crying'...especially a man like "Geoff" was really NOT something movie goers would have expected... I imagine it was a way of really bringing the character's humanity out to a whole new level. He's a tough guy... he's the boss... he has this hard outer exterior that NO ONE seems to get past... at least on the billboard out in front of the movie theater. But once the movie gets going... we see the layers... we see the depth.. he is NOT the one sided, "stereotype" that we were expecting... and it is VERY interesting. Bonnie as a performer, eh? She plays a mean piano and she does so with great panache. Heck, she's swigglin' while ticklin'. It's her "specialty I say again... Piano Bar... maybe not a "fancy" one where she dresses in lovely gowns and where the "champagne" is flowing either... Maybe even a "small band" more like what you would expect to see among the group that is playing there at Duchy's... She is VERY comfortable being around a bunch of drinking, singing men. But I don't think she is a LOOSE woman... She is dressed WAY to carefully... and then there is that "doorknob" thing.. She knows how to fend them off if she needs to... She might hang out w/ them... but they'd better respect her OR else. The fact that she falls for Geoff and is surprised at her own choice to stay also says it is not her normal nature to be so "available" to men. She is kinda hard to figure all the way out... if she had gotten off that boat wearing a lower neckline and less "conservative" style of dress, we would likely not even be having this conversation. But the fact she is dressed the way she is sort of makes it a mystery...

Shameless plug is now over. (Way to divert attention, Chris...maybe now I can hide a few of the "yes" votes.. KIDDING!!! Only kidding! I totally respect the democratic process... all you angry voters, sit back down) All kidding aside, Chris... Hopefully you will get some more voters soon. I have been reading over those schedules... WAY harder choice over there in your thread than on this one... I will TRY to pick a candidate soon... but it is really going to be tough. :-)

I like it Alas... I feel the winds of change are starting to waft ever so slightly across the polls here... PS.. Ms Cutter... I had you in the wrong column for your official vote (based on an earlier "bad hat" comment.. Duly noted, I will make the change... Oh man... I am starting to feel so alone here... sigh. (ha). But perhaps not all the votes have been counted.. Maybe there is still hope... Hey wait... is that a hanging chad??? Ha. :-)

Hi Jack! You are quite the little creative writer.... a whole new take on Bonnie that changes who she is (at least as far as the dialogue is concerned) but still doesn't change the real story...just adds another layer to the interest level. I am liking it.

Hiya Molo.... Look at you!! You have dived (have dove? Ok... Definitely NOT have "diven" Ha! Ugh... My grammar has "dived" to depths unknown over the years!) ANYWAY.... YOU are way on down into the deep end of the pool w/ all these thoughts and comments!! Way cool! :-) Very nice commentary on all the "comments." I don't think I can add anymore to what you have said here except maybe "me oh my... well done!" Now why are all you ladies picking on the hat??? I agree with Frank. I like it. It's a cool look. Grant wouldn't wear a bad hat. I not only like that hat, I WANT that hat!!! WHAT!!! I demand a RECOUNT!! Surely the voting process is flawed... Oh wait.. never mind... You are STILL outvoted!! HA!!! Oh... Molo... I had such high hopes that you were going to really put your head into this vote.... but I never thought THAT would mean you wanted to put your head into that HAT as well. Ha! And PS... NEVER agree with Frank!!! That wrong headed thinker is a dangerous "corrupter" of common sense. Well, it is getting late and I still have more to say. I guess I will pick it up tomorrow Woo Hoo! Again I am on the edge of my seat!!! (but you aren't going to be doing any more of that Iagree w/ ?Frank stuff are you?) :-)

