therealfuster

my answer is...what do you get when you mate an elephant and a rhino? I just saw Doris and "Jumbo" and immensely enjoyed the flick. It's been years since I've seen that one, and Stephen Boyd is still just as good looking! "Dumbo" is a wonderful Disney film, and should be seen by all! Thanks for your contributions! Look for my next thread on sycophants AND sybaritic twins in films!

regarding my remarks concerning film fandom, I didn't say them in an exclusive sense, but inclusively. Just as one who knows the Boudreau Shift in baseball is most likely a rabid fan, but not exclusively so....one also knows that anyone appreciative of things like the Schuftan Process or Wilhelm Scream, is most likely, but NOT exclusively, a major film fan. This is similar to denotative and connotative definitions. Far be it from me, to tell you not to misunderstand if you so choose, the usages of specifics in conversational linguistics, as opposed to generalizations, but that is what you are doing in twisting my words to fit your analysis, incorrect though it may be. What I said, was perfectly true and honest...if I meet a person who knows what the Wilhelm scream is, one can bet they are a dyed in the wool movie fan. I take nothing back as inappropriate or unseemly, and it is certainly not pejorative or denigrating to make such distinctions. If I had said instead "Only...ONLY if one knows what the Wilhelm Scream is in films, can one be a dyed in the wool movie fan" then I would have been being offensive and you might have a point. Unfortunately, for your argument, that is not what I was doing, and this is a misinterpretation of the facts of my post. Putting your spin, on another's words, means understanding the contextual basis of the sentence, and not coming up with one's own between the lines meaning. Nevertheless, it did not bother me at all, and I too enjoy watching continuity issues, in films and also enjoy anachronisms and malapropisms, when they occur, so thanks for sharing! Fus P.S. To correct, I did not find it "insulting" as you assume, to be called a "Thesaurus" junkie, and as I told you I actually found the belief that I would need a thesaurus to write a post, to be quite complimentary, so no apology needed. Thanks for your contributions to the question, and I don't force topics on anyone, so it will be up to you to do research on the Wilhelm Scream, if you feel it to be of any interest. Happy hunting!

and thanks for adding it! Jane Darwell and Fonda really looked like Oakies in that authentic reconstruction of the novel, to be sure.

who so resembled his dad, Jim Hutton, always reminds me of Robert Walker Junior, who looked almost exactly like his dad. There is also Natasha Gregson, Natalie Wood's daughter and of course the Bridges clan and the Daly clan. Fus

and was a great choice last nite as guest programmer at TCM. He can do so much, and in TIST, the songs which were tongue in cheek, were really believable as being hits of the time, and parodied so well classics from the era. I have all the Tap's albums, even the black one, without the honey and leather gloves of course, which is like the butcher block Beatles cover. I hope McKean comes back again on TCM, and maybe he'll bring Nigel too!

The real reason that "TIST" works, is that one really comes to care for the participants and feel their pain, strange and outre though it is. As wacky as the film is, and far out...when they hear their old hit in the hotel room, and the disk jockey says "File that in the where are they now category", one can see that things like this really do happen, and it is almost heartbreaking for the Tap to be forgotten by the world. I swear...when I first saw the movie, I did not realize that Michael McKean was playing David St. Hubbins, and thought it was some British actor, he was that convincing with the accent and appearance. Who can not recognize Shearer and Guest though, so I did see through their amazing transformations, even when encased in the stage pods. Rob Reiner, playing the very serious Marty di Bergi, makes me laugh now every time I see Scorcese in "The Last Waltz". I think my favorite bit, is when David's girlfriend books them into the airbase event, and they see the sign, and it says "Puppet Show" and "Spinal Tap" and they are disgusted they've fallen this far. The supporting cast is amazing...with Fran Drescher, Billy Crystal, and so many takeoffs on groups like the Stones, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, the Beatles, or Bob Dylan et cetera. Nigel Tufnel is quite touching too, when he screws up the measurements for the Stonehenge prop, not knowing the difference between inches and feet on the napkin. The scene where David's girlfriend, makes up the drawings for the zodiac masks is hilarious, as is her mispronunciation of the word, Dolby as doubly. Shakespeare could have written it, as he would detail the Tap's fall and rise, back to the heights in Japan, as a morality tale. Great talking to a fellow fan, and best wishes and good luck to your Aunt Barb, who I hope will be feeling great real soon!

