Dark Passage (1947)

Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) has just escaped prison; he was incarcerated for murdering his wife.  He is on the side of the road and must risk getting a lift.  He waves down a car.  The driver is a talker and becomes increasingly suspicious of his passenger.  The radio report decides the issue.  Parry pummels the driver and steals his clothes.  Before he can abscond with the man's car, Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) stops in her station wagon and urges Vincent to hide under the tarp in the back.  Soon, they are back at her apartment in San Francisco and he is baffled why she has helped him.  She had attended the trial and thought he was innocent.  Thanks to some fortunate breaks, Vincent meets a plastic surgeon who offers to change his looks.  After the surgery, Parry recuperates at Irene's apartment.  Once the bandages are off, it's time to find out who really killed his wife.

The movie is awkward and the story doesn't flow well.  First, Bogart doesn't "appear" for the first half.  Either the scene is filmed from his point of view or his face is hidden in shadows.  After the surgery, he is now in view, but his face is concealed by bandages.  Next, there are the convenient and inconvenient meetings.  That Parry finds the one cabby in all of San Francisco who has a plastic surgeon friend is just a bit hard to swallow.  As far as suspects for his wife's murderer, there aren't many available from the characters we meet.  Clifton Young is quite good as the blackmailer.  Agnes Moorehead, whom I had only ever seen as Endora, Samantha's obnoxious mother on Bewitched, plays an annoying busybody who is determined to make sure everyone else is as unhappy as she is.  It is a wonder any of the characters were on speaking terms with her.  The level of paranoia is high.  That Vincent thinks he is going to be arrested any moment is fine, but that a random police officer busts his chops over a stupid comment about the races was a bit much.  That Irene sympathized with his plight was fine but falling for him was rushed.  Maybe she had a crush on him since the trial, so she was primed to fall for him.  Meh.

This is the weakest of the Bogart & Bacall movies.

Johnny Cash sings Bonanza!

Bonanza was a staple throughout my youth.  It was in syndication on KTLA (Channel 5) and I watched it regularly.  The catchy theme music has always stuck with me.  Today, I discovered there are lyrics!  Here is Johnny Cash singing Bonanza!

Recollections of Mexico and Buena Vista

In January 1847, Lt. Henry Washington Benham arrived at the mouth of the Rio Grande.  The Mexican War had been ongoing for 8 months, the most recent battle being Monterrey (September 1846).  Benham found Major General Scott appropriating much of General Taylor's army, which he planned to use for his invasion by way of Vera Cruz.  Most of the troops left to Taylor were volunteers with limited training.  Benham was to join Taylor's weakened army and even weaken it further; he was to deliver orders to send yet another regular army artillery battery to Scott.

Benham joined a wagon train bound for Monterrey and found the teamsters to be a villainous bunch who created a lot of hard feelings among the locals.  Upon reaching Monterrey, Benham joined with Captain Thomas Sherman, an artillery officer, and departed for Saltillo.  The pair arrived at General Zachary Taylor's encampment in Agua Nueva in the first week of February.  Even then, there were rumors of a massive army on the way.  On the evening of February 20th, the approaching army was confirmed.  Taylor's base at Agua Nueva was indefensible and a hasty retreat was made to the pass at Buena Vista.

As a member of the engineers of fortifications, Benham soon found himself crisscrossing the planned battlefield.  He served as a courier and scout.  He provides an account of the battle that paints a picture of competing blunders.

First, Santa Anna dispatched his cavalry to the field, assigning them to his rightwing.  However, the US Army had barely begun to take positions.  Had the Mexican cavalry pressed down the road, it would have been an immediate victory.  In fact, Taylor was not even on the battlefield yet, having withdrawn to Saltillo the previous evening.

Second, O'Brien's battery was giving the Mexican army a drubbing and had cleared an area forward of its current position.  O'Brien set to move his guns forward.  However, the volunteer regiment that served as protection for the battery, mistook the connecting of guns with horse carts as a sign of retreat.  Soon, the volunteer regiment was in flight and the Mexican army pressed into the gap.  Only the advance of the Mississippi Rifles under Jefferson Davis, Captain Sherman's artillery, and May's Dragoon squadron averted disaster.

Third, nearly a thousand Mexican cavalry got lost in the smoke of battle and found themselves hemmed in and in serious threat.  At this moment, two Mexican officers proposed a parley.  This was a ruse that bought a brief one-sided ceasefire that allowed the Mexican cavalry to escape back to the Mexican lines.

Fourth, it appeared that the Mexican army was withdrawing.  Therefore, three volunteer regiments - constituting 1500 men - advanced.  The battlefield was a series of arroyos, thus requiring the advancing troops to descend into the arroyo before climbing to the opposite ridge.  Too late they discovered that the Mexicans had vanished into an arroyo and were now descending on them from the high ground or pressing them into the open where Mexican Lancers commenced to slaughter.  This time, O'Brien's battery was captured.  Of note, his guns were recovered some months later during Scott's campaign to Mexico City.

In his brief retelling of the battle, he has criticism of both Taylor - whom he lays the blame for the charge into the arroyo - and Wool - whom he states had ordered a suicidal cavalry charge but remanded it before it was begun.  He further accuses Taylor of nearly inducing a panic by ordering Washington's battery to be ready to retreat.

During the Civil War, Benham proved to be an unreliable subordinate, who repeatedly disobeyed orders.  With that in mind, how accurate is his retelling of Buena Vista.  He wrote his recollections in 1871, noting that it was the 24th anniversary of the battle.  It is also of note that he was top of his West Point class in 1837.  Did this color his views thereafter, that he was better than others?  Generally, his writing is clear and informative.  However, he has a habit of name-dropping (he seldom fails to mention all the officers at Buena Vista who went on to be generals in the Civil War) and reporting gossip (the blundering orders of Taylor and Wool).

A short and interesting read for any student of the Mexican-American War.

One Man's Hero (1999)

On a US Army base somewhere near the Mexican border, Sgt. John Riley (Tom Berenger) visits a handful of men who will be whipped later for unnamed offenses.  They are all Catholics and mostly Irish.  Leaving them, he meets with the company captain and requests a pass to attend mass; Riley is also Irish and Catholic.  The captain is quite abusive toward the Catholics, viewing them as loyal to Rome rather than the US flag.  He sees them as traitors to England and wonders what Riley has in common with them.

"One man's hero is another man's traitor I reckon, sir," he replies.

Riley gets his pass and goes to mass.  He discovers quite a few soldiers - none of them with passes - are also attending the mass.  Part way through, the padre must leave.  The padre arrives at the US Army base to help the condemned men to pray.  Moments later, Riley and the other soldiers from the mass arrive and 'rescue' the men from their whipping.  Soon, they are in Mexico, where they are attacked by Cortina, a Mexican bandit and freedom fighter.  Riley meets Marta (Daniela Romo), a Mestizo woman, falls in love. The US deserters are housed by Cortina until the Mexican Army arrives.  Both Cortina and Riley are drafted into the Mexican Army to fight the gringos.  The Saint Patrick Battalion is formed with Major Riley in command.  They fight valiantly at Monterrey, but the US Army carries the city.  They fight again at Buena Vista (this battle is given only a vague montage that does not include General Santa Anna), before having to retreat.  They suffer ignominious defeat at Churubusco, seeing all the men either killed or captured, including Riley.  As Riley deserted before war was declared, he 'only' suffers 50 lashes and branding.  Many of the other San Patricios are hanged.  Riley returns to Cortina's mountain camp to resume his relationship with Marta.

The movie paints a picture of John Riley that does not match history.  First, he was a private, not a sergeant who was on the fast-track to the officer corps.  He had joined the US Army in 1843 and was still a private in 1846.  He did not desert as some noble effort to rescue men from a whipping, but simply swam the Rio Grande shortly after the US Army arrived across from Matamoros.  Speaking of that, the opening scene is ludicrous.  The army was camped at the Rio Grande and were mostly in tents.  Upon leaving the camp - which was near the nascent Fort Texas - they would have been met by Mexican cavalry.  The meeting with Cortina (Joaquim de Almeida) in mountains (?!) was nonsense.  Then there is the crazy idea that he was going to go back, as he was 'only AWOL, not a deserter.'  He entirely overlooked his role in assisting others to desert, during which arms were raised against the US Army. Though he was an officer of the San Patricio Battalion, he was not its commander; that was Colonel Francisco Moreno, who does not appear.  The entire side story of Riley's involvement with Cortina was pure fiction.  Also, John Riley was only 30 years old, whereas Tom Berenger was 50; perhaps that is why he was promoted to Sergeant for the script.

On other points, the story is closer to history.  The San Patricio Battalion did participate in battles of Monterrey, Buena Vista, and Churubusco.  For time and the sake of the fictional side story, the battle of Cerro Gordo was eliminated.  The battalion suffered a heavy blow at Churubusco, but was still active during the defense of Mexico City.  The captured San Patricios were indeed hanged for desertion.  This was notable as they should have faced a firing squad.

