"Two for the See Saw" (1962) Robert Mitchum and Shirley Maclaine

"Two for the See Saw" is a 1962 film. The opening credits showcase the Brooklyn Bridge and Fulton Fish Market, just as I remember them as a kid, but without the smell! 🤣

The film, with a score by Andre Previn, is a masterpiece. Robert Mitchum is wonderful as a newly separated, and "lost", lawyer from Nebraska, opposite an equally lost Shirley MacClaine, a would be dancer. The two strike up a tenative friendship which quickly turns romantic. 

In real life the two had a “long relationship” according to MacLaine. “I loved his complications. He was a bit of a coward, actually, and I was interested where that cowardliness came from when his demeanor was such the opposite,” she said. Perhaps this is what makes their parts ring so true. 

You will find yourself rooting for the relationship to work out. They belong together. They learn about themselves as they learn about one another. But will the weight of their past baggage be too much for love to conquer? 

Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman were originally cast in these roles, but Taylor was delayed while filming the last scenes in the epic "Cleopatra", and Newman was already committed to playing "Fast" Eddie in "The Hustler", so the parts fell to Robert Mitchum and Shirley McClaine. And I'm glad it did. 

While not a sucess at the box office, this film is a "hit" in my heart. I rooted so hard for these two to really make their love work, and you will too. 

Meantime, enjoy the view in the opening credits. Perhaps it will interest you enough to watch the entire film. And along the way, maybe even learn a bit about yourselves, and what really motivates us all in our search for lasting love.

"We Without You" - (Couldn't Be )

CEmFG / FGAmD / CEmFGC / FGC

I know you've thought of walking away
I've thought of walking too.
But what would we gain if we both walked away?
You all alone and
Me without you?

So, what do you say we just
Cut it in half?
Split all the bad stuff in two?

I could never take it
if you walked away
there couldn't be a "we" without you...

Just take a bit of time and
figure it out.
You'll figure it just as I do.

I could never make it,
I could only fake it.
There couldn't be a "we" without you.

There wouldn't be a "we" without you...

Happy Mothers Day - Ruth Marcus Williams

This is my Happy Mother’s Day wish to my mother Ruth Marcus Williams. She passed away in 1984 after a lengthy battle with cancer. I think of her often and wonder what she would have thought of my kids and grand-kids? She passed away too early to see me settled down. So if you've got a Mom - make sure you call or send flowers to her on this special day.

The photo above was taken on Veteran's day 1957 at Riis Park during low tide. I still remember the biting cold and wind. We had been flying paper kites earlier that day. These are the earliest photos I actually remember being taken of my brother or I. While going through these photos several years ago I wrote this song/poem. Even though it's been 30 years I still want to pick up the phone and call her every now and then. That's probably the best compliment that I can pay her. I still miss her.

I'll Never See You Anymore

I can still see you there; you’re standing by the door-

Wearing your best kerchief and your coat.

And though I think I see your face so clearly in my mind,

I know I’ll never see you anymore.

I can still hear your voice; it’s ringing in my head.

I still hear the words to every song.

And though I think I hear your voice so clearly in my mind,

I know I’ll never hear you anymore.

Times the silent master, as it steals your life away.

It robs you just a little at a time.

Then suddenly you realize that you've got nothing left.

She’s taken everything you once called “mine.”

I can still see you there, standing by the shore.

Kerchief blowing with the oceans' roar.

And just when I see you fixed, so clearly in my mind,

I know I’ll never see you anymore.

"Don't Love Me Anymore"

It’s hard to be loved when you don’t love yourself to begin with. I mean, if you can’t stand yourself, why should anyone else even try. That is one of life’s hardest lessons to absorb. 

And once you realize it; well then you have to make sure you walk that fine line between a normal, healthy ego and a crippling self-aggrandizement.

On the other hand, if you don’t learn to at least like yourself, then you could end up like the fellow in this song. He finally gets it; but it’s too late to do him any good.

EABAE

I’m sorry to say but I noticed today

not for the first time.

I know that it’s happened many times before.

With each word that I say I catch you looking away

it’s not the first time.

I’m beginning to feel you don’t want me anymore.

AEBAE

Maybe you've heard my stories once too often.

I certainly never intended to become a bore.

There’s nothing new or exciting I can offer.

I’m beginning to feel you don’t need me anymore.

The smile on your face when you leave for the day

it speaks volumes.

And tells me just how glad you are to go.

I can’t really say that I’m even surprised

or that I blame you.

I’m starting to see you don’t need me anymore.

You know the words, the words to to all the stories.

You've memorized the punch lines, and you know the scores.

And though it's easy to blame you for turning away and leaving,

I never learned how to love myself before.

The Art of the Flirt

I have wanted to write this for a long time but I keep putting it off as some people might find the topic to be off putting. But, after listening to some local talk show radio host tackle the subject the other day, I realized that the time has come for some words of wisdom on the subject. Being the only one available on the payroll, I will assume that task.

The ultimate flirt is not about sex at all. Actually, a good flirt is a one-time thing; a flash which you remember for its brightness and surprise. If you wind up taking it further than that it becomes a whole new ball game; lots of rules there. A flirt is spontaneous; and beyond any rules. An example;

I’m in my car riding along; stop for a red light outside one of the nicer malls. (This is an actual event - not one of those dream sequences.) Car pulls up next to me with a good looking woman in it. She’s doing her hair, fixing her lipstick, oblivious to my watching. She looks over; startled; and I give her the A-OK sign and a wink. 

Now, I never wink. That’s something only guys like Clark Gable, or really cool cab drivers can pull off well. But I did; she was caught off guard and blushing, gave a little wave of thanks as the light changed and we drove off, never to meet again.

