rohanaka

YOU'RE IN!!!! ha.. yes.. FINALLY, ha. ( (whacky internet) But gee.. usually when I see the letters "you're in" all grouped together like that and referring to me.. they are followed by "s-a-n-e" at the end of them.. HA. (but don't let that get around) I don't know if the Clanton boys of "My Darling Clementine" would have passed up the chance to take a pot shot at him Ha.. you do have a point. (but then.. the Clews did not have old Walter Brennan (with that whip) for their daddy. Really? For real? Well, admittedly, everyone has their own definition for "sexy" (and that is not even a word I use all that often.. and RARELY (if ever) can I recall using it for The Duke) but here would be ONE of my definitions.. (if I were to try and define such a word as "the S word", that is... ha) I am doomed! OH perish the thought, little darlin'.. remember.. ALL my cyber calories are NON-fattening!! :-)

We need to get Kansas City Rohanaka to weigh in on this one I have not seen it yet..but judging from the talk I've seen on it.. I know I NEED to soon. :-)

Thanks for posting this, ma'am.. what a fun read.

We can use all the weapons we can get! And even THEN, it will never be enough, ha. Let's see.. the current arsenal stands at: (gee..I should post this on Rey's "List" thread.. ha.. and call it"Favorite Weaponry" ha) Frozen Ropes (a plenty) A nice sharp HAT PIN (on loan from Sweet Maureen) My Scissors (borrowed from Barabar Stanwyck) That fancy little walking stick (from that rotten monster guy in Gilda) An electric Griddle A Giant (REALLY giant) Squid (or is it an octopus.. I forget) And now we can add the "Poison Nuke Water" and "Hay Baler" And yet.. did I mention.. it will NEVER be enough. (ha) haven't seen Murder, He Says yet, but I've seen many enthusiastic write-ups. I hope to catch it next time it airs. It is (I say again) a VERY silly movie.. but in a FUN and entertaining sort of way. I really got a kick out of it. And on a completely DIFFERENT subject... I watched THE LOCKET today.. (oh ME!!!!) and guess what I HEARD right smack dab in the middle of the movie.. "The Psycho Girl" anthem/theme song that little Rhoda plays on her piano over and over again.. ha. TOO funny. The QT and I turned to each other and busted out laughing (because we sing (or hum, I guess, ha) that tune to each other WHENEVER we are feeling very "Bad Seed-ish" ha) (double mini-spoiler) Gee.. ha.. Watching Nancy was almost like.. "HERE is what you'd get if Little Rhoda had LIVED" ha. Only Nancy was not QUITE so evil... I actually felt sorry for HER so I guess that does sort of limit the comparison a bit because who in the world (except her MAMA) could ever have felt sorry for RHODA?? ha. (And looked what THAT almost got her.. ha) :-)

HOWDY DO, there Miss Maven, ma'am. Glad you got to watch Tall in the Saddle, youngun'. And PS: I think it is "the bee's knees' (ha) seeing you hanging out around the western side of town lately, little lady. I felt like a little kid at a Saturday afternoon movie date as the climax of the movie was playing out. I like to call films like this one "popcorn" movies.. because I get a mental picture of a young kid (in the 30's or 40's) just sitting there in the front row munching away on a big bag of popcorn, eyes glued to the movie screen as he is watching the cowboys ropin' and ridin' and shooting up the bad guys. But that is NOT to say that is a bad thing.. ha, because I think "popcorn movies" are fun to watch (and to quote Dr. Seuss: "Fun is good") ha. This is the sexiest I?ve ever seen John Wayne. I know...I know. I have not even seen HALF of John Wayne?s movies so I realize I?m making this declaration without any full fair knowledge of his entire oeuvre of films OH girlie.. you need to see HONDO. (really) There was also something I sensed feminine about him in this movie. Please, I mean no malice at all. The way he walked, the way he pursed his lips at times...but mainly the fact that HE was pursued; the object of affection of two women Hmmmm.. I did not get a "feminine" feeling... more of a quiet self assurance. (I LOVED him baking bread in the cabin w/ Gabby.. ha.. wearing his little "towel" apron.. TOO cute.. and yet very natural looking) He did not really have much concern for whether the ladies were melting into their shoes all around him or not.. and yet.. there they were.. melting away, ha. And OH me.. speaking of "self assured... I mentioned this the other day... the purposeful way he just walked straight up to that drunk guy in the street (and warned him to back off or else) THAT was something. (and very "UN-westerny.. most movies.. he'd have put the guy down in the ground) I LIKED the way he did not go all "macho"and yet.. he was VERY manly. I thought Ella Raines was channeling the self-assurance of Lauren Bacall. And yet she had a vulnerable side too.. I really liked it. (and I got the Barbara Stanwyck" feel from her too.. sort of a la The Furies). But THANKS for giving me the "thing" I have trying to figure out about Ella ever since the other day.. she IS a bit "Lauren Bacall-ish. I really am not all the familiar with her as an actress and that is what I have been trying to pin down about her. You know what, you really are so brownies Ha.. yes.. I am SO (so, so so SO very "brownies" HA!) Have pity on me Ro! Uhmmmm...by the way, do you know how to bake Devil?s Food Cake? All for you little darlin'.

HELLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOO Miss G!!! I just had to pop in here to give you the good news!! (ha) I JUST watched Murder, He Says (with Fred MacMurray) and Oh me.. very silly movie (but I mean that in a GOOD way, ha) I laughed, I giggled.. I laughed some more.. TOO silly for words.. but I really had fun with it all... What a hoot.. ha. Hillbillies.. stolen loot... a little romance, even.. and plenty of "slapstick" style comedy.. But the BEST part of all.. (and now.. the GOOD news, ha) because of this movie. I was ALSO able to add two (count 'em TWO) new weapons to my arsenal (you know.. for when we have to keep certain GREY parties in line.. ha) First.. we "nuke" him (til he glows) with poison water: And then..... (woo hoo) we toss him in the HAY baler!! (yee haw!!) Now that'll REALLY give me something to look forward to some day!! (it's the little things, don't ya know) ha.

Oh golly, Miss G and Ms Favell.. thanks for bringing up our poor sweet Wardy Bond.. I meant to say the other day how WHOLLY "creepy" he was. ha. (not your typical roll for him for sure) He was so "slimy" you could almost see the oil slick he left behind when he walked.. EEEWW. (ha) (mini-spoiler) PS: Miss G.. I SO wanted the stepdad to be a decent guy but my real clue was the way that Ella seemed to just tolerate him (and clearly wanted to sever all ties with him) when he came to the house that one day to tell her about how he was going to buy the mortgage on some farm nearby.. that sort of cinched it for me.. but I liked the suspense of the "who dunnit' part... and the fact that it was NOT the Duke who made the badguy pay (the ultimate price) there at the end. PS... (in comparing this to other westerns) I did not get any "MDC" vibes off of this one, but I did sort of get a "Man from Monterey" feel about this one... but not totally so. (The stories were not that similar.. but it maybe just had that sort of "feel" to the characters, I guess.) OH.. and PS: Jackie.. I need to go back and listen to that theme song again.. for some reason it did not get my attention (but then I WAS a bit distracted from time to time as I was also baking brownies, ha) and now I am curious, ha. :-) Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 12, 2011 10:18 AM

Howdy there, Miss G... I MISSED this movie the other day, but thanks for bringing it up for a chat and giving it the recognition it deserves.. it really is a terrific story and a fine performance from Cooper. (I need to go find my copy and sit down and watch again sometime, I hope) I loved the two lead characters (Doc and Elizabeth) and the way they struggle to interact w/ one another.. and I also love the SCENERY in this film... WOWSA is it ever gorgeous. (OH.. and that FRENCHY.. It has to have been at LEAST a year or so since I saw this film and I say again from the bottom of my heart.. ha..that guy was absolute PONDSCUM!!!!!!! ha TOO well played by Malden to be sure, ha) Thanks again from giving this movie a bit of well deserved attention.. I hope they show it again on TCM sometime soon for the folks who have yet to see it.. it is well worth watching to be sure.

