Halsey's Typhoon by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

If someone were to tell you that Admiral Halsey, the great American Naval Hero of World War Two, had almost been Court Martialed at the height of the war, you would not believe it. I know I didn't! And I am a big fan of history- Naval History in particular.

In December of 1944 Douglas MacArthur was due to return to the Phillipines, just as he had promised 3 years earlier. Admirals King and Halsey had made this possible through a series of "island hopping" invasions. They were highly sucessful in their endeavors and so by the time of these events all was in place for that return.

But a seies of lapses, most notably in the weather predictions, led the fleet into one of the worst typhoons in history. Almost 800 men from 4 different ships perished in this storm. Aboard one of the vessels was a young Juinor Officer named Gerald Ford, who would later go on to become President of the United States. He saved several lives that night fighting the fire. A superb athlete in college he was revered by his men.

As an interesting aside, this book describes in great detail, the events that were later captured in the best seller by Herman Wouk, "The Caine Mutiny." Mr. Wouk served in the Pacific during the time of these events. His experience certainly led to the realistic description of that storm. As a matter of fact the chapters describing the mutiny on the ficticous USS Caine are right in line with what actually took place aboard the USS Hull at the height of the real typhoon.

This book is a must read for all Naval History buffs. And also for those looking to see beyond the legend of Admiral Halsey. Written with great energy and style, this book is a page turner.

"Squalls" (1929) with Zaza Pitts, Myrna Loy and Loretta Young

 This film won't be for everyone. The story is not what makes it. It's more the interesting as a window into film making and a bit of history.

The costumes and sets are beautifully done. The kitchen is authentic and the scene where the animals all are herded back home at the end of a day in the field is wonderfully depicted. Also the steam driven machinery in the field is such a great look back in time. I really enjoyed this film, so carefully restored/preserved. 96 years ago! Truly a window into the past! 

The over the top acting is due to the transition from silent to sound films. In silent films "over emoting" was was almost essential. So there was about a 3 year period after the Jazz Singer came out during which time the actors had to relearn the way in which they performed.

Zaza Pitts, Myrna Loy and Loretta Young are all wonderful. You can see how their styles progressed over the years. And any Alexander Korda film is worth watching. 

Happy Birhday Mom!

My Mom,Ruth Marcus Williams, was born 96 years ago today on July 2nd,1929 and passed away 41 years ago this Sunday July 5th, 1984 at age 55. I am now older than was at the time she passed. We had our differences, to be sure, but beneath it all we really loved one another very much. Perhaps it was our similarities which made things so difficult at times. She could be stubborn, like me; obtuse, like me; and at times, unreasonable; like me.

That said, she was the woman who carried me, delivered me, bathed me and all the rest that goes with being “Mom.”

She was the product of a broken marriage- she was born after her parents seperation in 1929, although the divorce did not become final until 1934. There was money to fight over and my Grandmother was a shrewd woman.

My Grandfather, Pincus Max Marcus, was a self made millionaire 3 times- and lost it all each time to the horses and the ladies. This was the reason for the divorce. She caught him, flagrant delecto, in the late spring of 1929- 4 weeks before the birth of my Mom on July 2nd and 3 months short of Black Tuesday when the market crashed, triggering the Great Depression.

Grandma Dorothy, as I said, was a shrewd woman and she exacted quite a price from Pincus for his indiscretion. Here she was, 8 months pregnant and initiating a divorce at a time when Divorce was a whispered word that carried many unwanted conotations. But she was determined to make the break.

While waiting for the divorce proceedings to begin she extracted a settlement from him in the form of $250,000 in Treasury Bonds. Quite a sum in pre Depression 1929 - and a fortune 3 months later when Pincus begged her to lend him some of it back to shore up his losses. She did- at interest.

So my Mom grew up without a father and with a Mother who was often absent, touring the world,socializing and traveling. My Mom had all the privileges of a spoiled child in a 1930’s movie. She learned piano, took voice lessons, horseback riding instruction, went to summer camp every year and never really wanted for anything- except a father.

She was considered a pretty woman, although as her son I would not be the best judge of that, she was just Mom to me. But when she would play the piano and sing inside our Brooklyn apartment, the neighbors would gather outside the door and listen to her, exchanging comments like “Oy, what a voice- she should be on the stage!” And she would have, if she hadn’t met my Dad. She was slated to tour with a road company of "Oklahoma" in 1949 and my Dad was about to join the Mechant Marines (which I would do later) when they came to an impasse. If she toured he would sail and that would be the end of that. Fortunately for me, they both gave in.