Though it was a small role, James Gammon was terrific as General Zachary Taylor.  He had the look of Old Rough and Ready and rode Old Whitey, a white horse.  Should have shaved off the mustache, but he was otherwise terrific.  Where Berenger was too old to play Riley, Patrick Bergin was too young to play General Winfield Scott.  His General Scott plays the Fuss and Feathers sobriquet as though it was the only feature of Scott.  In addition to being a brilliant general, Scott was a skilled diplomat.  The fate of the San Patricios is pinned on Scott like a scarlet letter in this telling, whereas it was only on account of Scott that Riley wasn't also hanged.  One odd thing was that none of the San Patricios, other than Riley, were historical.  A list of officers and men is available, but the makers chose not to include them.  Likewise, Captain Caine (Stephen Tobolowsky) and Lt. Colonel Benton Lacey (Mark Moses) are fictional.  Lt. Col. McIntosh commanded the 5th Infantry at the time Riley deserted.  The script has created fictional US Army officers whose sole purpose is to create sympathy for Riley; Gaine to justify desertion and Lacey to argue that Riley is a good and noble man.

The sets are disappointing.  The city of Monterrey is obviously a hastily built stage in the Mexican desert.  The battles are small scale.  It appeared that Cortina's cavalry command at the battle of Monterrey was just a couple of dozen men.  The San Patricio Battalion looks to be a score of men who operate 4 cannons.

Mediocre.  Skip.

Hawks (1988)

The movie opens with Deckermensky (Anthony Edwards) taking a test drive in a SAAB in England.  His aggressive driving is soon a cause for concern to the salesman (Geoffrey Palmer), especially when Decker detours into a quarry.  Decker orders the salesman out of the car and then races toward a cliff edge.  He hits the brakes and skids to a stop only feet from his doom.

Bancroft (Timothy Dalton) is a cancer patient in a UK hospital.  He sees that his new roommate, Decker, is asleep.  Bancroft is both charming and obnoxious, leaning more toward the obnoxious.  When Decker is awake, Bancroft is a source of both the worst of the news and also a voice to fight against the inevitable.  He is particularly harsh when Decker talks suicide.  Bancroft tells a tale of his youth when he and a band of friends called themselves the Hawks.  They were merry pranksters who sought to find humor in everything.  He recruits Decker and the pair are soon inseparable.  Bancroft decides it is time to pursue a dream that Decker mention: go to a high-end brothel in Amsterdam!  To do so, they steal an ambulance.

Elsewhere, Hazel (Janet McTeer) is having a breakdown.  She is pregnant thanks to an affair with a Dutch tourist.  Her friend, Maureen (Camille Coduri), convinces her to let the father know.  The pair set out for the Netherlands.  Sadly, Maureen's car breaks down, but an ambulance stops to assist.

The movie swings from humor to tragedy.  Cancer patients are a strange choice for the main characters of a comedy.  The strangest part was that Decker is an American Football player who happened to be in Europe for a tour.  Why has he remained in England for treatment rather than return to the US?  His parents visit but he declines to return with them.  Why?  Then there is the oddity that Bancroft is obsessed with the wife who left him in his hour of need.

Made between Dalton's two appearances as James Bond, this is huge departure from that role.  That he dons a clown nose and has rainbow hair adds to the craziness.  It has its moments, but the downs outweigh the ups.  Just okay.

Blake's 7 (series 2)

Picking up at the cliffhanger from last series, Avon demonstrates that the Liberator would have to be in an entirely different part of the galaxy to meet the prophecy.  Let's just avoid that area.  Easier said than done.  The true owners of the Liberator finally arrive to recover their advanced ship and bring it home.  Yes, it is exactly that part of the galaxy they were supposed to avoid!  All looks grim, but Orac has some tricks to make the prophecy true-ish.  The efforts to destroy the Federation escalate as do the attempts by the Federation to eliminate Blake and his band.

Unlike the typical series of the time, there is an overarching story here.  The achievements of one episode will feed into the next.  Likewise, the failures of an episode will impact later ones.  It is not the adventure du jour.  Blake has decided to destroy the central control computer of the Federation, which takes multiple episodes to discover.  In the season finale, they arrive to destroy the Star One computer only to discover that an alien invasion from another galaxy is inbound!  Now, Star One is the best defense against invasion.  The situation is so desperate that the Liberator summons the Federation fleet to assist, but they will have to start the fight alone!  See you next series.  Ha!  Another desperate cliffhanger.

Overall, this is a great series.  There is constant dissension between Blake and Avon, which is one of the best parts.  Blake is admirable for his idealism and determination, but Avon is level-headed and often has to save the day.  One of the downsides of the show is that the villains are very often dumb to allow the heroes a chance for survival.  However, this is a two-way street.  Almost as frequently, Blake allows Space Commander Travis or Supreme Commander Servalan survive when he could easily have killed them.  Far too often, he uses half-measures which both increase the risks to his crew and reduces his chance for success.

Saint Jack (1979)

Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara) is an American living in Singapore in the early 70s.  Though he has a 'job' with Mr. Hing, his true profession is pimp.  His dream job is to run a brothel, but the locals don't like the idea of a foreigner in that position.  Jack seems to know everyone as he wanders the streets.  He makes friends easily, most notably an accountant from Hong Kong, William Leigh (Denholm Elliott).  William follows Jack on his rounds, both witnessing some girls performing for a client and fleeing from angry rivals.  Jack introduces William to the local expat community that includes Yardley (Joss Ackland) and Frogget (James Villiers); they are mostly drunk.  Speaking of alcohol, Jack lives on it.  He is repeatedly told to eat by a matronly Chinese woman and, though he agrees that she is right, pours himself a Scotch.  When things look particularly bleak for Jack, CIA operative Eddie Schuman (Peter Bogdanovich) provides a jackpot opportunity: run a brothel that caters to US servicemen on leave.  Schuman also offers a big score if Jack can get embarrassing photos of a visiting senator (George Lazenby).

Jack is the movie.  There are twists and turns, opportunities and setbacks, successes and tragedies along the way, but not much of a plot.  It is the exploration of the life of a genial but immoral man.  For a man out to make a fortune, he is astonishingly generous.  He gave away the watch he was wearing to a random prostitute so she could gift it to a boyfriend, he offered a music box to another woman he has just met, he buys drinks for virtually anyone he encounters, and yet he is often in financial difficulty that he sold his car.  At one point, he encounters Katie, who says the kids asked about him.  Whoa, he has an ex-wife and kids that he never contacts.  Interesting.  His friendship with William is an annual thing that has three instances.  When in Singapore to check Mr. Hing's books, William and Jack are best friends.  William has plans of returning to England before much longer, but it often seems as though he has a lot more to say but is unwilling to say it.  There is a deeper backstory to William that is only hinted at.

Gazzara is good in the role, managing to be quite likeable for a pimp.  Other than Denholm Elliott, none of the other characters are fleshed out.  It was funny to see George Lazenby, the man who abandoned James Bond after one outing, playing the small role of a US Senator looking for a good time.

Skip.

Marnie (1964)

A raven-haired woman walks down the railway platform with a yellow bag under her arm.  The scene switches to Sidney Strutt who explains to a pair of officers that he has been robbed by a recently-hired employee, a raven-haired beauty named Marion Holland.  He is still detailing the thief when Mark Rutland (Sean Connery) arrives on business.  Strutt tells him about the robbery and even says that he pointed Marion out to him on an earlier visit.  Rutland nods, remembering the attractive woman.  The rave-haired woman dyes her hair blonde and resumes her true name, Marnie Edgar (Tippi Hedren).  She visits her mother, with whom she has a loveless relationship.  Sometime later, an auburn-haired "Mary Taylor" arrives at Rutland & Co. to apply as payroll clerk.  Though she has only one reference, Mark Rutland instructs Sam Ward to hire her.  Mark takes a particular interest in her, taking her to the horse races and introducing her to his father.  Clearly, Mark suspects that she is Marion Holland, which is confirmed when she disappears with the money in the safe of Mr. Ward's office.  However, Mark has learned enough to track her down and catch her.  Now he has her, and he intends to keep her.  Moreover, he wants to know why she is the way she is.

Here is a story about a psychologically damaged woman.  Marnie hates men, distrusts people, and has no compunction about lying or stealing.  That she fears lightning, abhors the color red, and often suffers nightmares is just a mystery to her.  Mark, the amateur Freud, hired her as a curiosity, but has since come to love her despite her hostility.  Can he untangle her psychological issues before she runs away again.  He is certain that the next person to catch her will not be as understanding as him; no, next time will be prison.

A middle of the road Hitchcock movie.  Worthwhile if only to see Connery play something other than a gun-wielding action hero.  It was quite funny to see Alfred Pennyworth (Alan Napier) from the Batman TV series (1966-68) playing Sean Connery's father.  Just okay.

Censorship Confirmed

Twitter acting by itself to suppress free speech is not a 1st amendment violation, but acting under orders from the government to suppress free speech, with no judicial review, is

Elon Musk

The Twitter Files have been posted, at least in part, and it shows collusion between Twitter and the Biden Campaign.  After Biden's election, it shows continued collusion to silence critics.  In fact, indications are that both parties had access to backdoor channels to censor Twitter posts.  Censorship by proxy.  That the town square of the modern era is hosted on private platforms has created an incentive toward censorship.  As Musk says, Twitter has every right to censor users for whatever reason.  However, once government enters the picture, censorship becomes the tool of a tyrant.  China, Iran, and North Korea have strong controls on what the people may read or hear, the better to control their views.