Hello Mr. Grey... I mean Geoff... Um... I mean Layne Geoff's view of women is purely a defense mechanism. He knows how vulnerable he is to woman. He has to be tough about this. Also, I think his telling a woman, straight-up, lets a woman know who she is dealing with and what she is dealing with. He was nothing if not honest.. and yet... as a defense mechanism... you gotta wonder how much of the stuff he dished out was really him just trying to convince himself... so he wouldn't get hurt in the end. Well, you know me, I like "grey." Guys who are all "black" and guys who are all "white" don't fascinate me like the ones who are "grey." Remember, I consider "grey" to be most human. Ha... this one is as human as it gets!! VERY Grey, I mean gray, I mean GREY! And not just because of all that FOG! There were several times where folks more or less were left to choose only the best thing they could figure out for themselves.... The black and white of things for them had disappeared out there in that fog for sure. But still... there were some very solid moments... The unwritten "code" they lived by maybe for them was a level of "black and white"... which is why poor McPherson/Kilgallen had such a hard time fitting in. I love that the smaller characters in the film were the voice of the film. Sparks (Victor Kilian), Doc (Lucio Villegas), and Lily (Milisa Sierra) dished out the deeper meanings of the film. I loved the scene where Bonnie gives Joe's bracelet to her... especially after rotten old Geoff cuts her down for wanting "the best" for herself. And the hat be kickin'! NOT!! But it SHOULD be kicked... as in... OUT the DOOR. Ha. Message was edited by: rohanaka

Woo Hoo!!! Molo is here!!! This thing just keeps getting better and better! The exploration of male camaraderie, often under stress. How men deal with it all. Emotion, conflict, love and loss. Duty as they see it. He always has a place for humor and and often "having fun" is a way of blowing off steam. Women have to make their way in this world by rising to the terms set by these men. They have to earn their place and gain acceptance. In a Hawks film a girl has to be one of the guys. I think you are making some pretty good points here, though I will confess I should do a better study of his films to say so. I think in this film for sure you have it pretty well pegged about the male camaraderie and also about the women... At the very least the gals have to earn the men's respect... and usually by rising above and/or showing that they are MUCH different from the first "snap" impression the men impose on them (a la this film... maybe Ball of Fire.. certainly Rio Bravo... etc. ) These films are LOADED with hasty judgmental, snooty.... MEN! Ha. (KIDDING!! Only kidding.. all you men out there... sit back down now) ha. I am a big fan of Jean Arthur but I don't really see her as a nightclub performer in South America. Am I the only one who thought, when first glimpsing her, that she looked like she had just punched out after the day shift at Macy's? It's a small point but Arthur is not Ann Sheridan You are making a GREAT point here. Cinemaven brought up her looks earlier... and while I really LIKE the look (especially on Arthur... and for the fact that it is a very "timeless" fashion) It is NOT as flamboyant as one would suspect her to be in that sort of profession...She looks exactly like you describe.... more tailored and "put together" . And that may go toward giving some credence to what (I think it was) Jack said about wondering if she even WAS who she said she was or if she was just trying on a persona. I think she was an "entertainer" ... but I think she might not have been a "show girl". Maybe she was better at playing the piano and singing...perhaps like at a bar.. but not much one for "putting on a show" That's the nice part about movies though... If we sit here long enough and keep on chatting... With a little imagination we could turn her into an astronaut if we wanted to. (Ok... that one might be a stretch) ha. she is a guy's gal. Always at ease hanging with the fellows. She doesn't really put up any barriers between her and the men she encounters. NOW see.. you are making my point for me... Piano Bar Singer. :-) my source material for caps is a dvdr Your caps are terrific... you two gents are doing a great job of choosing just the right ones to make your points... Nicely done. I didn't know Noah Berry Jr. was considered such a heartthrob. Try not to swoon ladies No swooning... more like just a little "AWWW. sort of sigh." ha. He was just such a fresh faced little pup in this one... usually I think of him as an old white haired man. Ha. Joe failed those tests. He lost his focus He failed the two "big tests" for sure... don't let yourself get distracted by the unrelated (steak dinner w/ a pretty girl) and be sure to listen to your guy on the ground... ESPECIALLY when he is the boss. Dwelling on death not only hinders their mission, it hinders their spirit. The men understand full well the gravity of the situation but to spend time pondering it all puts them and their work at greater risk. This realization marks a right of passage for her. It brings her closer into the group. That's a perfect way of saying it. It's certainly ironic that in the Kid's death, MacPherson gets a second chance at life. Nicely said. I liked how the men sort of made it seem like "no big deal" to have him join him at the bar later... but EVERYONE knew it meant that EVERYTHING was different. now. It was a "righteous" moment for him... the first one he had likely felt in a long time. I still want to talk about other aspects of the film by responding to individual comments. Woo Hoo again!! Great Ramble there, Molo... Come on and dive back in again, my friend.. If for NO other reason than because... NOBODY gets to ramble here without voting on the HAT!!! Now I am on the edge of my seat for sure. Ha. :-)