So now it is 96 years since my Mom was born on July 2nd and 41 years since she passed on July 5th. Lots of time to think back on things since then. We spoke only a few days before she passed- she had been ill my entire life. This is what she told me in that last conversation by phone from a pier in Norfolk, Virgina- “You know Robert, you can never go on with your life until mine ends- you’ve been a prisoner of my illness for so long.” I replied that I knew that and perhaps it was the reason I went to sea for almost a decade- to get away from the marathon of her dying. We closed out all business and in 41 years I have never had a bad dream about her.

Mexican Injustce - 1996

 This story took place in July 1996 when Sue and I were returning from a second honeymoon in Cancun. The place was now a tourist trap, a far sight from what it had been 10 years previously. At that time it was still under construction after a devastating earthquake had ravaged the economy. 10 years later it was a tourist's Mecca. After 10 days, when we were on our way home, we got a taste of Mexican "injustice."

For some unknown reason I had misplaced, or discarded my Visa. By this time we were at the airport and without the Visa I would not be allowed to board the plane, which was only 40 minutes from its scheduled departure time. To acquire a new Visa would require a Police report in person at the Police station, which was about 20 mintes away. Adding the time it would take to file the report and the 20 minutes it would take to get back to the airport, it was clear I would not be making the flight.

Sue, naturally, was not willing to leave without me. I explained to her that staying would only leave both of us in Cancun, with me, possibly under arrest. It would be best if she were at home to advocate for my release, should that become a necessity

I had already been turned over to the airport's Security Office, where I was told that there was no way to avoid missing my flight. Again I explained to Sue that this was my problem and that under no circumstance was she to stay in Mexico with me. This is where the story really begins.

I now had about 20 minutes in which to resolve the issue of my lost Visa. I went back to Security and asked the officer to issue me a new Visa. He refused stating that without a Police report it was not within his power to do so.

At this point a long legged, stunning Canadian blonde came in and reported that she  had lost her Visa. Smiling, and with the utmost courtesy, the Officer opened his desk drawer, revealing a full pad of blank Visas. He immediately wrote her a new one and leeringly presented it to her.

Now, I did not posess the long, tanned legs of the Canadian woman, but I was determined that I, too, would have my Visa. I gave the Officer $20 to issue me one. No longer able to say it was not possible he pocketed the $20, which I had covertly initialed, and he gave me my Visa. The next step, since I now possessed the coveted document, was revenge.

Then, with only 20 minutes to go before departure I asked to see the Chief of Airport Security. I was directed to his office where I quickly ran through the events, stressing the Canadian woman's success at obtaining her Visa, and my $20 bribe to secure the same result. The Security Chief, bedecked with gold braids and epaulets, was furious. "We do not take bribes, Senor", he said with indignation. He then summoned the officer in question while I watched the clock on the wall nervously.

The officer initially denied having taken any money from me. I informed the Chief that it was in his breast pocket and bore my initials. The Chief had the officer empty his pocket. When the $20 bill was revealed the officer denied that the bill was mine and the Chief threatened me with arrest for making a false accusation. I quickly pointed out my initials on the $20.

The Chief asked me if the officer had demanded the money from me. If so, then the Officer would be charged and I would be held over for his trial for having accepted, or demanded, a bribe. At this point my Tactical Situational Awareness kicked in.

Diplomatically I explained that there may have been a misunderstanding. As the officer did not speak perfect English, and my Spanish was not exactly fluent, I said that I may have misinterpreted him and thought it was a fee. I was released, the officer was neutralized, I got an apology from the Chief, and then ran from the office to the Gate, joining Sue on the boarding line. Case closed. 

Love on the Dole (1940) - Deborah Kerr and Clifford Evans

 

What an extraordinary film. Britain during the height of the Depression. The Hardcastle family struggles to survive. Even before the economic crisis things were hard, but when the layoffs begin and the "means testing" of the overloaded social safety net system begins, famiies are ruined and hard choices need to be faced.

This was only Deborah Kerr's third film, and it ranks as one of her best. She is perhaps the main character in the story, but the rest of the cast all shine in this pristinely restored film from 1940. Set in a worknig class town the story is intense and offers an insight into the hard times between the wars.

There is a finely restored colorized version of this film which does it even more justice, which is unavailable at the moment. But this black and white version serves the story of the Hardcastle family equally well.

Although the captioning may come on automatically at the beginning, it can easily be switched off. Either way, I hope you will take the time to view it.

The title beneath the film labels it as a "banned" film, but that is slightly misleading. When the making of the film was first proposed in 1935 the Review Board turned it down as being "too sordid". By 1940, with the Second World War and the Battle of Britain waging in full, the Review Board seemed to have a change of heart. Perhaps they realized that, with the coming of the war, the people needed to look back on the hardships they had survived in order to cope with the hardships which lay ahead.

Hometown Skiffle (1928)

We're all familar with the 1956 recording of "Rock Island Line" by Lonnie Donnegan and how that became the hit record which launched a thousand bands in Britain, and even crossed the Atlantic Ocean to become a legendary recording. I have the 45 RPM, though I doubt it is still playable. I picked it up in the "oldies" rack at Crawfords on Kings Highway in the late 1960's.