one used to have those summer reading lists, with recommended choices to read? Well, my best friend's brother who kindly told me about the TCM website and forums, asked for a list of worthy films he should look for to assimilate this summer on TCM or elsewhere. He wants to jumpstart his newfounded movie education, and this list seemed apropos of classics, for watching or rewatching. I told him he has to submit reviews like the old book reports, so they may be showing up with spoilers, if he really gets into it. Feel free to submit a review, or add some film suggestions that any film fan would want to see this summer, during those lazy months of June, July and August. Though a few of these titles are obscure, luckily only TCM as a cable channel, actually shows world cinema filmfare and not just exclusively American films, so Bravo to TCM as they can often be found there! Which of these would you consider viewing this summer, if you've not seen them before but have always wanted to?: L'Age D'Or All About Eve All That Heaven Allows American Graffiti An American in Paris Aguirre: The Wrath of God L'Atalante Au Hazard Balthazar L'Avventura Badlands The Band Wagon Barry Lyndon Battle of Algiers The Battleship Potemkin Beauty and the Beast Beyond the Valley of the Dolls The Bicycle Thief The Big Sleep Black Narcissus Black Orpheus Black Sunday Blade Runner Blow-Up Blue Velvet Bob Le Flambeur Bonnie and Clyde Breathless Bride of Frankenstein Brief Encounter Bringing Up Baby Broken Blossoms The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari The Cameraman Casablanca Casque D'Or Un Chien Andalou Chinatown Citizen Kane City Lights Cleo from 5 to 7 A Clockwork Orange Contempt Color of Pomegranates Conqueror Worm Le Corbeau The Crowd Darling Day of Wrath The Day the Earth Stood Still Days of Heaven Dead Ringers Death in Venice Diary of a Country Priest Double Suicide Dracula's Daughter Dr. Strangelove Dog Star Man La Dolce Vita Duck Soup The Earrings of Madame De L'Eclisse Les Enfants du Paradis Ecstasy of the Angels 8 1/2 Eyes Without a Face Fando and Lis Forbidden Games The 400 Blows Freaks The General Gertrud The Gold Rush Le Grande Illusion The Great Dictator Greed Gun Crazy Hiroshima Mon Amour His Girl Friday House of Games How Green Was My Valley In a Lonely Place In the Realm of the Senses Intolerance Invaders from Mars It's A Gift It's A Wonderful Life Ivan the Terrible, Parts I and II Johnny Guitar Jules and Jim Juliet of the Spirits Kind Hearts and Coronets King Kong Knife in the Water Kwaidan The Lady Eve The Lady Vanishes The Last Laugh Last Year at Marienbad Last Tango in Paris Lawrence of Arabia Life of Brian M The Magnificent Ambersons The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance The Man With a Movie Camera A Matter of Life and Death McCabe and Mrs. Miller Meet Me in St. Louis Metropolis Mill of the Stone Women The Miracle of Morgan's Creek Modern Times Moonfleet Monsieur Verdoux Monsieur Klein The Most Dangerous Game The Mummy Nanook of the North Napoleon The Navigator A Night at the Opera Nightmare Alley The Night of the Hunter Nights of Cabiria North by Northwest Nosferatu Notorious Los Olvidados Onibaba Orphic Trilogy Ordet Othello Out of the Past The Palm Beach Story Pandora and the Flying Dutchman The Passion of Joan of Arc Pather Panchali Peeping Tom Performance Persona Picnic at Hanging Rock Psycho Purple Noon Quartermass and the Pit Que Viva Mexico Raging Bull Ran Rashomon Rebel Without a Cause Red Desert Red River The Red Shoes Repulsion Roman Holiday Rose Hobart The Rules of the Game Saragossa Manuscript The Scarlet Empress Scorpio Rising The Searchers The Servant Seven Chances The Seven Samurai The Seventh Seal Shadow of a Doubt Sherlock Jr. Singing in the Rain Solaris Some Like It Hot Spirits of the Dead Stagecoach A Star is Born Steamboat Bill Jr. La Strada Strangers on a Train Strangler of the Swamp Sunrise Sunset Boulevard Suspiria Tabu Taxi Driver The Tenant The Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Third Man 3 Women The Tin Drum Top Hat Touch of Evil Triumph of the Will 2001: A Space Odyssey Ugetsu Monogatari The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Vampyr The Vanishing Vertigo Videodrome Way Down East The Wicker Man The Wild Bunch Wild at Heart Wings of Desire Wild Strawberries The Wizard of Oz

to see an actor in a talkie, if one has only seen them in silents before. I too look forward to hearing his voice, Nick. The first time I heard John Gilbert's voice, I was amazed at how normal it sounded, unlike the cruel legends concerning his demise on film. Fus

