rohanaka
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Posts posted by rohanaka
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Hi Chris... and you do not move too quickly... :-)
Worth watching as a curiosity from a historic point
Or was it more like watching as a curiosity from a "train wreck" perspective.... as in "a really long mess"?? :-) Sounds like it was a let down... Funny how sometimes a film can go to such great lengths (no pun intended) to impress w/ all the costumes and sets, etc and a huge ensemble cast like that... and still let you down w/ a misguided story or director....or ( it sounds like) both. Sorry it was a disappointment for you. Better luck next movie. :-)
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Worth watching as a curiosity from a historic point
Or was it more like watching as a curiosity from a "train wreck" perspective.... as in "a really long mess"?? :-) Sounds like it was a let down... Funny how sometimes a film can go to such great lengths (no pun intended) to impress w/ all the costumes and sets, etc and a huge ensemble cast like that... and still let you down w/ a misguided story or director....or ( it sounds like) both. Sorry it was a disappointment for you. Better luck next movie. :-)
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those two wee cabbages for Mom are me and my brother....
Ha...my mom always used to tell me they found me in the cabbage patch too!! Ha.. I always knew we were long lost sisters!!! :-)
PS...For you..the cupcake pantry is always open!! :-)
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Best Wishes and Congrats to You, little missy, on your 10000 posts!!! Whoo Hoo!!!
Chocolate cupcake for you.....
And a couple of sweet little cabbages for mom too...enjoy!!! :-)
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Hey there, Jackie....
The women take charge, AND end up saving the day, as I recall
Exactly!!! They had men on BOTH sides of this fight...and if not for their intervention... things would definitely have turned out much differently. But throughout the entire film there were cases of the WOMEN making the difference.... (the bar room brawl between " Mrs. Callahan" and Frenchie.. MR. Callahan became a MUCH different "man" after that... and the big shoot out at the Claggett (sp?) family ranch... the MA was the one in charge of that NO doubt about it...) Anyway...(at the risk of repeating myself) It was a VERY surprising take on the women's roles in this film.
And PS...that bit with "Mr. and Mrs Callahan"... TOO hilarious.. I loved how that part ended up finally... HE was one of my favorite parts of this film.
someone so sure of himself that he isn't afraid to be laughed at or made fun of. Someone who can laugh along, but is always aware of what's going on - he knows the score. Someone who keeps his friends close, but his enemies closer. A thoughtful, responsible MAN, who uses his gun once and only once. And all the time looking like a fresh kid. He really lets those townspeople know what it is to be a man.
Now THAT was a perfect description... right on the mark. And I agree... I think Stewart was the only one who could pull off both aspects of the character so well...Nicely said. I can't even think of anyone present day who could come close as well.
want to watch Destry a little more closely!
I keep finding myself wanting to put it back in and watch again... it was just so much fun... and to quote Dr. Seuss.. "fun is good"! Ha. :-)
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dont remember who the director was,
Texanna...it was George Marshall...but I know nothing about him apart from this film.
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The idea of a western must have appealed to Dietrich as a few years later she played a saloon owner in John Wayne's "The Spoilers" and later still, a film of a different kind, "Rancho Notorious
Now those are two I haven't seen, but will want to check into now...I really am interested in more of her work after seeing Destry.
PS..Ms Cutter...I had heard that about Stewart and Dietrich...but still WOW..very surprising... :-)
PSS Chris... more rambles
It does seem to be a lean "ramble" season around here latley... I am missing some rambles from some folks too.
I know you have been busy w/ your programming challenge... so I appreciate your input a lot! Maybe some others have seen this one and will want to chime in too.
I WOULD say that I am still waiting on a certain "GREY" someone to still ramble for us about The Man From Laramie... but I am starting to think I will have to give up waiting... I may not have THAT many years left to live... Ha!
Message was edited by: rohanaka
Message was edited by: rohanaka
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Well, I still have not gotten around to RE-watching Siverado yet, but I wanted to get in a quick ramble on something else...
