Burt eagerly awaited Governor Stevenson's Korea response.
"Let's talk sense to the American people. Peace is far more important than who wins this election. Let's talk sense about what we have gained by our determination, our expenditures and our valor in Korea.
We have proven that communism can go no further unless it is willing to risk world war.
We have proven to all the peoples of the Far East that communism is not the wave of the future, that it can be stopped.
We have helped to save the peoples of Indo-China from communist conquest. We have smashed the threat to Japan through Korea and so have strengthened this friend and ally. We have discouraged the Chinese Communists from striking at Formosa.
We have trained and equipped a large army of South Koreans who can assume a growing share of the defense of this country.
We have blocked the road to Communist domination of the Far East and frustrated the creation of a position of power which would have threatened the whole world. We have asserted that whenever Communist soldiers choose freedom after falling into our hands, they are free.
My opponents say that America cannot afford to be strong. I say that America cannot afford to be weak. I promise no easy solutions, no relief from burdens and anxieties, for to do this would not only be dishonest, it would be to attack the foundations of our greatness.
I can offer something infinitely better: an opportunity to work and sacrifice that freedom may flourish. For, as William James truly said, 'When we touch our upper limit and live in our own highest center of energy, we may call ourselves saved.'
I call upon America to reject the new isolationism and to surpass her own glorious achievements. Then we may deserve to call ourselves the sons of our fathers."
Burt was not disappointed.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Europe plus Israel 1973
After our trip across the USA in 1972 (Drive to California), my ex-wife (Bonita) and I decided to return to Europe in 1973. We had spent a month there two years earlier (Europe 1971). Besides Europe, our trip this time would take us to Israel.
We began with a KLM flight from JFK to Amsterdam. After arriving at Schiphol Airport, we took a train downtown.
I quickly learned the train station is located in their "red light" district. Walking the narrow sidewalks next to a canal, I noticed a woman sitting in front of a large picture window wearing only a flimsy negligee. I thought this woman had no shame until I noticed a similarly clad woman a few doors down. A bell then went off in my head.
Instead of vendors selling hot dogs as in New York, Amsterdam's street vendors sold pickled herring, a delicacy I learned from my father. They were delicious and cheap. I ate a lot.
We took a tour of the city and discovered that, unlike Texas that boasts how large everything is, Amsterdam boasts how small everything is. We also visited the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank house and took day trips to Rotterdam and The Hague.
From Amsterdam, we took an overnight train to Copenhagen, Denmark, which made a stopover in the middle of the night in Hamburg, Germany. I was sound asleep in our compartment when I was awakened by a loud speaker in the station shouting, "achtung, achtung." It reminded me of the scene from Casablanca when the Gestapo told Parisians how to behave when German troops would march into the city.
Copenhagen is the cleanest city I have ever been in. There were waste baskets everywhere so there was no excuse to litter. There seemed to be pastry shops (real Danish pastry) on every block. I recall sitting in a beautiful park eating some pastry being careful not to make a mess.
Our landlady expressed disappointment we were not black. At the time, since you didn't see any in Denmark, they were a curiosity.
We spent at least one evening in Tivoli Gardens. Another day we took a boat ride to Malmo, Sweden.
From Copenhagen, we took a train to Berlin, at the time a divided city. We entered from the east to get to our destination, West Berlin. Before arriving, our papers were carefully checked on the train by East German officials. Outside the train, heavily-armed police and dogs checked the exterior to make sure nobody escaped hiding there.
West Berlin reminded me of New York, a bustling, vibrant, modern city. One day we traveled across Checkpoint Charlie back to East Berlin. From there we could see American and East German/Soviet soldiers pointing guns at each other from opposite sides of the wall that separated the two halves.
East Berlin looked like a ghost town with gray buildings and few pedestrians. We saw an East German soldier goose stepping in front of a Soviet war memorial marking the communist victory over the Nazis in 1945.
When we returned to West Berlin, we first had to go back through East German immigration. Bonita's American passport was returned quickly. Mine, much longer. I was nervous I was going to be in East Berlin more than I wanted. Eventually, my passport came back and we got the hell out of there.
