Bonanza: "Escape to Ponderosa"

 Hello again! I (Irene) decided we should have at least two posts done for Legends of Western Cinema Week, so I decided to write a little review of something both Anna and I recently watched so it would be decently fresh in my mind. And despite Bonanza not even being my favorite western t.v show, here I go, yet again reviewing a Bonanza episode. I was inspired, what can I say?

The episode begins.... Well, it begins as you might expect. Near a rock, in Nevada, there lived three convicts, except they don't live there. One of them is sitting by and not helping the others try to break the shackles that are wrapped around an unintelligent looking chap's wrists. The one helping break the cognitively-lacking fellow's shackles' is noticeably attractive and considerate. Anyway, back to the story....From the dialogue being spoken it is easily deduced that they escaped from some branch of the military. And while they are talking about what they should do next, who should come along but dear old Adam Cartwright?

 

 

He hears voices, goes to check on them, and is promptly knocked out. I don't know if this happens more often to Little Joe or Adam, so if anybody has been keeping count, please inform me.

Back at the Ponderosa ranch house, Hoss is intent on building a house of cards and Little Joe, being the delightful little sibling he is, blows it down. This scene is pretty darn funny. As the youngest child, I feel a kindred spirit with Little Joe.

 

 

 

Anyway, while the family is relaxing at home and Little Joe is trying to ward off the imminent arrival of a young death in the form of Hoss, a troop (brigade? squad? I dunno) from the army comes riding up and the leader of them, a Capt. Bolton, walks up to the house and arrogantly knocks on the door. He then arrogantly walks in, arrogantly asking Mr. Cartwright if he's seen three convicts running around. Seems they escaped from the cavalry stockade and are suspected to be on the Ponderosa. Ben Cartwright says no, he hasn't seen any. Bolton wants to search his house, but since he's such a jerk and the fourth amendment is a thing, Mr. Cartwright kicks him out of the house. Right when Bolton is about to leave, Adam shows up at the house with a bad gash on his head. He tells his family that he was jumped, and he thinks he saw prison uniforms on the men who did it. He remembers he heard at least two men, maybe three, arguing about whether they should kill him or not. Capt. Bolton, Mr. Cartwright, and Little Joe take off to find them.

 

The boys looking fine and fresh, especially Adam, with Mr. Ugly Bolton in the background.

We cut back to the convicts and Jimmy Sutton (the unhelpful one) is telling his two compadres about how he knows of a little ranch they can go too where he used to be real friendly with the girl who owned it. He is confident that they will find shelter there. Meanwhile, Tyler (the nice and attractive one) is listening intently for any signs of pursuit. I won't tell you the name of the unintelligent looking one cause he gets left behind and shot and killed later. We won't go into that.

 

Jimmy Sutton on the far left and Paul Tyler on the far right. Inconsequential guy who dies in the middle.

Sutton and Tyler make their way to Sutton's girlfriend Nedda's ranch. They sneak into the barn to change into some less conspicuous shirts that don't have a big letter 'P' on the back of them. Tyler sees a little foal, and immediately goes down to pet it. HE LOVES HORSES GUYS 😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰

He tells Sutton that sometimes he likes horses a good deal better than people. Who can blame him? Tyler seems to have had some bad experiences with people. Sutton is confident that Capt. Bolton will be halfway across the country by now and has no idea where they've gone, but Tyler isn't so sure. While they're talking, someone is heard coming. The two convicts hide and soon enough a girl (played by Gloria Talbott) comes in and lays a blanket over the colt.

 

She loves horses too!!!!!!!! And I also like her outfit. Very cute.

Jimmy sneaks up on her like a creep.

 

 

She is very much alarmed, understandably. He goes straight to kissing her while she's just asking where they came from and probably wondering how the heck she ever liked a guy who would come up behind a girl in the middle of the night while she's alone in a barn and just lay one on her. Honestly. Tyler awkwardly tries to ignore them.

 

 

 

Y'all probably know where this story is going, but I'll tell ya anyway.