As mentioned before, I got The James Stewart Western Collections DVD set for Christmas...and there are some really good films in that set. Some I had seen before, but one that I had NOT watched was DESTRY RIDES AGAIN...
I enjoyed it VERY much...in fact, it would now have to rank way up there on my list of favorite Stewart films. The first night I watched it, I liked it so much that I turned around and watched it again the next day.(and made the QT watch it with me too. HA!)
This movie is both funny and seriously tragic all at the same time... and I have to say that "DESTRY" was NOT what I was expecting. Sort of like...The Quiet Man meets Support Your Local Sheriff. (And maybe with a little "Westward the Women" thrown in for good measure....those gals were a bunch of "ruffians"!! But boy...they knew how to whip those men into shape!) PS...The QT said he thought that THIS is more likely what most women back then were really like... instead of the petite little "prairie flowers" you see in a lot of westerns from this era. This to me was one of the more surprising elements of the story...but then, this film was all about surprises for me.
In truth, it seemed to me that a lot of this film was very ANTI-stereotypical. I found a lot of very "un-typical" characters in this one, and some unexpected "characterizations" too. Just about the only standard western "type" was the bad guy...and maybe Frenchie... everyone else was NOTHING like what you see in a usual western story...(oh..except maybe Jack Carson too)...
Stewart was TERRIFIC. Very smooth and relaxed (again...putting me a lot in mind of Garner's character from Support Your Local Sheriff...only Stewart was not quite so "campy") I loved the running bit he had w/ "I once had friend who..." or "I once heard about a fellow who..."
And I have to say that I have never really appreciated Ms. Dietrich before now...she was PERFECT in this role. (though I must confess the second time I watched it I had to forward my way through some of that singing....NOT my "cup o tea"...) But she was feisty, sultry, and VERY much the "girl gone wrong"...that is until...
And her final scene...where she wipes the lipstick away.. very, very touching.
Again, the characters in this story are just so unexpected, especially given the time that this film was made when a lot of Westerns seemed to have a certain "formula"... good guy vs bad guy...etc. Now don't misunderstand...the good guys and the bad guys are all pretty well laid out in this story...it's just that they don't always fit the formula in terms of HOW they should behave... I was pretty sure I would like this film going into it, just because I rarely am ever disappointed by a Stewart film...especially his early work... but I still I found this one to be a VERY pleasant surprise.
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44
GOTHCHA!! It's really a ketchup dispenser... had you going there for a minute though, didn't I?
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You, as a mom, have a great responsibility to your daughter and to society for delivering to it a person who will make a positive contribution to it.
Thank you for seeing it that way, Professor. A lot of people don't. I have worked around school kids of various ages for over 10 years.... and I can tell you it seems as if a lot of folks out there want to have babies... but not too many people are as interested in raising children.... and after having said that, I will leave off stepping any further up on the old soapbox..as I am sure I could go on and on (and on).
I work in a school with emotionally disturbed children. (Trust me...you wouldn't want to meet any of them in a dark playground
And THAT is a great responsibility too. One year, several years ago, I had 3 boys that I got to work with...they all had their own parole officers... it was an INTERESTING year. In a school situation, I know it sometimes takes a lot of determination to stick with a kid like that and not take the things they do "personally" . I imagine you have a lot on your plate emotionally everyday...but it could be rewarding just to see even one kid make progress.
It's funny how the laser sharp foresight of Eve Arden and Jack Carson tried to help Mildred but...nothing could get through to her.
Except for that whole "slap" thing...
BTW, I STILL hate green peas
Give me BROWNIES any day over those slimy green monsters!! (and their nasty little cousins "blackeyed peas" are NO better either.... Blech!!! :-) Ha... I once wrote an essay in high school...
Our assignment: A Descriptive Essay
My title: "Green Peas...Yuck!"