Sorry. I would not be a good teacher. I am still a student myself.

know people will take me to task for my reactions to the Kid Well.... I know you think he was miscast... but I think he was "right on" . I won't "task" you about him, though if you promise not to task me about Barthelmess. Ha. at the least his nickname should not have been Kid. Now THAT is one thing we BOTH could agree on there. I thought it was a good nickname for maybe some one a bit younger and freshfaced or even someone w/ a bit more "ladies man" sort of flair. But he was "a little too old and pudgy and not so debonair" to wear that name. It didn't seem to fit him...Maybe he earned it in his younger days and folks just got so used to calling him that... they forgot what his real name was. Ha. :-) PS... Hi to Mom!!! :-)

Hello Ms Cutter... I could see some young guys sitting in the audience thinking, "there's something I'd like to do And some young gals thinking "I could hop a tramp steamer and end up with Cary Grant! VERY true! And like it or not, this is the kind of influence movies seem to still have over young (and not so young) viewers even today. bad hat and all May I list that as an official "no" vote, then ? Ha! :-) (So far the "Nays" seem to be winning.)

Well hello there, Barb! he's cynical, charismatic, ruthless, charming, caring, breezy, paternal, and very sexy. He's both obtuse and perceptive about women. I don't see him as a heel, just a guy who has a job to do and is under very heavy responsibilities, THAT is a great way of describing him. (you left out... "and a bag of chips" ha. ) But I still think there was a certain level of "heelishness" about him... or maybe he was just so jaded he expected the worst of women. At any rate, he didn't really seem to have much respect for the idea that they could really be any better than he HIS opinion of them. The symbolism of the "net" was interesting. Bonnie's father was familiar with being up in the air too, as a trapeze artist who fell off the high-wire, and when she expresses concern for Geoff's safety, Kid says to her, "What do you want to do? Put a net under him?" She has to learn to accept the fact, I guess, that men will do what men gotta do. Act stupid Ha. I forgot about this part, by the way. VERY good points there. What bothered me about ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS was the fact none of the men ever considered alternate career choices That is an interesting way of putting in... I guess in a sense they were "trapped" or "bound" maybe by their love of the FREEDOM that sort of life gave them... very ironic. NOT Cary's hat Whoo Hoo!! Another vote agin' the hat!!! Ha. Is somebody keeping score? HA. :-)

I forgot about Layne! He's actually the character I most wish to be like. He wears a spiffy white hat and he does a splendid job of caring for women and he's nothing but unselfish. He's perfect! BLAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