Rocklin" is Wayne as a "superhero." He has everything working in Tall in the Saddle. His swagger, his stance, his replies, his facial expressions, his comedic timing, everything YEE haw.. OH.. I hate it when I have to say that I agree with you.. but I think you are spot on.. he was a "rock solid" guy (ha.. no pun intended w/ his character's name, ha) and I liked it. He was not as "multifaceted" as some of his more "conflicted" or "grey" (UGH I DO hate calling them that.. ha) characters that he would go on to play a bit later on.. but a nice, clean, no-nonsense "black and white" sorta guy.. and I loved the part where he walked straight up to the drunk guy (who was wanting to shoot him) in the street.. and never flinched. ("you touch that gun and I'll kill ya") VERY strong leading man sort of stuff for him in this one.. you can really start to see he is developing his "reaction" skills a lot in this film too.. all very "Duke-like" for sure. (ps.. Miss G.. I think you may be on to something RE: the Stagecoach/Tall in the Saddle look alike station.. it does look very simliar) OH and PS. Oh Great Guru of All Things GREY.... RE: Rocklin" is now my second favorite "Wayne" character HA!!! What HAS gotten into you??? I am with Miss G... that IS a high compliment coming from you for such a "straight shootin white hat" kinda character.... color me.. SHOCKED!!! (if you can figure out what color THAT would be.. ha) Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 10, 2011 3:35 PM

Howdy Mr. Movieman! I'm about to ruin that No way, sir. Glad to have you chiming in... ALWAYS. Marlowe got more people then he expected and he certainly wasn't counting on a woman and a baby. I think that changed up how he handled things. They may be bad guys but there is a limit for him. (Too bad that limit didn't apply to Elam.) I don't know. You might be right, but I really wonder how it would have played out if they had been successful.. I think he would have made the decision (although maybe grudgingly) to let Elam "off" Ty and Susan.. and he'd have just left little Cali there by herself (or again.. with Yancy... maybe. I can see him riding off and leaving Yancy w/ a warning.. you talk and I will have Elam come back and take care of you too, etc) But really who knows? Anyway.. I think Ty was right, I don't think he'd have left them behind as witnesses. He might not have been ruthless enough to kill them himself.. but he was selfish enough to turn his back and ride off and let Elam do it for him. At least I think so.. maybe.. who knows.. ha. I could be wrong. (it wouldn't be the first time) :-) Fortunately.. we didn't have to find out, ha.

Did you notice when Marlowe was writing out his plans, and Jack Elam came in after their confrontation outside, the series of looks that passed between them? I think he knew just how far to push Elam and how to steer (and/or intimidate) him. He knew he was smarter so he was able to get him to back down (because I think Elam knew it too..and he wanted the gold). But Marlowe wasn't able to totally control him (like when he shot Edgar) and also ultimately at the end (Elam let his temper get the better of him.. and that was that). You are right, the scene you mentioned was a good example of action/reaction with a "less is more" approach to the dialogue. It really worked well in this story.