My grade: A+!!!!!! :-)
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For me, it was the way the film looked. The leaves on the trees, the way the hazy sun reflected on the water, and especially the light and shadow, mingling and spreading over everything...This mood is what I remember
Wow Jack.... great idea for a thread. With the limited knowledge that I have of such things (meaning next to none) I think it will be interesting to see and read what some of the more learned post-ers on here (and I would put you in that group) would have to say on the topic.
I can only add that for me, films (and why we like them or not) are a very "subjective" thing... But the visual aspect of a film... HOW it looks and the way in which the story is presented, while still a very subjective sort of medium... is a very concrete way of enhancing (and/or) detracting from the story as a whole. (does that make sense?) Any way... thanks for the interesting thread.
BEAUTIFUL picture from Sunrise, by the way. :-)
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Good evening, Professor Maven, ma'am.
I appreciate you checking back in here w/ us. And thanks for bringing in some good points on this one...
All the way back to Mildred marrying Bert at age 17. I believe she stated she wanted her kids to have what she didn?t have.
Well said. And you have to wonder what sort of upbringing Mildred had as well...I think families w/ this many issues are rarely one-time events... often they are more like "endless cycles"
BEING VEDAwould never be enough. She would need THINGS to be liked...loved.
Whew...Now THAT gets us even deeper into understanding the whole Mildred/Veda "mess".... Very good point.... And maybe it helps w/ understanding the lack of "self respect" issue for Veda as well. Because I agree w/ you that selfesteem and self respect are somewhat intertwined...but I guess what I am saying is that ...Veda obviously "esteemed" herself as being worthy of having whatever she wanted and far superior to everyone else.. But she did not have any respect for herself in terms of how low she would allow herself to sink in order to get what she wanted... (such as the whole..."I'm pregnant/no I'm not"... sort of thing etc...) Maybe I could have worded myself a bit better there..
believe Kay would have turned out okay
You are likely right... I just wonder how much Mildred might have tried to work all the "football" out of her...with the dance lessons and such. Kay did have a better sense of shrugging off the mold her mom tried to put her into though.... she might have succeeded in spite of things... but THAT would have been a whole other movie... :-)
there is no doubt in my mind, Mildred really loved her daughters...in her own way.
I agree 100%. She loved them... but I just think her "pride" (especially in the early years...before she had to go it alone) was a motivating factor more than her love for them in trying to get them what she may have always wanted for herself.) If she could accomplish what was lacking in her own life through them...it would still be a way for her to have those things for herself. (I am likely not saying this in a way that will make as much sense as it should... I just saw this as being a form of "selfishness"and yes..."pride" on her part)
But your line about the ?fully loaded toddler? is great...brilliant...excellently put.
Thanks...but I have to confess to you, one of my main reasons for being so interested in THIS assignment from the very beginning was due to a slight "moment" I had w/ my own child shortly before reading your original post. She is no longer a toddler... (just turned 6) but she is still VERY articulate for her age...and when she is willful...oh dear me.... she is definitely a "pistol". HA. :-) I just remember thinking back then that it all starts when we are young... Our attitudes toward authority and how we show compassion toward others in life and whether or not we think more of ourselves than we ought to..those all come very much from how our parents teach us when we are young. Kids are like "playdough" sometimes... and we can mold them into something beautiful...or we can turn them out as rotten little monsters... it is a HUGE responsibility...but one that is very well worth it all in the end. :-)
OH....NOW. How did I get HERE!! I need a brownie myself now.... and PS... there are probably a few extra napkins around here somewhere... I'll see what I can do. :-)
Thanks for letting me work all these little "mom" moments out. This is a fun class... we can show up early, show up late... We can even show up in our pajamas...WHO would ever know?? But it is nice to get a chance to chat all this over with such a "flexible" teacher!!
(PS...how's the big video assignment?? Hope you are having fun.)
