"Annie Christie" - Grets Garbo, Marie Dressler and Charles Bickford (1930)

 

Anna Christie (1930) is a pre-Code film of the Eugene O'Niell play. Starring Greta Garbo, this was her first "talkie". The advertisements all said "Garbo Talks!" Directed by Clarence Brown, it is the story of an alcoholic woman with a past in prostitution who reunites with her long estranged alcoholic father. 

She then falls in love with a sailor, which infuriates her father, who is a sailor himself and deserted his family. He fears for her future based upon his own past. With both men holding her up on a pedestal, and both telling her what to do with her life, she is forced to confront her past. 

The film was a huge success, and was also released in a German-language version with Garbo in both, and is notable for its gritty and powerful performances. Garbo and Marie Dressler were exceptional, as well as Garbo's would be lover, played by Charles Bickford.

The film garnered 3 Academy Award Nominations including Best Actress for Garbo in her riveting performance. All doubts about her ability to act in "talkies" disappeared with this fim.

"The Long Voyage Home" with John Wayne and Barry Fitzgerald (1940)

This is simply one of the best screen adaptations of any of Eugene O'Neill’s' works. Director John Ford and screenwriter Dudley Nichols did the adaptation of the 4 separate one act plays that comprise this movie. The work is seamless.

Beginning with the varied nationalities of the crew O'Neill explores the relationships of men at sea. With a stellar cast of actors which includes Thomas Mitchell, Barry Fitzgerald, Ian Hunter, Ward Bond, Wilfrid Lawson, Arthur Shields and even John Wayne (who plays the entire role with a Swedish accent) Mr. O'Neill has given us a glimpse into the troubled lives of the men who sail on ships.

With his use of flawed characters he paints a wonderfully realistic portrait of life aboard a tramp steamer. Filmed in 1940 when U-boats were prowling the Atlantic to keep supplies from reaching Europe, this film captures all the darkness of the times in which it was filmed. It would be less than a year before the Rueben James was sunk off the East Coast of the United States by a German submarine.

From the overzealous camaraderie to the brawls and tragedies, this film captures all the pathos of life at sea. Even now, with DVD's and cell phones and e-mails, life aboard a ship is a lonely affair. Tempers run high, words are said and instantly regretted, and unfounded suspicions abound. That is the life of a ship’s crew.

One of the best moments of the film involves the crew ashore in England during a blackout. Thomas Mitchell- always the drunk- cries out to the heavens- "Blackout, blackout! Is there to be no more light in the world?"

The most amazing thing about this film is that John Ford would go on making films for another 40 years. He would use the same group of actors time and again in Westerns and later on even "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Ward Bond, Barry Fitzgerald, Arthur Shields and Maureen O'Hara. That these actors were so versatile, and John Ford so well versed in literature, is a tribute to the old school of film making.

The plot of this film would seem mundane were I to attempt to recount it here. Suffice to say that it is the story of a group of lost souls, looking for themselves. You'll just have to trust me on this one- Eugene O'Neill termed it the "best adaptation" of any of his works. That alone should be reason enough to see this film.

Happy Birthday to Rooftop Reviews!

It was on this date in 2009 that I posted my first blog. I celebrate it each year by either skipping a post that day or re-posting an old post; sometimes the first one; which is what I did last year. Sometimes I tell the story about how I started this thing to begin with. And each year it gets harder to think of something special to mark the occasion.

So, this year I decided on fireworks and a big festival. It was great. Wish you could have been there. The food was delicious, too! Seriously though; and I hate to be like that; what I have actually decided to do is to do nothing. It’s just another day.

Here is a clip of two of my favorite performers; Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong. Did I ever tell you how Louis Armstrong got me involved in coin collecting? I was about 9 years old at the time. I had read that Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans on July 4, 1900. That set my imagination on fire! July 4^th was the birthday of our nation and 1900 was a new century.

Man, I wanted a piece of that for myself! Something tangible to hold in my hand that would make me feel as if I were holding a part of history itself; something which had actually been there at the time; a penny.

So, I went to the Hobby Shop on Coney Island Avenue and bought a 1900 Indian Head penny for about 50 cents. I was hooked. I wore that penny out; turning it over and over in my hands; even sleeping with it. The book I’d read said that Armstrong played for pennies in New Orleans as a kid. I couldn’t help but feel; make that know; that this was one of those pennies.