Sutton tells Nedda some cock and bull story about how he and Tyler were prospecting for gold or something and then ended up at her house. She doesn't quite believe it, but she lets them inside and feeds them dinner anyway. Very nice of her.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cartwright is trying to get Capt. Bolton disbanded, or suspended, or something like that because he shot the not-so-smart-looking guy from the beginning (remember him?) while he was trying to 'escape'. He wasn't really, but Bolton is kill-crazy. Unfortunately, the superior office does nothing about it, although he does give Bolton a good talking to. I don't think it made much impression on him.

 

 

 

Back at Nedda's ranch, Tyler and Sutton are eating dinner when there comes a knock at the door. As Nedda goes to answer, Sutton asks her not to tell anyone they are there. She asks why. He lies to her, saying they made a silver strike and don't want anybody to know. Tyler again looks uncomfortable on the side.

 

 

 

Who should be at the door but good old Hoss Cartwright! He asks Nedda if she's seen anybody suspicious around, like maybe two army convicts??? She says no, and as she is acting strangely nervous, Hoss asks if she is okay, but she just says no again and quickly gets rid of him. Now Nedda starts to wonder if maybe her beloved and his prospecting partner are actually prospectors after all, and she feels terrible about lying to Hoss. You can't just lie to Hoss!

 

 

 

Nedda goes back in and after thinking about what Hoss said, and also observing the fact that Jimmy had a gun in his hand and looked ready to use it, she realizes that Sutton and Tyler are in fact the two missing convicts Hoss was telling her about. 

 

Just thought I'd share this photo...

When he sees the game is up, Sutton confesses to being a convict, but pleads with Nedda to understand how terrible it was at the stockade, how Bolton beat him and Tyler, and how they had no choice but to escape. Tyler was beaten and agrees with Sutton about how Bolton was a monster, but he hates the way Sutton is using Nedda and constantly lying to her.

 

 

 

And Sutton is generally just a really gross and annoying guy. But despite that, he convinces Nedda to still hide them, after using Tyler's tortures as leverage to persuade Nedda. Tyler does not appreciate that.

 

 

 

Back at the Cartwright ranch Hoss tells his brothers and Pa that he figures there is something worrying Nedda. Mr. Cartwright decides they better all go over there and check it out. All except Adam :(

 

 

 

And back at Nedda's ranch, Paul and Nedda bond over their shared love of horses...

 

 

 

... Before the Cartwrights rudely interrupt. And it was just as Nedda was telling Paul that she maybe, kinda liked him!

 

 

 

He doesn't drop the stick 'cause Sutton comes in behind Mr. Cartwright and hold a gun on him. Tyler knocks him on the head (Ben, that is) and then stops Sutton from killing Mr. Cartwright. He's all over the place.

 

Then the tables turn yet again when Little Joe and Hoss come busting in and make Tyler and Sutton the captives yet again.

 

 

 

They hold the two convicts at gunpoint until Ben regains consciousness. After realizing how Bolton treated them, and talking it through a bit, Mr. Cartwright offers to take Sutton's and Tyler's name tags to Bolton's commanding officer and thus they can turn themselves over to the army without getting beaten or killed by Bolton.

Mr. Cartwright takes off with Sutton's and Tyler's name tags but unfortunately gets caught by Bolton on the road. The Captain discovers the name tags and follows Mr. Cartwright's tracks bad to Nedda's ranch.

During these altercations, the convicts, the Cartwright boys, and Nedda are all waiting nervously back at the ranch. As they wait and feed the little colt, Hoss asks Tyler what he did to get put into the stockade in the first place. Tyler tells him the slightly shocking truth about his past and why he was charged with cowardice and arrested. They don't tell us why Jimmy ended up there. I think it's cause we all know he deserved to be there. He soon begins to plead with Little Joe and Hoss to let them escape, so's they don't have to go back to Capt. Bolton.

 

 

 

Little Joe and Hoss ain't having it. Sutton turns to Tyler and tries to convince him. That doesn't work. Then he tries to convince Nedda by attempting to scrape up the drags of a relationship long dead. When she isn't touched by his drawing up of romantic memories, he starts to get nasty. He notices that Paul Tyler is rather handsome, and that he is also kind and brave and noble and practically perfect in every way. He suggests that maybe a little something more than colt feeding has been going on in this barn recently.