Hey there Little Miss OK Kid! Hope the weather is better for you today. (we are FREEZING our socks off around here, ha.. but supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow.. Or maybe the weather man is just saying that to cheer me up, so I won't CRY about the cold anymore, ha) was SURE Yancy was going to come back and kill Jack Elam Hmmm... now that WOULD have been something.. I can see a scenario where he saw what Elam was doing (going after the baby) and he ran and got Abner Kravitz's ( ) gun (since he was in that general area too) and gave him what for. That would have given him a whole new outlook for the future to be sure. I really did think he was going to do something.. other than sort of "disappear". But I am glad my senario (where he dies saving the kid) did not play out.. I would have hated him to get hurt.. he was so tragically sympathetic that way. I thought he was going to try to pick off the men one by one too, when he took the knife.... but because he was inexperienced and not a killer, he simply wanted to get out of there and tried other ways to deal with the situation, which actually made it more interesting as a character study. That's it exactly. When he took that knife, I was picturing him sticking it to SOMEBODY's ribs (like Abner.. ha.. I can't call him anything else.. or perhaps even Elam, eventually) I never in a MILLION years thought of what he DID end up doing with it. But you are right.. he really wasn't a "killer" but he did have that whole "I want to live" thing going on. It is a strong motivator in a situation like that. He was more victim than hero. It all seemed a little more realistic that way - has anyone thought about comparing this one to The Desperate Hours or *Suddenly*? Because that's what it felt more like to me - an ordinary man pitted against ruthless killers Now see.. I never did think of him as a sort of "victim" even though he clearly was. I just more or less saw him as a "problem solver" and he was trying his best to look for a way out that would work. (and he admittedly kept coming up w/ duds, ha.. but he at least kept trying) I sort of like that his plans all seemed to fail. But really.. he was smart to play it "weak" and not go "gung ho" to try and stop them. (I agree with what April said.. he saw what happened to poor Edgar and he learned from it) He also knew (from experience) that Hugh told him not to lie.. so he made sure Susan knew she better play her part or else.. He was a studier. He looked at the people who were keeping them hostage and learned the best way to fool them was to play "surrendered" and it did at least end up keeping them alive long enough for things to finally come to a head and play out. (thankfully it played out in their favor) Both he and Ty were learning the ropes, both dandyish, upper class young men who had to "learn the business" the hard way. I liked that parallel in their stories. That may be why I thought he was TOO "gentlemanly" for the things he was doing. He actually (to me) seemed WORSE than Elam's character. First he hated people lying to HIM.. but HE was quite the "scammer" using his "fake sheriff" identity to overcome Ty and Edgar and then to fool the Stagecoach folks. And he was a planner. He wanted everything to work like clockwork and he was not going to leave any loose ends. When he was sitting there at the table going over and over all the plans with Elam and "Abner".. he had it all written out just the way he wanted.. and boy, it would not have suprised me if somewhere in the margins it said something like "Kill the hostages" because Ty was right.. he was not going to leave any witnesses. Elam was a lowlife and a TOTAL snake.. but he was also a "reactor". He didnt' plan ANYTHING.. he just went with whatever was in his gut. To be truthful... I was surpised he didn't kill Hugh sooner than he did. (I expected him to do it when he got knocked into that hay and had to pick up his gun.. I was like.. Oh buddy, don't turn around.. but I guess the lure of their plans to get the gold kept him down for a LITTLE bit longer than he might have otherwise. In the end, he still just went with his gut reaction and that was the undoing for the rest of the "gang" as a result. I guess it goes to show you that if you want to start up a "gang" of badguys.. you really are only as strong as your weakest link. And while it appeared that link was "Yancy".. really in the end.. it was Elam. If he had not "lost it" their plans might have succeeded and then it could have been curtains for everybody on the stage and poor Ty and Susan too. (and then Yancy would have traded his share of the gold for little Cali and took her off in the hills somewhere and raised her as a pet,HA.) Ok.. clearly that part would likely not have played out.. but I had to tie up that loose end SOME how, ha. Anyway.. it is a good thing that Hugh did not have anytime to "plan" his co-horts and pick better qualified men to work with.. if they had all been like Abner.. they'd have almost been unstoppable. Miss G says: It turns out that no one was a hero, it was just a combination of incidents that Power and Susan were able to take advantage of and survive. This was definitely one where the "heroes" were made. Sort of one of those "greatness thrust upon them" moments, I imagine. It is an interesting study on "what would you do if _______?" I have not seen the two movies Jackie compared them to (TDH and Suddenly) but I have heard of them, and I bet it is a good comparison for sure. Oh.. and PS Jackie: ha.. thanks for solving the "was it her sister's killer or not" question for me.. it was late when I was watching and likely I just let my imagination get away from me, ha. (you know us old folks.. our minds tend to wander sometime,ha) Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 3, 2011 12:59 PM

Good! I think CinemAva just saw it for the first time Yee haw! Dudley Nichols won an Oscar for the screenplay to The Informer. He also wrote Ford's Plough and the Stars, Steamboat Round the Bend, The Hurricane, Mary of Scotland, Judge Priest, The Fugitive and The Long Voyage Home, in addition to Man Hunt, Mr Lucky, The Tin Star, Gunga Din and Bringing Up Baby. Oh for goodness sake, ha. I had NO idea. So many of these are films I have enjoyed a LOT. The Informer is probably my most Fave on the list you have here.(but of course I would put Stagecoach ahead of it, ha) As for the other titles.. I LOVE The Hurricane.. and I recently got to see TLVH... WHAT a story. I have only seen part of The Tin Star, but I remember liking what I saw of it. Bringing Up Baby is a laugh riot... and OH my golly.. Gunga Din!!! ( And as for the rest.. judging from all this, I am SURE I would like them but I have not SEEN them yet, ha) Gee.. I love hanging out around here with you.. ha. I learn so much cool new stuff all the time. Gotta hit the hay, little missy. Us old fogey folks need their rest, ha. It's been fun chatting with you for a while. I miss getting to hang out here more often. Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 3, 2011 12:16 AM

Boderline "spoilage" alert: Well, I COULD say it was almsot TOO happy (ha) if I were using a Grimes standard, ha. But really more of a relief after all that tension and suspense, ha. It has been several weeks since I saw it now (I think it was way back around new year's in fact) But as I recall I remember thinking it had a sort of "Rebecca-ish" feel to it.