Anyway, this is what I do here. I tell stories to myself in the hope that someday my grandkids; and even great grandkids; will sort through all of the flotsam and jetsam of these posts, and obtain a better picture of the “old man” as a result.

Meantime, enjoy the video. It’s from the 1947 film “New Orleans” and serves as the title song, performed here by Billie Holiday on vocals and Louis on vocals and coronet. The song appears in the film several times as background music, and also by Armstrong and Holiday in a big band setting; but this is what I call the “performance” version. It’s also my favorite one.

And, if you really would like to see the first post of Rooftop Reviews from March 29, 2009 (which was also a Sunday) just hit this link;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html

"August: Osage County" with Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep (2013)

This is a difficult film to watch. It deals with interpersonal relationships in a highly dysfunctional family; which is never an easy topic to tackle in a film, let alone view as entertainment. In this film version of the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Tracy Letts, the Weston family comes to terms with the myriad of issues which confront all families. The real question isn’t about the issues; it’s about how we deal with one another concerning them, and the impact from that attempt at interaction.

The Weston’s consist of Violet, played by Meryl Streep, who is the mother afflicted with cancer and is dependent upon the pain relieving drugs she needs to take. Beverley, played by Sam Shepard, is her husband. He is a poet. They have 3 daughters; Barbara, played by Julia Roberts; Karen, played by Juliette Lewis; and Ivy, played by Julianne Nicholson. Rounding out the cast are Violet's sister Minnie, played by Margo Martindale; her husband Charles, played by Chris Cooper; and their son, Little Charles, played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

The movie is not easy to watch- I had to take a short break midway through; but the plot is fairly simple. When Beverly commits suicide the family comes together; or at least they make an attempt to do so. Violet has a drug problem and Barbara is having difficulties in her marriage. Ivy; who has been the one taking care of their Mom; has a boyfriend nobody knows about, and is about to leave with him for a new life in New York City. Karen brings her fiancée with her, and he is a little bit too interested in one of the sister’s 14 year old daughters.

The friends of the family are also involved, bringing their own set of problems to the table. The only ones who seems to even have it slightly together are Little Charles and also Ivy. They seem to be their own persons and you begin to look at them as the only survivors in this whole mish mash.

The movie is well made, written and acted. But I don’t recommend it as entertainment. It was more of an investment of time. The whole point of the movie seems to be to show how we screw up in dealing with one another as human beings. Families with a chronically ill member are particularly vulnerable to this trap. The dueling emotions brought on by health issues can devastate a family. I speak from experience. This is a great movie but one that will perhaps hit too close to home for some viewers; like me.

"You Can't Take It With You" with James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore and Jean Arthur (1938)

I haven't seen this film in years. It was on the shelf at the library, and I remembered it with such affection, that I had to take it home. Martin Vanderhof, played by Lionel Barrymore, owns the one piece of land that industrialist Anthony P. Kirby, played by Edward Arnold, needs to secure a defense contract that will make him the largest producer of war materials in the world. But money is no object to Martin Vanderhof, who wants to live life and enjoy what he has. He has no intention of selling his home. He lives with his daughter, and granddaughter Alice Sycamore, played by Jean Arthur, along with a host of very unusual people, with ambitions and dreams to match their unusual personalities.

Tony Kirby, played by James Stewart, is the son of Anthony P. Kirby, and engaged to Martin Vanderhof's granddaughter, Alice. Complications, of course, arise when the Kirby's show up one night early for a dinner engagement. This mishap was arranged by Tony Kirby in order that his family see the Sycamore family, and Martin Vanderhof, just as they are in this wonderful look at society and the values we all place upon the things that are dear to us.

For instance, in this film, made in 1938, a man who owns his property could not be forced to move. Today, under eminent domain, he would be forced to sell his property to make way for any private enterprise that would create a larger tax revenue.

This is a wonderful comedy in the tradition of Frank Capra, assembled with the usual cast of character actors, all ably assisted with a script by playwrights George Kaufman and Moss Hart, and a flawless screenplay of all the madness by Robert Riskin. With his usual flair for perfection in full gear, the flawless direction by Frank Capra drives this film home.

"Barbra's Wedding" at the Old Courthouse Theater, Concord NC

"Barbra's Wedding" opened the "Living Room Reading Series" in Concord yesterday. It was a 2 person play, starring Jonathan Ewart and Melissa Bowden as a married couple living next door to Barbra Streisand on the day of Ms. Streisand's wedding in 1998.