 

 

 

Tyler promptly promptly punches him. Most satisfying moment in the whole episode.

 

Unfortunately, this leads to Sutton getting his hands on Little Joe's gun and fleeing detainment.

 

 

 

But the wicked shall have their just reward, and as Sutton is running out of the barn, Bolton and his men arrive, along with Mr. Cartwright. Sutton tries running one way, and then the other, but is caught. In one last desperate attempt to flee capture, he climbs a fence and gets shot by Capt. Bolton in the process. This time the prisoner actually was trying to escape. 

 

 

 

As the shots are heard inside the barn, Tyler decides to go out, unarmed, and give himself up. Nedda pleads with him not to do so. He ask her why. She says it's because she, well, um... She kinda, maybe loves him. He is shocked, the audience is not. It was pretty obvs, not gonna lie.

 

This is when he realizes he can't run. I wish I looked like this when I realized things.

Anyway, after Little Joe and Hoss assure Capt. Bolton that Tyler does not have a gun, the latterly mentioned man comes out prepared to give himself up.

 

 

 

But Capt. Bolton fails to acknowledge Tyler's armlessness. Whether this is because he purposely wants to kill Tyler no matter what, or because Tyler did indeed still have two arms attached to his body and Bolton made an honest mistake, I'm not sure. I think it's both. Anyway, he puts out his gun and is about to shoot...

 

When kaboom! Sutton, who was actually not dead yet, blasts him to kingdom come! 

 

Unfortunately for Sutton, the rest of the soldiers then blast him to kingdom come....

Anyway, everybody we care about is unharmed and although Tyler is still going back to jail, we know that it should be for a very short length of time, and he will most likely not be watched over by a sadistic Captain. Although that seems to happen an awful lot in western t.v. shows.... But we also know that the day he gets out, Nedda will be waiting for him.

She tells him so.

 

 

 

THE END 

And there you have it folks. I think Escape to Ponderosa is a very apt name for this episode, as it is quite a piece of escapism, and I don't say that in a negative sense. There aren't any big plot twists, it's predictable, and the main guy is maybe too perfect. But it's still super enjoyable. Grant Williams plays Paul Tyler quietly and calmly, and he definitely emits awesomeness. Not to mention he's pretty darn good-lookin'. All the other actors are good too, and their dialogue and interactions are snappy and entertaining to watch. It's really a very fun episode. I didn't give everything away, so you can still watch it and be surprised and delighted by certain happenings.

This has been Horseback to Byzantium's second blog post for The Legends of Western Cinema Week. I hope you enjoyed :D Now I'd better be going to bed. It's getting colder than a hairless dog in a snowstorm down here. Adios again!

- Irene

Legends of Western Cinema Week Tag 2020

Hi there! So, it's technically like the fourth day of Legends of Western Cinema Week, hosted by Hamlette's Soliloquy and Along the Brandywine, but Anna and I have been kinda busy, so we didn't get a chance to do this awesome tag made by Hamlette until now! I'm also gonna post something else western oriented, but Anna and I really wanted to do this tag first, so here we go!

1. What's the last western you watched? So, last western t.v. show we watched was an episode of Lawman called 'The Souvenir' and the last western movie we watched was most likely, probably, Rio Bravo (1959).

2. A western of any stripe (happy or tragic) where you were highly satisfied by the ending? THIS QUESTION IS TOO HARD!!!!! So, Anna's favorite ending is The Searchers (1956) and I love that one too, but right now I'll go with the combined endings of Big Jake (1971), True Grit (1969) and Rooster Cogburn (1975).
 

3. The funniest western you've seen? The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) for sure. 

4. What similar elements/themes show up in your favorite westerns? Anna says good hats. And let's admit we all love a bad gunslinger who ends up having to help people and turns out being awesome. That's always a good one.