Well.. overall I have to confess I thought it was a bit far-fetched. But GEE.. I was on the edge of my seat several times even so.

Well bring it back up again sometime then, little gal. I see that Mr. Movieman says he is up for a chat on it too.. I am sure another good "amble" on this one is long overdue. It is a VERY "Walk Worthy" movie for sure!

1950 - House by the River Fritz takes a coffee break. LOVE It. ha. If it weren't for the "dainty" tea cup and the glasses.. he'd look like some sort of longshoreman. ha. PS: seeing your mention of Secret Beyond the Door reminded me.. that is one I was able to finally get to a few weeks ago.. very suspenseful story.

Right...I just wasn't sure who all was in the discussion...I don't even know if I was in it! Not sure myself.. I went fishing for it and found pretty much where we started.. have not had time to go too deep into what all we said..but I do remember it was a FUN "walk on the noir side" (though a bit "swiss cheese ridden" from time to time). http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=147635&start=1935&tstart=0 (oops.. actually.. I think my opening post is on the page just before the page that pulls up on this link. duh) Who is also the same guy who wrote...Stagecoach WAYYYYYYYYYY cool. ha. Three for three really good stories. I need to check him out and see what ELSE I have seen that he wrote, ha. Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 2, 2011 11:40 PM

I have seen it.. OH that low-life KITTY! Poor Edward G. We had a long and lengthy chat on it here some time ago (at least some of us did.. Grey Guy.. Jackie.. and I think Maven and me, about a year or so ago.. I THINK) It is a TERRIFIC film. VERY Noir, ha. If that one is coming back up again.. I say yay.. I am SURE there is more to say on it, no doubt. (and written by the same guy as Rawhide... who knew??) Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 2, 2011 11:17 PM

OH good gravy.. I am SUCH a slacker "thread hostess" around here.. I am so far behind on this thread I will NEVER catch up.. will try to read through it soon.. and likely will just have to wait for another chat before I could join in. Thanks for keeping the dust off the place for me, though, folks. And PS: Miss G.. But don't forget next Tuesday is The Hanging Tree...The Hanging Tree... The Hanging Tree!!! May I just say, *YEEHAW!!!*

Hiya Little Darlin', I hope little Flixie is keeping your toes warm and toasty tonight, ha. :-) I thought he played it pretty modern, almost like a guy today would act if put in that situation That is a good comparison. I could picture him in a modern version.. sort of a corporate type and trapped in a high rise office building trying to come up w/ some sort of "escape" plan (like a back stair case or service elevator) or something. He was definitely a case of "east" meets "west" and still remains "east-ish", ha. cute little girl Wasn't she?? And I was GLAD when she finally started to ACT like a little kid. ha. (getting out through that hole, etc) That might have been one OTHER non-believable moment for me, ha because I was beginning to think she was on tranquilizers or something. ha. NO little toddler lasts THAT long in an enclosed space w/out busting loose or going ballistic. (or both. ha.) Wow, I didn't think of that but if it were so, it certainly would have added a very interesting dimension to the story. But wasn't Marlowe assuming the sheriff's identity, and if Susan had just come from that same town, wouldn't she have known that he was not the sheriff? Hmmm... I don't know. I THINK she was not there when he was acting like the sheriff (the first time when he fooled Ty and poor Edgar. She was out bathing.. so the first time she met him, she already KNEW he was a bad guy) I really need to go back and rewatch where she tells Ty HER story.. and then the part where they are discussing HIS story (and he is posing as the sheriff in front of the stage coach passengers) If he WERE the guy.. it might be that only Tyrone Power could have put it together. But again.. I MIGHT be wrong about all of it. I need to double check it again. He was very similar, sort of mooching off of Garfield because it was easier to go that route than to work hard and straight. Well who knew.. I had not EVER associated him with that sort of character before. I thought he did pretty well.. couldn't you just imagine if Gladys had showed up when he was out there in the dark w/ that shotgun.. "Abner, ABNER!".. (and seconds later everyone inside the cabin is like, "Hey.. was that a gunshot out there?") HA.. ok.. that is rotten.. but OH me.. that Gladys Kravitz.. not a JURY IN THIS WORLD could have convicted poor Abner on that if he had snapped, ha) You know, like Grimes tee hee! Now THAT would have been even more interesting. You should have written this script, not Dudley Nichols Ha.. perish the thought, little gal. I could NEVER make a good script writer.. as gabby as I am, all my characters would go off on these LONNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG drawn out tangent type soliloquies and the dialogue would be expanded beyond all reason and before you know it.. ha.. it would be a four hour EPIC, ha. (but I DO think it would have been a poignant moment for him to go down that way) knew that would get you going Ha.. you did warn me. OH my golly.. If he wasn't already pretty DOOMED (just for what he did to poor Edgar) I was DEFINITELY on the warpath with him for that. He got WAY so much better from Vinnie than he deserved, ha. it's fun seeing two people not typical to the genre I agree.. and "entertaining" was a good way to describe this film, too. I needed a good movie to just sit back and enjoy. Thanks again for recommending it.