The idea is that a good flirt makes both parties feel good about themselves; as well as displaying an attraction for the other person. Not necessarily physical, either. Just something between two people on a personal level; could be at the store where you shop. That fun little exchange of banter when you go through the checkout; it means something to both of you. You both get to feel special; and if you’re old, still viable.

But most flirting is instantaneous, and then the moment is gone. That magic has sailed. Remember the voyage; because that’s a moment you’ll never get back. They write songs about it.

I must be wrong; because most of the callers put it all down to sex and conquest. The men and women were equally predatory. I put that down to too much of TV’s “The Bachelorette.”

Here’s a poem I wrote in 1984 in New York City; a wonderful place for flirting. At least it used to be. This was my reaction to one of those moments. As I said, they write songs about it.

She Took Me

She took me;

quite by surprise;

as I was walking;

one hand grazing a sandstone stoop.

In passing,

I turned my head

to see her face and

the quizzical, puzzled look –

Not without affection or fondness

for whatever it was that she could see

at that moment.

A look as if

she wanted to know more…

East 73^rd at Madison Avenue

August 22^nd, 1985

The illustration at the top is Eugene Blaas' 1902 "Flirtation at the Well."

"Guilt Trip" with Barbara Streisand and Seth Rogen (2012)

This was a wonderful film to end the year with. Sue and saw it on December 28^th. It’s also a great movie with which to start a new year; because that’s what this film is all about; endings and beginnings; in that order. To start over requires having closure with the past, and that is exactly what Joyce Brewster, played by Ms. Streisand, and her 33 year old son Andy, played by Seth Rogen, discover when they decide to go on a road trip together from New York to San Francisco, promoting Andy’s new cleaning product.

Joyce is the quintessential Jewish mother, worried that she has not been the mother she should have been; while at the same time being way too obsessed with her son’s lack of a relationship, while she herself has not been on a date in 25 years, since her husband passed away when Andy was only 8 years old.

Andy is usually annoyed with his mother, and during an infrequent visit to see her in New York, she relates the story of the man she was once in love with, years before Andy was born. She even remembers his name, as well as the name of the advertising firm with which he was connected. She also confides in him that he was named for this man, without the knowledge of his late father. Obviously, the torch still burns for what might have been.

Armed with that information, and his laptop, Andy locates the firm and the man. Then he invites his mother to accompany him on his journey promoting his cleaning product. He mentions nothing of the man he was named for, or his intentions to get them together. Since his mother has always inserted herself into his personal life; without invitation; he feels like this is a kind of  justified “payback.”

But, prior to going to San Francisco, his is mother insists on his stopping to see his old girlfriend in order to find out why that relationship; from 15 years earlier; did not work. The big secret that Andy has been carrying around all these years is that she didn’t break up with him; as his mother believes; but rather that he split from her when she said no to his proposal of marriage. She wanted to wait- he didn’t. Inadvertently, once again, Joyce has humiliated her son.

Along the way the Joyce and Andy visit a roadside steak house, with it’s offer of a  50 oz. steak and meal for free; if you can eat it, or pay $100 dollars; Joyce meets a man. With a few more adventures thrown in, they finally arrive in San Francisco to meet her old flame.

The only problem is that the elder "Andy" has passed on. What happens next changes Joyce; and coupled with the changes in her son, Andy, that have taken place during the road trip; they are able to come to terms with their own pasts; which in turn releases them both to pursue their individual destinies.

A wonderfully written  script, directed by Anne Fletcher, this movie sparkles and shines as it weaves its way into your heart. This is a film which may have you tear up a bit at the end, as you realize that sometimes, it takes a huge step backward to begin moving forward again. This film is a real triumph for Ms. Streisand, as well as a real treat for her fans. Try not to miss it.

Happy Fourth - I'd Do It All Again

This is Sue and I sitting on a wall outside our hotel in Cancun, where we went on our honeymoon 24 years ago today. Sue hasn't changed a bit - but somewhere along the line I got older! Marriage is not easy, it has pits and falls that rival all the peaks and valleys in the world. And I'd say, proudly, that in our 24 years of marriage we have seen our share of both. And survived them. That, in itself, is somewhat of a miracle, to say the least.

We still fight, sometimes about big things, and at other times about stupid small stuff. No magic formulas, just a whole lot of love beneath whatever it is that sometimes boils over on the surface. So the trick is, it seems to me, is to be able to ride the roller coaster of love without getting motion sickness. We have raised three kids, lived in 5 different houses and had several different jobs along the way. Somewhat of a typical marriage.

We both like different things, for instance, we rarely watch a movie together. My tastes run to older movies and her tastes are more likely to be first run features.In books and literature we are equally diverse. While I enjoy non-fiction almost to the exclusion of fiction, she enjoys the latest best selling fiction authors, the names of which I cannot even recall. But beyond these superficial differences we do have some similarities. We are both very interested in our family histories. We both love the simple things in life and don't require much luxury; though we do revel in it when available.

This is Sue and I last December. I look a bit older, but Sue looks just the same. Her eyes and her smile are unchanged. Her love and care for our children has not diminished, and has even grown with the addition of our grandkids. It seems as if she meets each challenge with the resolve of succeeding, while I often lament the winds of ill fortune, real or imagined.

Today will be a low key celebration for us. The grandkids are here for a visit, so we'll probably take in some fireworks, or just light off some of our own. Either way it will be one more milestone passed on a journey that has had us, alternately, at each other's throats, or in one anothers arms. I hope that never changes.

Happy Anniversary, Sue. And just so you know, I'd do it all again.