 5. Favorite actress who made 1 or more westerns? Maureen O'Hara. She's cool. 

6. Favorite western hero/sidekick pairing? Do Marshal Dan Troop and Deputy Johnny McKay from Lawman count? 'Cause Johnny ain't nobody's sidekick. But they're great together.

7. Scariest villain/antagonist in a Western? For some reason we can only think of actually scary villains that appear in western t.v. shows. A good one in that department is the guy from the Bonanza episode 'Thunder Man'. He was a creeper for sure. And then there's the guy who dresses as a lady in the Lawman episode 'The Catalog Woman'. *Shivers* That was creepy. 

8. Favorite romance in a western? Okay, so Lonnie and Junie in Apache Territory (1958) were absolutely, undeniably adorable. They seem like they would really get along in life. A couple of lovebirds that are actually realistic and beautiful are Mr. Conagher and Mrs. Teal from both the book and movie Conagher (1991), by Louis L'Amour.

9. Three of your favorite westerns? The Magnificent Seven (1960), Silverado (1985) and a tie between Big Jake, Rio Bravo and El Dorado (1967). That is technically five, but just pretend the last three are all rolled together into one ball of awesomeness.

10. Share one (or several!) of your favorite quotes from a western. We shared a couple in one of our past tags, but there are lots more. Here are just a few we say a lot.

*While trying to catch anything at all and failing* "There was a time when I would've caught all three" - Lee, from The Magnificent Seven.

"Sooner or later you must pay for every good deed!" - Calvera, from The Magnificent Seven

"It ain't right. I've had enough of things that ain't right" - Mal, from Silverado 

"You're right Stumpy. You're a treasure" - Sheriff John T. Chance, Rio Bravo

AHHHHH!!!!!! There are so many fire and profound lines in westerns, but I can't remember them!!!!!!!! Well, at least not verbatim. John Wayne has so many good ones. Every line in the Lawman episode 'The Holdout' is epic. Honest to goodness.

Awwwww 😍

I guess that's all for now folks. What a fun tag! We truly do love westerns over here. Now go on and enjoy some western t.v. shows, movies, or literature! Adios!

Exit (2019)

Welcome to Anna and Irene's (really only Irene's) entry into the Disaster Blogathon, hosted by The Midnite Drive-In and Dubsism!!! Everyone loves a good disaster film (especially me) and I have one to review that I think might win for most unique disaster film. I'm not sure, but I suspect. Without further ado, here is Irene's (and maybe some tips thrown in by Anna) review of the 2019 Korean adventure/comedy/disaster movie 'Exit'!

Yong-nam is a deadbeat son. Unable to keep a job, and tragically friend-zoned by presumably the only girl he ever loved, our hero starts out as very much of an anti-hero. Not even an anti-hero. He doesn't have enough traits for that. Just a lame guy.

This is our hero at the beginning of the movie... Not exactly impressive.

Yong-nam used to be an expert rock climber (this will come in handy later in the movie), and although he still practices his exercises daily, his heart is not in it, as his lost love had also been an enthusiast of the hobby and now that she's gone he has no gumption to continue the sport. But on the night of his mother's 70th birthday, Yong-nam's listless life takes a serious turn. While at the birthday venue he rented (where his lost love just happens to work), just before the last of Yong-nam's family leave, a serious catastrophe takes place. A mad scientist, on the lookout for revenge, releases a poisonous gas into the thickly-inhabited city where Yong-nam's mother's birthday party is taking place. People come running down the streets, hoping to escape. Those who do not may be lucky enough to leave the gas with only severely burned skin and difficulty breathing. The unlucky die.

And so we have the set-up of one random as heck disaster movie. The birthday gathering on one of the top floors of the venue must work together to escape the quickly rising gas. Honestly though, the only ones who do anything are Yong-nam and his crush, Eui-joo.

Yong-nam's sister on the gurney. She was injured by the gas.

This movie never takes itself too seriously, but even so, the character growth in Yong-nam is quite impressive. He really was one lame guy at the start of this movie. He even lied to Eui-joo saying he had some big, enviable position at a fancy company, when he really was living off his parents' income. He did this to impress her, as he never has quite given up hope of winning her back... Even though he never had her in the first place.

