Wednesday, October 26, 2016

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOD

By Effey

Back in the 1930's Hollywood helped Americans get through the Great Depression by providing jobs for thousands of people as movie extras as well as dancers and singers by creating a diversion which gave Americans a brief respite from the daily, depressing news of the times.
Movies, such as "Gold Diggers of 1935" and "42nd Street" had a cast of hundreds in great dance routines choreographed by Busby Berkley with eye catching overhead shots of the dance routines.  The movies themselves had transparently simple plots, but great music, great dances, great costumes and both, men and women, had great appealing figures.  "Hollywood Hotel" (1937) was another one of those movies featuring the song "Hooray for Hollywood" which is performed as the overture to the Academy Award ceremonies to this very day.
This movie introduced a new concept to the genre, famous big bands, with famous musicians of the time and again simple transparent plots.
But then in the mid 1940's Hollywood grew up and tackled socio-psychological issues, like the "Best Years of our Lives" about the challenges facing war veterans returning home, or "They Were Expandable" about the frustrations the Navy faced as it was forced to hop from island to island to escape from the advancing Japanese.  Mrs. Miniver" was another significant war movie, dealing with the disruptions of life for an English middle class family living through the German Rocket Blitz over London and the rescue of trapped British Troops in Dunkirk.  "Gentlemen's Agreement" was the forerunner for movies dealing with racial or ethnic prejudices such as anti-Semitism and racism against African-Americans ("Imitation of Life").
But one movie in particular, rings true especially in these, our very challenging times: "The Caine Mutiny"  The film was based on the 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk, about a captain of a Navy destroyer (Captain Queeg) who accuses his crew of Mutiny at a time when he himself couldn't fulfill his responsibilities of the moment and refuses to accept responsibilities for his mistakes. 
The movie starred Van Johnson, Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Fred MacMurray, Robert Francis and Jerry Paris. 
During a heavy typhoon the officers of the ship, in order to save the ship from sinking, take control of the ship and are faced with a court martial trial for mutiny.  When Captain Queeg finally gets to testify he distinctly shows symptoms of a paranoid, schizophrenic personality
The members of the court just sit there quietly and realize what is going on and that the crew acted responsibly and not foolishly.
The courtroom episode reminds me very much of what our country is going through right now.  We have challenges, lots of them.  But Donald Trump keeps on rambling and spouting lies that he is the only one who can "save" this country.  He hasn't got the foggiest ideas, real ideas, on why there is an "establishment" and a "system" and how they have evolved over time for various different reasons.  We know that in general terms both work!  Can they be improved?  Probably!  In fact, yes!  There is always room for improvement.  But he pretends to have all the answers.  But so far he has not given us one idea that would work.  His mantra is that only he can fix our problems.  He is enamored with himself and is both an egomaniac and a megalomaniac!
In fact, if you ever have a chance to rent the movie "The Great Dictator" starring Charlie Chaplin and Jack Oakley in the roles of Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini you will see exactly why I accuse Donald Trump of being a demagogue or a latent dictator. 
If truth be told, the problems we face were not created by President Obama or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  They were created by a Republican Congress which undermined the two wherever and whenever possible.  We need a democratic president and a democratic congress, so that the President can create whatever policies this country needs to get out of our gridlock which has paralyzed our country.  Only then will we be able to tackle our challenges.  Having a democratic president who is progressive and a congress which wants to stand still and freeze in time will not work.  It is time that Americans wake up and not accuse our President of having failed to move the country forward but put the blame where it really belongs, with our Republican Congress.
Nevertheless, I am glad that Trump tried to run for the office of the president!  Why?  Because inadvertently he exposed the Republicans, who even though they did not like Donald Trump, they did not do anything to stop him.  They found all kinds of excuses to excuse his rude behavior, his true character and the fact that he is one of the biggest crooks who ever ran for the office of President of this country.  They overlooked the fact that he cheated hundreds of workers out of their salaries, built his empire on the backs of the middle class, without paying Federal Income Taxes, and duping people into signing up for his Trump University which did nothing for them, except extol Trump's virtues and treating women like chattel!  In comparison look at President Barack Obama who is beyond reproach and has integrity and has moved the country forward despite the Congress!  And also look at Clinton who has worked for the people who had no one to represent their rights, all her life!  Nobody is perfect.  But some are more perfect than others and vice versa, some are less perfect than others.  Donald Trump is the least perfect of all.  He lives in the gutter.

Stay Tuned.

Red Beans and Ricely Yours

Effey

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