Well hello there, Grey Guy... or should I just call you "Geoff"??? Sadly, I do find it tragically ironic that we are discussing this film in lieu of today's national news. That truly was a surprise to me when I heard of it. Very tragic. And indeed ironic. And also very representative to some of the issues discussed on the forces or nature being at odds w/ the actions of man as well. Very sad indeed. You are doing a wonderful job in sparking some of us to write around here. You are to be applauded. Way to ramble! Well thank you kindly... but I think it is mostly just due to the opportunity to watch some really good films so closely together in the same time frame. That and the fact that I have to get those GAZILLION and a half words a day that bubble up into my brain out somehow.. The QT only has so much time in a day to listen... Ha. I take the rest out on all of you. :-) And you are right... HGWMV AND OAHW are BOTH centered around the family. Families come in a lot of different packages. Geoff Carter (Cary Grant) is "papa." He is to lead them through all the obstacles their dangerous life throws at them.I think "Dutchy" (Sig Ruman) is actually the mother of the family. He takes care of the "boys," and he's always worrying about them like a mother hen. Again you are correct, sir. Both had the leadership role in the family... Dutchy was every bit the little Mama worrying over the brood and also helping to keep them in line a bit... but never with the same sort of authority as.... "Papa". (He even tried to reason w/ Grant to get some of the boys out of trouble when he thought maybe "Papa" was being too stern... again... very MOM-like.) You did mention the word that I think Only Angels Have Wings is all about: fear. Fear of failure, fear of the past, fear of love, and, most especially, fear of death The only way the men of Barranca could carry out their jobs was to block out their fears. This is why Geoff's reaction to Joe's (Noah Beery, Jr.) death is as it is. He knows that if his men were to dwell on the loss of a comrade, they would start to think about their own mortality and this would in turn make them more afraid of the dangerous missions they were to undertake. They needed to move on quickly in order to block out their own fears. And so they did. Well I can't add ANYTHING to that...except maybe.. Bullseye. :-) She ran into the door and then bumped her head while leaving such an embarrassing situation. She was such a lovely contrast to Rita's perfect elegance. She was to be Cary's gal "pal," which is what he was looking for most. The two women are a perfect contrast for one another... and I think Arthur's Bonnie was exactly what Grant's Geoff had been waiting for all his life... and vice versa as well. And neither of them had the faintest idea.... until they both finally were able to figure it out. Of course... It took HIM till the end of the entire movie... (at the risk of repeating something I may have said in my HGWMV ramble... MEN!!) :-) This is also my favorite Thomas Mitchell role. He's brilliant. I just loved how in-synch he and Geoff were. Their relationship was very brotherly; they were that connected. I think that is exactly how they viewed one another. When we depart, we do leave behind our life's accomplishments and possessions, but it's the memory of who we were as a person that is to be most valued by those who cared about us. And we cannot speak for ourselves in this instance. We can't say, "I was friendly and a kind person." Nope. That's for others to decide. Ok... now just because I SAID I went out and bought more Kleenex.. doesn't mean you have to get me to use them all up at ONCE. VERY nicely said Why do the men die with so "little"? I think it's because the more you have in life, the more you fear losing what you have. If you don't have much to lose, you will have less fear. That's why the guys had flings with women and not relationships and they spent their money on having fun that day not saving for tomorrow. If you have a wife, a child, a house, and so on, you have so much more to lose And they would have you to lose as well... It almost goes back to the whole idea of wanting to protect and provide for your family... even in a subconscious way. VERY nice ramble there Grey Guy... If me getting all wordy is what it takes to get you and others out here to chat with me... OH... well... You may have created a monster. PS... Your screencaps are terrific as always... and THANKS for putting in the one with the Lookout guy and the MULE!! Ha. I remember thinking... I want a job where I can sit around all day and play cards w/ my friends... Ha. :-) About a year and a half ago, there was a thread that asked, something along the lines of, "what movie character do you wish to be?" My top choice then and today is Geoff Carter. THE QUESTION IS: would you wear the hat??? :-) Hey! I LOVED the hat! Also, I think his hat is a statement on him hiding beneath it. Geoff is a "hider." So THE ANSWER IS: of course you would wear the hat....all the better to hide in the shadows with!! HA! Hey... I just thought of ANOTHER guy you claim to have a lot in common with who ALSO wears a HUGE white hat.... Hmmm... Are you sure your name is GEOFF... or is it REALLY ... LAYNE???? Message was edited by: rohanaka

I absolutely LOVE Jean Arthur's look in this film...her hair and jacket Hi Miss Maven!!! You are so right about her look. I remember thinking as I was watching...very smart-looking... and with only a few alterations... truly timeless. And the hair... oh... I only WISH mine had ever looked so good! :-)

3 Godfathers and Baby Makes 3 Bad Men and a Baby The Man Who Knew Too Much Came to Dinner It's The Wonderful Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

A Very Happy Valentine's Day to you, Bronxie... PS... Scottie wishes you a Happy Day too:

VERY nice take on Grant and Arthur, Ms. Favell. :-) And I agree with you about her and Mitchell too. They were always great together. ( I LOVED them in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) He really had a way about him that just made it all seem like he REALLY was "that guy" Which might be why I was so hard on Barthelmess... the scenes where he is talking w/ Mitchell... well... I almost felt like he was "reading" lines compared to Mitchell who just seemed so natural. When it came to speaking...and giving a real personality to his character... "The Kid" was "The Man" :-) .

Good to know you know the name of the film now. Ah yes... well... What's in a name?

