It’s not very often I get to go shopping at our local grocery store. When I do it’s somewhat of a treat. The blue and white checkered floor pattern reminds me of grocery stores from when I was my kids’ age, and there’s a distinct smell from being greeted by the dry dog food in the entrance way. The high-school boys are generally flirting with the one or two cute girls who work the register, but they’re always taking out the groceries for anyone over 40, and walking them politely to their car.
Tonight I had a $20 bill in my pocket where I keep my cel phone. My mission was to go to the store and grab a few items. Since I had forgotten what those items are, I called Chrissy, and while the phone was exiting my pocket, so was the $20. I grabbed my items off the shelves, went to the register, and was about to pay…. but I didn’t have any money.
The nice gal behind the register waited while I went to find the cash, and I wandered around the store retracing my steps. There was a nice lady who noticed me, asked if I was missing some money. To be sure I was honest she asked how much I had dropped. “$20″ I said. With that she handed me my missing bill. I paid for the groceries and headed home.
As this town gets bigger I hope that some things don’t change. There’s the gas station that has earned my loyalty because they let you pay AFTER you pump. They actually trust their customers, and for that trust, they get my business. The lady at the grocery store is typical of folks in this area. I hope that doesn’t change. Of course, the wheels of change are spinning. This past month our first McDonalds opened up. Earlier in the year it was Subway. I hope people don’t loose sight of the good values the live by, after all, that’s why we picked this part of Oklahoma.
Thanks to the nice folks at Williams Grocery, and all the great people in the Elgin/ Fletcher area of Oklahoma!
Recently my grandmother’s been in the hospital. At her age we all get a bit concerned with this sort of thing happens. Many of us start reflecting on all the memories we have of her throughout the years. Among my many memories are some of the movies she had in her library that we used to watch as a kid. As I grew up I had an appreciation for the quality of those old “Black and White Movies.”
I mention this because recently I was doing some internet browsing, wandered over to one of my favourite internet archives and found an old classic ready to download and watch. It’s even ready to put on the iPod! I’ve linked the photo above directly to the download. If you want to try a smaller version of the file you can find one here. The movie is called “Topper” and it’s about a married couple who die due to a car accident. They decide to do a good deed and help an older couple work through their marital problems. The film by today’s standards is very very tame. It plays with sexual tension in such a modest way it’s wonderful. Of course Variety Magazine in 1937 said, ” Some of the situations and dialog offend conventional good taste.” If it’s a movie my mom and grandmother don’t walk out on, I’m pretty sure it’s ok to watch. Here’s the IMDB synopsis:
The fun-loving Kerbys, stockholders in the bank of which henpecked, stuffy Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) is president, drive recklessly once too often and become ghosts. In limbo because they’ve never done either good or bad deeds, they decide to try a good one now: rehabilitating Topper. Lovely, flirtatious Marion (Constance Bennett) takes a keen personal interest in the job. Will Topper survive the wrath of jealous ghost George (Cary Grant)? Will Mrs. Topper (Billie Burke) find that a scandalous husband isn’t all bad?
Thanks to CaryGrant.net I’ll also post the 1937 Film Review from the New York Times:
NEW YORK TIMES Film Review – August 20, 1937 - by B.R.C.
Admittedly rather a heavy consignment of whimsy to be shipping from the printed page to the screen, “Topper” was unloaded at the Capitol yesterday in a condition which, judging by the encouraging advance notices – should justify at least a mild complaint against either the shippers or the transfer company. The practice is to give the author the benefit of the doubt in cases where a doubt exists, so we are going to assume that Thorne Smith’s yarn about a pair of ectoplasmic screwballs who charitably set right the henpecked, suburban world of Cosmo Topper, by converting Cosmo to champagne and his wife to lacy underthings, possessed all the delicious whimsy which in the film is only a mechanically garnished dish of whimsy substitute.
We honestly regret our inability to shout hurrah for “Topper,” because everybody seems to have tried hard to make it click: Mr. Roach, the producer; Mr. McLeod, the director; the three screen authors, and the players, especially the players. But whimsy is a delicate and perishable commodity and nobody need be blamed for the slight spoilage in transit. Certainly not Constance Bennett, who used to be expected to do nothing more than look glamorous and haut-monde, and who becomes in “Topper” almost as animated as Luise Rainer. Nor Cary Grant, who is so conscientious that we feel a positive pang when these two handsome and frivolous creatures smash their fancy roadster against a tree and become equally handsome and frivolous ghosts.
Still nonchalant, albeit transparent as amoebas, the pair agree they must have a good deed to their credit before the celestial trumpets sound and decide to do something about Topper – poor old Topper – the president of a bank – worth millions – but getting nothing out of life. Establishing contact with Topper, who is even more eager than his saviors, they precipitate a number of mildly amusing double-exposure situations in which Roland Young, lately of “The Man Who Could Work Miracles,” seems peculiarly at home.
In fact, Mr. Young and his fellow players are responsible for whatever success an otherwise completely irresponsible film enjoys: Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper, Alan Mowbray as Wilkins, Eugene Pallette as a house detective, and, of course, the hard-working Miss Bennett and Mr. Grant.
I’ve told Chrissy that she’s not the woman I married. No, that person is gone, and she’s been replaced with someone else. Someone I love better. I don’t take the time to comment on this blog about how much she means to me, because it takes a lot of emotional energy to put down in words feelings that I consider beyond words.
I prefer to leave certain emotions in abstract. They are better left as the colours of my mind. Although the English language has an immense lexicon of words, and an immense amount of flexibility with adopting new ones, none seem adequate. Sure I meet new words every week. This week’s word was pulchritudinous. It’s a rather poetically clever word. I like it a lot, but it just doesn’t seem good enough. Pulchritudinous has part of the colors of my mind, but it’s awkward to pronounce, and doesn’t match the sounds that go with the colours.
