Well, I had some other stuff planned, but then I got home late. Not my fault; the professor made us watch Fort Apache. Oh sure, you roll your eyes and think 'How awful, he had to watch a movie,' but you understand nothing! I'm a Clint Eastwood western lover, and John Wayne movies have entirely too many kind, decent, folk in them for me.
Still, the I did wind up scribbling two pages worth of ramblings while watching the flick, and I always enjoy seeing where the hell my mind will go. Plus, I learned new stuff. I had thought Shirley Temple was always kid-sized. Who knew she actually grew up? And that as an adult, she was no longer so cute that my stomach collapses in on itself in its effort to retch. And that she became ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslovakia? Wild.
During the movie, I thought it was interesting that Colonel Thursday (Henry Fonda) calls Capt. York (John Wayne) a coward, then the next minute, refuses to duel Wayne when he throws down the proverbial gauntlet. I guess Fonda was too busy leading his troops to slaughter. Tuesday, according to my high school calculus teacher, is the kind of commanding officer that, were he in 'Nam, he would never have slept in the jungle, because a hand grenade would have gone off next to his sleeping bag, and been written off "friendly fire".
As you might expect, I was terrified of my high school calculus teacher. More because of the calculus, than the casual discussion of killing superior officers. Well, that and his tendency to dress in full Scottish Highlander regalia, complete with sword, and visit the history classes. Yikes.
I do want to give John Ford credit, because he fit damning indictments of Indian agents and Custer in the same movie, and gave Fonda the opportunity to dance while holding everything above the knees completely stiff. It was impressive work.
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3 comments:
I've never liked Wayne either, but I've often wondered why they never got the two of them together in a film, Freddie vs Jason style. Wayne probably thought Clint was a Pinko or something.
Hey, I LIKE John Wayne! Although I guess my favorites are "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "The Quiet Man" and "McClintock". Best mud-fighting scene ever in the latter.
Your Calculus teacher sounds quite intriguing. Very few things are sexier than a man in a kilt...provided that he has nice knees of course.
kelvingreen: I had thought there was a movie they worked together on, but Internet Movie Database says I'm wrong. I always figured Wayne might not really feel comfortable in a movie as morally gray as what Clint was starring in. Or maybe they just didn;t want to share billing?
sallyp: I like some of Wayne's stuff, The Quiet Man being one, but he just seems too nice to me.
And I can say I don't recall what my calculus teacher's knees looked like, nor do I intend to try too hard to.
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