The Right Sound of
Glenn Miller and James Stewart
In “The Glenn Miller Story,” we see the struggles of an artist trying to find the “right sound.”
The Right Sound of
Cary Grant’s Search for
Lost Youth
In “Monkey Business,” Grant learns that you’re only old when you forget you’re young.
The Frenetic Noise of
‘His Girl Friday’
For the most part it is the separation and break from
Archie Leach that created the Cary Grant we know and love.
Archie Leach that created the Cary Grant we know and love.
Courage in the Air
In telling a good story, Howard Hawks and Cary Grant captured an essential part of what it means to be an American.
The Manliness of Screwball Comedy
The comedic Cary Grant shines in “Bringing Up Baby.”
An Idealistic and Imperfect American Love Story
H. C. Potter’s 1947 romantic comedy, “The Farmer’s Daughter,” shows how both marriage and politics in America can be a thrilling combination of idealistic and imperfect
at the same time.
at the same time.
Our Constitutional Doom Loop
The struggle of being American and maintaining America is to always be conscious of and working to avoid our pending doom.
Authentic and Inauthentic Love in ‘Laura’
Otto Preminger’s masterpiece is an unusual but beautiful noir love story that examines the danger of inauthentic love.
An Uneasy Victory Over Human Folly Along the ‘Santa Fe Trail’
Even a film that elevates the American story must leave a sense of uneasy victory.
The Oppressive Capture of the Past in ‘Key Largo’
The oppressive and inevitable nature of time presses on, making one understand that freedom is possible but only through the acceptance of the present.
Finding Friendship and Fortitude, Even in a Flop
“Cattle Queen of Montana” was a project that brought joy to Ronald Reagan and Barbara Stanwyck, expanded their already formed friendship, and continued the mutual warmth
and kind regard.
and kind regard.
Conquering the Chisholm Trail or the Men Who Conquered It?
Erotic power and harsh reality renders Howard Hawks’ “Red River” brilliant in every way.
Fakers, Frauds, and Fools
It’s important to know the difference between a person who is trying to live authentically and a person who is a fully willing fraud, peddling in lies that masquerade as truth.
The Soviet Erotic and Today’s Misbegotten Effort to Kill Eros
One cannot quantify sex and eros. It is a relationship that is mysterious and cannot be snuffed out by the ham-fisted attempts of ideologues to destroy it.
Victory Over Tyrannical Directing
Even a minor role can carry great weight, and it’s clear that Reagan understood that.
The Great Schooling Wall of China . . . and America
The subjects of both systems are in the cave, as Plato so wonderfully explained.
Ronald Reagan’s Uneasy Role
We get a sense from “That Hagen Girl” that neither Tom Bates nor Jordan, Ohio would meet with Reagan’s approval or measure up to his understanding of American possibilities.
An All-American Hero
An excerpt from Ronald Reagan’s travelogue for all Americans about America.
A Picture-Perfect Girl
Time and time again, Reagan has proven his acting ability, yet this ability (not to mention, the variety in his performances) has either gone unrecognized or is diminished, and often denigrated.
Ghosts of Old Year, Love of New Year
One of the most important parts of a new year’s anticipation is to remain firmly planted in reality. William Dieterle’s 1944 “I’ll Be Seeing You” is a fine example of this.