How might 2020 have played out if the playing field was level?  90% plus of stories on Trump were negative.  In the case of the Hunter Biden laptop, the media buried the story rather than have a negative story against Biden.  Would it have made a difference?  MAGA folks say it would have made all the difference.  Maybe.  In any case, those who spiked the story certainly thought it would make a difference.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

The story opens with Kraglin (Sean Gunn) explaining how Yondu (Michael Rooker) had ruined Christmas for a homesick young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt).  As it is currently the Christmas season on Earth, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) wants to treat Peter to a great Christmas.  She enlists Drax in her plan.  What gift could they get Peter?  Well, Peter has often spoken of a hero back on Earth.  Yes, they will bring Kevin Bacon as a Christmas present!  Thus decided, Drax and Mantis travel to Earth where they have a hilarious adventure as they hunt for Kevin Bacon.  Also joining the fun are Nebula (Karen Gillan), Groot (Vin Diesel), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), and an alien band with a Christmas song that misunderstands everything about the yuletide season.

Highly recommended.

Gold (1974)

Deep underground at the Sonderditch gold mine in South Africa, a team drills into rock and plants explosives.  Something goes horribly wrong and the men are trapped under a cave-in.  Underground Manager Rod Slater (Roger Moore) arrives at the mine and demands to know what has happened and why the mine's general manager was involved in the project; the general manager is administrative.  King (Simon Sabela), a senior miner, was key in rescuing many of the injured.  King and Slater bond during the crisis.  Meanwhile, Director Steyner (Bradford Dillman) is nervous that his plot to flood the mine may be revealed.  Manfred Steyner is married to Terry (Susannah York), who happens to be the granddaughter of Hurry Hirschfeld (Ray Milland), the owner of the mine.  Oh, the tangled web!

The villains and their dastardly plot to flood the mine and thus raise the price of gold is revealed from the start.  The movie shows how they plan to do it and whether it can be stopped.  Moore is his usual charming self, though with a troubled backstory of brawling, college expulsion, an ex-wife who takes a third of his salary, and an illegitimate child that costs him as well.  Of course, beyond hearing about these facts, none of it influences the rest of the movie.  With his history of womanizing, his initial fling with Terry looked to be in character until it turned serious.  Bradford Dillman is terrific as an oily executive, a role that he repeated in a couple of Dirty Harry films.  That the character has an aversion to cigarette smoke and is constantly washing his hands was a great quirk.  John Gielgud has a role as the chief conspirator, but is only seen in Europe or North America.  Steyner is his agent in the field.

The first film that Roger Moore made after becoming James Bond (Live & Let Die - 1973).  Of interest, Steven Spielberg was the first choice for director, but Moore vetoed the choice!  Instead, Peter Hunt - who had directed On her Majesty's Secret Service - was selected.

A competent and enjoyable thriller and good popcorn fun.

Free Speech Fears

Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, there have been many complaints that he is lifting restrictions and granting amnesty to banned users.  Oh, the humanity!  The restrictions and bannings are being painted as necessary for safety or to prevent misinformation.  Though I'm in favor of banning users who call for violence, I'm opposed to banning those who offer 'misinformation.'  Who decides it's misinformation?  In China, Xi decides.  I'm sure most Republicans view what Democrats say to be misinformation and that the Democrats view anything Republicans say as misinformation.  We have no objective observer who can decide.  The fact checkers are usually funded by one side or the other, and only claim dispassion.  Therefore, it should be a free for all.  Let them debate.  That one side is eager to keep people out of the debate reveals that that side is not confident in being able to win the debate.

Let everyone make their case.

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

A car arrives at a remote church in rural Montana.  The driver steps out and enters the church.  Upon seeing the preacher (Clint Eastwood), the driver pulls out a gun and starts shooting.  The preacher ducks, dodges, and runs for his life across a field.  Meanwhile, Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges) walks to a used car dealership and steals a white Pontiac Trans Am.  On the road, he almost runs over a preacher but swerves to instead hit a man with a gun.  The preacher climbs into the car and the pair speed away.  Over the next few days, they become friends.  The preacher admits to being Thunderbolt, a notorious bank robber.  The man who was trying to kill him had been in on the heist and believed he had been cheated.  The same was true for both Red Leary (George Kennedy) and Eddie Goody (Geoffrey Lewis), who have been pursuing the pair through Montana.  Eventually, Leary and Goody get the drop on Thunderbolt, but he explains that he did not cheat them.  With the money from their previous job gone, the four decide to pull a new job.

The first half of the movie is a series of random scenes that don't advance the plot.  It's a buddy road show that is regularly interrupted by a storm of bullets from the murderous Red.  Early in the movie, Lightfoot woos Catherine Bach - who would later gain fame as Daisy Duke on the Dukes of Hazzard - but she vanishes from the movie in the next scene.  Gary Busey has a brief bit as a sprinkler installer.  Only the main four actors have a role of any note, everyone else getting little more than cameo parts.  It is a random patchwork of a movie that often doesn't feel like it is going anywhere.  What was the point of catching a ride with the crazy man who had a racoon in the front seat and a score of rabbits in the trunk?  Why the woman standing naked in the window while Lightfoot is working on the yard?  How did Red keep finding them?  You would think he had a tracker on them, but this is 1973!

Jeff Bridges is quite good as a full of himself youth, often stealing scenes with his infectious charm.  He makes an excellent foil for Clint's seen-it-all veteran.  The antagonism between Bridges and George Kennedy is quite well-done.  Really, the chemistry among the principals is very good and is the strong point of the movie.

Overall, it is just okay.  

Life of Maj. Gen. John E. Wool

General John Ellis Wool was born and raised in New York.  In 1812, he joined the army on rumors of war with Great Britain.  Indeed, there was a war.  He took part in the Battles of Queenstown Heights (1812) and Plattsburgh (1814).  A taskmaster and stickler for detail, Wool was promoted to Inspector General of the Army after the war (1816).  In 1841, he was promoted to brigadier general.  When hostilities finally erupted on the Rio Grande in April 1846, General Wool was called upon to call up 12,000 volunteers from the states to reinforce the 3,000 regular troops of Taylor's Army of Occupation.  By August, he was in San Antonio, Texas to train many of those volunteers while the rest had been sent to the Rio Grande.  While General Taylor marched on Monterey, Wool set out for Chihuahua.  His march across the Rio Grande and thence to Monclava involved no battles.  When he arrived in Monclava, he received word that General Taylor had arranged a two-month armistice in the wake of capturing Monterey (Sept 24).  As such, Wool cooled his heels.  However, he was not idle.  He sent out scouts and discovered that his initial plan of capturing Chihuahua was pointless as the troops there had withdrawn.  He proposed joining Taylor.  Rumors of a grand army headed north resulted in an urgent call from Wool's forces.  He arrived in Agua Nueva by December 21, but there was no grand army.  However, that did not prevent him from surveying the region and deciding that the pass of Buena Vista would be the best place to defend should such an army arrive.  On February 21st, after most of the veteran soldiers had been sent to Tampico to join Major General Scott, Santa Anna arrived with 20,000 troops.  While Taylor marched back to Saltillo, he left Wool to arrange the defense at Buena Vista.  The most harrowing battle of the war then commenced, with Wool more often than not in command.  Indeed, Taylor's dispatches after the victory indicated that he was not present for the placing of forces or during a particularly ferocious attack by the Mexican Army.  In the aftermath of the battle, Wool became military governor of Saltillo and, when Taylor returned to the US, he was the commander of Northern Mexico until the war's conclusion.  He returned home to Troy, New York to the cheers of his fellow citizens.

This hagiography to Wool was published in 1851, a year after President Taylor had died in office.  The essay - only 30 pages in length - misses no opportunity to acclaim Wool, often at the expense of Taylor.  Where Taylor's volunteer regiments were a rabble that created guerillas among the Mexicans, Wool's were disciplined, and occupied territory peacefully and even received the gratitude of those occupied.  While Taylor was oblivious of the approach of Santa Anna, Wool had argued for a withdraw from Agua Nueva.  Indeed, it took Santa Anna's Army appearing in the distance to convince Taylor that Agua Nueva was a terrible battlefield when he was so outnumbered.  While Wool placed troops at Buena Vista, Taylor marched the most seasoned troops back to Saltillo to 'inspect the defenses.'  Amazingly, all of these claims are supported by General Taylor's reports after the fact.  Truly, it does appear that Wool won the battle in spite of Taylor's interference in strategy.  Of course, this victory cemented General Taylor's nomination for the presidency.

Had Santa Anna won at Buena Vista, he could have marched to Texas.  That may have resulted in the recall of Scott's invasion force to counter Santa Anna.  Such a reversal could have changed everything.  Where the victory made Taylor president, a defeat would have greatly extended the war and probably reduced the amount of territory the US finally secured.