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Whyaduck...it sounds as though you have a lot to deal with right now. I'm very sorry to hear about your dad and will pray that you and all your family are able to find comfort together in this difficult time. Also hoping that you are recovering soon from the flu as well. It won't be good for you to let yourself get too run down at a time like this. Take care.
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First Man: "Now look... we can stand here all night like this... or you can just give in now. I am the reigning Staring Game Champion for all time . Undefeated in 48 of the 50 United States...and the District of Columbia... you don't stand a chance."
Second Man: "You're going down, old man....right here...right now."
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humblest of apologies
None needed, Miss Maven... And no pressure at all. I only went ahead w/ my post.. because I have a finite amount of storage space in my tired old brain and was afraid I would lose the data to something else... Things tend to get a bit jumbled when they roll around too long w/ all those rocks in my brain... Ha. :-)
Enjoy the friendly skies... and come back and tell us all the harrowing stories! I imagine it is a lot of work...but very exciting too.
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twisted..... harsh
Thanks for the feedback Jack... and now we've both said a mouthful... :-) I think those words are a perfect description of how love ended up for the both of them.
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Let's talk about LOVE and what love got Crawford in this film when she spared the rod and spoiled the Veda.
Hello there Miss Maven.... I am not sure if school's out or in...I know you have been very busy w/ all your "barnstorming" there w/ the PD helicopters and such.... (PS...you are a much braver soul than I am to be sure) But I wondered if I could go ahead and hand in my assignment on this one...I have been intrigued by your question about Mildred Pierce and "sparing the rod and spoiling the Veda" since way back when a long time ago when you posted it.
So...what DID love get for Crawford from all that??? May I submit...
Veda turned out just like her Mama (and daddy too) created her. And that is the tragic truth of it all. As bad as things got.. (and well... they ended up more or less at rock bottom) it can all be traced way back to the beginning, don't you think?
Mildred had an "attitude" about making sure her daughters had the best.... I am sure a lot of that came from the dissatisfaction she felt in the way her own life had ended up... but she went way beyond just wanting more for her children than she had for herself... She made the mistake of teaching Veda that she DESERVED better... and being an eager student...Veda learned it well. And so it should come as no surprise that Veda lived out what she had been taught.
It is always good to find ways to help your child build self esteem and to be the best they can be.... But teaching them to be respectful of themselves as well as others....and teaching them to be kind is all a part of the lesson as well. And while it is true that every parent wants what is BEST for their children... how you define the word "BEST" will play a significant role in making the difference between raising a decent human being and raising an ego-maniacal monster.
Way back when Mildred had the chance, she did little to nothing in Veda's early life to overcome the arrogant and superior attitude she had created in her child. That whole incident over the dress....and over Mildred's working as a waitress says it all. And I imagine if we could have gotten a glimpse into Veda's baby and toddler years.... we'd have seen more of what it took to get her to that point. Anyone who has ever stared down the barrel of a fully loaded toddler knows full well...they will "push" as far as you let them. Children have to be lovingly taught to respect authority and they have to be taught things like compassion and decency as well. And one of the kindest lessons a parent can teach a child is that the world is NOT their oyster. Learning things like "it aint all about you" and that "self respect comes from DOING the right things in life....not HAVING the right things" is a lesson some kids never get... or they get it TOO late. And Veda clearly never got it.. She had no clue what it meant to care about anyone but herself. And she had no sense of self respect.... Oh sure...she had self esteem...but that is not the same thing at all.
So what HAS love got to do with the mess Mildred made...and that Veda perpetuated?? Well a Mother's love is hard to define....because it often takes many forms... and while i am sure Mildred loved both her daughters. (PS....I wonder if the younger one would have turned out just as rotten eventually???) I submit that she did not love them as much as she loved herself... (stay with me on this one...I promise I will get there...)