From Schonefeld Airport in East Berlin, we took a charter flight to Tel Aviv in Israel. After landing, we stayed overnight at a hotel where the receptionist was watching a Hebrew dubbed version of the popular American TV show, Hawaii 5-O. Tel Aviv is a very secular Jewish city. Every where you look, there are Jews. Coming from a world where Jews were a minority, it was fascinating for us to be there.
The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem, staying in an Arab hotel near the Damascus Gate of the ancient walled portion of the city. Passing through the Gate, we walked the narrow streets with no visible names, finding a variety of shops selling goods with no price tags. Bargaining was expected.
Bonita was looking for a sheep skin jacket. We visited numerous shops offering such before she found what she was looking for at a good price. Another day, she wanted to return to the same shop to buy another one for her sister. With no map, I was proud of myself for finding the same place again.
West Jerusalem is a modern city where we visited Hebrew University, the Knesset and Yad Vashem among other places.
From Jerusalem, we took a bus north and stayed at a kibutz for a couple of days. Then on to Haifa, a beautiful city, similar to San Francisco. I remember falling ill and staying in bed one whole day while Bonita took a bus to a nearby Arab market. And then on to Netanya, a beach community on the Mediterranean where we just relaxed.
After returning to Tel Aviv, we flew to London with a stopover at the Athens Airport. We enjoyed the British capital for a number of reasons, including the locals spoke English. The breakfasts in our hotel were like what we were used at home. We saw the usual tourist attractions, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. We went to a play one night.
Finally, we took a boat ride across the English Channel to Amsterdam and our KLM flight back to New York. It was my last trip to Europe before this year's visit to Portugal.
We began with a KLM flight from JFK to Amsterdam. After arriving at Schiphol Airport, we took a train downtown.
I quickly learned the train station is located in their "red light" district. Walking the narrow sidewalks next to a canal, I noticed a woman sitting in front of a large picture window wearing only a flimsy negligee. I thought this woman had no shame until I noticed a similarly clad woman a few doors down. A bell then went off in my head.
Instead of vendors selling hot dogs as in New York, Amsterdam's street vendors sold pickled herring, a delicacy I learned from my father. They were delicious and cheap. I ate a lot.
We took a tour of the city and discovered that, unlike Texas that boasts how large everything is, Amsterdam boasts how small everything is. We also visited the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank house and took day trips to Rotterdam and The Hague.
From Amsterdam, we took an overnight train to Copenhagen, Denmark, which made a stopover in the middle of the night in Hamburg, Germany. I was sound asleep in our compartment when I was awakened by a loud speaker in the station shouting, "achtung, achtung." It reminded me of the scene from Casablanca when the Gestapo told Parisians how to behave when German troops would march into the city.
Copenhagen is the cleanest city I have ever been in. There were waste baskets everywhere so there was no excuse to litter. There seemed to be pastry shops (real Danish pastry) on every block. I recall sitting in a beautiful park eating some pastry being careful not to make a mess.
Our landlady expressed disappointment we were not black. At the time, since you didn't see any in Denmark, they were a curiosity.
We spent at least one evening in Tivoli Gardens. Another day we took a boat ride to Malmo, Sweden.
From Copenhagen, we took a train to Berlin, at the time a divided city. We entered from the east to get to our destination, West Berlin. Before arriving, our papers were carefully checked on the train by East German officials. Outside the train, heavily-armed police and dogs checked the exterior to make sure nobody escaped hiding there.
West Berlin reminded me of New York, a bustling, vibrant, modern city. One day we traveled across Checkpoint Charlie back to East Berlin. From there we could see American and East German/Soviet soldiers pointing guns at each other from opposite sides of the wall that separated the two halves.
East Berlin looked like a ghost town with gray buildings and few pedestrians. We saw an East German soldier goose stepping in front of a Soviet war memorial marking the communist victory over the Nazis in 1945.
When we returned to West Berlin, we first had to go back through East German immigration. Bonita's American passport was returned quickly. Mine, much longer. I was nervous I was going to be in East Berlin more than I wanted. Eventually, my passport came back and we got the hell out of there.
From Schonefeld Airport in East Berlin, we took a charter flight to Tel Aviv in Israel. After landing, we stayed overnight at a hotel where the receptionist was watching a Hebrew dubbed version of the popular American TV show, Hawaii 5-O. Tel Aviv is a very secular Jewish city. Every where you look, there are Jews. Coming from a world where Jews were a minority, it was fascinating for us to be there.