As usual, the show was flawlessly produced and directed by Jonathan M. Ewart, 37, who has stated that his goal is to "share lesser-known plays with the community.”

“Barbra’s Wedding” was written by Daniel Stern, and concerns Jerry Schiff, played by Jonathan Ewart, and his wife Molly, played by Melissa Bowden, and the events that occur on the day of their famous next door neighbor's wedding. Ms. Streisand is about to be married to James Brolin, and Jerry and Molly are not invited.

Jerry is particularly upset due to the fact that he was the star of a now forgotten TV series, and as such considers himself a peer of Ms. Streisand's. This oversight brings out all of Jerry's feelings of failure and inadequacy, drawing him into a comical confrontation with his wife over these very issues. She is happy and content, while he feels bitter and betrayed.

With powerful performances by both Mr. Ewart and Ms. Bowden, the couple, through the rantings of Jerry, and the strength of Molly, are forced to finally confront who and what they are, both as individuals, as well as a couple.

This is yet one more triumph for Mr. Ewart and his "Living Room Reading" series. If you are anywhere near Charlotte you should check them out. Their link is posted here;

http://www.oldcourthousetheatre.org/

"The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis as Performed by Max McLean

"The Screwtape Letters" is a satirical work comprised of the letters between "Screwtape", a senior demon and his nephew, a demon in training named "Wormwood." I have never read the book, so this is a review of the play as presented by the Fellowship for the Performing Arts at The Knight Theater here in Charlotte.

The original work took place in wartime London, and centers about Screwtape and his nephew, the ill fated Wormwood. Screwtape is mentoring his nephew as the younger Demon attempts to tempt an ordinary man, named "The Patient", into a life which will take him straight to Hell. This should be very simple, according to Screwtape, but as the younger Wormwood learns, is not as easy as it seems. The Patient to which he has been assigned comes from a good family, has an education and falls in love with a Christian woman. In short order he becomes a Church going, God fearing Christian, much to the dismay of Scewtape, who has been charged with training his nephew to corrupt The Patient's life in order to alleviate the hunger for new souls in Hell.

At times comical, and others pensive and revealing, the play explores the hypocrisy and false promise of both Heaven and Hell. On the one hand there is Screwtape, who serves the Devil by tempting people to ruin their own lives in order to gain their souls for himself. And on the other hand, there is Heaven, with it's promises of everlasting Peace and Love. Can one be real, while the other is merely an illusion? What is the purpose of the struggle in which we all live daily?

To Screwtape and Wormwood, greed and self interest are seen as virtues, while The Patient is drawn steadily into a world of Love and Self Sacrifice. When the Patient becomes a Christian, Screwtape is furious with his nephew, but still holds out hope that the hypocrisy of the Church will lead him to Hell. After all, as Screwtape explains, "The safest path to Hell is the gradual one." It is not necessary to have The Patient commit some horrendous deed to obtain his soul. A slight, but constant, chipping away at his morals should suffice.


Ultimately, Wormwood fails in his mission, as The Patient goes off to war and dies for a glorious cause. Screwtape is inconsolable, war is the worst enemy of the Devil. During wars, when both sides think they have the right of it, each side implores God for Victory. When confronted with tragedy, humans tend to do "good works" and help one another. This is just what Screwtape does not want.

When the Patient is killed fighting for what he believes in, his soul goes to Heaven, and the Devil goes hungry. But Screwtape is not that concerned, there are more souls to be devoured, and he just may start with his nephew...

Max McLean, as Screwtape, is impeccable. His diction, timing and poise are incredible and give creedence to his place as one of the world's greatest living narrators. The adaptation was done by Jeffrey Fiske, a former NASA consultant and Drew University Professor.

Of intersting note is that at the conclusion of the play, Mr. McLean stepped forward, out of character, and implored that we remember that he is not really Screwtape. He then invited the audience to remain for an ad hoc discussion of the presentation.

"Mrs. Murphy's Porch" by Wysteria Edwards

One of the most well kept secrets in the Charlotte area is the existence of the Old Courthouse Theatre and their Living Room Reading Series, which I have covered here before, with much pleasure. Yesterday's World Premiere performance of Wysteria Edwards exceptionally well written new play, "Mrs. Murphy's Porch", was equally well performed by the cast.