Because she cared more about her own desire to give them the "best" than she cared about just making sure they were healthy and happy and had the things they needed in life... this could be viewed as a form of prideful self love on Mildred's part. Because if her kids WERE the best...it would be because SHE made them that way. And the credit would be all hers. But too late, Mildred discovered that Veda was NEVER going to be satisfied with Mildred's "best"... because Mildred had already taught her she deserved something BETTER. Better than whatever it was she had at the present.... So there could NEVER be a BEST for Veda... she would always want something more than what she had... And the saddest truth of all is that she had her parents (specifically Mildred )to thank for it.
Thank you for letting me hand in my homework early... and PS... in case I need a few "Brownie points" to get a better score...
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"Well what do you make of it?"
"Yes. This man is a spy alright.... But it look's like he forgot to come in from the cold.... I'm afraid he's frozen solid."
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The filth loves me and I love the filth
A whole new reason to call you....Mr. Grey???
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And memorable meetings
This one had at least a few, didn't it. :-)
PS..very nice screen caps. :-)
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I give you a really weird painted mirror, and you give me advice on how to hook up the VCR!
Ha...I think I am getting the far better end of that trade!! :-) Good luck w/ the library...It is NOT the best of the Ford's...but I think it is a good story. Hope you get a chance to see it soon. :-)
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he can't bear to get rid of anything..... Even if he kept the VCR, it probably isn't hooked up...
Ha...I think I told you once that mine has the opposite problem... He is "the order of the universe" and I am more like "utter chaos"....eventually we have managed to "cancel each other out" and more or less are able to maintain an "acceptable" level of mild clutter. :-) Once in a while...our little pendulum swings too far one way or the other...and then I either go "nutso" and start in on a cleaning rampage (hardly ever) or more likely...he goes "nutso" and does one of those "arm sweep" table clearing things.... it's a fine balance. ha. :-)
Good luck getting that VCR thing figured out...If he still has one it should be an easy hook up...I would offer advice....but I am sure you would rather rely on someone far less technically challenged than I. :-)
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Doesn't Dennehy make a wonderful nasty guy?
He is way too good about being bad... But then I have seen him in other roles where he is a real stand up guy...he's got a nice range that way.
I will report back in later after watching again. :-)
PS...Hey Wendy....Two Rode Together was one of my "library finds"...maybe they will have it on VHS at yours...( I honestly could not recall whether I watched a tape or a disc w/ that...apparently it was a tape) maybe not as "quality" as a DVD would be...but still worth watching.
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the big white church right behind Kline
Hi there Chris... I have watched this movie probably half a dozen times...but I never paid attention to that detail before. Thanks for pointing it out....I was happy to get this thing on tape last night, but haven't watched it (NOT on the suggested play list for the kidling..) so will have to get to it maybe one night this week. I am so happy to finally get to see it w/out commercials... I haven't been able to do that since the first time I saw it when it came out at the theater. :-)
And I think the music in this one is first rate...very energetic and "adventurous" and also very much in keeping w/ what I was mentioning about how they kept it more like the classic style westerns most people think of when they think of a "western" movie.
And then....there is Stella... now THAT is another story altogether....what an interesting twist to the tale. :-)
Western Movie Rambles
in Westerns
Posted
Double "Thank You's" Chris.... first for the link to the excellent Morlock spot on Sergeant Rutledge...and also for the very nice ramble on Forty Guns. I have both these films on my Wanna See list... and your posts just make me want to push them both way to the top. I haven't been to the library in a while, but am planning a trip maybe early next week. I will see if I can get these ordered in.
PS...Jack...I agree...Stanwyck is one Hollywood lady who wore her age well...I think her later years actually made her even more attractive, though I must confess that may be in part to the fact that this is how I always remember her first....as a kid...watching The Big Valley. But even seeing her "un-age" over the years as in increasingly younger woman as I got to know more about her earlier career, I still prefer her as I first knew her. I think she was a very beautiful "mature" woman who seemed to know how to take the years she'd been given and use very them much to her own advantage. (Working "with" the tide instead of against it, so to speak) :-)