The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem, staying in an Arab hotel near the Damascus Gate of the ancient walled portion of the city. Passing through the Gate, we walked the narrow streets with no visible names, finding a variety of shops selling goods with no price tags. Bargaining was expected.
Bonita was looking for a sheep skin jacket. We visited numerous shops offering such before she found what she was looking for at a good price. Another day, she wanted to return to the same shop to buy another one for her sister. With no map, I was proud of myself for finding the same place again.
West Jerusalem is a modern city where we visited Hebrew University, the Knesset and Yad Vashem among other places.
From Jerusalem, we took a bus north and stayed at a kibutz for a couple of days. Then on to Haifa, a beautiful city, similar to San Francisco. I remember falling ill and staying in bed one whole day while Bonita took a bus to a nearby Arab market. And then on to Netanya, a beach community on the Mediterranean where we just relaxed.
After returning to Tel Aviv, we flew to London with a stopover at the Athens Airport. We enjoyed the British capital for a number of reasons, including the locals spoke English. The breakfasts in our hotel were like what we were used at home. We saw the usual tourist attractions, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. We went to a play one night.
Finally, we took a boat ride across the English Channel to Amsterdam and our KLM flight back to New York. It was my last trip to Europe before this year's visit to Portugal.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Battle of Saratoga
The British plan of 1777 to end the colonial rebellion was to crush resistance in the colony of New York and thus separate the New England agitators from their southern collaborators. The plan was devised by Major General John Burgoyne and approved in London by Lord George Germaine and King George III. Three British armies would meet at Albany (the capital) after travelling long distances and defeating the rebels along their way.
Burgoyne "was to lead an army from St. John's, up Lake Champlain, across to the upper Hudson River and then down to Albany." Sir Henry Clinton led a second army north from New York City. Finally, Colonel Barry St. Leger took a third force from Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario "eastward across the Mohawk Valley to capture the strategically important Fort Stanwick" before joining the others.
Clinton met no resistance on his way north. St. Leger's mission ended in failure and he was forced to withdraw to Quebec. What happened to Burgoyne changed the history of North America.
On October 7, 1777, near Saratoga, New York, British and American (rebel) forces met in combat. Second in command that day for the Americans was General Benedict Arnold.
Arnold started the day at his side's headquarters. Feeling frustrated, he mounted a horse and rode out into the fray. Personally leading the American attack, Arnold's forces defeated the enemy. Ten days later, his British army surrounded, Burgoyne surrendered.
Arnold suffered a broken leg during the battle and was laid up for five months. In 1780, he was placed in charge of West Point by General George Washington. Burgoyne returned to England and was never given another command.
"Once news of Burgoyne's surrender (at the Battle of Saratoga) reached France, King Louis XVI decided to (enter into) a formal Franco-American Alliance and French entry into the war. (As a result) Britain was forced to divert resources from North America to (military) theaters in the West Indies and Europe."
"France found an opportunity to undercut British power. After the Battle of Saratoga, which was conclusively won by the Americans, France realized that (the rebels) had the hope of winning the war and began fully aiding (their cause) by sending soldiers, military arms and supplies."
Almost exactly four years after the Battle of Saratoga (in 1781), American and French forces defeated the British at Yorktown, Virginia, and in so doing brought an end to the war. In 1783, the British gave up and by treaty granted the Americans what they wanted, independence.
However, all was not lost for the British. They still had Quebec, or what would become known as Canada.
Burgoyne "was to lead an army from St. John's, up Lake Champlain, across to the upper Hudson River and then down to Albany." Sir Henry Clinton led a second army north from New York City. Finally, Colonel Barry St. Leger took a third force from Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario "eastward across the Mohawk Valley to capture the strategically important Fort Stanwick" before joining the others.
Clinton met no resistance on his way north. St. Leger's mission ended in failure and he was forced to withdraw to Quebec. What happened to Burgoyne changed the history of North America.
On October 7, 1777, near Saratoga, New York, British and American (rebel) forces met in combat. Second in command that day for the Americans was General Benedict Arnold.
