Out of the Past - Into the Now: Misfit Mustangs

The relationship between humans and mustangs has always been a volatile one. Their size and their strength coupled with their wildness has made this species a threat to humans. The ways humans have treated mustangs over the years can be categorized in two ways. One approach has been to wrangle and hunt mustangs to either prove our strength as predators or to reduce their threat to us and our farmland. Another has been to see the mustang as a symbol of freedom and to sympathize and try to protect what has been a dying species.

The Sunday New York Times had an article about the debate on euthanizing select mustangs. The idea is to thin a captive herd which has been growing rapidly and is now at around 30,000.

I'm not forming an opinion or asking for one, whatever your thoughts are on the matter are strictly your concern. However, I do think this is an excellent example of how classic films can still speak to contemporary audiences. The Misfits (1961) explored the topic of the human relationship with wild mustangs. Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift and Eli Wallach are cowboys who make their living off of rodeos and hunting wild mustang. Marilyn Monroe plays a divorcee who is lured into the cowboy lifestyle, but is appalled by the killing of the mustangs. The most poignant scene is Clark Gable's final performance where he wrangles a mustang. Its difficult to watch as the physicality of it was most likely a factor in Gable's death just days later. This film was also Monroe's last and watching her break down in tears and hysterics has always been difficult for me to see as well. The film not only has amazing performances by all the principal actors but also a poignant dramatic story that has some relevance to audiences today.

An Ode to Tuesday Night

On a beautiful summer night, the Brattle Theater is packed with movie goers waiting for the 7:30 show. Its Bette Davis' 100th Birthday year and All About Eve (1950) will grace the screen in homage to the great actress. I am energized by the sight of so many people, who could have spent their Tuesday night doing something else, but chose to watch Bette Davis in her famous comeback role instead. We got ready for a deliciously bumpy night. The two hours that followed were filled with laughter, a result of the witty and cutting dialogue that peppered the film. Others laughter served as a catalyst and I found myself laughing at points that weren't even funny. I must have been spurred on by the sense of communal enjoyment. Applause filled the theater as the credits rolled and we were released into the warm air of a July evening. It was downstairs to Casablanca, for drinks and dessert with friends. It seemed fitting to go from one classic to another. It was as though we were following the stars in the Hollywood heavens, Davis and Bogart were our guides for the evening. Its nights like these that I realize how truly great life as a classic film lover can be.

I saw Mickey Rooney with my own two eyes!

Yes that's right. On Thursday night, my mother and I were in Atlantic City to see Mickey Rooney. That's right, the one and only Mickey Rooney. I was so excited. We ended up getting 2nd row seats and I was probably only about 6 feet away from him. It was an amazing show. The first act was Mickey on his own, reminscing about the good ole days, cracking some jokes, doing some impressions (notably Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable) and singing some tunes. It was great to see him. He is so TINY! And even for his age, he had a lot of spunk and vivacity. The second act was his wife Jan who I didn't realize was a professional singer. She sang several songs including some country western ones. My favorite though was when she sang the theme song to Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), one of Mickey's films, "Moon River". It was quite beautiful. Then the third act had them together. They shared lots of jokes about their marriage, including a funny one about a beer commercial they had done together a long time ago (see clip below). Mickey then surprised us with some soft-shoe dancing and some piano playing! That alone was worth the admission! I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I think I cried a bit when he talked about his good friend Judy Garland and sang one of their songs with a video clip of them singing together on Judy's show in the 60s. Quite moving. In the end, Mickey Rooney was born to entertain and that's what he did. And to have been able to witness him in action was something I'll never forget!