Death Valley Days: The Firebrand

It is 1846 in Los Angeles and Captain Gillespie of the US Marines has declared martial law.  The city had surrendered without a fight in August and Gillespie was left as military commander.  Former Governor Pio Pico and his brother Andres Pico meet with Gillespie to protest his measures.  However, Gillespie promises to intensify them.  When Gillespie later arrives at a local saloon to arrest a blustering drunkard, Andres has had too much.  He incites the populace to rise up against the Americans.  Despite warnings from his elder brother, Andres sets out with a force of 80 men to confront the army of General Stephen Watts Kearny.  Though he beats them, he sees the wisdom of his brother's counsel and proposes surrender.  However, when told he would be treated as an outlaw and sent to prison for his attack on the American army, he threatens to fight on.  Meanwhile in San Diego, General Kearny meets with Commodore Stockton, declaring his desire for vengeance and exaggerating the force that defeated him at San Pasqual.  Will Andres and Kearny fight again for a final bloody massacre?

Andres Pico is the titular Firebrand, a man eager to fight an unwinnable war.  The episode leaves out much of the history but gets the gist correct.  Lt. Archibald Gillespie had been left in charge of Los Angeles by John C. Fremont and then promptly triggered a revolt.  The ride of Juan Flacco detailed part of this story.  Andres and his band of Californio Lancers trounced two companies of US Dragoons at San Pasqual in early December 1846 (this battle happens entirely off screen, missing a great chance for some action in this snoozefest of an episode).  Of note, Gillespie had joined Kearny by this time and was present at the battle.  Kit Carson managed to reach San Diego and summon reinforcements from Commodore Stockton to assist/rescue the threatened dragoon column.  Though the show implies this was the only battle, Kearny did get his opportunity to fight.  The battles of Rio San Gabriel (Jan 8, 1847) and La Mesa (Jan 9, 1847) preceded the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga (Jan 13, 1847). 

The casting is uninspired.  These actors are playing random roles with little regard to the real people.  The Pico brothers come off best, which is appropriate as this is their story.  The uniforms aren't correct.  The actor playing Fighting Bob Stockton is bald, the one playing General Kearny has a mustache, and a random Mexican drunkard has a revolver (uncommon in the era).  Overall, I was embarrassed for Ronald Reagan that he did the intro and outro for this turkey.

Skip.

A Diary of the Mexican War

In the summer of 1846, Harvey Neville joined the 2nd Regiment of Illinois Volunteers to fight in the Mexican-American War.  He was a First Lieutenant.  His regiment sailed from New Orleans to the Texas coast, being deposited at Port Lavaca in Matagordo Bay on August 1st.  From there, the regiment marched through Victoria and thence to San Antonio by way of Goliad.  The regiment remained in San Antonio from late August until mid-October.  Heading west, the regiment crossed the Rio Grande and made its way to Monclava, arriving in early November.  Five companies were left to occupy the city and the rest of the army continued south.  By early December, the regiment was stationed in Parras.  However, an urgent summons arrived from General Worth at Saltillo.  There was threat of a massive army coming from San Luis Potosi.  As such, Lt. Neville found himself on the march again.  By the 21st of December, the 2nd Illinois Regiment arrived to find no Mexican Army in the area.  However, over the next two months, there were constant rumors of a massive Mexican Army led by Santa Anna enroute.  On February 21st, Santa Anna arrived and the most harrowing battle of the war commenced.  In the wake of the battle, the 2nd Regiment remained in the area for the next 3 months.  In late May, with their 1-year enlistment set to expire, General Wool offered thanks and congratulations before sending them home.  With other volunteer regiments from Arkansas, Indiana, and Kentucky, the regiment marched to the Rio Grande, took boats from Matamoros to the Gulf, and finally boarded ships to take them to New Orleans.  Harvey Neville arrived home on July 12th, 1847.

At only 50 pages, this is a quick read.  Neville is not the best of reporters.  Though he discusses the quality of the soil, the variety of flora, the quality of the water, the dearth of rain, and the distances traveled over good or broken ground, he has little to say regarding his fellow soldiers or the Battle of Buena Vista.  He does not mention General Wool, who has commanded the brigade since San Antonio, except for his parting words when the unit was released.  The same is true of the regiment's colonel, William Bissel.  He does detail a few interesting events, such as the murder of an Arkansas volunteer, the burial ceremony for a soldier, the method of creating tortillas (this is a surprisingly common thing for diarists to describe), and the recent depredations of Comanche near Parras.  He also leaves large gaps in the narrative.  Though he arrived in San Antonio in late August, he offers nothing of his time there and just skips to the middle of October when the army set out.  Then there are a couple of weeks spent in Monclova without entries.  His time around Saltillo is a record of the weather or the latest war news from Scott's march toward Mexico City.

It offers a flavor of the era and gives the views of a man who must surely have been a farmer back in Illinois; who else would have been so concerned with soil quality, what plants grow, and amount of rain?

The Return of Indiana Jones

A new Indiana Jones movie is expected next year, and it got me to thinking when it will take place.  Let's look at the previous movies.

Raiders of the Lost Ark arrived in theaters in 1981, but took place in 1936.  That is a gap of 45 years.  Harrison Ford was 39 years-old.  He is only 2 years older than Indy should be.

Temple of Doom was released in 1984 but took place in 1935.  The gap has widened to 49 years and Harrison Ford was 42.  He was now 6 years older than Indy.

The Last Crusade opened in 1989, taking place in 1938.  That's 51 years.  Ford was 47, 8 years older than Indy.

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull debuted in 2008, but took place in 1957.  That is again a 51 year gap.  Ford was 66.  Again, 8 years older than Indy.

With all this in mind, when will the latest movie be set?  Ford is now 80.  Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. was born around 1899, which means he would be 80 in 1979.  In the TV series from 1992, George Hall played a 93 year-old Indy who would offer an intro and outro to that week's episode.  Of course, if we stick with the 51 year gap from the last two movies, it should take place in 1972.

It is long overdue for Indy to be recast.  Harrison Ford should be taking over the role of George Hall, opening the latest adventure by reminiscing on his younger days.  Also, when is he going to get his eye patch?  I always assumed that Old Indy had lost his eye many years ago.  Don't let some stupid cat gouge his eye like Nick Fury.

Our Army on the Rio Grande

In the Summer of 1846, Thomas Bangs Thorpe sailed from New Orleans to the Rio Grande to explore the setting of the recent battles that opened the Mexican-American War (1846-48).  The book opens in March with the US Army - commanded by General Zachary Taylor - marching south from Corpus Christi and setting up a camp opposite Matamoros on the Rio Grande.  Tensions grow as the Americans build Fort Texas and finally conflict erupts in late April.  Fearing for his supply lines, Taylor marched the majority of his army to Port Isabel while Major Brown commanded the remaining forces at Fort Texas.  On the 3rd of May, the Siege of Fort Texas began.  Taylor could hear the cannons firing and made plans to lift the siege.  On May 8th, his army of less than 3,000 men encountered a Mexican army more than twice as large.  Luckily for General Taylor, Major Samuel Ringgold and his flying artillery were on hand.  Ringgold was a proponent of horse-drawn cannons that could be rapidly redeployed as the situation required.  The ability to relocate artillery quickly to counter enemy charges was decisive in fending off the much larger Mexican army.  Though his tactics won the battle, Ringgold was mortally wounded.  The following day, Taylor pursued the retreating Mexican army to Resaca de la Palma, where the Mexicans had taken a strong position to defend the road to Fort Texas.  Here it was a daring charge of the US Dragoons that broke the Mexican defenses.  Taylor arrived at Fort Texas to learn that Major Brown had died that morning from wounds suffered during the siege.  The fort was renamed Fort Brown.  The US Army crossed the Rio Grande and occupied Matamoros on the 18th of May.

At this point, it becomes clear that Thorpe was on the ground and describes the city of Matamoros first-hand.  He details flora, fauna, cuisine, mode of dress, architecture, government, and more besides.  It is a first-class travelogue that includes a meeting with General Taylor on the banks of the Rio Grande.  In addition to being an author, Thorpe was also an artist and includes numerous sketches of the region.

Here is a really terrific book covering the early days of the war.  Amazing level of detail that includes snippets of Mexican newspapers, dispatches from both Taylor back to Washington and General Arista to Mexico City.  The language used reveals the character of each general.  Long since out of copyright, the book is available for download.

Highly recommended.

The Road to Wigan Pier

The book opens with a foreword by the publisher, Victor Gollancz.  He offers praise for Orwell's documenting the tragic living standards of coal miners in northern England (the first half of the book) but then denounces Orwell's views on why socialism doesn't sell to these lower-class workers (the second half of the book).  Of course, Gollancz praises himself for publishing the book despite his clear objections.  Particularly funny (or tragic) was his defense of the Soviet Union.

It is 1936 and Orwell begins in a boarding house in Wigan where he stayed.  He shared a room with several other men and ate substandard fare.  It is rather bleak, but it gets worse.  He then descended the mine and discovered just how difficult was the miner's life.  He had met several who had been crippled in mine accidents and many more were killed.  Traveling the area, he describes the tumbledown homes that would be marked for demolition but for the paucity of housing.  Then there is the catastrophic unemployment that is worse than the government number indicate.  He provides a detailed accounting of how much a miner might make, the costs of living, the periods of unemployment, and the impossibility of escaping a life of hard labor.