I don't see the almighty dollar as the problem, as if it is filthy lucre, and popularity to the masses is not necessarily a sin either. Just like the Elvis album titled "50 Million Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong", big box office shows something is going right there, and I accept that. I did find it amusing that Path seemed to feel that one should apologize for being so impertinent....as to not idolize Spielberg, and not be impressed by his friend reiterating that Spielberg must be great, due to such and such awards. I'm also not a fan of Classics Illustrated comic books, or Cliff Notes as literature, and I hope no one tries to string me up in effigy for those transgressions. Tin gods and supplicants, do not tend to make me bow and scrape...nor am I Dale Arden who retires in shame to Planet Mongo, at one cross word from Flash, after she dares to state she does not think Polarite, is as good as sliced bread. I guess in reality, I'm more like the female version of Ming, but of course I'd be Ming the Merciful, hopefully looking a mite more comely than Charles Middleton. Some big investments, like GWTW, do achieve greatness, but as you imply, money alone does not mean quality. I enjoyed your comments, Eddie!

Perhaps if you got one of those Super Duper Spy Scopes [or whatever they were!] that Wolfman Jack talked about in "American Graffiti" it would pick up on "demeaning and belittling" things that even I was unaware that I said in my original post. They must be there somewhere, just like that map in "Lust in the Dust" was..... See, high school can be fun, and I just pretend I'm Debbie in the Toad's car, and ignore all the rocky bumps on the road here. So...what are your movie addictions, if you don't mind me asking?

I haven't been around here long enough obviously to learn the auto-ingrained protocol and pecking orders, but I have read the Terms of Use, and don't plan on infringing any of the rules, as I'm a well behaved girl and love my TCM. To me, all posters are equal, and none better than any other, and that's how I approach things. If I was wrong to envision this place as a equal playing ground where one could talk adult film talk, then I'll wait for Classicsfan to fill me in on the specific rules of conduct, that she thinks take precedence over the posted ones. I can't worry about those who take offense, where none is intended, as if one has to pussyfoot around, so as not to offend, they would never have time to post at all, about all the fantastic films of world cinema that TCM graces us with daily. I pinch myself at my good fortune to have TCM on my cable provider network. Concerning this ML that you mention? Is that Classicsfan? I have no problem with her venting, and I am sorry that she does not want to talk film, as that is my favorite topic....from Grade Z drive-in flicks by Bava or Hammer Films, to Grade Triple A, labyrinthine masterpieces. Though Classicsfan has deemed my posts to not be of any interest, I shall look forward to reading all her most scintillating posts with relish! So Stoney, if you aren't offended...what movie oddities are of utmost interest to you, when you view a film? Dare I mention the "patently demeaning and belittling" addiction called the Wilhelm Scream, as a prototypical anomaly of addiction for me...which for you might be the special effects crew, the cinematography, the original source material or....? I look forward to your input. Thanks for the post!

I don't recall saying anything in my post about anyone being "phony" if they were not into the Wilhelm Scream. I most specifically inferred that such obsessions are not necessarily good and can imply "loopiness" in the individual. It was just a reference point, to show how each fan has particular film oddities that they enjoy, that others would care less about, since it is not their special film obsession. I would have liked to read a few of your favorite things that you look for in films, but since you've chosen not to grace us with any, I guess we'll have to go without reading any submissions from you. I'm sure your comments in my upcoming posts will be missed! But I must carry on, even without your support and good faith. Dyed in the wool fans can be normal, or a bit far out and it would have been fun to talk about these predilections, but if you'd rather take offense at imagined slights, then far be it from me to stop you. I'm just an average movie fan, who likes to talk about the vagaries of movies. If that is not to your liking, well I am sorry, but I'm sure that there are some fans who can commiserate with me over their obsessive addictions to film too. So sorry that mentioning the Wilhelm Scream, was over the line for you. I guess that means that asking about montage versus mise en scene issues are verboten too? Gee, too bad some film topics are off limits in your world. Well, thanks for posting in my thread and I always appreciate honest comments from anyone. Most Sincerely, Therealfuster P.S. I don't own a Thesaurus, nor have I ever used one, being that the nuns discouraged them at the girl's halfway house, but thanks for the compliment if you thought I did. I see no reason to apologize for using words, as that is what they're there for I thought. Language is communication and any words which delineate need no apology from the user.