If you have never been to a "reading", then you have no idea what you are missing. The actors sit, or stand, in front of the audience, scripts in hand, and read the play without the benefit of scenery or costumes. This is the true test of any play. Does it have the clarity, and the power, to deliver the author's message standing soley upon their written words? In Ms. Edwards case, and with the help of Director Jonathan Ewart and his band of performers, the answer is a resounding yes.

The play opens in a classroom on January 28, 1986. This was the day the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after blasting off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, killing all aboard. The opening of this play co-incides with that moment.

The story centers around Penny, a young girl, played with great empathy by Melissa Bowden, and her friend Henry, played by Jake Sumner. The two are largely inseperable and play all kinds of fantasy games. Penny is always in charge, while Henry follows her lead. When they play at Peter Pan, Penny is Peter Pan while Henry is relagated to the role of Tinkerbell. Penny is controlling, while Henry is almost docile.

Penny's home sits next door to Mrs. Murphy, a local spinster,played wonderfully and with great tenderness by Margaret Lackey, who sometimes joins in the childrens fantasies and games. She is also the sympathetic ear for the children and Penny's parents, Jim, played by Jeremy Peterson, and Elaine, played by Claudia Reiff. As parents, they are very different from one another. Elaine sems almost obsessed with Penny's living in a constant fantasy world, while Jim feels that she is just going through a phase. He even participates in some of her fantasy games.

When Henry goes to visit relatives in Myrtle Beach for a few weeks, Penny is devastated. Her world begins to crumble. Without the fantasy based friendship of Henry, Penny has no place to look, except to her real life. By this time, the audience has been introduced to the town physician, Dr. Hamilton, played with great charm by Gene Saine, as a wise, but lonely man.

When Henry returns from Myrtle beach, things have changed a bit between him and Penny. He seems reluctant to play the subservient role. At this point Dr. Hamilton has revealed the big secret which is the driving force behind Penny's controlling behavior. In a heart wrenching scene Penny visits her younger sister, Amy, played by Elaine's real life daughter, Olivia Reiff, in the hospital where she is dying from lukemia. The two girls share their views of life and the pure chance that governs all of our fates. It is at this point in which the audience realizes that Henry has been penny's surrogate sister all along. That point is made all the more poignant when it is revealed to the audience that Penny's sister is her twin.

Interspersed, as it is, with references to the Challenger disaster, the children, as well as the adults, are all forced to examine the random nature of the events that sometimes overtake us. Only Mrs. Murphy, a woman who has been widowed, seems to understand the full nature of this thing we call life. Doctor Hamilton seems to understand this as well, and the two are drawn to one another as the play comes to a close.

The central message that I took away from this beautifully written play is that we are all victims of life, and all that it brings us, for better or worse. All we can do sometimes, as human beings, is to accept those things, store them for reference and then move on.

This was yet another triumph for Concord's Old Courthouse Theater and the Living Room Reading Series. The performers were all superb, Melissa Bowden was excellent as the lead character of Penny, who narrates portions of the play as a grown up, looking back upon the events in the play. Thanks, Jonathan Ewart, for another wondeful and enjoyable presentation.

The Old Courthouse Theatre - "Over the River and Through the Woods"

The Old Courthouse Theatre has done it again with yesterday's superb reading of Joe DiPietro's play "Over the River and Through the Woods." What's the difference between leaving and moving? It all depends on which side of the fence you are on. Nick, played by Jacob Brayton, is a 29 year old marketing analyst who is planning on moving from Hoboken to Seattle for a job promotion. His parents have already retired to Miami with his sister Melissa, leaving him the only grandchild in Hoboken, where both sets of grandparents reside, and want him to stay. This family has a tradition of "Tango Familia", which, in Italian, means that you have roots, you belong. In short, they are dead set against his going away.

The entire first act is spent with Nick trying to break the news to his grandparents, who are all gathered for a Sunday dinner, that he has decided to leave Hoboken. He can't get a word in edgewise as the family all jockey with one another over the most trivial and seemingly insane matters.

Gene Saine and Margaret Lackey were perfect as Frank and Aida Gianelli, and Ben and Ardyee DeBurle were equally wonderful as Nunzio and Emma Cristanio. Mr. DeBurle's limited use of an Italian dialect was so effective that, even when not emphasizing the dialect, the accent is still in the listener's mind.

