rohanaka

Oh Miss Maven... far be it from me to agree with FRANK GRIMES (usually) ha (But since he is agreeing with the MOVIEMAN too, ha.. it will be OK this time, ha) The Grey Dude says: A new voice is always worth listening to you. Especially yours, Lively Gal Yeah.. what HE said. HA! I say.. you go girl!! I am really enjoying your perspective on my beloved Rip and Vance. ha. (and I bet you have a lot to say on that low life TC too) HA!! All kidding aside.. it is a great story WELL worth chatting. We DID have a very good rumble ramble over it all already.. but a year is too long to go by to let it just gather dust. I hope you will let us hear more from you when you get the chance.

Well Miss Maven, you have me on the edge of my seat. I an looking forward to your next post on MY favorite Mann film (too) ha. Now, like you I have not seen all of them either.. but to date. The Furies is definitely my favorite. And it was a TOTAL (total, total, total) surprise to ME. I started out rolling my eyes at it even (the first time I watched it). I was thinking. oh.. this film is going to be one of THOSE.. (you know.. spoiled rich girl.. stomps her foot.. everybody pays attention.. blah blah blah... yawn) But then came: And after THAT it became a totally different movie altogether for me. I am loving Stanwyck?s scenes with Dame Judith Anderson. They crackle and bristle as Vance tries to hold her contempt and fear at bay for this woman who can usurp her position in her father?s house and in his eyes Everything (I mean everything) about this movie changed for me w/ the appearance of Flo in the story. It was a turn I TOTALLY was not expecting and I LOVED how it all came together. (and fell apart) for Vance, Rip.. and even TC after that moment in the story (you know... THAT moment, ha) I am really looking forward to reading your thoughts on "the men" of The Furies. I have to say that I was in a definite minority over both TC and Rip in our "rumble ramble" that we had over in the Western Rambles thread last summer, ha. But I truly enjoyed BOTH characters very much. But truthfullly, as we went further and further along in our LONG drawn out ramble on this film last year.. I got more and more (and MORE) drawn into all the various characters and exactly what it was that made them tick. It is a REALLY good film for that sort of thing. The Furies is one film that I can honestly say caught me by surprise (and I mean that in a GOOD way, ha and THANKFULLY not in the same way as say.. FLO! (ha) It really is a fun film and a very intriguing story on a lot of different levels. I will look forward to hearing more about your take on it all, ma'am.

wow... that's quite an opener!!!

Oh, for goodness sake, I missed this post Uh huh.... I figured it was something like that.. (You forgot to read the Shiftless" warning lable on your rope, didn't you? So you missed the part where it says "Once you have made the threat to act against the accused, you have to follow through and be sure you either a) make sure they do what they are supposed to do.. or let them SWING! GOLLY.. everyone knows the first rule of "Peacemaking" is NEVER threaten a neck tie party.. unless you know how to use the equipment.. OH for goodness sake. We will get to it soon Now where have I heard THAT one before??? I hope you're ready to disparage the film as much as I am What??? You forget, this is Ford country.. where seldom is heard a "disparaging" word.. except for those wrongheaded things spoken by some GREY person. ha. All kidding aside.. although I enjoyed the film and thought it was a very intriguing story, (and I loved several of the performances) I DID have a few issues with this film (in terms of how it all came together and a few other details as well) It was kind of like a John Ford Cavalry movie meets CSI meets Law and Order meets Glory meets.. The Andy Griffith Show. ha. But I will save the rest of my comments for our chat.. if and WHEN you show back up, that is. (Oh gee.. now I better go and find MY rope... sigh)

Oh if only Barney were here! Well... we NEED Barney Fife.. but sadly.. he is unavailable.. Instead the part of Barney will now be played by... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsKO_r76kfQ It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.. Oh wait.. sorry, wrong show...

