August 31, 2015

Dear Hildie:

You mention watching Wild Strawberries–Boy, you’re recalling college days. I remember when we used to go to all those foreign films. Everything was new and worth seeing and discussing. Those were good days.

My ear’s healing well, but I couldn’t help but marvel when it was sore the first day how people with real pain deal with it. I’d be such a coward. What will happen when my time comes if there’s real pain involved? How did POWSs, like McCain, deal with the horrible pain from illness, injuries, and beatings? I stand in awe of people who are so much braver than I am. Just as I stand in awe of those of my generation (and earlier generations) who went to battle and managed to deal with fear. Most of them would say they just did what they had to, but I can’t really imagine it. That’s what makes TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH  such a great film.

Saw ANATOMY OF A MURDER last night. I’d seen it before, of course. The acting was great, the pace excellent, but I really couldn’t feel any sympathy or interest in the accused (Ben Gazarra) or in his bimbo wife (Lee Remick). Joseph Welsh was great as the judge–He played Joe Welsh, as anybody who watched the Army-McCarthy hearings would have recognized. You could almost see him telling the two lawyers in the movie, “Have you no shame?” as he did McCarthy. Somebody said that after Welsh’s indignant performance against McCarthy, as Welsh strode out, he turned and winked at this person.

Take care.

Love,

M