Orwell moves on to discuss why socialism has failed to take hold despite the grim conditions he has just detailed.  He offers several reasons.  First, there is class prejudice.  He himself was raised on the lower rungs of the middle class (middle class in England would be white collar workers whereas the working class would be blue collar.  Middle class in England doesn't translate the same as middle class in the United States) and was raised to have a low opinion of the working class.  He further says that socialist are too intellectual, arguing points that would only be of interest to other intellectuals.  He notes that often socialism intersects with fringe or unpopular ideologies, such as vegetarianism or feminism.  This association gives the impression that socialists are a bunch of cranks.  Though he proclaims himself to be a devoted socialist, he says that socialists are using the wrong arguments to win converts.  He even posited that fascism was more likely to take hold in England in the next 10 years. 

It is eye opening to see the same arguments from today were being argued 85 years ago.  There is nothing new.  That Gollancz was a fan of the Soviets shows that he was in the dark.  He must have read Walter Duranty.  Despite repeated epic failures of socialism, there continue to be proponents for socialism.  Orwell is clearly a brilliant man, and yet he argues for socialism.  By the time he wrote 1984, he had come to understand where socialism leads.  Here, he had an inkling while writing this book.

Excellent book.  Recommended.

Watch Out, We're Mad! (1974)

Kid (Terence Hill) and Ben (Bud Spencer) are both race car drivers of the low budget variety.  They have a contentious history that is not explained.  The two compete to win a red dune buggy and, miraculously, tie.  The dune buggy is signed over to both of them and they must determine how to split it.  They agree on a hot dog eating contest at the nearby amusement park.  While they are eating hot dogs, a small army of goons arrive to trash the amusement park.  The trashing results in the destruction of the dune buggy!  The Boss (John Sharp) intends to put the park out of business so he can build a skyscraper.  Kid and Ben confront the Boss and his crackpot adviser, the Doctor (Donald Pleasence).  They politely request a replacement dune buggy.

"Or else what?" the Boss demands.

"We'll get mad."

There then follows efforts to punish Kid and Ben for their effrontery, each of which results in a slapstick combat that sees waves of goons beaten and battered.  Mixed in between the action routines is Kid's wooing of the tightrope walking beauty (Patty Shepard), continued efforts to bankrupt the park, and Ben complaining about anyone who smokes.  Of course, they do eventually get mad.

A low budget goofball comedy that is truly mindless.  This was the 10th film that started Hill and Spencer.  In Europe, they were a popular duo and went on to make another 8 films together.

Silly but fun.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

It is 1923 on the island of Inisherin and amiable Padraic (Colin Farrell) walks down to the house of his friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) at the usual time to ask him to the pub.  Colm does not answer the door and when Padraic looks through the window, he sees Colm smoking a cigarette and clearly ignoring him.  Confused by the strange behavior, he declares that he'll see him at the pub and departs.  The pub owner is astonished to see Padraic arrive without Colm and asked if they are rowing.  As far as he knows, Padraic says not.  It soon becomes apparent that Colm wants nothing to do with Padraic and takes extreme measures to enforce this separation.

The movie is generally tragic though it has many laugh out loud moments.  Colm's catastrophic confession with the visiting priest is probably the funniest bit.  That the movie takes place during the Irish Civil War (1922-23), it may be an allegory.  Padraic comments that he doesn't understand why there is a civil war and then finds himself in personal one.  Kerry Condon plays Siobhan, Padraic's sister.  She is equally baffled by Colm's behavior but urges Padraic to respect the split.  Barry Keoghan plays Dominic, who is generally viewed as the village idiot.  He's not so dumb as that but is clearly lonely; the island does not appear to have many women of his age who are available to court.  One stand-out character is Mrs. McCormick (Sheila Flitton).  This old crone stalks the island like a figure of doom.  When first met, she asks how long it had been since Padraic and Siobhan's parents died.  Later, she declares that there will be a death by the end of the month, maybe two.  She is very like a banshee.

Banshee: a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die

It is very well-made and interesting movie, but there are no happy endings or even clear resolutions.  This too may be hinting at the Irish Civil War.  Recommended.  

The Quest for Cosmic Justice

In the Quest for Cosmic Justice, Thomas Sowell talks of cosmic justice vs. traditional justice.  Under traditional justice, certain rules were set and all parties were expected to meet them.  Whether those rules were for college acceptance or conviction for a crime, there was just one set of rules.  However, this was unfair to some.  Student A went to a good school while Student B went to an inner-city school.  That Student A is more likely to be accepted to a good college is a forgone conclusion.  However, it is no credit to A that he was raised in better circumstances.  Nor is it the fault of B that he didn't have the same benefits.  Those seeking cosmic justice seek to balance the scales where nature and/or society does not offer the same opportunities.  This sounds like a fine goal.  However, where traditional justice is easily administered, cosmic justice requires more information.  Rather than just looking at the text of laws, judges must now weigh the various attributes of people (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, circumstances of upbringing, etc.) to determine the just outcome.  This sort of thinking is why Justice Sotomayor said that a wise Latina woman would reach a better conclusion.  Cosmic justice is impossible and its administration is capricious.  Justice is pursued in the laws that legislatures pass, not in the rulings of judges.  Lady Justice wears a blindfold for a reason, but modern justice - social justice - has removed the blindfold.  If you are this race, you get a bump in your score for college admissions.  If you are that religion, you are above criticism, if you have that condition, your employer must make reasonable accommodations for you, etc.  Sowell prefers traditional justice.

There are additional topics to discuss.  The book is really a collection of 4 essays that play upon one another.  After the Quest for Cosmic Justice, he delves into the idea of equality, namely that it is a mirage and, like Cosmic Justice, unachievable.  Not only do different cultures hold different values, there are different levels of effort and different degrees of talent.  If two children raised in the same household by the same parents could have drastically different outcomes, what hope is there to have equality on a mass scale.  Yet another impossibility.

Next he talks of the Tyranny of Visions.  Here he digs into the peace movements that followed the First World War and how that inevitably allowed Hitler to build a military machine that plunged the world into yet another devastating war.  The signs were all there but an adherence to a pacifist vision led the leaders of the free world to stand by as the Axis Powers grew more dangerous.

Lastly, he covers The Quiet Repeal of the American Revolution.  Where private property was once private, the state can now take it not for public use but to transfer it to another private owner who will pay more taxes.  Where it used to be that the burden of proof was placed on the prosecution, in many cases it is now up to the defense to prove innocence.  This is particularly true in discrimination cases where guilt is presumed if the makeup of employees is not the same as the makeup of the local population.  Worse still, the government has taken to purchasing citizens' freedom with citizens' taxes.  For example, the government offers a subsidy to School A on the condition that it follow several rules, then that will give School A an advantage over all schools that don't accept the subsidy.  In this way, the government imposes rules that it has no authority to impose.

Though a short book, it is packed with provocative ideas and strong arguments for a return to the rule of law.  Highly recommended.

The Saint (Series 5)

Simon Templar (Roger Moore) returns in color!  Yes, after 4 series in black and white, the show upgraded to color.  Another change was the opening.  Where Templar had always broken the fourth wall to offer background to his surroundings or the people on the scene, now it is offered as narration while he wanders the set.  Beyond that, the show remains the same.  Templar has an uncanny knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or perhaps the right place at the right time.  He exposes blackmailers, foils thieves, and captures murderers.  One noteworthy thing in the series is that being Simon's friend ususually proves fatal.  He often has to solve the murder of friends.  Among some of the more interesting guest stars are Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny from the early 60s to the mid 80s), Patrick Troughton (the 2nd Doctor Who), Jean Marsh, Edward Woodward (the original Equalizer), and Burt Kwouk (Kato from Pink Panther movies).

Good popcorn fun.

Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest

Born in 1784 and the son of a Revolutionary War officer, Zachary Taylor grew up in Kentucky.  Louisville was a backwater when he was a child but boomtown as he reached adulthood.  In the wake of the 1807 attack by the British on an American frigate (Chesapeake-Leopard Affair), President Jefferson called for an increase in the military.  Thus began Zachary Taylor's army career.  Based in the far west during the War of 1812, he saw little action.  Soon, he was commanding forts along the Mississippi to protect settlers from the various Indian tribes.  He slowly gained rank and was Colonel of the 1st Infantry Regiment during the Black Hawk War (1832).  He came to national attention by 'winning' the Battle of Lake Okeechobee (1837) in the Seminole War (1835-1842).  It was a technical win as his forces took the battlefield, but the cost was 26 killed and 112 wounded.  The Seminole forces lost 11 killed and 14 wounded.  He did not care for Florida and was glad to be sent back to the western forts.  In 1845, Texas was annexed, and General Taylor was sent to Corpus Christi to command the Army of Occupation.  In March of 1846, he led his forces to the Rio Grande and built Fort Texas.  In late April, Mexican cavalry attacked US Dragoons on the northside of the Rio Grande.  On May 8th, 2,300 American soldiers met 3,700 Mexican soldiers at Palo Alto.  The American officer corps, composed of West Point graduates, proved their worth.  The following day saw the last battle in Texas at Resaca de la Palma, another victory for Taylor.  If Okeechobee made him known to the nation, these two battles made him a hero.  In September, he captured the city of Monterey and there was talk of running him for president in 1848.  No one knew if he was a Democrat or a Whig, so both parties courted him.  When it was clear that he leaned more Whig, President Polk - a Democrat - sought to sideline him and sent General Winfield Scott to take over.  Despite having the majority of his veterans reallocated to General Scott, Taylor won the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847 and cemented his national fame.   Though he wanted to be a non-partisan president, he accepted the Whig nomination.  He was elected by a plurality (47.3%) of the vote, the Democrats having split between former President Van Buren (10.1%) and Lewis Cass (42.5%). During the contentious debates about admitting new states - especially California - from among the territory captured in the recent war, Taylor sided with the North.  Despite growing up as a Southerner and being a slave owner, he sided against the South during his presidency.  He was an American first and a Southerner second.  His political naivete was just fading away and he was starting to assert himself in the political games of Washington when he died of cholera in July 1850.  The Whigs had only won the presidency twice.  First with William Henry Harrison and then with Zachary Taylor.  Harrison died 1 month into office, Taylor lasted 16 months.