Hello Miss Applegate, that archaelogy on MissG's brilliant concepts, and your own insight is pure inspiration Thanks, but I owe it ALL to Miss G. She was the motivating force for me. Duke and O'hara fan that I am I still may not have sought out this film if she had not drawn attention to it for me. And thanks for sharing the comments about your folks. I imagine that does lend an extra perpective to that story for you. (I will have to check out the article you added in your link later, but just from the first part I read, it looks like a good read)

Oh my gosh, my golly, Miss Applegate... now THAT was some evening. I just kept reading and reading and wondering WHO were you going to run into NEXT! (wow) I remember a little girl I used to babysit for (way way back when I was a teen) once got to go to Disneyland. She came back a week later and showed me the picture where she got to meet Mickey Mouse.. and I said, "Wow.. can I shake your hand?" because to me, ha, THAT was impressive. But GEE!! This is like that incident on steroids, ha. (OH me. With all the folks you got to meet... shaking your hand would be too much for me.. can I even just watch you shake hands with someone else?? ha) I am glad you got to have such a special time, and I have enjoyed the way you have been able to describe it all so well for us here. I feel like I was walking along side you the whole time. (although I am sure I was not nearly so well dressed and my hair... oh my hair, ha.. alas.. ) But OH me.. it has been fun to tag along. PS: thanks for the interview w/ our beloved Mr. O, too. That was a real treat as well. Everything I have ever heard or read about him (or seen in inteviews with him like the one you posted) makes me just think "beloved" is exactly the right word. I bet getting to meet him was the best part of the whole experience, for sure.

These two certainly didn't lack love. And I don't think they were selfish exactly...... it was almost like, what was good for one was the worst for the other, and vice versa. That is a great way to say it. I think Miss G had it right in her original posts too.. the Navy really owned Spig (or he let it be first place at least) His family was a high price to pay for it, though. I just wish we could have gotten to see both of them take a different perspective as in... instead of pushing one another away... saying "all these things may be working against us, but you can't get rid of me that easily". Again... very sad. Edited by: rohanaka on Jul 5, 2010 12:52 PM

Hello there Miss G... "John Dodge". Ha. Great name. Those are all Ford's things in the office, there Ha... I wondered if they were. (loved the little stagecoach on his desk). If anything (given all the things you have ever told me about Ford and his personality) I think Bond likely "underplayed" him. ha. (Not loud enough.. ha) But still a VERY fun surprise to see him in the film like that. I'll try to reply as soon as I can acquire the energy. I was out most of yesterday and have a lot of catching up to do No hurry, little gal. Hope you get a chance to relax some today. :-) Kindness is in short supply on this board Is it just me... or do you smell excelsior burning???? :-)

you did not pull any punches Thanks Jackie... I am really glad I got to see this film (after such a long wait) I find a huge amount of "real" in those characters and their situation. Because his disability is not really the story here. It's their disability - their marriage That's it exactly. And you are right. It is heartbreaking. (but also, for some, very real) It was a sad commentary on what can happen in a marriage when two people focus more on what they want to have or be for themselves than on what they want to give or to be for each other. One should never feel like they have to totally lose all of who they are in a marriage to make it work.. but both people (over time) have to be willing to put the "me" aside and focus on the "we" if things are ever going to prosper. When it works.. it is a BEAUTIFUL thing.. but when it fails.. very sad. I also love Dan Dailey here. Just the way he is filmed - coming in, every day. Making every day a new and exciting one, but still coming....every day He truly was "a friend in need". My favorite scenes for him were in the hospital. I hate to think where Spig would have ended up w/out him.

Just so long as she is not packing heat: :-)

I thought I'd let Quiet Gal know, the pressure is on Ready whenever you are O Sultan of Grey.... or as the kiddies say nowdays... "Bring it".

Oh brother.... Punch it Jackie... full speed ahead. ha.

