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About this blog

Reviews of books I am reading. TV shows and movies I have seen

Entries in this blog

The Redgrave's

We have recently had the deaths of Corin & Lynne. I think only Vanessa is left. They were all leftists and could be counted to support whatever bad cause was around. They were also very good actors. I'll enjoy their movies but wince when they give their political positions. They had Elizabeth Taylor as a step-mother.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Michael McKean

Jeopardy is have its Celebrity Tournament of Champions and I think Michael McKean will be the big winner. Michael McKean is one of the best proofs that the intelligence of actors should not be judged by the roles they play. McKean played one of two stupid guys on a show "Laverne & Shirley" that had several dumb people. Almost of his other roles he has played a lot smarter

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

The Fantastics

The Fantastics ran for over 40 years off Broadway. It has a very small cast. I believe the cast is less than ten people. A huge number of high schools have done it. It is based on a play by Rostand. A good number of the actresses who played the girl went on to become big names. The first El Gallo was Jerry Orbach who was on Law & Order.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Lee Patrick

This lady was one of the best character actresses. She appeared both in Vertigo and The Maltese Falcon. She was Mrs. Topper in the show with that name. She never got to be a star but she did good work.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Thoughts on Lou Dobbs

John Stossell had Lou Dobbs on his show last week. I realized that Lou Dobbs does not think that there are individuals acting. Because we speak of trade as between countries we do not see that trade is not between countries. It is ultimately between individuals. I decide I want a new car so I get a car that is Japanese but I as individual make that decision. I think this maybe that people like Dobbs are always seeing collectives.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Supporting Actors

Supporting actors or character actors can make a good movie a great one. The scene in Absence of Malice is made by several supporting actors of which not the least was Wilfred Brimley. They never get the girl and they may not be that good looking and sometimes they have the best lines. One example is Eve Arden's role as Mildred Pierce's friend when the two of them are talking about Mildred's daughter the Eve Arden's character says "I think alligators have the right idea, they eat their young

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Wilford Brimley's scene in Absence of Malice

The first movie I ever saw with Wilford Brimley was Absence of Malice. The movie was almost over. Suddenly this old man with a big mustache appeared. He seemed very grumpy. In ten minutes you forgot about Sally Field & Paul Newman. In less he tried up all the loose ends in the movie when he tells the unethical lead prosecutor that he has thirty days it is a moment not to be missed. I'm sorry that the only time I can see Brimley is selling diabetes supplies but I'm glad he making money.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

David Boaz's article about Freedom in America

David Boaz of the Cato Institute has an excellent article about libertarians who long for a golden age of liberty. He tells them to recognize that there as never been such a golden age. The worst of them proclaim the Confederacy as some bastion of freedom ignoring the fact that millions of people were held as slaves in the South. The South even before the Civil War engaged in censorship of anti-slavery newspapers. There is one little inter newsletter that proclaims itself a home for old Co

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

John Forsyth

He also died within the last few days. The role that that is being mentioned was Blake Carrington on Dynasty but my favorite was his portraying Alvin Dewey in "In Cold Blood." Alvin Dewey was KBI agent in charge of Clutter murder investigation. Alvin Dewey was a dogged investigator and Forsyth portrayed him that way. He was one of the good things in a very over rated movie. Forsayth was also used by Hit chock in two movies. Forsayth was not used anywhere as often as Cary Grant or James Ste

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

June Havoc

June Havoc who died on March 27th was an actress who had a very famous sister. The sister was Gypsy Rose Lee who was famous star of burlesque. Their story has been told in the musical Gypsy Gypsy is one of the best American musicals. It is the story of their travel around the country in the last days of vaudeville. June was Baby June. Louise was a support player in the act but later blossomed in burlesque. Their mother was the stage mother from hell. The part of Mama Rose has become the

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

In Plain Sight

This is a show about the US Marshall's who run the witness protection program. The people who are put in the witness protection program are people who have been involved in criminal enterprises who after helping the government are in fear for the lives. In some cases they are criminals themselves. In other cases they have been brought into the enterprise. They must in some cases vanish completely from their families The show has gotten good guest stars. The writing is solid. The only prob

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Kit Kittridge

This is a charming little movie set during the Great Depression which stars Abagail Breslin in the title role. Her father played by Chris O'Donnell loses his job and has to leave the family to go to Chicago to look for work. The mother played by Julie Ormond has to take in borders, raise chickens and sell eggs. While Kit worships Eleanor Roosevelt the family continues to make their own way. There is wonderful bit where the girls wear dresses made from old flour sacks which look very fashion

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is the best prison movie ever made. It stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. It is based on a novella by Stephen King It is the story of Andy Durfresse played by Tim Robbins who has been convicted of killing his wife and her lover. As the prosecutor comments "He had to reload." He is given two life terms in Shawshank Prison. Red played by Morgan Freeman is older convict serving a life sentence I think for murder. The villains are the warden played by Bob Gunton a

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

The Blind Side

This movie won Sandra Bullock the best actress award at the Oscars. It is the story of a rich white Southern family that takes in a homeless black boy. The mother is played by a Sandra Bullock who does a wonderful job. The script is great. The supporting cast is good. The Bullock character has some great lines that are pro-second amendment. The boy went on to graduate from Old Miss and is now in the National Football League. Sometimes the progress this country had made in race can be

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

ObamaCare's Passing

This turn of events is not surprising. I hope the signs of strong opposition continue to come through so we can get rid of this very bad law. Some people are suggesting non-violent opposition. Any opposition must remain non-violent as the supporters will demonize any acts of violence.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Gandhi

On the popular blog Powerline John Hindraker makes the comment that Gandhi was the most over rated person of the 20th century. Interestingly the late Murray Rothbard thought the same thing. Gandhi's tactics would not have been successful against anyone but the British. Gandhi would have been quickly executed by the Nazis or Communists. He told Jews not to resist the Nazis. India had a huge bloodbath at the time of independence. Gandhi advocated a primitive life style for India which would

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Problems with the Culture Right and the "Tea Party" Movement

The Culture Right thinks the Tea Party Movement is too libertarian which I think means that the Tea Party is too committed to the values of the Enlightenment. The "Tea Party" movement is not interested if opposing gay marriage and abortion. The "Tea Party" sees the above issues as much less important while the country see a mountain for the next century and increasing government control of our lives. Objectivists should stand for enlightenment values and for a secular society.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

The 2010 Oscars

All the winners who were predicted won. Entertainment Weekly was correct. The Hurt Locker was the big winner winning four of the ten big awards. The big awards are Picture, Director, the four acting awards, the two writing awards, Editing, and Cinematography. No picture can win more than nine. You can't be nominated for both writing categories. The Hurt Locker won four. The only other picture that won more than one was Precious which won two. I have no plans to see Precious and I have a

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

Paul Ryan

He was one of the "stars" of the Obamacare Summit. Near the end he showed how the figures the Dems are using are false. They are double counting. He has prepared a budget plan which the GOP leadership should embrace but has not which would actually balance the budget. He is a Roman Catholic but apparently he has his summer interns read Atlas Shrugged. He spoke at TAS 100 Ayn Rand birthday celebration.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb

UP

I finally finished this movie last night. I wish I had seen on a bigger movie screen. It is a great movie with a wonderful fun pilot. It celebrates married life and a love that laughs for years. It good enough that I forgive Ed Asner for being the awful leftist he is.

Chris Grieb

Chris Grieb