HOWDY there, Miss G: Oh, poor, poor QT!!! Bless him for getting out and shovelling that...that...oh if I wasn't a lady just what would I call that STUFF. Ha.. well... if you think about it.. "snow" IS a four letter word all on its own. I hope he does listen in the future To quote the Duke.. THAT'LL be the day. HA! Oh when will he ever learn?? ha. Actually.. I was as surprised as he was that they canceled at his work like that. He has worked there OVER 20 years and they have NEVER done that, not even once. I told him to make sure he gives them the RIGHT phone # to call next time... but ha.. given their track record, "next time" might not come for ANOTHER 20 years. ha. (Oh..and PS: thanks for the Donovan's Reef!!! I bet the Grey Dude is beside himself with joy for THAT one, ha) PS: Jackie.. 2 inches of ICE!!!!!!!!!! Yikes. I am glad Andrew got to stay home w/ you. And what an industrious guy working on those taxes. We are not brave enough to do them ourselves, ha. We are going to make the professionals handle it for us later this week, ha. Hope you all are staying warm and toasty up there in CT. Eat a pizza roll for me! ha. So OK.... down to business.. but first.. a musical break: (because THIS is always the FIRST thing I think of when I hear the word "RAWHIDE", ha. *Serious RAWHIDE Spoilage* : Miss G, thanks for recommending this one. I had never seen or likely even HEARD of it before and I can't say it would rate REALLY high on any sort of favorite western list.. but I did like it a lot. (I was in the mood for a good old fashioned western, and this one fit the bill quite nicely.) Just the right mix of "gritty" and suspenseful.. a GOOD good guy.. (woowee.. TYRONE) and some REALLY rotten, low down, snakey.. (even if Hugh was kinda "gentlemanly") bad guys. OH that JACK ELAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I will get back to him in a minute) And as for SUSAN.. well.. she was not your typical "prairie flower" sort of western gal.. but gee... she really FIT for the sort of character (with the sort of background) that she was playing quite well. And I really liked the angle that Tyrone's character was NOT a "cowboy" at heart. I thought that added an interesting mix to things. From the start he makes it clear to Buchanan he wants no more of "learning the business" and wants to get back east. He's a civilized guy, not a dirty barbarian. I don't blame him. His daddy runs the stage line. He seems to have been sent out west to teach him the business and, presumably, to "make a man out of him" if Buchanan has anything to do with it. I bet he was a bit of a "spoiled" kid when he was younger and I bet you are right.. he had some "growing up" to do when he first got there.. and it LOOKS like (by the time the story starts) he had gotten some "smarts" about him but his heart was still WAY back East. The Grey Guy says: Power projects a kind of confidence. He seemed to be in control even when he wasn't. Gary Cooper is an actor who does a good job of projecting a lack of control, even helplessness. Man of the West is a great example of this. Again, that's another "captive" film that has so much going for it compared to Rawhide. just didn't sense the worry and anxiety from Power as "Tom I kinda think Man of the West would be a good comparison, but only in terms of it was about a man (with an unrelated woman who was also a hostage)trying to outwit a band of bad guys with no way to get help, etc, etc. But I am siding w/ Miss G in that I though Tyrone Power did a pretty good job of showing his frustration.. he might have LOOKED cool.. but he was only trying to look cool for the BAD guys.. I think for the rest of us.. (at least for me.. i saw the worry behind it) He just has a different way of projecting it than Coop, I guess. Both movies were about two guys trying to figure out how to stay alive and knowing they were hands of ruthlses murderers, but you are right the comparison sort of stops there as they were completely different sorts of leading men with totally different backgrounds and very dissimilar ways of problem solving. I thought Powers did a better job (than you thought) of showing the stress and anxiety.. but he just had a different way of handling it.. and he also had a different way of using it to motivate him too. And I found it very interesting (and unexpected) how Tom looked at what needed to be done for them to get over on the badguys. Instead of looking for a way to "pick off" the bad guys one by one (sort of like Randolph Scott in The Tall T, if I am recalling the right movie) or instead of getting them to bicker amongst themselves as a distraction (again.. if I am remembering right.. wasn't that an angle Coop used in MOTW?) or even instead of just trying to find a