I just want to say how flattered I am you actually went to the trouble to find and drag out that long winded monologue I wrote ages ago! Oh wow, I still haven't learned to say things in a succinct fashion, lol. Oh golly, girl. It was VERY rememberable and NOT at all "long winded". It truly has been in the back of my mind ever since I read it and it has kept me looking forward to the chance to see the film for that long too. It is a thorny film---it is not a whitewashed biography of Frank Wead, which is all the more interesting considering Ford was his friend and insisted on making the movie before anyone else tried to do the story of the man. I think, personally, it's because Ford may have seen much of his own marriage and self in Frank's story. He wanted to tell the truth, but also to give us a chance to understand and, hopefully, not to judge. I think it's one of the most remarkable and unusual films he ever made. It is all that and more. Nicely said, youngun. (and ha... I also wanted to mention earlier and forgot.. WHAT about that Wardie Bond.. ha. I LOVED his send up of "Pappy". That put a huge smile on my face the minute he put on those glasses. LOVED it. ha.) I will look forward to hearing more from you on this film (if you are so inclined) and also.. IF you have the time and want to post any of them.. those screencaps from your original post were GORGEOUS. I almost "swiped" a couple to repost here.. ha. But did not want to be a "cap thief" ha. Ok.. off to see the Sergeant.. no really.. I mean it.. Honest... this time I'm really going. REALLY! ha!!