Together, the two sets of grandparents hatch a plot to keep their grandson in Hoboken. When Nick is invited to dinner at the Gianelli's home with both sets of grandparents attending, he is a bit suspicous. So when Grandma Emma turns up with Caitlin, played by Alex Eifner with so much charm that you want to marry her on the spot, Nick is understandably mortified. Unknown to him is that his grandparents are a delight to Caitlin, who was raised with only one grandmother, and even she passed away when Caitlin was just 13. She cannot understand the embarrassment and rejection of their love that Nick shows. Subsequently, when he asks her for a date, she turns him down.

Nick has a heart attack immediately after Caitlin turns him down and he comes back to his grandparents to recuperate. It is at this time that he makes his decision to go for the job in Seattle. It is also at this time that Caitlin stops by to see how he is recovering, and to explain why she wouldn't go out with him. She explains that what he has with his grandparents is like a dream to her. She cannot understand, nor tolerate, his rejection and impatience with them. They wish one another well and part ways.

The play is far from serious, though. There are so many lighhearted moments and characters to focus on. The Italian grandmother that thnks the whole world revolves around food, and her awkwardness with Caitlin, who is a vegetarian, over eating the veal will have you laughing out loud. The stories told by Nunzio, especailly the one concerning his getting his union card by pretending to be Irish, all the while telling it in an Italian dailect, is truly a winner. All of the characters have their fair share of the spotlight in this funny and ever so true story about life, and the choices that we make.

Eventually, Nick does take the job in Seattle and meets someone there, establishing his own family and a new set of traditions, giving himself a different sense of "Tango Familia." And that is the point of the play, that all traditions start somewhere, and go on for generations. Sometimes there are subtle changes to those rituals. And sometimes there are major upheavals as we all establish our own, new sets of rules and family traditions. But when you listen to the old folks talking about how they met, and danced the night away, you can't help but feel that with every move we make away from the family, we lose a bit more of that "Tango Familia."

Another triumph for The Old Courthouse Theatre and their series of "readings." And of course, nothing at The Old Courthouse happens without the wonderful efforts of it's host and director, Jonathan Ewart. These readings are a wonderful treat and probably one of the best kept secrets in the Charlotte area.

A Night at the Opera - Love American Style

Sue and I went to see an unnamed theater group tonight. They performed a play which shall remain untitled. It was horrible. It was 2 of the longest hours I have ever spent in the theater. During the intermission I was forced to seek "libation." This had some predictable results. It is only fair, at this point, to let Sue have her say and let you in on what it is like to be my wife of 24 years. That alone, baffles science. Here is her side, unedited;

The play tonight was a bit out of my comfort zone, aside from the subject matter, it reminded me a bit of the old Jerry Lewis movies, which isn’t my type of humor. It was performed well, the actors had the parts down and the play had a lot of thoughtful insights. But I could tell, even before the intermission, that Robert was struggling to stay awake, but I had no idea until after the break, the extent of his 'pain' with this play. We have seen a play,(and I only remember one) that was so bad, we left at intermission.

But this wasn’t a bad play, just a bit loud which it needed to be to portray the characters. The lights came on and it was intermission, we got up to stretch our legs and exit out to the lobby. I stood in line to buy a glass of wine and Robert headed out the door for some fresh air. The lobby lights were dimming as we found each other and got back into our seats. The first thing I noticed was that he ‘reeked’, eech! I quickly dug in my purse as the play began and found a piece of Dentyne and slipped it in his hand. He looked at me dumbfounded and slurred, "I smell?" This was just the beginning!! About ten minutes into the second act, his shoes were off and he was spread out every which way across the empty seats beside him, occasionally with a "huh", as he woke up out of his stupor and to sit up and than fall forward into his lap.

This was bad enough, a "Nick Nolte" scene to be sure, but then the floss came out and he started flossing his teeth - and not discreetly. I edged toward the end of my seat, away from him, but surely the audience behind ,beside and in front of us must have thought I picked up an inebriated homeless person. My vibes – and they were not good - were certainly sending messages his way and then a very loud scene in the play, almost sent him over the edge. Awaking out of semi-unconsciousness, I thought he was going to stand up and start screaming at the actors to "shut up."

Thankfully the scene and the play was coming to an end and we high-tailed it out of there quickly. No lingering this time though I’m sure that we were the topic of a few conversations on the way home. Note to self; after all these years together, if Robert asks at intermission if I want to leave – it means he does – so don’t hesitate – go and don’t look back!

