https://mediumhappi.org/?p=8356
by John Walters
Five Films: 1972
- The Godfather: Is Francis Ford Coppola’s story of the Corleone family the greatest film ever? Arguably, though it may not even be the better of the two Godfather films (the third installment is, much like Fredo would become to Michael, “dead to me”). As outstanding as the performances by Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, John Cazale, Talia Shire and Marlon Brando are, we’ve always thought that Alex Rocco’s one scene as the combative Moe Greene (“You don’t buy me out! I buy you out!”) is the best performance of all. 2. Deliverance: The banjos. Burt Reynolds all macho and stuff. That boy on the bridge. “Squeal like a pig.” The guys in Easy Rider were only killed, after all. This was a darker nightmare. 3. Sounder: The story of a poor black share-cropping family and the dog who makes it more special. Haven’t seen this one since I was a boy. Need to see it again. 4. The Cowboys: John Wayne plays a rancher who must lead a group of literal boys as his cow hands on a cattle drive. Bruce Dern is the black hat in this one. We’ve always loved this Western, and an aging Wayne growling at tweens is fun to behold. 5. 1776 Can you actually make a musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence and also make it fun? Turns out you can.
Love The Cowboys. One of my favorite Duke movies.
I also love The Cowboys! Is on MY list too! Along with 1776, which I didn’t actually see until on TV in the late 80s or possibly early 90s. Not out of choice, it was just never aired! (I didn’t get cable until the fall of 1995; “the LAST home in my then town-house development to get onboard” as told to me repeatedly by the cable company & the installer. I was saving for my next house & couldn’t spare the money!).
The movie I saw in a theatre & remember most of all from that year was The Poseidon Adventure! It had been a while since I’d gotten “my fix” of a sinking ship movie & while we never actually SEE the ship go under, it qualifies! OMG, I can still remember seeing that WAVE turn the boat on the big screen & all the people & stuff falling as it went upside down! And the screens were still BIG back then! Plus, who can forget “There’s got to be a morning after…”!
As for The Godfather, yes, it was pretty good I guess, but I will NEVER understand why so many MEN think this is the best thing ever put on film! HAH! Plus, as stated previously, I don’t much like movies (or TV series or books) that GLORIFY crime & criminals, let alone murderers. (Yeah ok, I made an exception for Butch & Sundance but they didn’t set out to kill anybody. Plus, it was Newman & Redford, gimme a break!)
Another movie from 1972 is Cabaret. I didn’t see it at the time & when I did see it on TV many years later, I was not overly impressed. Although, I did think some of the performances were very good.
Speaking of musicals, I spent last Saturday morning ‘with’ Wallace & Davis, the Haynes sisters & General Waverly. 🙂 Had to get my annual White Christmas fix & it seemed to be the ONLY freakin day & time AMC would be broadcasting this season when I am awake &/or not at work! Humpfh, I’d like to talk to AMC’s scheduler! Anyhoo, I did just find out a couple things : Dean Jagger, the guy who played the “elderly” General Waverly was actually a few months younger than Crosby. Vera-Ellen was actually 7 years OLDER than Rosemary Clooney although she plays the younger sister. And this was the next-to-last movie of Vera-Ellen’s & she retired from all performing in either 1958 or 59. Even sadder is that she died at age 60. She stayed thin & took dance class all her life, so once again, it’s not just the fatties that have health issues, jdubs!
When will you watch your “Christmas tradition” – Metropolitan? I still haven’t seen this yet but do look for it on the TV schedules. I still can’t believe I’ve never seen it as it seems right up my film alley!
I leave you today with this life ‘lesson’ :
“The BEST things
Happen while you’re DANNNNCING
Things that you would not do at home
Come naturally on the floor”
🙂
Susie B,
I love the way you have a steadfast rule against something (i.e., glorifying killers or criminals) until you don’t. Like, if you happen to like them. It’s one thing to be an idealist. It’s an even better thing to be self-aware. Thus concludes today’s lesson.
Can YOU really equate the Godfather movies, Bonnie & Clyde, Goodfellas, et al, with Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid? REALLY? The latter is more like a friggin COMEDY & or a Rom-Com.
I also did NOT watch The Sopranos & only saw a handful of episodes of your fave Breaking Bad. Again, because I have little to no interest in watching glorification of CRIME & CRIMINALS. Have I watched & liked a few movies & TV shows that “break my rule”? Well 1st of all, I never said it was a “rule” & sure, I loved OLIVER!, which could ostensibly be a glorification of pickpockets but one of my fave scenes is when MURDERER Bill Sykes gets his just end, so I call that a wash. 😉
I have many faults, but not being “SELF-AWARE” is NOT one of them. I will admit to being clueless over my fascination with sinking ship movies & that even though I have now seen White Christmas more than 56 times, I look forward to it every year & choke back tears at the end, every freakin time. If you can psychoanalyze these, you picked the wrong profession, Dr jdubs.