Hellllloooooooo Miss Goddess!!! Wow. I am stopping in here for a moment to tell you that (ha) Sgt Rutledge did NOT get watched yet (but I WILL be taking care of that this evening, barring any unforseen circumstances, ha. NEVER let it be said that I left a challenge from the Grey Dude unanswered) ha. But I have to tell you the REASON the dear Sergeant was yet again put on hold.... Thanks to AMC and their all weekend salute to my beloved DUKE, ha. And thanks to the QT being set on watching what I had been planning to TAPE so I could watch Sgt Rutledge instead.. I ended up going with The Wings of Eagles this afternoon. OH MY GOLLY it has been a long time coming (for almost TWO years now) I have remembered your VERY excellent and splendid post on this film (posted elsewhere on the message board and LONG since buried) but I went in and looked it up as a refresher after watching the Duke and my sweet Maureen today. And IF I may.. I'd like to FINALLY (finally) respond to some of your really thought provoking and well written words. (to make it more enjoyable for the folks to be able to read for themselves, I have take the liberty of copy and pasting some of your comments from the other thread in here) LONG ago (in Nov of 2008 to be exact) Miss Goddess wrote: Watching this movie helped me understand a little better the significance of the use of color cinematically. Ford uses a restricted "palette" so it was easy for me and specifically, I noticed how he uses the color blue in all its various hues. This is just my own opinion or interpretation, I don't say that any of this is what the director meant or implied. From what I've read in a couple of Ford biographies, blue is a color Ford generally uses sparingly in character wardrobe and when he does, it usually connotes something relative to "trueness" or goodness. I think it does so in Wings of Eagles, but that it also has a double significance: it also (along with white) represents the "Navy", Spig's other world---the world he is most comfortable in, the world that he most conforms to---and, as is inherent in the military, a world which demands conformity in order to function. I saw it.. I saw exactly what you meant. It is a BLUE blue movie. But it is BEAUTIFULLY blue. And you are right about the feel it lends to the story and the characters too. And your call here is RIGHT on the money: The color significance of blue is most interesting in the character of "Min" (Maureen O'Hara), who to me is the "heart" of the movie, as the woman often is in a Ford film. She starts out wearing the loveliest, Spring-like shade of Perriwinkle. The contrast with her red hair takes your breath away. She also is seen in white and only occasionally in navy-and-white. However, by the end of the movie, she has begun to wear the darkest shade of blue, Navy Blue. Navy blue is Spig's usual color, in an out of uniform, and it's now surrounding Min, just as The Navy does. In a crucial and climactic scene between them they are virtually identically dressed: in Navy and white suits. In "uniform"---which may denote conformity Oh my word. Was she ever beautiful in this film. And yet to me, this was one of her most "un-beautiful" characters ever. You get to see her flaws and all. In fact.. you view both him and her that way. (and I am speaking of their inward failing more than any outward flaws) That to me was one of the most obvious things about her.. (especially when she was wearing the navy and white) CRISP clean, flawless in appearance... even her hair is TOTALLY perfect.. and yet.. inside.. wounded, and very much broken. What a contrast. Min's defeat, the Navy has won. But she goes down fighting, throwing off the navy jacket It was almost as if she could barely stand the thought of it (the jacket) on her back anymore. But going back to the parallel meaning of "blue", which is truth, in the most honest moments Spig and Min share, Spig is wearing blue and in one scene, there are even blue flowers before them, "witnessing" their exchange. The color is at its most bittersweet and ambivalent in Spig's rhapsodic daydream of his past good times with Min, starting when he unfolds the vibrant blue folio with their pictures---notice in the "memory" how the Navy has still claimed Spig for her own and even Maureen is dressed in his favorite uniform That for me was one of the best moments in the entire film. I loved him looking back on his family and his life with them (all too brief as it was) and reflecting on what TRULY was the best part of the entire journey he'd been on for so long. I also want to mention Maureen's extraordinary acting and then I'll have done with the subject until others have seen it or wish to comment. I think Maureen's performance in The Wings of Eagles is one of the greatest overlooked performances in all of movies. And one reason why is that she had to play most of her toughest scenes to no one but the camera (or perhaps to the director sitting, as he customarily did, just under or next to the camera). Ford so very interestingly places the actors and the camera in a way no one else would I'm sure of it. And he does so to tell us something about the characters of Spig Wead and his wife, Min. In most of Spig's scenes, he is not facing the camera (us---the audience), but slightly angled or in profile, on his stomach in the bed or even with his back to the camera. Min, in contrast, is often placed squarely in front of the lens, facing us---compelling us---directly. It's as if Ford is saying look at her, look at Min and pay attention. It also seems to say she is naked and honest about her emotions and Spig is hiding from them or denying them. It's extraordinary when I think of what if must have entailed for Maureen to pull what she had to out of herself and her ability to play such anguished emotions (there are several scenes like that) directly facing a machine and not being able to look at a human face (unless it was Ford's). That is TOUGH WORK in case y'all don't realise it. It's hard enough in a two-shot when you can feed off of your partner's response but when you are isolated--- and the positions also indicate isolation to me---it can be terrifying. And you can see her terror in her eyes, it works so perfectly for the character!! I don't think I ever truly esteemed her gifts as much as I should until I really looked hard at this film. Beautifully said, little darlin'. I have always admired Ms O'Hara and her acting talent. But you are rigth.. this is likely one of her very finest films (in terms of showing her depth as an actress and her ability to truly draw you into her heart by the way she expresses her emotions. You can feel the gutwrenching frustration and sadness, and loneliness.. and anger. OH me. You know.. one of the things that the QT and I both commented on was how "unlikable" we found these two people to be. Usually, you just fall in love with the sorts of characters that you find Duke and Maureen playing (when they are together in a film) That is not to say that I found the movie unlikable. Quite the opposite. But I don't think these two people were MEANT to be liked (in that way) I think the story was what it was. There was a LOT to admire about both of them.. but in terms of "liking" who they were as people.. I found it very hard. (especially just before and directly after the accident) This truly is an unusual Ford film (compared to many of his others) with regard to family, anyway. (although there were plenty of other "Fordie" moments to be found. The patriotism and the respect for the military.. and the "brawling" for sport were all there for sure. But the family roles were all out of whack in this film. Very unsual. I told the QT that if he EVER (ever, ever) were in a bed like that he would not need his old navy buddy to come in there and tell him to move his toe. ha. I would be there kicking his behind until he moved it. ha. The Navy buddy could just be there for moral support. ha. And THAT to me is the saddest part of this story. The way they BOTH gave up on one another so easily. They obviously loved one another.. but they just did not have enough strength (for two such stubborn characters) to be strong TOGETHER when it really counted. (like when "the Commodore" died.. or when Spig had to move away... she should have gone with him.. those little girls were ROBBED of knowing their daddy by stubborn pride... OH, don't get me started, ha. What a sad story of wasted love and opportunity for happiness. But the worst of it all was when he drove her away (in the hospital)... and she went. I looked over at the QT and told him, (in no uncertain terms) "You can't get rid of me that easily". (and of course, ha.. he said.. " I know. You are like a bad penny, you'd just keep turning back up") THAT's my QT!!! (ha) Somehow Daily was always so aggressive and even obnoxious before but Pappy softens him up and makes him almost puppy-ish---and immensely likable. I was extremely touched by his portrayal of "Jughead", the man who saw it all and tried in his way to play "cupid" between his best friend and his wife, who saw Spig's faults but tried to protect him from the inevitable result of his selfishness. And got no thanks for it. OH I think dear Jughead was my most favorite character in the whole entire story. What a friend. (even when overlooked... the way he turned up in that Taxi... sigh) He truly was ALWAYS there as a friend in need. He was a great character. Thanks again, so very much, Miss G for drawing attention to this film for me. (even though it has taken me a couple of years to finally get to it, ha) I can't honestly say this is my favorite Fordie... not by a long shot.. but still a very good film and very compelling story. Very much worth watching. (And I think I mentioned this way back years ago when you made your first post.. you should have that thing published in a movie magazine.... VERY thought provoking comments about a what I am sure is a too often overlooked film. And now.. I MUST go see about that Sgt Rutledge.... NEVER let it be said that old Shiftless got the better of ME! Ha.