"Shadowlands" A Reading By The Old Courthouse Theatre

"Shadowlands", the William Nicholson play about the relationship between C.S.Lewis and his marraige to American poet Helen Joy Davidman (later Gresham and then Lewis) is a fabled romance in literary circles. Mr. Nicholsons' treatment of, and reading by, The Old Courthouse Theatre, located in Concord, both do the subject justice.

Briefly, the story is of C.S. Lewis, celebrated author, and the conflict between his intellect and his heart. After a lengthy correspondence he meets Mrs. Gresham in England in the early 1950's. She is a noted poet, having shared the 1938 Russell Loines Memorial Prize with Robert Frost. The two immediatley become quite attached to one another intellectually. He accepts her as an equal, and though they differ on some levels, they seem to recognize in one another a capacity that they have found lacking in others. They are kindred spirits.

She returns to America and divorces her husband, writer David Gresham, and then returns to England with her two sons, David and Douglas. Not wishing to return to America she and C.S.Lewis enter into a civil "marraige of convenience" in order to facilitate her remaining in England. They are still "intellectual" friends at this point. Later, when she is diagnosed with cancer, he marries her again, in the Church of England, despite her previous divorce. The ceremony was performed at her hospital bedside on March 21, 1956 by Mr. Lewis' freind Reverend Peter Bride. By 1960 she would pass away. It is worth noting that today would be their anniversary.

When Mr. Lewis first expounds on Gods pain being a sign of His love for us, he does not know Mrs. Gresham, and so may not have the necessary experience to draw this conclusion. Later on, after her death, he does question his own convictions, but much to his credit endures, and his faith in God ramains intact.

The opening of the play and the portrayal of C.S. Lewis delivering a lecture on the eternal question of "Why Does God Let Man Suffer", is superb. Will Baysinger delivers a terrific performance throughout the entire play- but this opening is his shining moment. In a delivery as potent as anything ever done by Ronald Coleman, he sets the pace for the rest of the play as he explores this still relevant question.

Kim Baysinger plays Joy and is so moved by her role, that near the end she is visibly weeping as she really "feels" the part. This is just a reading - but the audience can actually see and feel her pain. A very moving performance.

Playing the part of C.S. Lewis' brother Warnie was Tommy Warlick. His reading was "spot on" to the character he portrayed. He was, at times, acting with his hands. His interplay with Mr. Baysinger, seated next to him the entire time, gave both roles the intimacy they need and deserve.

Tim Thomas played Riley, a freind and confidante of the group of bachelors who make up Mr. Lewis' all male group of freinds prior to the arrival of Mrs. Gresham. He lends a nuanced and balanced aspect to the group, leaving you wishing he had more lines.

Tyler Warlick played the part of Mrs. Greshams' son Douglas (who wrote the original book, "Lenten Lands: My Childhood with Joy Davidman and CS Lewis" in 1988, and upon which this play is based). Young Mr. Warlick, along with his parents, who are also in the play, is remarkable in his timing and inflection, giving real dimension to such a small role. His father, as stated, plays Warnie and his mother, Katie Warlick, plays the role of the Registrar and Nurse at the hospital.

The narration, by Jonathan Ewart, was light and gave the audience just what it needed to let the play take over and serve as the bridge you cross on the journey back to England in the 1950's.

The Direction, also by Mr. Ewart, was equally understated, and enabled the play to do the talking. The characters are finely developed and the whole thing rolled along very smoothly. As in the last "reading" I attended, the stools simply disappeared and I found myself sitting in an English drawing room, fireplace, armchair and all.

This was a wonderful "reading" of a very beautifully written play. It tackles so much more than just the relationship between Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Gresham. It explores the self doubts and pain associated with ones own thoughts. Watch this space for information on Old Courthouse Theatres' next production. You really don't want to miss it.

Movie Review: "The Long Voyage Home" with Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond and Barry Fitzgerald

This is simply one of the best screen adaptations of any of Eugene O'Neills' works.Director John Ford and screenwriter Dudley Nichols did the adaptation of the 4 separate one act plays that comprise this movie. The work is seamless.

