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Sunday, May 1, 2011

The Best Laid Plans

Good morning, all.

I had intended to write a nice piece today for Murderby4 for my usual Sunday post.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at a book signing at Deer Run Winery, and enjoyed a lovely warm day with good wine and better conversations with book lovers.

Aside from a raging headache that hit me on the way home, all was well and the day was a success. Until I woke up at 1:30 this morning with a case of food poisoning. I don't know how much sleep I got, but it wasn't much. And now I feel weak as a dishrag.

My sweet daughter and wife have been taking care of me - wet cloth on the forehead, and my favorite movie on the TV. I'm watching To Kill a Mockingbird for the gazillionth time, and it's as enjoyable and fresh and poignant as it was the first time I saw it when I was a child.






If you have a moment in the near future, buy this gem and treat yourself to what I believe is the most important and well-done movie of our time. Here's the link for the DVD. I guarantee this will be the best 12 bucks you've ever spent!



And here's the original novel by Harper Lee. Click to buy.


6 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 01, 2011

    Food poisoning???!!! Twasn't me, I promise.
    Hope you get to feeling better, and thanks for the movie reminder. Couldn't agree with you more, this one is a C.L.A.S.S.I.C.

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  2. Thanks, Bryce. I'm feeling a little better this afternoon, but the old stomach isn't quite normal yet. I looked in the mirror a minute ago and recoiled in horror. I look awful. LOL. We've now seen Frequency (Dennis Quaid, another all time favorite), and Angel Eyes. Now it's Sliding Doors. That's one good thing about feeling under the weather - the good old movies are so enjoyable. ;o)

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  3. Got food poisoning once, and I'm aiming to never experience that again.

    But about "To Kill a Mockingbird"... definitely an amazing movie. I can remember viewing it several times as a kid, and have also played the role of the scumbag father in the courtroom scene on stage... and then watched it again a few years ago and I have to say that it truly is fantastic.

    When I was a kid, it was just a cool story. Now I know better as an adult. It's much more than a good story. And I've got the tears to prove it.

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  4. Thanks, Nathan. Wow, that must've been a helluva role to prep for onstage. That father really was a scumbag. It's so powerful, no matter how many times I see it, I am moved beyond words. Thanks so much for weighing in on this!

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  5. Actually, I simplified it for myself... the portrayal the actor gave in the movie is so spot-on, that I more or less copied his take on the role. So it was very course, scruff, loud, and so full of hate. At the first rehearsal that I let into the other actor at the end of my index finger, while I spewed the N word, I immediately fell from my chair after screaming it and begged for his forgiveness. I wanted to make sure and lighten the air right off the bat before we got too deeply invested in the roles. Plus, the man was much larger than I was, and I didn't much feel safe playing that role. After that it was all serious playing the scene, and it was hard to be so cold during such an emotional scene. Truly one of the best scenes ever written.

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  6. Wow, Nathan. I can only imagine that... it must've torn you apart. And everyone watching, as well, I'm sure. By the way - I assume you're a writer? What do you write? I'll see if there's a link to your blog, etc.

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