He might run into one fo these poisonous creatures HA!!!! Now there's one to add to my arsenal for sure!! ha.

Okay Miss Peacemaker, you know you can do it! I have faith in you Thanks, little missy.. I have (thanks to a dear friend :-) ) the long neglected disc in my hot little hand. The time is now!! (I may have to tape poor Duke and Maureen this afternoon and watch them another time, ha) I have a LOT going on the next few days... but I will make every effort to get things taken care of. Oh, imagine that upstart of a Grey Guy thinking he can swing a rope at me... That will NEVER do. Ha. (did I mention it was a world gone MAD????????) ha. PS: Jackie.. it's a "rumble" ha. Edited by: rohanaka on Jul 3, 2010 2:33 PM

Oooohhh, it feels good to be the hanger and not the hangee, for a change OH good golly.. it's a world gone mad. (gulp)

It's kind of "out there" Ha...well then (depending on who you talk to, ha) I should feel right at home with it. I could tell just from the one clip I saw on youtube it was not your average story. (and then all that I read too, was really intriguing as well. I will keep an eye out for it. Wouldn't it be fun? I read some more about the place and it grows more and more fascinating. I would love to go there. Just the size of it takes my breath away. That and the Grand Canyon are two western places I want to see (I've seen the GC from a plane and that was pretty jaw dropping). Oh little darlin'. The QT and I have talked about going to the Grand Canyon the entire time we've been married. (and that is 17 years just last week, ha) We have always had SOMETHING come up and never been able to get there yet. (Everytime we talk about it, one of my favorite sayings is..."It's not like it's going anywhere..ha. And if it DOES go somewhere, then it won't matter anymore if I did not get to see it, ha) But I DO hope to go there someday. And everytime we talk about going, we always talk about Monument Valley too. The QT has been to both these places (years and years before I met him) and he talks so fondly of both of them. Someday (sigh...) A Ford Family Reunion as a part of that trip would be like the icing on the cake, ha. I say lets' do it. I'll bring the potato salad.. OH wait.. that is YOUR specialty. I will bring.. a VEGGIE tray.. that way if the GREY guy suddenly wanders in (because we know HE wouldn't be caught DEAD at a Ford Family renuion.. HA) we can scare him away w/ the bell peppers and cucumbers!! HA!!!!!!!! Ah.. the Grand Canyon... Monument Valley... meeting up w/ my John Ford fam friends... and shaking a carrot stick at the Grey Dude.. now THAT would be a dream vacation for SURE.