K Jack Bauer has written an interesting and informative biography.  It paints a picture of an incurious but persistent man.  Taylor was diligent in building a fortune during his lifetime.  He was one to hold a grudge.  He was beloved by his troops who gave him the name of Old Rough and Ready.  Indeed, Taylor was more likely to be mistaken as a farmer than a general, as he typically wore plain clothes and a straw hat.  After reading this, I had a lower opinion of his abilities as a general but a higher opinion of him as a president.

Recommended.

The Big Sleep (1946)

Phillip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) arrives at the Sternwood Estate and is met by Camilla Sternwood.  She thinks he's cute but short.  She hits on him.  Though amused, he declines and meets with General Sternwood.  It happens that Sternwood has received a large bill attributed to Camilla.  He'd like Marlowe to deal with it.  Marlowe agrees.  On the way out the door, he is summoned to meet Sternwood's other daughter, Vivian Rutledge (Lauren Bacall).  She grills him to find out what her father wants him to do and proposes that he is meant to find Sean Regan.  While digging into Camilla's troubles - which becomes littered with corpses - Marlowe continual gets questions about Sean Regan.  The rumor is that he ran away with a casino owner's wife.  Why do all roads lead to Sean Regan?

Though the plot is generally inscrutable, the repartee is awesome.  The banter between Bogart and basically everyone is a joy to watch.  That every woman he meets is immediately in love with him is hilarious.  Again, the dialogue is terrific and his sharp replies and keen observations show real talent from the screenwriter.  As with To Have and Have Not, this was directed by Howard Hawks and had William Faulkner among the screenwriters.

Of the three versions of Marlowe I have watched, this is by far the best.  Robert Mitchum was too old and the setting wrong in the 1978 version of The Big Sleep.  Of course, that one was more willing to expose the dark features of the story that are left to the imagination here.  Elliot Gould was horrendous in the astonishingly bad The Long Goodbye.  Liam Neeson will take on the role later this year in Marlowe; I doubt he can match Bogart, but I'll be interested to see.

Highly recommended.

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Harry Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) arrives at the harbor in Martinique to take Mr. Johnson on a fishing trip.  That Martinique is now controlled by Vichy France creates some bureaucratic hassles for an expat American like Morgan.  He has a perpetually drunken mate, Eddy (Walter Brennan), who talks incessantly.  During the trip, Mr. Johnson fails to catch a marlin and even loses the rod and reel.  Worse, he skips out on paying Morgan, leaving him in the lurch.  Though he had declined an offer to smuggle French Resistance onto Martinique, he now must in order to survive.  The Vichy French Gestapo are soon sniffing for fugitives, paying particular attention to Morgan.  On top of this, a woman has arrived in Martinique, Marie Browning (Lauren Bacall).  Sparks fly from the first meeting of Harry and Marie, though they never use those names.  She calls him 'Steve' and he calls her 'Slim.'  Their flirty banter is far more interesting than the Casablanca knock-off storyline.

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve?  Just put your lips together and... blow."

Though based on a novel by Ernest Hemingway, it was reworked to have a happy ending and a laudable hero.  William Faulkner wrote the screen play.  Howard Hawks directed.  This movie was where Bogart - then 44 - and Bacall - only 18 - met.  Within three weeks, they were having an affair.  By the following year, Bogart had divorced his third wife and married Bacall.  They remained married until his death at 57.

Here is a bland story that has some terrific acting and some lively dialogue.  It even includes Hoagy Carmichael who, strangely enough, is how Ian Fleming pictured James Bond.  Unexpected.

Good popcorn fun!

The Last White House Slaves

Zachary Taylor was the 12th president and the last slave owner to be elected.  Born in Virginia in 1784 and raised in Kentucky, Taylor joined the military in 1808.  One feature of the US Army in the era was that officers could apply for additional pay to hire a servant; this was to give officers the appearance of gentlemen with valets, cooks, etc.  Slave owning officers could keep the pay for themselves.  Yeah, that's not going to be abused.  Taylor first applied for the additional pay in 1817 when he was a major posted in Green Bay, Illinois Territory (yes, Illinois, not Wisconsin).  Of course, in 1817, slavery was illegal in the territories.  Nonetheless, despite spending decades stationed at forts in the western territories, Taylor took his slaves with him.   When Taylor moved from Baton Rouge, LA, to Washington DC, he brought at least one - and probably several - slaves with him.  His chief slave, Charles Porter, whom he inherited from his father, died at the White House in July 1849.  The presence of other slaves is unclear but highly likely.  

The book is most concerned with the life of Jane, who is first documented as Taylor's slave in 1820. Jane - a mulatto slave - was listed on his reimbursement form while he was posted in Louisiana.  She was last listed on his reimbursement form in 1849.  Depending on rank, officers had a limit to how many "servants" they could claim for reimbursement; for reasons of propriety, female slaves were often omitted.  When Jane is listed, she is usually the last name on the form.  It was an open secret that female slaves were often concubines for their male owners.  Considering that, it is of note that Jane had two children, a son named William and a daughter named Caroline.  Each of them - also listed as mulattos, appear on Taylor's or his son-in-law's reimbursement forms.  In 1862, Lincoln proposed reimbursing slave owners rather than outright emancipation.  The plan was instituted in Washington DC.  Among those for whom freedom was purchased by the government were Jane and her daughter, Caroline; Taylor's daughter was still living in DC and had inherited the two in 1852.  Jane's son, William, had relocated to Canada in advance of Taylor's inauguration as president.  Bachman posits that William looked so much like Old Zach that it would be highly embarrassing to have him around.  In the final chapter, Bachman details the account of Bill Taylor (1944-2013) who stated that his ancestor, William Taylor, had been Zachary Taylor's son and slave.

The book is short but provides insight into the antebellum military in general and the Taylor family in particular.  Recommended.

My New Latest Book

 

The next book in my Musings series is out!  Same stuff, different years!  Just the thing for your Kindle collection or maybe even a paperback for your shelf.

Not All There

“American soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division scaled that 1,800-foot cliff at night, caught the Germans by surprise, captured key positions, and broke through the German defense line at a pivotal point in the war.  Just imagine — I mean it sincerely — I say this as a father of a man who won the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Medal, and lost his life in Iraq. Imagine the courage, the daring, and the genuine sacrifice — genuine sacrifice they all made.”

President Joe Biden

October 13, 2022

Beau Biden, Joe Biden's son, did indeed win a Bronze Star and Conspicuous Service Medal, but he did not die in Iraq.  He returned from a tour of Iraq in 2009.  Six years later, he died from brain cancer in Bethesda, Maryland.  President Biden does not remember where his son died.

Last month, Joe Biden asked where Jackie Walorski was during a speech.  Of course, she had died in August.  On the day she died, he released a statement that started thus:

Jill and I are shocked and saddened by the death of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski of Indiana along with two members of her staff in a car accident today in Indiana.

President Joe Biden

August 3, 2022

Clearly, President Biden isn't all there, but no talk of the 25th Amendment.  In fact, Democrats are trying to get another politician who is not all there to join Joe in Washington.  Jon Fetterman, Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania, is recovering from a stroke and needed a machine to translate for him because he has trouble understanding English at the moment.  Yeah, sounds like someone totally qualified to join the Senate.

The Thin Man (1934)

Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis) is visited by his daughter Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan) and her fiancé.  She wants her father to come to the wedding.  Though he is leaving town that night, he promises to be back in time for the wedding.  After his daughter leaves, he decides to set aside some bonds as a wedding present.  They are missing from the safe!  Instantly he suspects his mistress, Julia (Natalie Moorhead).  He finds her with another man, who promptly leaves when Wynant arrives.  She admits taking the bonds, claiming that she earned it.  He suspects she was not alone in taking the bonds and storms away to confront this mysterious person.