Well... I went to the store today... and I bought some more Kleenex... after that last go around w/ all the "mushy" love talk (ha) and w/ all the BEAUTIFUL screencaps w/ those heartwarming images... I needed to restock. :-) If I may... a little ramble on the OTHER movie that I only got to watch PART of this past weekend. (Ha) :-) *Only Angels Have Wings* Now again, bear with me, because I missed taping the first 15 minutes or so of this movie so I had a bit of a fuzzy memory in the beginning, as it has been a long time since I last saw this one .... However... through the courtesy of the magical "youtube" genie... I was able to google around and find the first 10+ minutes of the film... which is just about all I was missing... so... hopefully, I won't be too "out of whack" (at least not for THAT reason anyway) ha. :-) I must say, this was a WAY different story than the last ramble, by the way... but STILL a lot of emotions come tied up in this one. Which for me is one thing I look for in a good movie. It is NO fun to sit around and watch a film and get to the end and not care one whit about WHO did what or WHO said what.... or HOW the film's characters resolved whatever issues were at hand. I LIKE to care about my characters. Or at the very least... I like to have some sort of emotional response to them. And that was NO problem whatsoever for this particular story. There are some REALLY interesting folks in this one... And they all have their own little of "packages" they come tied up in. And as you open each one up, you get to the heart of who they are and what makes them tick. All together it makes for a really interesting mix. But first... a question... WHAT were they thinkin' with that HAT on Cary Grant???? Ha. :-) Oh my golly... It's quite the fashion statement... I'm just not sure what it is saying... Ha. I imagine they thought it would add to the "persona" he was playing... but in truth... He was NOT that hard to figure out... He really did not need THAT much help. :-) Now back to the ramble... PS... It will be hard to talk about certain aspects of this story without *SPOILERS* so read on at your own risk... Every good story has some sort of "conflict" that has to be resolved.... And it seems to me that films with this many diverse characters usually have at least ONE of those characters acting as the major source of conflict throughout the story... Well, at first, I thought it would be "McPherson".... but HE turned out to be a hero in the end. Then I wondered if perhaps the "bad guy" was going to be "Rita Hayworth"... uh uh. I even was beginning to wonder about Cary Grant for a while ( he had moments where he was such a total jerk.). But look closer and you will see... the REAL source of conflict for all these folks.... The NOT SO "friendly skies". FLYING (or the desire to fly) or even "the fear of what will happen to the flyer" is at the root of almost EVERYBODY'S trouble. It is GRAVITY (or perhaps the inevitable struggle against it) that is the REAL source of conflict in this story. And Mother Nature working in "cahoots" with gravity in the form of lousy weather... a LETHAL combination in this story. And also... Father TIME... Sooner or later he was bound to catch up with all of them in the end... NOT your usual sources of conflict in a story with such strong characters. But... there you have it. Now... you are saying.. "But Kathy... what about the "conflict" between the individual characters?? You know... "the Kid" and "McPherson" (ha... NEITHER of those guys were using their real name) or perhaps the conflict between Cary Grant and McPherson, or Grant and Jean Arthur, or (even for a moment) between Grant and Hayworth... OF course there was conflict.. in this story" And you would be right...... But I still maintain that the real "enemy" was the air. And it seemed to motivate all the other "conflict" in the story. Think about WHY The Kid hated McPherson.... because he "chickened out" on his brother during a plane crash. And that was an "unwritten" code between flyers and their crew. Think about how Grant seemed at odds with almost everyone in the free (or NOT so free) world....at some point or other in this story... Most of his anger and resentment centered around all the issues he had w/ keeping his pilots in line, getting the job accomplished, keeping the business afloat by keeping the planes in the air (and landing them safely) Not to mention keeping women who clearly did NOT have any understanding of him or his chosen life from shooting him..