Arnold started the day at his side's headquarters. Feeling frustrated, he mounted a horse and rode out into the fray. Personally leading the American attack, Arnold's forces defeated the enemy. Ten days later, his British army surrounded, Burgoyne surrendered.
Arnold suffered a broken leg during the battle and was laid up for five months. In 1780, he was placed in charge of West Point by General George Washington. Burgoyne returned to England and was never given another command.
"Once news of Burgoyne's surrender (at the Battle of Saratoga) reached France, King Louis XVI decided to (enter into) a formal Franco-American Alliance and French entry into the war. (As a result) Britain was forced to divert resources from North America to (military) theaters in the West Indies and Europe."
"France found an opportunity to undercut British power. After the Battle of Saratoga, which was conclusively won by the Americans, France realized that (the rebels) had the hope of winning the war and began fully aiding (their cause) by sending soldiers, military arms and supplies."
Almost exactly four years after the Battle of Saratoga (in 1781), American and French forces defeated the British at Yorktown, Virginia, and in so doing brought an end to the war. In 1783, the British gave up and by treaty granted the Americans what they wanted, independence.
However, all was not lost for the British. They still had Quebec, or what would become known as Canada.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Blackboard Jungle
Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film, written and directed by Richard Brooks. It stars Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow. It was nominated for (but did not win) four Academy Awards, including Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Art Direction-Set Direction, Black-and-White and Best Film Editing.
The film opens and closes with the rousing rock and roll classic, Rock Around the Clock, written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight. It is performed by Bill Haley & His Comets. "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock..." Because of this song, the film garnered a large teenage audience and "their exuberant response to it sometimes overflowed into violence and vandalism at screenings."
Blackboard Jungle concerns conflicts between teachers and students at an inner city, all-boys, trade high school. It contains many adult themes such as juvenile delinquency, sexual assault, infidelity, and racism. In spite of the above, my brothers took me to see the film at the Oswego Theater when I was only ten years-old.
Mr. Dadier (Ford), a new English teacher, passionately wants to teach. However, he can only find a job at a school where the students don't seem to want to learn anything from him. Mr. Dadier tries to cultivate a relationship with a student named Miller (Poitier) whom he believes could be a positive leader in the classroom. He is rebuffed.
Another student named West (Morrow) attempts to cause trouble for Mr. Dadier by writing and telephoning his pregnant wife (Francis), falsely suggesting her husband is with another woman. West and his gang assault Mr. Dadier and another teacher in an alley one day after school.
After finally making a connection (using video) with Miller and the majority of his students, Mr. Dadier has a final confrontation with a knife wielding West in his classroom.
Forty-five years after I first saw this film, I experienced my own Blackboard Jungle when I took a job as a World History teacher in an alternative high school in Brooklyn. I didn't have the same courage as Mr. Dadier and left after a month.
The film opens and closes with the rousing rock and roll classic, Rock Around the Clock, written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight. It is performed by Bill Haley & His Comets. "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock..." Because of this song, the film garnered a large teenage audience and "their exuberant response to it sometimes overflowed into violence and vandalism at screenings."
Blackboard Jungle concerns conflicts between teachers and students at an inner city, all-boys, trade high school. It contains many adult themes such as juvenile delinquency, sexual assault, infidelity, and racism. In spite of the above, my brothers took me to see the film at the Oswego Theater when I was only ten years-old.
Mr. Dadier (Ford), a new English teacher, passionately wants to teach. However, he can only find a job at a school where the students don't seem to want to learn anything from him. Mr. Dadier tries to cultivate a relationship with a student named Miller (Poitier) whom he believes could be a positive leader in the classroom. He is rebuffed.
Another student named West (Morrow) attempts to cause trouble for Mr. Dadier by writing and telephoning his pregnant wife (Francis), falsely suggesting her husband is with another woman. West and his gang assault Mr. Dadier and another teacher in an alley one day after school.
After finally making a connection (using video) with Miller and the majority of his students, Mr. Dadier has a final confrontation with a knife wielding West in his classroom.
Forty-five years after I first saw this film, I experienced my own Blackboard Jungle when I took a job as a World History teacher in an alternative high school in Brooklyn. I didn't have the same courage as Mr. Dadier and left after a month.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
The Year 1952, Chapter 15
The 1952 presidential debate moderator next asks General Eisenhower what he would do to address the biggest crisis currently facing the nation, the seemingly endless conflict in the Korean peninsula.