But the history of that song goes way back before Lonnie Donnegan recorded it. Donnegan, who was really named Tony, was a guitar/banjo player with Chris Barber's Jazz Band. Chris Barber was a trombonist who originally played with Ken Coyler's band. Coyler's name comes up frequently when reading about all the later British bands and the influence of skiffle on what became known as  the "British sound".

Tony Donnegan changed his name to Lonnie in honor of Lonnie Johnson, one of his jazz heroes. But the history of "Rock Island Line" really goes back to a 1928 American 78 RPM recording called "Hometown Skiffle" featuring Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Blake, Will Ezell, Charlie Spand, The Hokum Boys and Papa Charles Jackson. You can find out more about each of these guys on Wikipedia.

The record was a two sided affair, so you had to turn it over to hear the whole song. It was recorded on Paramount Records and labeled as a "Race Recording". In essence, this record spawned a movement in Britain 30 years later which influenced the late 1950's sound and set the whole world rocking.

Here is another link to the original release.   

https://youtu.be/5XwzQhf801U?si=XJYgAcwBB8b21c0l

"Furious Hours" by Casey Cep (2019)

"Furious Hours" by Casey Cep is actually 3 books in one. The first is the true story of Reverend Willie Maxwell, a rural preacher accused of murdering his first 2 wives, and a nephew and a niece, over a period of 7 years beginning in 1971. He had taken out multiple insurance policies on all of them, without their knowledge, and collected on them all. But he was never convicted. The killings only came to an end when the Reverend was shot at point blank range, in front of 300 mourners at the funeral of his last victim; his niece. There was no question of his guilt. He even confessed to it. Twice. 

Some claim the Reverand was a Voo Doo Practitioner, others just wrote him off as a homicidal maniac, but try as the State of Alabama might, he was never convicted. It went so far that the entire town was living in fear of who the next victim would be. 

Harper Lee, author of "To Kill a Mockingbird", only enters the story halfway through the book. She had come from New York City to gather material for a book about the Reverend's crimes and his subsequent murder. It should have been easy, but it wasn't. It would consume 10 years of her life, and produce nothing. So this portion of the book is about the book which never was. 

The third part of the book is even more compelling. It delves into her collaboration with Truman Capote and the writing of "In Cold Blood", which was begun in 1959 and took 7 years to finish as the appeals of conviction wound on and on. During this time Harper Lee had finished her masterpiece, won a Pulitzer Prize, sold the film rights and became an elusive, and troubled celebrity. Because of this, her childhood friend, Capote, drifted away from her. Part of this was a difference in lifestyle, part was jealousy. 

You don't want to overlook this book. So much information is imparted within its pages. It really is a well written work, and a tribute to the author Casey Cep, who ultimately wrote the book which Harper Lee could not. That, in itself, is reason enough to read it.

Three things in this book really stand out. First, "Tell a Watchman", Ms. Lee's long awaited second book was really funished before "Mockingbird". It wasn't released for decades because it was written from a critical perspective of her home town. It is the story of a grown woman who leaves Alabama and returns home to find out her father and Uncle, portrayed with such nobility in "Mockingbird", have become members of the White Citizen's Council, which called for "gradualism" in the area of Civil Rights. It wasn't until 2 of her friends gave her a Christmas present of about $10,000 that she was able to quit her job selling tickets for a major airline that she was able to take a full year off work to concentrate solely on writing "Mockingbird."

By the time "Watchman" was published, the public, including me, was in no mood to hear anything negative concerning the nobility of her father and all the other characters in "Mockingbird." No one likes to see their heroes fall from grace.

One of the best revelations in this book is that Boo Radley was based on a real person from her childhood. The son of a local judge had been involved in a crime with another teenager, and both were sentenced to serve time. But the Judge's son was released to his father's custody and kept locked in the house for many years, peering out from the shutters by day, and roaming the small town streets at night. So vividly was his character portrayed that his older sister attempted a lawsuit against both the author and her publisher. 

The third part of the book concerns the unfinished book about the Reverend Willie Maxwell. This is an extraordinary work by Ms. Cep, who not only gives us that book, but incorporates a fresh look at Harper Lee and the demons which truncated her literary career. 

The subtitle conveys the book accurately. Harper Lee's books were all concerned with trials. After all, she was the daughter of an attorney, and she herself left law school only 6 months shy of her degree. First there is the trial in "Mockingbird", followed by her essential collaboration with Truman Caplte on "In Cold Blood", and lastly the unfinished story of the trial of the nephew who shot and killed Reverend Maxwell.

A compelling read, this review hardly does the book justice. Therefore, it is a book which must be read to be truly appreciated.