I just started reading this thread on her and found it interesting. One cannot really blame Norma, for what you call her "over the top" performance in Sherwood's play, "Idiot's Delight" because she was doing an emulation of the very famous performance of Lynn Fontanne, who starred with hubby Alfred Lunt in the original play in the mid-1930's. Unfortunately the studio knew that the famous appearance of Fontanne, which was known worldwide, in pics et cetera, would broach no new interpretation, so Norma had to go against her natural inclinations and style of acting, to make the studio happy. And anyone who has seen Lunt and Fontanne on film [or even hilarious takeoffs of them as done by Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman on TCBS] know that they were very mannered and stagey in their acting, as befits the stage, but not the movie medium. I would blame the "picture's problems" as you see it, on this need by the studio to recreate the stage success, and not on Norma's shoulders. Great stage successes don't always translate to film.

a great movie. It kind of reminds me of that Stanwyck film, "No Man of Her Own" which is the Cornell Woolrich tale of mistaken identity. And HOTH also stars Valentina Cortese, of the Fellini films like "Juliet of the Spirits". She was also great in "Jesus of Nazareth". Basehart is one of my favorite actors, and so underrated. I shall always think of him as the Fool who taunted Anthony Quinn in "La Strada". HOTH is a wonderful film for TCM to find and show hopefully.

cracking me up! The demise of multiple drummers scene, is a classic. I also liked the kilts worn by a certain member of the Tap. My favorite scene is the black album cover one. Thanks for bringing back a favorite memory. A friend of mine, who has no knowledge of rock musician of the past or of British Invasion periods, saw this film, did not find it at all amusing and thought they were a real group from Britain. Which of course, they are....

to see Lillian Roth of "I'll Cry Tomorrow" fame, at such a young age. This movie was wonderful, and I kept wondering what other TCM fans were watching it, or was it only me enjoying the fun.

for this coming Friday, the 27th of May on TCM! A veritable treasure trove of great films by our man, Karloff, or more correctly, William Henry Pratt...begins at 6:00 am. Though I have been admonished by another purveyor at TCM, for not using the correct Movie Alert thread here for such conveyances, true Pratt films will forgive me and want to see these gems: 6:00 AM The Sea Bat Besides the appearance of Mr. Pratt, this films stars Gibson Gowland who starred in Von Stroheim's "Greed" and comedy great, Mack Swain. 7:30 AM Five Star Final Not unlike the later acerbic film, "Sweet Smell of Success" this movie stars Edward G. Robinson, H.B. Warner, and Marian Marsh along with Karloff, and was shot by Sol Polito, who did so many of Flynn's fine action vehicles like "The Sea Wolf". 9:15 AM The Venetian Affair This potboiler stars the Man from Uncle, Robert Vaughn and Elke Sommer, assisted by Karloff. If you have to nap, this is the one to do it through... 11:00 AM West Of Shanghai Fun flick directed by Mia's dad, with Karloff as a Chinese warlord. Also with the original Sam Spade, Ricardo Cortez and the multinational Vladimir Sokoloff. 12:15 PM British Intelligence Decent espionage movie with Margaret Lindsay and Boris. 1:30 PM Devil's Island The story of Doctor Gaudet's sojourn in nightmarish exile, with Karloff and James Stephenson. 2:45 PM The Walking Dead Marvelously directed by Michael Curtiz film, detailing the attempts of a man to seek revenge beyond the grave with Karloff, Edmund Gwenn, and Marguerite Churchill 4:00 PM The Mask Of Fu Manchu Great take on a Sax Rohmer tale, with Boris as the eponymous Doctor, who is seeking global dominance just like in an Austin Powers film. Also starring Lewis Stone, Myrna Loy and the legendary Karen Morley 5:15 PM The Body Snatcher Not to be missed... Stevenson's take on the cadavers aplenty for medical experimentation scheme, which was afoot in London, but at a risk...with Boris, the wonderful Henry Daniell, Bela Lugosi and directed by Robert Wise. 6:45 PM Isle Of The Dead Finally finishing with a flourish, my personal favorite, the dark and foreboding tale of people trapped by quarantine on a Greek island who fear that one of their their own is an undead, starring Karloff, Ellen Drew, Helene Thimig and Jason Robards, Junior's father and directed by Mark Robson, of "The Seventh Victim" fame. My favorites may not be yours, but all Karloff is worth a watch. Enjoy and get ready to start your engines [and vcr's] early on Saturday!