"When the enemy struck, on that June day in 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth.
This appeal was utterly right and utterly inescapable. It was inescapable not only because this was the only way to defend the idea of collective freedom against savage aggression. That appeal was inescapable because there was now in the plight into which we had stumbled into no other way to save honor and self-respect.
The answer to that appeal has been what any American knew it would be. It has been sheer valor--valor on all the Korean mountain-sides that, each day, bear fresh scares of new graves.
Now--in this anxious autumn--from those heroic men there comes back an answering appeal. It is no whine, no whimpering plea. It is a question that addresses itself to simple reason. It asks: Where do we go from here? When comes the end? Is there an end?
Those questions touch all of us. They demand truthful answers. Neither glib promises nor glib excuses will serve. They would be no better than the glib prophesies that brought us to this pass.
My answer--candid and complete--is this: The first task of a new administration will be to review and re-examine every course of action open to us with one goal in view: to bring the Korean War to an early and honorable end.
That job requires a personal trip to Korea. I shall make that trip. Only in that way could I learn how best to serve the American people in the cause of peace. I shall go to Korea."
To Burt, going to Korea sounded like a publicity stunt.
"When the enemy struck, on that June day in 1950, what did America do? It did what it always has done in all its times of peril. It appealed to the heroism of its youth.
This appeal was utterly right and utterly inescapable. It was inescapable not only because this was the only way to defend the idea of collective freedom against savage aggression. That appeal was inescapable because there was now in the plight into which we had stumbled into no other way to save honor and self-respect.
The answer to that appeal has been what any American knew it would be. It has been sheer valor--valor on all the Korean mountain-sides that, each day, bear fresh scares of new graves.
Now--in this anxious autumn--from those heroic men there comes back an answering appeal. It is no whine, no whimpering plea. It is a question that addresses itself to simple reason. It asks: Where do we go from here? When comes the end? Is there an end?
Those questions touch all of us. They demand truthful answers. Neither glib promises nor glib excuses will serve. They would be no better than the glib prophesies that brought us to this pass.
My answer--candid and complete--is this: The first task of a new administration will be to review and re-examine every course of action open to us with one goal in view: to bring the Korean War to an early and honorable end.
That job requires a personal trip to Korea. I shall make that trip. Only in that way could I learn how best to serve the American people in the cause of peace. I shall go to Korea."
To Burt, going to Korea sounded like a publicity stunt.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Portugal
Our trip to Portugal began on Tuesday evening,
September 3rd. Air Tap flight
#88 left Guarulhos Airport at about 10 PM.
I took advantage of the entertainment offered by the airline
to watch two movies I had never seen before, Creed (2015) and Creed
II (2018), both starring Sylvester Stallone. I was very impressed how he has transformed
his character, Rocky Balboa, from a gritty young boxer to a wise old man. I love the end of the second movie when Rocky shows up at his estranged son’s doorstep and meets his grandson for the first
time. As a grandfather myself, I almost
cried.
After arriving in Lisboa at 11:30 AM on Wednesday,
September 4th, Cristina and I went to our hotel, the Fenix Urban. After lunch, we discovered a very cool
supermarket, Pingo Doce, where bottles of good Portuguese wine
cost less than 2 Euros.
On Thursday, September 5th, we took a bus
tour of the Belem area of Lisboa, where many tourists partake of the delicious
Portuguese pastry known as pastel de nata (Pasteis de Belem recommended by my student, Silvia).
This pastry is made from a combination of flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon, water, vanilla extract and 6 egg yolks.
On Friday, September 6th, our bus tour took
us to a beautiful beach area a little outside of Lisboa, known as Cascais,
pronounced Cascaish. It reminded me of
the Hamptons on Long Island. For dinner,
Cristina and I went to Solar dos Presuntos, which
was recommended by my student, Fernanda.
I had a delicious piece of salmon.
Good recommendation.
On Saturday, September 7th, Cristina and I
visited the Chiado district of Lisboa where we found (with the help on my
student, Kim) the statue of the famous Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa. As part of the statue, there is a chair where
tourists can sit next to the poet for a photo-op. We did.