Three months later in the middle of the Christmas season, Nick Charles (William Powell) is drinking martinis at a bar when Dorothy approaches him.  Nick is a former private detective who gave up the profession when he married Nora (Myrna Loy).  However, Nick had worked for Clyde Wynant years ago and is glad to see Dorothy.  She explains how her father has vanished and asks Nick to investigate.  He declines.  Even so, his reputation soon has reporters and police demanding to know what he has uncovered.  Nora is eager for him to investigate, wanting to join in solving the mystery.

Based on Dashiell Hammett's final novel, this is a classic mystery with a winning cast.  William Powell is terrific as the brilliant detective who is more often interested in his next drink than the next clue.  Typically, such detectives are bachelors with a dark demeanor and a hard-boiled personality, but Nick is a happily married fellow with a sunny disposition.  Very different.  Myrna Loy is a smart aleck wife who urges Nick into the thick of things only to have him leave her behind.  Their wisecracking toward one another is great fun and shows a truly satisfied couple.

Though I had seen this movie before, I had no idea who the murderer was when Nick invited all the suspects to a dinner party where he reveals all.  Impressive.  The movie was such a success that it spawned 5 sequels.

Highly recommended and great popcorn fun!

Blame the Republican

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina smashed into Louisiana and left a path of devastation, the media piled on President Bush - a Republican - for his failure to respond in a timely fashion.  His poor leadership made a bad situation worse.  Governor Blanco - a Democrat - was hardly mentioned.  Mayor Ray Nagin - a Democrat - did receive some criticism for not evacuating New Orleans, but that was overshadowed by Spike Lee's claims that the levees were intentionally destroyed to flood black neighborhoods.

In 2022, when Hurricane Ian smashed into Florida, the media press Governor DeSantis - a Republican - regarding deaths and short-notice evacuations orders.  President Biden - a Democrat - is hardly mentioned in relation to the hurricane.

Regardless of the situation, somehow it is always the Republican's fault.  Threat of a government shutdown when the president is a Republican and the congress is Democratic?  The president is to blame.  Threat of shutdown when president is a Democrat, and the congress is Republican?  The congress is to blame.  Gridlock in congress when the house is Democrat, and the senate is Republican?  Senate at fault.  Gridlock when house is Republican, and senate is Democrat?  Clearly, the house is in error.  When a Republican does something wrong, the story is how the Republican did something wrong.  When a Democrat does something wrong, the story is how Republicans are making political hay over Democrat missteps.

A Democrat calls a Republican a Nazi or a fascist, he's speaking truth to power.  A Republican says anything negative toward a Democrat and he is accused of being uncivil and perhaps even encouraging violence.

It's a one-way street in most of the media.  Republicans bad, Democrats good.  It's a miracle Republicans ever win an election with the non-stop negative press.

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

Pilot Frank Towns (James Stewart) and Navigator Lew Moran (Richard Attenborough) are bound for Benghazi with 13 passengers from a remote Libyan oil site.  Their plane is an old WWII cargo carrier that is held together by elbow grease and wishful thinking.  On this trip, the radio is out.  Though the weather report was favorable, they instead fly into a sandstorm.  Efforts to climb above it fail and soon the engines are dying.  Towns lands among the sand dunes of the Sahara and the cargo tumbles through the passenger cabin, killing 2 and seriously injuring 1.  A survey of the damage confirms that the plane will not be taking off again.  A hundred miles from the nearest water, they can only hope that a search party discovers them.  Of course, they are well off course, which means the search will likely be in the wrong place.

After several days, the survivors realize that they are not going to be found.  Heinrich Dorfmann (Hardy Kruger) proposes using the intact parts of the plane to construct a new plane.  Frank thinks this is madness but Lew is interested.  Dr. Renaud suggests that, even if the new plane won't fly, it's better to have hope than to sit around and watch one another die.

The story of Sgt. Watson (Ronald Fraser) is peculiar.  When Captain Harris (Peter Finch) is determined to march through the desert to the nearest water, Watson 'injures' his leg.  As such, another volunteers to go with Harris; that volunteer dies somewhere in the desert.  Harris managed to stumble back to the plane.  Not long after, Harris proposes to meet with a mysterious band of Arabs beyond a sand dune.  Watson flatly refuses to accompany the captain, threatening to use a revolver.  Harris marches off with someone else, resulting in more deaths.  Watson's repeated insubordination resulted in his surviving, while those who went with Captain Harris all died.  Here is a man who repeatedly shirked his duty, which proved the wise course.

It is a well-told story with excellent performances from a great cast, but it isn't all that entertaining.  It's okay.  I can definitely see why it was a box office failure, especially since it was released in the same month as Battle of the Bulge, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Doctor Zhivago, and Thunderball.

Looker (1981)

Lisa Convey (Terri Welles) consults Dr. Larry Roberts (Albert Finney), a highly-regarded plastic surgeon, about having work done.  Her specifications are to the millimeter and will be unnoticeable to most observers.  She is not the first model to request such surgery and his partner thinks it's a fad.  Roberts performs the surgery.  Soon after she has fully recovered, Terri plunges to her death from her apartment balcony.  In fact, 3 of Dr. Roberts' 4 patients have died and Lt. Masters (Dorian Harewood) is investigating them as potential murders.  Roberts decides that he is going to keep a close eye on the last remaining model, Cindy (Susan Dey) while he tries to determine what happened to the others.  He quickly finds that Reston Industries, run by John Reston (James Coburn), has links to both the models and the production of the television commercials in which they appeared.

Residing on the edge of a sci-fi movie, there is a light-gun that puts targets into a hypnotic state, a digital imaging system that allows for computer-generated commercials staring imaged actors, and even a roving robotic custodian that services a high-tech facility.  Crichton has inserted commentary about the power of television and posits potential dangers.  Is television a tool for brainwashing to which the viewer voluntarily submits?  Not a new idea - the subliminal message was old hat by 1981 - but a different angle.  Here is a Crichton movie that does not have an associated book.

The movie starts strong but begins to crumble in the 3rd act.  The car chase picks up mid-chase with no setup.  Roberts' infiltration for the climax is both implausible and too convenient.  Though frequently funny, the climax spends entirely too much time having the principals creep around empty stages.  There is also a comical trope of scantily clad women throughout the movie.  Sure, they are models, but the one who takes off her robe to answer her apartment door was laughable.  Then there was the model who feared for her life and was leaving town immediately, but not until she changes clothes at her apartment.  Sigh.

Good popcorn fun!

The China Syndrome (1979)

Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) is a reporter for KXLA.  She primarily does the feel-good stories, not hard journalism.  With camera man Richard (Michael Douglas) and sound engineer Hector (Daniel Valdez), Kimberly arrives at the Ventana nuclear plant to do a puff piece about energy.  Bill Gibson (James Hampton) offers a brief presentation about how a nuclear powerplant generates electricity and then shows them around the non-restricted areas of the power station.  The tour ends in a viewing gallery where they can see the control room.  Then there is an incident.  Though told not to film, Richard surreptitiously recorded the events.  Kimberly wants to show the film immediately upon returning to the TV station.  Having no sound and no expertise to determine if this was a mundane or serious incident, the management declines.  Meanwhile, Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon) knows there is something serious wrong.  Though they handled the incident effectively, there was a tremor that concerned him.  As he investigates, he discovers that some of the construction reports that were submitted are duplicates.  Further, he finds a radioactive puddle near the turbine.  Though he reports this, everyone above him wants to restart the station.  His efforts to expose the problem through contacts with Kimberly and Richard are thwarted by hired goons.

This movie, released in March 1979, coincided with the Three Mile Island nuclear accident and crippled nuclear power in the US since.  Though described by the nuclear industry as fiction and character assassination, there had been problems prior to Three Mile Island.  The Brown's Ferry Nuclear Plant in Alabama had a fire in 1975 that was much more dangerous than Three Mile Island.  That there were issues with nuclear energy is entirely true, but the portrayal of the executives was cartoonish in their villainy.  Despite the incident and being shown that construction guidelines were not followed, the executives choose to silence those trying to prevent a meltdown.

Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011 have further added to concerns about nuclear power.  However, in the history of US nuclear power, there have been 7 deaths (3 in Idaho in 1961 and 4 in Virginia in 1986).  By contrast, 5,788 coal miners have died in accidents since 1961.  Then there are other energy sources to consider.  In June 1984, a Union Oil refinery explosion in Illinois killed 19.  In May 1988, a Shell Oil refinery explosion killed 7.  In June 1999, a pipeline explosion in Washington killed 3.  In March 2005, the Texas City Refinery explosion killed 15.  In 2010, an explosion at a Connecticut plant killed 5.  In April 2013, a gas well blowout in Texas killed 2.  To be fair, one should also compare how much of our energy is provided by these sources and determine how many deaths per megawatt, but that would take more time than I want to commit.  The point is that all sources of energy have dangers, but we are cavalier in our attitude toward deaths from coal and oil production.

In any case, the movie is entertaining and certainly worth watching.

Confess, Fletch (2022)

Fletch (Jon Hamm) is exploring the house he rented in Boston when he discovers a dead woman.  Soon, detectives Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.) and "Griz" (Ayden Mayeri) are on scene to investigate.  Monroe says it will be much easier if Fletch just confesses.  Fletch counters by offering to assist since he was a somewhat famous investigative reporter.  When asked why he is in Boston, he claims it is to research a book.  In fact, Count Clementi Arbogastes De Grassi (Robert Picardo) hired him to locate several stolen paintings, two of which were resold by Mr. Horan (Kyle MacLachlan), a Boston art dealer.  To further complicate matters, Countess De Grassi (Marcia Gay Hardin) arrives in Boston to demand a progress report on 'her' paintings.  Additionally, Fletch is having an affair with the Count's daughter, Angela (Lorenza Izzo).