Spill the beans. You're not the love child of David St. Hubbins and that airhead groupie are you? Or are you really Ed Begley Junior?

you have mentioned some films that I need to look for, as they sound like fun. I forgot the TAMI Show which is an exciting concert film, and most enjoyable. I do think "Gimme Shelter" should be in the Top 5 of Rockumentaries, as it is just unbelievable and almost beats the Zapruder film for sheer shock value. Great post and much appreciation for your insights on the genre!

for me it is probably "The Best Years of Our Lives". That film encompasses so many stories, and there is happiness and sadness, all interspersed. I also like for different reasons, "To Hell and Back" with Audie Murphy. Good question!

we must all idolize the almighty dollar, because if Spielberg or anyone like him, makes blockbusters, then by golly...they must be good. I'd rather watch the film "Marty" with Ernest Borgnine, but I digress. Some folks may have gotten "upset" but, not me. I enjoyed your original post and thought it well showed how dollar signs point the way to awards, and that the only true sign of quality, is down the road when a director's or actor's work is done and lives on. One only need look at films which did no business on opening, but have achieved legendary status, over the years, to see this proven again and again. Billy Wilder's great film "Ace in the Hole" did no business when released, but has become a certifiable classic, which is modern in many ways. Big box office does not connote automatically that a film is not quality, but inversely neither does it prove it is. The dream of many a director, like Spielberg...who entertains only, is to make the "serious" film, which is akin to an actor really wanting to "direct". I like Lucas, and consider "American Graffiti" one of the best films of its kind, but understand your chagrin and wrath at more seasoned performers being ignored. But...that's the name of the game in Tinsel Town! And I am used to it, but don't have to like it.

I had not known, that there were sacred cows here, whose opinions were not to be countered, because accordingly it was against a "respected resident" who is your "friend". Additionally it seemed apropos to me, to counter a thread which starts off with "forceful" remarks like this, from myidolspencer: "Does George Lucas really deserve his AFI Award???" Followed by sagebrush saying...: "No, but when did that ever stop the AFI? They've been **** their award and 'best' lists for years. Ariel" ... and which logically incites one to assume that they too can follow up with "forceful" remarks. I'm sorry that it bothered you. You might do well to admonish those above, who disobeyed any rules you've set down in stone, as to what is proper movie talk etiquette here. I call them, as I see them...and after reading that someone thought George Lucas was not worthy of his award, and another thought the AFI was "****".... my little contribution which was decidedly tongue in cheek, seemed quite tame. Then we come to the FYI part, and though your "friend" Mongo may be indubitably impressed with awards Spielberg has attained, others perhaps like myself, may be more impressed with a film as legend, after the dust settles and time proves the director's worthiness. I don't make it a habit to apologize for things which are not wrong, and I don't find rebutting opinions which may be based on faulty facts relinquished by another, to be an egregious sin, synonymous with penance and mercy, as directed by another. Personally, I had not thought Mongo needed intervention to conduct his own rebuttal, but if you feel that he needs your assistance and this is necessary, so be it. Though Mongo, with whom I was enjoying a healthy dialogue, was being cryptic in his comments about "glorified literary faux" I have no problem with that and do not expect any apologies, being that I can ride with the punches of any rebuttal he throws at me. without calling in the cavalry to back me up. Just as I would counter movie remarks made by anyone here, or at any board, movie fans at my home, or Howard Hawks, Roger Corman, Leonard Maltin, or Ed Wood, if I thought they could not back them up....I did not know there were sacred cows here, and sages from the mountaintop who were not to be questioned or rebutted. Movie talk is fun, and to me there is always room for discussion and lassitude. At least in some Net venues... Thanks for the edification! I shall ignore it, but at least I see what the status quo is, and which cliques are thin skinned at the site. Mongo is a big boy, I'm assuming and I'm just a little girl, who likes to talk movies, to a man who likes movies. I'm not really Sydney Greenstreet and I promise not to hurt anyone, with my dangerous, revisionist movie talk...Brownie Scout's Honor! See...all your worry at my dethroning of Spielberg, was just a tempest in a teapot! Sorry if it made you dyspeptic, and sorry that you find yourself "disagreeing with many of [my] opinons" and that you think I am "arrogant" and "out of place" and should be handing out daily "apologies" but...I gotta be me! I know...a woman should know her place, but I've just watched too many noirs, where we don't just idly let the man do the driving and running of the show. As for you not "supporting anyone's attempt to belittle" my opinions, go ahead...support them. I'm a big girl, and can defend my opinions, and would have no problem with being given the third degree by anyone here. I enjoy your posts and shall look forward to many more of them, and I do hope they are "forceful", and let the force be with you!

