John Wayne Movie Review: ***^ She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

Directed by John Ford.  John Wayne as a Calvary officer, Captain Nathan Brittles, on the frontier shortly after Custer's defeat in the north.  This has lead the young Indians to be more looking for a fight.  In this scenario Brittles is commanded to evacuate the women, Olivia Dandridge (Joanne Dru) and Abby Allshard (Mildred Natwick) at camp--but in that he fails as the Indians beat him to the stage coach station and destroyed it.  They have to fight off the Indians.  Brittles is about to retire, as is Sargeant Tyree (Ben Johnson).  Two lieutenants vie for the young woman, Dandridge, Lt Flint Cohill (John Agar) and 2nd Lt Ross Pennel (Harry Carey Jr.). They only escape certain death as Brittles talks to his old friends among the Native Americans and learns it is the young warriors who are feisty.   He comes up with a strategy to clip their wings, and save his troop.  And Dandridge makes her choice of the more senior Lieutenant.  

Clint Eastwood Movie: ***^ Joe Kidd (1972)

 Joe Kidd (Clint Eastwood) is in jail based on some trivial crimes, but he is recruited by Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall) to go after Luis Chama (John Saxon) who is challenging Harlan's title to the property his people have had since the area was part of Mexico.  At first he refuses to go but changes his mind when he discovers Chama has attacked his ranch and taken a worker hostage.  However he is still hesitant; Harlan is out to kill, especially Chama.  He threatens the towns people if Chuma does not give up, but Kidd outsmarts him, and convinces Chuma to go with him to see the sheriff.  Helen Sanchez (Stella Garcia) is Chama's girl and Kidd's ally in getting away from Harlan and his men.

Very good gun play throughout this movie.  Eastwood reprises his old west4r roles which made him so famous and it is a fun movie.  Eastwood runs a train past the end of the line and into a hotel so he can get the drop on the people guarding the hotel.  

Music Review: The Essential John Denver

 The Essential John Denver, Sony BMG (2007)

This album was released ten years after John Denver's death.  It includes most of his standards.  One of my favorites is not there, "For Babe." most of the others are.  It has "Annie's Song" which is so beautiful, "Sunshine on my Shoulder," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Rocky Mountain High," "Fly Away" and "Some Days are Diamonds (Some days are Stone)."  The duet with Plácido Domingo is there, "Perhaps Love."  I grew up with Denver.  His first songs started to hit the airways when I was in junior high school.  I heard him sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for a hunger symposium.  He sand "I Want to Live" which is also included.  Denver was a treasure and we can still listen to his music.

Movie Review: ***^ The Lost Weekend (1945)

 A movie about the effects of alcoholism.  This movie won the Oscar for best picture.  It is amazing what efforts Don Birman (Ray Milland) will go to to continue his drinking over the objections of his brother, Wick Birman (Phillip Terry) and his girlfriend Helen St. James (Jane Wyman).  Don will buy two bottles of cheap liquor and hide one where his brother will find it, and the other he keeps for himself.  It takes Don a while to hit bottom, but he finally does.  He has been on a downward spiral for many years.  It is also very incredible the length Helen St. James will go to rescue her boyfriend.

Book Review: Lana's Lakota Moons

Lana's Lakota Moons by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska, 2007.

This is a very good story about Lana and Lori, cousins.  Lori is about six months older.  It is Lana who illustrates the moons.  Lakota measure by moons instead of months, and they describe the moons to fit the time of year.  There are also the parents of both and grandparents.  Sneve slips into the story Lakota legend stories and customs.  A third friend joins them during the school year, Shoua from Laos, who they made a blood sister.  Lana also has a boyfriend, Andy; and a little brother.  The story is well told as they attend the buffalo roundup in the fall, and the pow wow with jingle dresses.  

Very well done and highly recommended.

Clint Eastwood Directed Matt Damon Movie: ** Hereafter

 George Lonegan (Matt Damon) has a strange ability left over from a childhood illness.  He can sense people who have died when he touches someone ro whom they are important.  Many people seek him to talk with deceased relatives, and he finds this a curse and runs away from it.  His brother (Jay Mohr) would like him to make a career of it, as it helps people.  He meets a girl, Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) and when she finds out he has this ability he does a reading, which. ruins the relationship.  A young boy (Frankie and George McClaren) also approaches him, and he refuses at first, but he won't go away.  He want to talk to his twin brother and he finally does this and the boy get some closure.  In following Lonegan, the boy noticed there was a woman (Cécile de France) he was interested in, and he provides information to him so the two can meet.

This story was written by Peter Morgan and it is very confusing.  I am still confused.  

James Stewart Movie Review: **** Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

 This is a very good James Stewart before he went to war.  In this movie he goes to war with the U.S. Senate.  Mr. Smith (Stewart) is a boy's club leader, and when the senator dies, the boys convince the governor (Guy Kibbee) to appoint Mrs. Smith.  This is acceptable to the political boss, James Taylor (Edward Arnold) who thinks they will be able to control Mr. Smith.  

When he gets to Washington Smith meet the senior senator from his state, Senator Paine (Claude Raines).  He has been Smith's hero.   Smith proposes a boys camp, and it happens to be on and where they plan to put a dam, with lots of political graft.  Smith won't back down, the political boss frames him for profiteering as they have made it look like he owns the property for the boys camp.  He is to be expelled from congress, but not before he has his say.  He is lucky he meets Paine's secretary (Jean Arthur), who is assigned to him as she helps him.  He is new to Washington and she knows the ropes.  He is also helped by the leader of the Senate (Harry Carey).  He is not helped by Paine's daughter (Astrid Allyn) who keeps him occupied while political moves are made behind his back.  So the question is, can Mr. Smith talk his way out of the hole he is in and will the corruption ever be exposed.  

Enjoyable movie.  Who knew James Stewart could talk for so long.  Also interesting portrayal of the Senate and government corruption.