― Madeleine L'Engle
“But I am a storyteller, and that involves language, for me the English language, that wonderfully rich, complex, and ofttimes confusing tongue. When language is limited, I am thereby diminished, too.”
― Madeleine L'Engle
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This week's movie was the 1950 western Rio Grande, the third- and in my opinion, best- of John Ford's cavalry trilogy. I know this film quite well; my Dad is a big fan of westerns, and I saw this one numerous times during my youth. To begin with, this is a gorgeous looking movie, shot in glorious black & white with beautiful, sweeping landscapes. The acting is also great in Rio Grande; John Wayne is a perfect fit for the role of Col. Kirby Yorke, the gruff and tough yet vulnerable cavalry commander. In addition, he has great chemistry with Maureen O'Hara who plays his estranged wife, Kathleen. The rest of the cast is really good as well: Victor McLaglen, Harry Carey, Jr., Ben Johnson, and Chill Wills to name a few. Besides being a rousing tale of adventure, the film also deals with some deeper themes such as honour, duty, and self-sacrifice. As well, set about 15 years after the Civil War, the movie gives a glimpse of how profoundly and deeply that event affected the lives of those who experienced it and continued to be a source of bitterness and grief. If you only ever watch one film of Ford's trilogy, it should be this one. "But he must learn that a man's word to anything, even his own destruction, is his honor." Related Posts: It's been a really busy week, both at work and personally; what with one thing and another, I was only home one evening out of five. Also, there were two snowstorms after which I had to shovel my driveway since the guy who usually does it- I laugh mirthlessly- is in Florida. The morning after the first (and worst) one, I didn't get up early enough to shovel the entire driveway before going to work so only shoveled out the bottom third of it before leaving. I had choir practice in the evening and was dismally reflecting that I'd be getting home around 10 pm and would have to finish the driveway or it would be a frozen mess. To my surprise and delight, I arrived home to find that someone- probably a neighbour- had finished my driveway for me. Feeling grateful yet chastened, I got up earlier after the next storm and did it myself. I wouldn't mind sleeping in this morning, but one of my sisters is hosting a girls' brunch/ movie. I said I would bring cinnamon bread, but was out last night and didn't get it made so I got up early and it's in the oven now. It should be fun, though I'm harbouring some qualms about the movie... this particular sister's taste in films is quite a bit different than mine: she has an inexplicable fondness for chick flicks. Depending on what she's picked out to watch, I may catch up on my sleep after all. We shall see. Update: I worried needlessly about the film: we spent so much time eating and talking that we never got around to watching one. It's just as well; my sister had pulled a couple of movies from her shelves as possible ones to watch: The Proposal and Confessions Of A Shopaholic (shudder). It was a narrow escape.
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About MeI'm a lover of good books, classic movies, and well-written shows (as well as some pretty cheesy ones, to be completely honest). Categories
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