way to use "brute force" and overpower one of them to get their gun (like so many OTHER western movies I can't even begin to name them all, ha) .. he went about it in a an ENTIRELY different way. (First w/ the note to the stage coach driver and THEN with the whole "knife" thing.) OH me.. when he snatched that knife.. that was THE last thing I ever expected him to do with it) He went a whole different route.. and even though NEITHER of his plans really panned out.. I thought it said a LOT about his character that he was going to use every resource he could think of to try and save not only himself, but Vinnie and Cali too. Pretty interesting twist on a "standard" western storyline. OH and PS: (as a side note regarding that KNIFE) My one GASP moment (of disbelief) in the film was when that little baby picked up that knife and Susan just STOOD there. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely could NOT believe Vinnie did not pick it up right away (if only to look like she was acting ?natural? especially when Elam?s character showed up. I mean REALLY. (Granted, it was TOO dull to CUT anything, but how was she SUPPOSED to KNOW that????? What sort of ?mother? just lets her kid wave a knife around and not try to stop it? Ha. Even Jack Elam should have figured that SOMETHING was up because he did not know it was ?blunt? either until after he picked it up himself. And yet he was TOO stupid not to suspect SOMETHING when he saw a ?MOTHER? standing next to a little baby who was holding a dadgum machete in her wee little hand and waving it around like it was a TOY )and the mom did NOT freak out!!) But I digress, ha. Zim's character could have had greater depth. He was wronged by a woman, so there is something to play off of with that I found him a bit TOO "pleasant" as he was being threatening. He did not have as much edge to him as I thought he should have had to be as determined as he was. (and PS.. did I infer the wrong thing.. was his story about being convicted of murder the SAME story as Vinnie's sister and her husband??It sort of sounded VERY similar. Is he THEIR murderer??????? Even if Vinnie might not have been aware of it.. I think she was dealing w/ the very man who killed her sister and brotherinlaw.. but I might be wrong. I might need to go back and re-watch it.. but it sort of SOUNDED like that to me. And WHAT about the "gang" of bad guys.. OH me.. First of all. I about fell out of my CHAIR when I saw Abner Kravitz with a mangy beard and a shot gun, ha. WHAT a different route he MIGHT have gone w/ his career if he'd have stuck with THAT sort of character. But I thought he did alright.. not totally HEARTLESS... but pretty much just a "follow the leader" sort of bad guy. And POOR Yancy.. I LOVED his ending in the story.. What a surprise too. I figured he'd have gone down protecting that Baby from Elam.. I am glad he ended up the way he did because I REALLY do think he was NOT a killer nor a true MEAN person... just a simple minded "take what I need when I need it" sort of thief who fell in with a bad crowd. He was too sympathetic to wish any harm on, for sure. Unlike.. a certain BEADY EYED MONSTER of a thug such as ELAM's character.. OH my goodness. I say again.. it is a GOOD thing Susan got to him first because when he started taking pot shots in that baby's direction.. I was about to crawl through the computer screen and deal with HIM myself. I'd have torn him apart bit by bit and there would not be enough SUPER GLUE in the world to put him back together again when I was finished. Oh for pity's sake. (did I mention he was a MONSTER???????) Miss G says: interesting, "I Want To Live" is the name of a huge Susan Hayward hit movie Ha.. good catch, little missy. I caught that too. In fact, I yelled at Tyrone after he said it.. "HEY! Didn't you watch the movie? Susan wants to live TOO!" ha. Her hardness is such a contrast to her soft features. It does help her in western roles, though. She'd need that kind of spunk to survive She WAS hard in this film for sure. That fight between her and the men when she wanted to get on that stagecoach was very telling. OH and before that when she tells them (at the table) she is a MISS and not a MRS. (no apology or explanation to ease their minds on what they were led to think about her at that point) That was one tough cookie to be sure. But I think it FIT her character in this film very nicely. And I like how she DID have a heart (under that tough exterior) once Ty (and we) got to know her. All in all, aside from the one little ?knife? moment of ?disbelief? I had, ha, I thought she did very well. Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 2, 2011 3:12 PM Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 2, 2011 3:19 PM