Hello Miss Applegate.. just wanted to pop in and say I read your Day 1 Part 4 some time ago, but its taken me a while to get back in and read up on your latest entries. Golly, it's the next best thing to being there. (sigh) :-) I wanted to say thanks again for the fun read (PS.. enjoyed watching your all too brief moment of fame. I could not make out much detail on my little computer screen.. but that was a LOVELY coat, ma'am.)

Wowsa Miss G, I am sorry I could not find this film you folks have been chatting. I am loving the discussion. And PS: I did see a little clip of it on youtube.. AND I read the synopsis on the TCM database. (Ha.. after reading it all.. I can even see the comparisons the Grey Dude made re: Raiders even.. Oh what is the world coming to? ha.) I will keep an eye out for this film, for sure. I'll meet you all in Monument Valley OH my golly it's a Ford Family Reunion. :-) I can't wait. I have needed a vacation for so long now... I can't even remember how long. ha. Forget all those "touristy" type trips and such.. Traipsing around Ford Country w/ you folks would be the living end for me. What a blast! (can't you just hear us.. "HEY... look over there.. I saw that cliff in Ft Apache." Or "Wow.. that's the very same hill in the back ground from the Searchers" ha.) All kidding aside.. I bet that tour that you posted about a while ago is first rate. If any of us ever DO make it there.. it has to be on our list, for sure. (And PS: gals.. if we are ever going to get on Larry King like we talked about to tell him how we are all long lost sisters who found each other on the TCM website..ha. We'd better hurry.. he's retiring soon, you know. HA! PS: Jackie: Frank gets a kick in the pants It's the least.. so very least... that he deserves. HA!

Link was just that: a "link" between the past and the present or future. But he had to clean house, first. It also instantly puts the person in the past because we don't think of the west in terms of the present, and they especially did not do so in the 1950s nor would they associate Gary Cooper with the present. Yet it's a man of the west who's going to try to survive in a new society, or revert to the old one. When this movie was made, I think the whole country was trying to do that. Wowsa... I am w/ the Grey Dude, Miss G... you are on fire!! (and I mean that in a GOOD way, ha) I think you both have raised some excellent points about the possible deeper meanings behind the story. (and the characters) I can't wait to hear what Miss Maven has to say about it all.