Nearby is the Bertrand, the oldest continuous operating
bookstore in the world. I bought a copy
of The Count of Monte Cristo written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844.
On Sunday, September 8th, we flew via
Air Tap flight #1944 to Porto. When we arrived
at our hotel, the Grande Hotel do Porto, we discovered a kind of
Times Square in front on Rua de Santa Catarina.
There was such a mob of tourists our taxi had difficulty arriving
at the hotel.
At 9 AM on Monday, September 9th, we saw four men (Sao Joao, O Infante Dom Henrique, Almeida Garrett and Camilo Castelo Branco) come out from the Clock of the Galerias Palladium near our hotel.
On our walk down to the Douro River, we passed the Cannabis Store
Amsterdam where I bought (and later consumed) a dark chocolate bar
which contained some elements of the substance (but not THC).
Almost nothing happened. I had
shrimp for lunch at the very good nearby restaurant Cantinho do Avillez.
On Tuesday, September 10th, Cristina and I
had lunch at A Brasileira.
I chose an eggplant dish which I enjoyed.
In the evening, we went for dessert at the famous and very popular Majestic
Café, where tourists line up to get in.
On Wednesday, September 11th, we visited a
winery (Quinta Da Boeira) which produces Porto wine (since 1850). Cristina bought a bottle of Reserve Tawny. As part of the tour, we discovered, almost
hidden away, a fabulous restaurant where I had one of the finest meals of my
life (quality of food and beverage, service, and ambiance). We sat on the building’s porch overlooking a garden, almost by
ourselves, on a beautiful afternoon, eating fish and drinking a bottle of
Portuguese wine served by Joao, our friendly waiter.
On Thursday, September 12th, Cristina and I
took a 3 hour bus trip to Braganca, the largest city in the northeast of
Portugal. We dined at the Emiclau
restaurant and sat under a full moon in a plaza in the center of town.
In 1925, Manoel and Ismenia, two young adults, got
married and decided to move across the Atlantic from Portugal to "El Dorado" (Brazil). Two years later, in their new country, Ismenia gave birth to a daughter, Irene. My
wife, Cristina, is Irene’s daughter.
Manoel and Ismenia grew up in a very small village near Braganca called Nunes. On Friday, September 13th , we hired a taxi driver (ironically named Manoel) to take us to Nunes. It’s about a 40 minute trip through the mountains on very winding roads. I had no expectations, but it turned out to be a momentous journey.
Manoel and Ismenia grew up in a very small village near Braganca called Nunes. On Friday, September 13th , we hired a taxi driver (ironically named Manoel) to take us to Nunes. It’s about a 40 minute trip through the mountains on very winding roads. I had no expectations, but it turned out to be a momentous journey.
First, we visited the local cemetery to pay our
respects to Manoel who, when Irene was a child, returned to Portugal for the treatment
of tuberculosis. He died there, never
returning to his family in Brazil.
Next, Cristina and I visited the Catholic chapel (built in
1545) where the young couple married the year before their trip to the new
world. We also saw the house, made of
stone, where Ismenia lived her early life.
It was an emotional experience for Cristina, returning to her
roots. We will never forget Nunes.
On Saturday, September 14th , we took a
seven hour bus ride from Braganca back to Lisboa.
On Sunday, September 15th, we flew via
Air Tap flight #83 from Lisboa to Sao Paulo.
Before the flight, Cristina and I bought (at the Duty Free shop) a
bottle of Baileys Irish Cream and four bottles of Portuguese wine. Again, I watched two movies on board.
First was the 1968 classic action film, Bullitt,
starring the late Steve McQueen. The movie's memorable car chase down the streets of San Francisco alone was worth the price of admission. I was reminded of McQueen recently through the movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
(2019) in which he (portrayed by Damian Lewis) appears in one memorable
scene.
The second, The Mule (2018), stars Clint
Eastwood as a very old man, down on his luck, who goes to work for a drug cartel transporting
cocaine in his small truck along the highways of middle America. Like Stallone, Eastwood has successfully transitioned
from young tough men to wise old ones.
Too bad McQueen didn’t have the opportunity to do the same.