Beginning with the varied nationalities of the crew O'Neill explores the relationships of men at sea. With a stellar cast of actors which includes Thomas Mitchell, Barry Fitzgerald, Ian Hunter, Ward Bond, Wilfrid Lawson, Arthur Shields and even John Wayne (who plays the entire role with a Swedish accent) Mr. O'Neill has given us a glimpse into the troubled lives of the men who sail on ships.

With his use of flawed characters he paints a wonderfully realistic portrait of life aboard a tramp steamer. Filmed in 1940 when U-boats were prowling the Atlantic to keep supplies from reaching Europe, this film captures all the darkness of the times in which it was filmed. It would be less than a year before the Rueben James was sunk off the East Coast of the United States by a German submarine.

From the over zealous camaraderie to the brawls and tradgedies, this film captures all the pathos of life at sea. Even now, with DVD's and cell phones and e-mails, life aboard a ship is a lonely affair. Tempers run high, words are said and instantly regretted, unfound suspicions abound. That is the life of a ships crew.

One of the best moments of the film involves the crew ashore in England during a blackout. Thomas Mitchell- always the drunk- cries out to the heavens- "Blackout, blackout! Is there to be no more light in the world?"

The most amazing thing about this film is that John Ford would go on making films for another 40 years. He would use the same group of actors time and again in Westerns and later on even "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Ward Bond, Barry Fitzgerald, Arthur Shields and Maureen O'Hara. That these actors were so verstaile, and John Ford so well versed in literature, is a tribute to the old school of film making.

The plot of this film would seem mundane were I to attempt to recount it here. Suffice to say that it is the story of a group of lost souls, looking for themselves. You'll just have to trust me on this one- Eugene O'Neill termed it the "best adaptation" of any of his works. That alone should be reason enough to see this film.

A Reading- "Countergirls" Performed by Old Courthouse Theatre Group

Magic occurs in the strangest of places. A movie theater, an art gallery, a trip to the library, all of these things hold the promise of a journey. But every now and again you come across a real jewel. The Concord based Old Courthouse Theatre Group is one of these jewels.

Sue and I attended a 4PM Sunday performance, actually a "reading", of the play "Counter Girls" by Michael Russell at the Old Courthouse Theatre in Concord yesterday. The Theatre Group were clearly not expecting such a crowd but happily moved us from the small basement theatre to the more spacious playhouse. It was cold inside, as the heat was off, but everyone kept their coats on and gave it a shot.

Good thing they did, too, or else they would have missed a wonderful reading of a wonderfully wry and insightful play. Read by Lenore Young, Betty Porter, Francis Quinn, Tammi Schumate, Jennifer Grant and Jonathan Ewart, the characters took on lives of their own, and the audience sailed right along with them. The personality development was swift and believable. The stools and the music racks were in plain view but vanished with their reading and it was very easy to picture the dime store where the story takes place.

Set in a small Southern town in 1990, the tale is simple on the surface. It concerns Ms. Lib, a former country singer of minor note, now the manager of the independently owned lunch counter at the local five and dime. She is the glue that holds so many lives together during the course of the play. She has faith in everyone, though at times her own patience is tried.

The 4 characters that surround her are all remarkable in their own ways. There is Lynette, a 20 year employee who fears that Betty Ruth, a newly seperated woman, is after her job. Then there is Janita, the aspiring young country singer with a strict Dad, who fears that her lifes dream is already over before it's begun. And finally, there is Donnie Ray, the "slow" young man who was given the job by Lib after his parents are killed in a fire when he was not at home. He is simple but kindly, with a fear of any emergency, as he associates the word with people dying.

The play is a window into the every day lives and dramas of some ordinary people.They form alliances and petty differences, but more importantly, they are like a small family. They even play the weekly "Lotto" out of New York together, with Billy Ray calling in the numbers each Wednesday to a customer who happened in once. Billy Ray struck up a conversation with him and they formed a freindship. Now each week they all chip in to send "Carmine" the money for the numbers they have played and already lost. And with a name like Carmine - you automatically expect the worst.

I won't be a spoiler here- so I'll just say that this play takes you on a journey. You learn to have faith that Lib will help solve everyones problems. And that's pretty easy to accept. There are people like that. And then you also learn that sometimes salvation can come from a very unexpected source in a very unconventional way.

With excellent readings and performances by all including Lenore Young as the Narrator, this was an event not to be missed. Should the Old Courthouse Theatre decide to produce this play, they will find me back to see the performance. At any rate, I will be back to see this remarkable and talented group of performers again. Bravo to all, and well done!