Someone once said, "There are those who write fiction...and those who live it." B. Traven was both. The author of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' obscured his origins, much like Colonel Tom Parker [who was no Colonel or even American!]. B. Traven was reported to have been: Ambrose Bierce, a group of leftist Hollywood scriptwriters, a black American ex-slave, or the illegitimate son of Kaiser Wilhelm. Some of the occupations he is said to have toiled at are: photographer, merchant seaman, fruit farmer, explorer. Some of the nationalities he claimed were: English, Swedish, Lithuanian, American, German and Mexican. The truth, which wasn't fully known till about 1980, even by his widow, or his family in Germany, is as follows. B.Traven was born illegitimately in 1882 and named Otto Weineke, later taking his father's name of Feige, when his parents married, in Schweibus, Germany. First apprenticed as a locksmith as a teenager, he then became an actor under the name Ret Marut in Berlin, till his first story was published in Danzig in 1912. After writing anarchist articles for 'Der Zeigelbrenner' he was arrested and sentenced to death in Munich in 1919. At this point Marut is never heard of again, but B. Traven arrives in Tampico, Mexico and from then on, has all his works that are published in Germany dealt with, by using P.O. Box 972 and 1208 as his only return address. Even though his works 'The Ghost Ship, 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and 'The White Rose' plus many others sold well, he refused to allow any biographical info or photos of him to appear on the books or elsewhere, even refusing the publisher's request that they speak of this condition of his contract. In 1942 an identity card for a Traven Torsvan was issued in Acapulco, which was another of his many identities. Now for the ultimate writer's revenge. In 1947 after corresponding with Traven [after negotiations to film TSM had been completed] about being an advisor on the set possibly, John Huston awoke in Mexico City to find a small, frail blue eyed man standing at the foot of his bed, who introduced himself as Hal Croves, with a letter from Traven begging off because of ill health, but suggesting that as Hal Croves was knowledgeable about all Traven's books, he might be of help. Croves goes on location for the sum of $150 weekly, to be technical adviser for film accuracy. Croves steadfastly denies to any of the many who confronted him, that he might be Traven, and also assiduously evaded any still photographers who attempted to take his picture. On a fishing excursion with Huston and then wife Evelyn Keyes, Croves' abilities as a fisherman were so limited and he seemed so ill at ease, Huston doubted he could be the wordly Traven, who had lived so many adventures. One of the few technical comments Croves made to Huston, was that the part of Howard was written for a much older man than Huston's father, and Croves suggested someone more frail like Lewis Stone as a replacement, which Huston promptly ignored. After the film was released to great acclaim [but not at first in ticket sales] for Huston's screenplay and directing, for which he won the AA, Huston was quoted in 'Life Magazine' as saying that he believed Croves was Traven. A letter was printed from Croves saying " If Mr. John Huston believed I am Traven, then why was he paying me a lousy hundred dollars a week? He [Huston] only shows publicly in how low an estimate he is holding Traven, whose story gave him the chance of his lifetime. Never again will Mr. John Huston have an opportunity to direct a picture, based on any other of Traven's books [even though some were in negotiations] as Traven does not need Mr. John Huston." There is lots more to this story, but I will let it suffice that Traven kept up this facade, for the rest of his life, probably for fear of being deported to Germany, and finally died in 1969, when legally Torsvan died. It occurred to me while I watched the film of "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" on TCM recently and saw John Huston's name on the screen as big as all get out, and the small attribution to Traven's book, that like the mountain which had the gold that was being plumbed, so also did Traven's story have all the ingredients waiting to be mined and the credit was more Traven's than all those who took credit for the film's success. And in retrospect the gold was returned to the mountain, with the kiss-off letter to Life, putting credit where credit was due...at the author's feet. Even when the legendary writer's origins were unearthed in the 1980's, there were stll legends, like the Kaiser connection that are unanswered. Someday maybe this story of impersonations and twists and turns will be turned into its own feature length film....and wouldn't it be a good one?

are meaningless. I'm sure Spacey knows what a great film he made, and anyone who sees it will agree, if they have an iota of taste. I like both Spacey and Darin, and they are a coupling on film made in heaven.

I watched and I really enjoyed it. Being that it was directed by Rex Ingram, I had to see it and I like any stories written by Rafael Sabatini, who also wrote "Captain Blood". It was a nice contrast to the later version, and was well done.