At 1 AM, on Monday, September 16th,
Cristina and I arrived home. The
Portugal we found was safe, clean, organized and beautiful. We loved it.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Places in the Heart
Places in the Heart is a 1984 film drama staring Sally Field, Danny Glover and John Malkovich. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning two: Best Actress (Field) and Best Original Screenplay (Robert Benton - see blog post Kramer vs. Kramer).
It's the story of a young widow, Mrs. Spalding (Field), with two children who is trying to survive on a cotton farm in Waxahachie, Texas, during the Depression. She is aided by an itinerant black man, Moses (Glover), and a blind white man, Mr. Will (Malkovich - nominated for Best Supporting Actor, which was won by Haing S. Ngor for The Killing Fields).
In order to keep her farm and her children, Mrs. Spalding needs to win the Ellis County contest, a $100 cash prize awarded to the farmer who produces the first bale of cotton for market each season. Everyone in the family worked to achieve the goal plus Moses recruited other black migrant workers. She won the prize.
"Moses carefully coaches Mrs. Spalding on how to negotiate with the (cotton) buyer" so he wouldn't be able to take advantage of her inexperience. That night, in order to teach Moses a lesson, the buyer organizes the local KKK to savagely beat him. Mr. Will is able to recognize the voices of the hooded men and identifies them by name. It save the life of Moses, but he has to leave Waxahachie.
The end of the film is quite remarkable. The scene takes place in the local Baptist church during a Sunday morning service, with Mrs. Spalding and her children plus Mr. Will in attendance.
Preacher (Lynn D. Lasswell, Jr.): This morning, we picked our text from First Corinthians, Thirteenth Chapter, Verses one through eight (The Way of Love). Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol. Though I have the gift of prophesy and all knowledge, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love is patient, kind. Love is not jealous or boastful. Love never ends."
You know something strange is happening when you see Moses, a black man seated in a segregated white church, taking communion with all the others. The final frame shows Mrs. Spalding's deceased husband Royce passing the wine (the blood of Christ) to Wylie, the young black man who accidentally killed him, and who himself was murdered by vigilantes.
Movie critics called the ending "a climax that with amazing grace moves almost imperceptibly from reality to fantasy in order to find for people a kind of reconciliation with their fate." To me, the ending symbolizes love and forgiveness.
_________
I will be on vacation the next two Sundays. Next post will be Sunday, September 22.
It's the story of a young widow, Mrs. Spalding (Field), with two children who is trying to survive on a cotton farm in Waxahachie, Texas, during the Depression. She is aided by an itinerant black man, Moses (Glover), and a blind white man, Mr. Will (Malkovich - nominated for Best Supporting Actor, which was won by Haing S. Ngor for The Killing Fields).
In order to keep her farm and her children, Mrs. Spalding needs to win the Ellis County contest, a $100 cash prize awarded to the farmer who produces the first bale of cotton for market each season. Everyone in the family worked to achieve the goal plus Moses recruited other black migrant workers. She won the prize.
"Moses carefully coaches Mrs. Spalding on how to negotiate with the (cotton) buyer" so he wouldn't be able to take advantage of her inexperience. That night, in order to teach Moses a lesson, the buyer organizes the local KKK to savagely beat him. Mr. Will is able to recognize the voices of the hooded men and identifies them by name. It save the life of Moses, but he has to leave Waxahachie.
The end of the film is quite remarkable. The scene takes place in the local Baptist church during a Sunday morning service, with Mrs. Spalding and her children plus Mr. Will in attendance.
Preacher (Lynn D. Lasswell, Jr.): This morning, we picked our text from First Corinthians, Thirteenth Chapter, Verses one through eight (The Way of Love). Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol. Though I have the gift of prophesy and all knowledge, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love is patient, kind. Love is not jealous or boastful. Love never ends."
You know something strange is happening when you see Moses, a black man seated in a segregated white church, taking communion with all the others. The final frame shows Mrs. Spalding's deceased husband Royce passing the wine (the blood of Christ) to Wylie, the young black man who accidentally killed him, and who himself was murdered by vigilantes.
Movie critics called the ending "a climax that with amazing grace moves almost imperceptibly from reality to fantasy in order to find for people a kind of reconciliation with their fate." To me, the ending symbolizes love and forgiveness.
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I will be on vacation the next two Sundays. Next post will be Sunday, September 22.
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