Thanks everybody.. we are ok. But BOY did we get socked a good one yesterday. I don't even know if they can measure how much snow we actually got because of all the wind. It is drifted everywhere. I-70 (one of two major interstates that cuts through KC) is shut down (or at least was.. don't know if it opened yet) from Independence (which is the middle eastern part of KC proper) all the way to ST Louis. It is sunny today.. but OH me.. the windchills. SUBZERO for sure.. and not supposed to improve all day. Ha.. Jackie. I like the pic w/ the horses.. not sure if we are quite up to that much snow or not.. but maybe close, ha. You know.. my dad was in the army and we Iived in Alaska for three years when I was a kid and I KNOW we had snowfalls and weather like this there and it did not seem to be so "eventful" ha.. but GEE.. this is a big deal in this part of town. (And I mean.. this IS Missouri so, we do get snow off and on all winter. but this beats pretty much anything I have seen around here in quite some time) So anyway... my beloved QT decides to go to work today, despite the roads and my earnest pleas to stay home. He persevered, made it there safely, & found out they closed due to the weather. (WOULD have been nice if they called the right phone # to tell us instead of his cell that he never uses except to call me) ha. He is the hardest working man I know.. but he is ALSO hard headed, Or I guess I should call it.. determined, ha. I love him for it.. but BOY oh boy.. I think I am going to get a LOT of mileage out of this one. (which will make me feel ever SO much better considering ALL the many "gotcha's" he has gotten on ME over the years, ha)The moral of this story (and my new catch phrase) ALWAYS listen to your wife. At any rate.. he STILL got to work.. even when he came back home. Here he is out in the driveway.. and it may not LOOK too deep, but keep in mind.. this is the snow that fell lastnight AFTER the drive already got cleared once yesterday. (you can sort of see how deep it is if you look at the wheels on the silver car.. deeper than it looks) Here is looking out our back door.. our deck is between our house and a big metal out building.. the snow drifted up between there pretty good. (about waist high in places) Here is a low spot where Amos (the cocker spaniel) was able to get over so he could go out and do his "doggie business, ha) He has a LOVE/HATE thing w/ the snow.. he does NOT want to go out when you first open the door.. but then we he DOES finally make it.. he does not like to come in. He is jet black.. but when he comes back in from outside.. ha.. he looks decidedly "sugar coated" ha. You can see the grapevines in the picture.. the bottom 10 or so inches of that fence is in the snow. Ok.. enough adventure. ha. I stayed up lastnight and watched Rawhide on youtube.. I will be back in a while with a bit more, but will say for now that liked it a LOT.. but OH that Jack Elam.. He is DEFINITELY lucky that Susan got to him first!!! Miss G.. you were so right.. He CERTAINLY got on my "Mama" badside for SURE. Edited by: rohanaka on Feb 2, 2011 11:03 AM

Hi folks.. just popping in for a moment to see what is going on and will be back a bit LATER, I hope.I am expecting to get to Rawhide maybe sometime later this evening and then I will try and get a chance to read back through all the comments too. RIght now, I am too busy w/ keeping the kidling from climbing the walls right at the moment.. it is definitely a MESS out here in the great state of Missouri... snowday, shmowday.. It could be a SNOW MONTH at the rate we are going! And the poor kidling is beside herself.. Just think.. ALL that snow (huge HUGE piles of it.. and still coming down.. and it is WAY TOO cold to even THINK about going outside.. the very idea. In the meantime.. if you hear a muffled cry for help coming from this part of the midwest.. it is me.. buried under a snow drift. PS: Ollie.. this is for you:

I just ordered that same exact toy mouse from Amazon earlier tonight Great.. now he will have a "spare" for when the first one gets lost under the couch or something.. ha. Tell him his "Autie Kathy" will get him some "catnip" in the next one! ha. :-) Hope the snow misses you ALL together, little gal. You NY folks REALLY have gotten pummeled lately. Stay warm and cozy if you can.. bundle up and batten down those hatches, young'un.