MAN OF THE WEST Woo hoo! Enjoy yourself, young'un. I am predicting another hit for you, little gal. A conflicted gritty hero with a past, murder, mayhem, a REALLY awful bunch of bad guys.... , and another gorgeous gal (in an "impossible" romance situation) What's not to like? I will look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Hiya Miss Maven... welcome to the western side of town... As for "THE FURIES" I?m looking forward to catching it next Tuesday on the Film Forum screen. I?ve seen it before, can?t take Wendell Corey, but the soap opry-ness of the big emotions is pulling me in. And then there?s Stanwyck?s vengeance and that scissor throwing scene. Check this out when you get a chance: and get back to me on that Ha.. he has it right... a film noir, although I am sure he meant to say "western" ha, instead of restroom. And OH.. Poor Wendell.. ha. Where is the love??? (I thought Rip was one of the best charcters in that whole movie..ha. But I am... well... still lonely on my mountain top w/ that one. ha. You'd have to go WAY way back in the thread here to find it... but the Grey one and I went around and around.. (and around and around and around, ha) over that guy... and Vance too for that matter. ha. It was a very fun chat. And the best part of it all.. was at the end of the day(s) nobody walked away with a pair of scissors in their face. HA!! Let's make it harder, is it fair based pure and simply: race It truly is an ugly commentary on a part of our history as a nation that those sorts of laws were ever even thought of, let alone allowed to be enacted. But the past does not have a monopoly on that. (but I won't go there) MISS MAVEN says: If you leave the government alone, it kind of leaves you alone. So my only conclusion is that it was Coolan?s doing all this, stirred up the pot and reared the ugly (pathologically jealous) head of racism MISS G says: He was rotten, for sure. But where would the Coolan's be without people who want more and more and are willing to bargain with him to get it? I think (sad to say) Coolen only speeded it up. Miss G is right. Coolen would have been NOWHERE if the people had not been willing to follow him. But I imagine (given time) sooner or later someone else would have come along and put a bee in the government's bonnet (so to speak) and Lance still would have had a fight on his hands. But maybe if it had been a more gradual thing.. Orrie MIGHT have had a chance to truly help Lance put up a legal fight. I don't know. At the very least Lance might have had a chance to consider other possible ways to defend his land and his people other than dynamite. At the end of the day though, I still doubt the end result would have been him keeping that land. It took a good long while before those sorts of laws (againt property ownership, etc) were finally put in their place. (the trash heap of history) I could be wrong, not being a Western aficionado but I?m thinking of Gary Cooper?s ?HIGH NOON? western hero and how he would perhaps CHALLENGE the law and help Lance. Coop did what?s right regardless of the law. (Am I off my nut here? I know I'm being repetitive). I don't know. I think Coop (as Will Kane) would have gone for the "symbollic gesture" (like he did in HN) and tossed his badge in the dirt. Then he might have gone over and fought along SIDE of Lance. (sort of like I was talking about earlier.. that I wished the sherriff in this story had done) But if he (will Kane) had stayed behind the badge (like in DD) I doubt he'd have been able to do any more than poor old "Uncle Joe" did. Unfortunately.. the law he had sworn to uphold and defend was "the law". Sad to say. Very wonderfully put. I believe there are people thinking this as we write It is a desparate thing to think you no longer have anyone but yourself. I have no doubt there are people out there who feel this way. HOW they got to that point could be argued all day. Whether they should or should not feel this way... again.. could be debated. To me, the interesting thing about it all is that there are people on both sides of the political fence now days who have this sort of mindset. And cases could be made for both their points of view. (UGH.. this is something I NEVER thought I'd say, but it is a grey, grey, grey, grey world... or at least it LOOKS like one sometimes) I have always been more black and white and it PAINS me to have to say that. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to seek out what is true and not rely on what all the politicians (and media folk) are trying to spoon feed us. This aint' "THE X FILES" (though it might FEEL sometimes like space aliens have invaded and take over all the politicians' BRAINS, ha) But I guess what I am saying is.. the truth really IS out there.. you just have to dig through all the hype to find it. Are you talking about our Message Board again?? Ha.. actually no.. but if the comparison fits... So true Ro. One can stay in the cycle of hate and rage (?the Angry Black Man?) and be able to hide behind that rage to avoid doing something to better one?s life. You keep the blame from you and put it on someone else instead of taking responsibility for what you CAN change. The only thing hanging on to bitterness and hate will do for you.. is make you more bitter and hateful in the end. And yes, taking responsibility for your own life and future and not just blaming others for the past is exactly what I am talking about. Moving forward in the face of all the wrongs that may have been done to you (and taking the strengths you have had to learned to develop over time because of all the adversity you faced ) and making a better life for yourself despite all the challenges is truly the only way to break the cycle. . In a way it is the best revenge. (as in... you might have kept my ancestors down but you didn't get ME) Edited by: rohanaka on Jul 2, 2010 11:55 AM

Hi there Miss Maven... I am so glad you got the chance to see DD and that it bowled you over the way it did. It truly was a very poweful and absolutely thought provoking story. Great write up on your impressions here as well, ma'am. I love how you lay out the facts and come up a great synopsis while sharing your thought as well. It makes for a very fun read. (I will go over to western rambles and check out your comments there, too) our politicians should watch and our citzenry as well. I'm telling you, I see more and more Coolans every day in politics). The only tough part about today (vs way back then) is that it is happening on every side. The way our political climate seems to be today, very often one group of folks will yell and complain... and call the other side and it's followers "sheep" and then before you know it... the OTHER side is doing the same. And depending on who is doing the talking.... and who is doing the listening... a case could be made either way. The truth is still out there in the mix somewhere, but BOY OH BOY a person really has to do his homework to find it all out. It is much easier to see a movie like DD and KNOW who was the bad guy right up front... But nowdays... (Oh let's not go there... )