Though a surprisingly faithful adaptation of the novel, the most noteworthy change is the lack of Inspector Flynn.  Flynn's appearance in the novel launched a series of Flynn mysteries and those rights were not available.  Thus, Detective Monroe is his replacement.  However, Monroe is overshadowed by his partner, Griz.  Whereas Flynn's sidekick was mostly a mute notetaker, Monroe's is the brains of the operation while Monroe is literally asleep in many scenes.  Though I was skeptical of Jon Hamm as Fletch, he is quite good in the role.  In fact, he is much closer to the literary Fletch than Chevy Chase.  He doesn't do goofy disguises and slapstick silliness.  He's got the smart aleck comments and the clever social engineering to convince strangers to talk to him.

The movie ends with talk of Walter March, a character from Fletch's Fortune; clearly, there is a path to a sequel.  Sadly, that looks unlikely.  It only opened a week ago and yet is only playing in one theater here.  The box office is unimpressive, and I've seen no ad campaign for it.

Good popcorn fun!

"The Pandemic is over"

Tonight, President Biden declared the pandemic over.  Normalcy may now resume in those jurisdictions that haven't already done so.  The curve is flat enough, the spread is slow-ish, and Dr. Fauci submitted his 4-month notice.  Overall, it was poorly handled.  Thanks to our advanced communication technology, we were able to do treat this pandemic in a way that would never have been contemplated.  The continuing advance of technology and likely rise in robots will allow even more stringent lockdowns in the future.  Life has risks.  Those who are at threat should 'voluntarily' self-isolate.  People should be free to weigh the odds.  If I had been in my 20s, I would have been frustrated that a disease likely to be mild and non-fatal had put my life on hold.  One of the annoying things from this pandemic is the new definition of vaccine.  I get a flu shot most years, not a flu vaccine.  However, vaccine sounds so much better and gives the impression of immunity.  Really, we've been doing Polio vaccines for decades and there have been virtually no cases.  Covid vaccine and multiple boosters didn't prevent infections, though reportedly reduced the severity.  Yeah, that's what the flu shot does.  This redefinition of terms is how the CDC has sown distrust.  Once lost, trust is very hard to restore.

Let's not do this again.

Musings: 2010 to 2013

I've published another book.  This is the first four years of this blog.  It will make a great addition to your collection and brighten any shelf.

Bill Maher on Presentism

Bill Maher had a terrific monologue recently in which he talked about presentism.

Presentism: an attitude toward the past dominated by present-day attitudes and experiences.

It is ludicrous to hold people who lived centuries ago to the standards of today and declare that "they should have known better."  He offers a reality check on that view, which happens to be hilarious.  The tearing down of statues and the denouncing of historical figures has ravaged the country since the rise of presentism.  As one who earned a degree in history, this trend has been particularly irksome.  Everyone was bad and we must universally condemn them.

Martha's Vineyard Immigration Policy

I have discovered an immigration policy that I like.  Martha's Vineyard recently had an influx of 'undocumented' immigrants.  Within 48 hours, those immigrants were deported from the island.  Yes!  There we go.  The self-proclaimed sanctuary had a different view once those asylum seekers landed on their tony shores.  Much like windfarms, the wealthy elite are heartily in favor, as long as it doesn't ruin their picturesque views or property values.  When it was the border states absorbing the floods of migrants, it was immoral to oppose the migrants.  No human is illegal!  That formulation changes a bit when they are expected to carry their "fair share" of immigrants.  Apparently, 50 was too many.  In any case, all jurisdictions should have the same deportation authority as Martha's Vineyard.

Journal of Francis Collins: An Artillery Officer in the Mexican War

Francis Collins (1820-1882) graduated West Point in 1845 and was assigned to the 4th Regiment of Artillery.  In 1846, war was declared.  Second Lieutenant Collins was assigned recruiting duty in North Carolina before eventually being deployed to the theater.  Not until November did he find himself in a camp on the Texas-side of the Rio Grande.  This did not last long.  The navy reported that Mexican forces had withdrawn from Tampico; on the 23rd of November, Collins found himself as part of an occupying force.  For three months, Collins remained in Tampico, which became the collection site for Major General Winfield Scott's invasion force.  At the end of February, the army embarked on transports and sailed to Vera Cruz.  He participated in the siege and capture of Vera Cruz.  As soon as the city was captured, he was part of the vanguard under Brigadier General David Twiggs, marching inland.  The battles of Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, and Mexico City followed.  Though a war journal, much of it deals with waiting.  After Cerro Gordo, he spent two months in Xalapa before advancing to Puebla where he spent another month.  He spent two months in Mexico City, and almost five months posted at Toluca.  In May of 1848, the US Army withdrew from Toluca and began the long march back to Vera Cruz.  It was not until mid-July that the 4th Artillery was embarked and sailing for home.

Though similar to the journal of Albert Brackett, Collins was a professional soldier with different attitudes.  Where Brackett viewed it as a grand adventure, Collins sees bad logistics and poor command, especially among the volunteers.  He complains of training volunteers while idling at Perote Castle.  He often found himself assigned as an adjutant general - like a chief of staff - to volunteer generals who had little idea what they were supposed to do.  Many of the volunteer officers "play gentlemen" but could not effectively command.  He also made note of the numerous fortifications that had been erected by the Mexicans but then abandoned.  Several choke points along the main road from Vera Cruz to Mexico City had been prepared for a defensive line and then left.  He frequently is surprised that the Mexican Army did not oppose the American advance, especially the landings on the beach near Vera Cruz.  His strongest complaints are reserved for the withdrawal of troops at the end of the war.  Many soldiers were left standing on the beaches of Vera Cruz where yellow fever was rife.  Indeed, 40% of the men on his transport had yellow fever during the voyage home and he himself nearly died of it upon return to Virginia.  If the transports were not ready to receive men, then the troops should have been left to wait in the safe zone of Xalapa.

Brackett had followed Collin's inland march and, interestingly, observed many of the same things.  Both were fascinated by the pyramid at Cholula, remarked on the snow-capped mountains and the lush valleys, and how the local people appreciated the law & order that American occupation brought.  This last is unusual, as it has been reported in many accounts.  Is this a case of locals stating what they think the conquerors want to hear or their true opinion?  Did multiple American memoirs falsely proclaim that they had brought order to a lawless land?  Though American soldiers surely plundered, the policy of General Scott was to pay full price for goods from the local population; he had enough trouble facing the Mexican Army that he didn't need a hostile populace as well.

Most of the entries are brief recaps of the events for the day and only occasionally extend to commentary or description.  Not for everyone, but rewarding for those interested in the Mexican-American War.

See How They Run (2022)

It is 1953 in the West End of London where a celebration is being held for the 100th performance of The Mousetrap, adapted from one of Agatha Christie's mysteries.  The success of the show has brought Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody), a Hollywood director, to London with plans of doing a film version.  During the party, it becomes clear that he has not endeared himself to anyone.  Thus, it is no surprise at all when he is murdered.  There are plenty of suspects.

Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) arrive on scene to begin the investigation.  Stalker is an avid note-taker, having missed her calling as a court stenographer.  She also has the problem of deciding that the latest person to be interviewed is the guilty party.  "Don't jump to conclusions," Stoppard counsels.  While Stalker is eager and full of energy, Stoppard is world-weary.  He is clearly not pleased to have Stalker - a woman constable - as a partner.

Some historic people are among the cast.  Notably, Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson) is the star of the play.  Why was a 6'2" Dickinson cast to play the 5'6" Attenborough?  Also, Agatha Christie (Shirley Henderson) appears in the final act.  Other casting choices show the diversity requirements of the modern movie industry rather than an accurate look at 1953 London, just like Death on the Nile.

Definitely funny but not uproariously so.  The laughs are mostly regarding the awkwardness of the characters in particular scenes, not laugh out loud jokes.  As is common in many such mysteries, much is telegraphed in earlier scenes.  However, some of this is misdirection.

Good popcorn fun.

Sanctuary in Name Only

Mayors, governors, senators, and representatives from cities and states that are far from the border have long labeled anyone who wants a border wall to be racists.  The sitting vice president has repeatedly declared that the border is secure and the fact that a couple busloads of illegal immigrants just arrived near her residence has not changed that view.  Governor Ron DeSantis raised the ante by chartering a flight to Martha's Vineyard for 50 undocumented migrants.  The very people who virtue signal by stating that no person is illegal are now crying foul.  They don't have the resources to deal with all these people.  Oh, really?  Thousands are coming over the Texas border on a daily basis, but home of the super wealthy Martha's Vineyard is unable to cope with 50.  Similar caterwauling has been heard from New York City, Washington DC, and Chicago.  What happened to the compassion that dripped from every proclamation about the border?  Yeah, it was great as long as it wasn't in your backyard.