So all of this is a bit abstract, and maybe too complicated to understand. There have been times when I’ve highlighted some of the people in my life on this blog, and there are some who are wondering when I will highlight their influence on my life. Honestly, I’m just not ready to do that. For the same reason I can’t say good-bye to people. I simply let them leave, and after a time, pick up life from the last encounter. To me describing a person’s influence in my life, is confining that influence.
I recently was asked to write a letter of recommendation for a professor. It was a difficult task, because as much as I knew I had learned from her, I wanted to leave space to learn more. It’s uncomfortable to write the obituary of influence about someone you care about
The few times I have practiced writing about people here on the blog have been hard tasks to be sure. I have had to train myself to construct something on paper from a “thank-you” perspective or a “hello” perspective. Trying to write others though, it feels too much like I’ve said “goodbye.” It’s considerably easier to post blogs with neat little youtube videos than it is to write about the people who’ve helped make me, me.
What’s brought this all on? I’ve been facebooking and finding old friends from High School. Some are just now getting married, others celebrated their second Christmas’ together. A few have children. A small number of those have more than one. All of them have politely responded to seeing the photos on my facebook account. “You have a gorgeous family” and variations, have appeared in response recently. “Certainly you are blessed.”
What did I do to get these blessings? Well, some of it’s me doing the right things. A lot of it is God’s influence on my life, and a LOT of his influence comes from the good people I’ve been surrounded by, and how I’ve framed the learning opportunities in each relationship. Looking back it doesn’t feel like it took a lot of effort from me. The same thing would happen while hiking. The climb upward would be exhausting, but after reaching the summit it would feel like I could tackle more.
Constructing the obituaries for friendships also feels a bit like putting a limit on the hand of the Lord. Unlike Handel I don’t think I could claim to have seen God on his throne, but I have felt the influence of the angels he has sent me in the friendships I cherish deeply.
I will try and muster the courage to write thank-you introductions. My abilities seem lacking in the very thought, but there’s a void of “thank-yous” hitting the media, and since roeckerfam.com is a media I control, it should be used to this end.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
The opening scene of th 1993 film Benny & Joon shows Johnny Depp’s character reading a book: The Look of Buster Keaton. Outside of that 15 year old reference not much of the mainstream media has given any attention to the once-famous actor. Reference still exist among film critics who understand the historical significance that Keaton plays. Even a recent article about the latest James Bond movie mentions Buster Keaton in a positive light.
Although Chalie Chapman’s “Tramp” is a much more identifyable character from the silent film era Keaton and Chapman were certainly considered equals at the time, as well as today. Their comedic timing was shear genius. With a little bit of background this silent film easily becomes a knee slapper. So let’s give you some background.
Many of the silent film directors were Civil War buffs. Keaton was no exception. “The General” takes place during the civil war. It begins with Keaton trying to enlist into the army to win over his love, a typical southern bell. He’s considered unfit for enlistment His regular job is to drive a train named “The General.” He becomes hearbroken. Then through a series of unfortunate circumstances his train and girl are captured by the hostile notherners. He follows them in a terrific chase scene, saves the girl, and warns the southern army of an impending attack.
There’s some great footage during the film. You get to see historically restored locomotive crash into a river–where it remained until salvaged as scrap metal for WWWII. More than 500 extras from the Oregon national guard were used as the union soldiers. When Johnnie (Keaton’s Character) is saving the girl he puts her into a potato sack. The concept of stunt doubles didn’t exist in the silent film era, despite what Singing in the Rain would have you believe. The actress is actually in the potato sack getting tossed around, banged into things, and having things thrown on her.
What a brave era to be an actress!
Watch for Keaton’s timing. His animation may look a bit choppy because of the age of the film, but you’ll see him as agile as any character Jim Carrey has played. Even Alan Alda attributes many of his acting lessons to emulating Keaton’s style. It’s no wonder that when Benny & Joon was released with the tagline “A Romance on the Brink of Reality” it was Keaton who Depp looked to for emulation.
This will not die out of the history of American film anytime soon. It seems to have passed it’s days when it was discussed over the dinner table. It’s a shame really. Something of this calibar should warrant a resurrection. It’s brilliant. It’s time to get the popcorn out and watch a good piece of film.
You can watch it below, or you can download a hi-res version of it here: 700mb, 210mb, 173mb, 75mb.
Yes, I like many little boys, grew up wanting to be a firefighter. To accommodate this, someone in hollywood made a show just for me, at the time when I was most prone in life to enjoy it. I mean really the writing was just at my level. With lead character names like “Gage” and “Desoto” this show was primed to be one of my favourite growing up.
You could imagine my joy when I noticed that hulu.com has begun to host episodes of Emergency! Yahoo! Now I can pass it on to another generation. Daniel and I have already sat down to a couple of episodes. I’m happy to embed a couple of them below for your enjoyment. Pay particular attention to the vintageness of the automobiles, haircuts, and discussion on highly volatile subjects–like teenage immorality. Certainly this show was made in a different era, though it seems odd it was made in my lifetime!
There’s a good fan site also available for anyone who’s interested. [Click Here].
Read the First Comment 
The opening scene of th 1993 film 
t film easily becomes a knee slapper. So let’s give you some background.
Yes, I like many little boys, grew up wanting to be a firefighter. To accommodate this, someone in hollywood made a show just for me, at the time when I was most prone in life to enjoy it. I mean really the writing was just at my level. With lead character names like “