(Ooops... messed up on that one. ha.) When it comes right down to it, most of his troubles centered around who he was as a human being based on HOW he lived as a pilot. So... again... it was all about "the air". Ok...maybe I am stretching it here to make a point... I could be. But for me... the forces of nature (air, gravity, weather, and time) as they relate to " manned flight" seemed to have it in for these people. There were some really fine performances in this film. Wasn't that Noah Beery jr, just SO doggone cute? (Alas....poor Joe... "Who's Joe?") And though I found them both quite the 'handsome couple", I did sort of find both Barthelmess and Hayworth a bit "rough around the edges" as far as handling the emotional aspects of their characters.... However, SHE finally started getting more interesting... after she got drunk. Ha. It seemed like before that scene she was just too "melodramatic" but once she started in w/ the drunk scene... she improved quite a bit, (at least it seemed that way to me) He had some good moments.... but I think overall... the "character" he played was more interesting than he was as an actor... but I may not be expressing that well enough... And I really enjoyed the whole love/hate thing going on between Jean Arthur and Cary Grant. She was just the right combination of "flirty and funny" as well as having a pretty good level of "feisty" thrown in too. And Cary did a good job of being "gruff and grumbly" yet deep inside... he'd have given his own life to spare that of one of his men... and they all knew it. But he was LOUSY with the women... Ugh.. He had a LOT to learn... but he finally got there. :-) This is not my favorite film for either one of them, but it is a good job of acting for both. However... this IS my favorite film ever for Thomas Mitchell (the Kid). And that is saying a lot because I REALLY enjoy him in some of his other roles (especially "Uncle Billy in "It's a Wonderful Life") But he is PERFECT in this film.... cocky yet absolutely faithful to his friendship w/ Grant... stubborn but willing to "stay under the wings" of Grant's authority as his boss. Very sure that each flight could be his last, but still totally owned by his love of the sky. He's one of the things that makes this film sort of run like a well oiled... propeller. Ha. Aside from the actors, there are some really good flying sequences and a lot of interesting film work. I think (just from looking w/ my untrained eye) that this film used a lot of different methods to convey the whole "flying" part of the story.... miniatures, close up cockpits getting tossed about and splashed w/ water or doused in fog, and also some real live aerial stunts as well. For the time, it was nicely done w/ the special effects. Even some really good "crash" sequences. Boy... this has turned into a long ramble... (I know...when has THAT ever happened to me??? ha.) If you are all still awake after reading THIS far... I promise to wrap it up here pretty quick.. but I just wanted to mention one last aspect of this film that I find so enjoyable... the dialogue. It was VERY entertaining and very witty. And sometimes VERY tragically poetic. (as they are looking over the contents of their dead comrades pockets, for mementos.... a common theme was "not much to show for their life...") VERY sad. Because one thing these men all seemed to have in common (except perhaps for Grant and "McPherson") was a sort of "live for the moment" kind of mindset. No worries for he future, because there might not be one. What a fatalistic way to live, and yet... not surprising under the circumstances. After all... as we say around our house (when things get dropped) "Gravity will get you every time". Ha. Perhaps one of the best lines for me was when Jean Arthur's character is watching Joe take off into the sky she lets out a little emotional sort of "wow". And Grant's character, ever the cynic, says something like, "I know... it reminds you of a great big beautiful bird". And Bonnie doesn't miss a beat... "No, It didn't at all, that's why it's so wonderful. It's really a flying human being." And THAT is how I feel watching planes up in the sky....as I NEVER have flown anywhere myself And by the way... that is OK by me. I am content to just watch from the ground... because after all, as I have just mentioned.... Gravity will get you every time. Ha. :-) Thanks for putting up with my "wordiness" folks... and again, thanks for the chance to "ramble".

Yoda HA! "There is no try... Only "do or do not".(mostly for me it is "do not"...sad but true) ha. I think you figured it out... Frank is Yoda... that is likely more appropriate... He lives in a swamp. HA!! (Kidding, Grey Guy... only kidding... maybe) Here... I found a "lost clip" of the great teacher in his early days...

Ohh, he's just smiling. Sure he is... He is looking at you and thinking.... "YAY... my favorite flavor... ROTTEN!"

would anyone like to see screencaps from that too? im too excited about learning how to make screencaps! pretty please! You go right ahead and "Paint the fence", little "Scotchie-san!!" :-)

frankie is no mr. miagy Ha... Well... as much as I hate to admit it... when it comes to techno stuff... he is MUCH more Miyagi...than I am "Daniel-san!" Ha. Message was edited by: rohanaka

Hi Chris... thanks so much for that youtube. I have heard that rendition of this song, but it has been a while. PS... the movie in that video is WONDERFUL by the way, if you have never seen it. (PSS... Have a restful evening. I know it was hard day for you, my friend.)

Thanks Mr. Miagi... Wax on...wax off!