As the situation at the venue quickly begins to elevate into a catastrophe, Yong-nam realizes that he is the only person capable of taking control of the situation. He does this quite ably, managing to keep his moderately idiotic relatives from panicking too much. As I said before, his and Eui-joo's past history of rock-climbing comes in quite handy, as they, hand in hand, must climb buildings and skyscrapers in a desperate attempt to escape from the poisonous cloud. It is quite exciting, and I was always guessing what tactic or strategy our heroes were going to think of next. That's one thing I like about disaster films. The ongoing rush to think of new and unique ideas quickly. 

If you are unfamiliar with Korean humor and culture, this movie may seem a little strange at first (not helped by the atrociously grammared subtitles), but it honestly is extremely entertaining and exciting. And although as an adventure and comedy movie, Exit won't win any awards for deepness of thought, it does have a surprisingly profound message. Inside everyone, including oneself, there is a hero just waiting to be let out by the occurrence of some catastrophe in which the very best of the individual is required. Maybe kinda cliche, but profound nonetheless. Yong-nam was a grown man sitting around at his parents' home, pining over his lost love, accomplishing nothing. By the end of the movie, he's saved the lives of himself, his unrequited (or IS she???) love, his family, and even complete strangers. A lovely character arc in every way. He's no superman, but at least he's striving to be. Ignoring the whole mad scientist unleashing poisonous gas into the city thing, and everything else that is crazy and unlikely, this movie is realistic enough to be believable. At least, I thought it was.

If you can find Exit, I recommend you watch it. It's really so fun, and a wonderful example of the disaster genre. A very lighthearted one. If you feel like watching death and disaster, but not too much, this movie is for you.

And, as an added bonus, there is no objectionable content, excluding a few swear words.

This has been Horseback to Byzantium's blog entry into the Disaster Blogathon. We hope you enjoyed. Annyeong for now :D

Sunshine Blogger Award Tag

 

 Thank you so much to Hamlette from Hamlette's Soliloquy for nominating us for our first ever award! WE'RE FAMOUS! Before we answer all of her fun questions we are required to list the deets:

• List the award’s official rules (duh!)
• Display the award somewhere on your blog (hope this counts!)
• Thank the person who nominated you (thank you, Hamlette!)
• Provide a link to your nominator’s blog (did and done)
• Answer your nominator’s questions (will do!)
• Nominate up to 11 bloggers (Sorry, no can do)
• Ask your nominees 11 questions (wish we could!)
• Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts (again, wish we could but we don't know 11 bloggers)

The questions!:

1.  What movie house would you like to live in?

    - Swiss Family Robison! YESSSSSS!!! 1960 version, of course. Coolest DIY house EVER! We've wanted to live in that house since the first time we saw that movie, which was a very long time ago.

2.  What movie pet would you like to own?

    - Anna chooses Gwin from Inkheart who is the coolest looking ferret with two little spikes on his head and he does everything Dustfinger tells him to! He's so cool and adorable <3 Irene chooses Dog from Big Jake. Yes, his name is Dog. He's also super cool and really well trained. He takes out the bad guys!

3.  What book do you wish your favorite actor or actress could have starred in an adaptation of?

    - Hans Gudegast in the movie adaptation of Hilda Van Stockum's The Borrowed House as...Guess who!...DEITRICH! Baron Deitrich, that is. 

4.  Are there any movies you like better than the book they were based on?

    - This was a hard question because we couldn't really think of any. However, the characterization of Agatha Christie's Poirot is much better in the movies than in the books.
 

5.  What's your favorite movie that's set in the decade you were born in?

    - Sahara! (The 2005 version) That is one fantabulous action movie.

6.  Do you collect movie memorabilia of any sort?

    - Uh, no. We collect the movies, not the memorabilia. Except for the Lord of the Rings. If we could get our hands on memorabilia from that, we definitely would.

7.  What actor and actress have never made a movie together, but you wish would have?

    - Well, William Powell and Myrna Loy were already in a bunch of movies together, so...

 

8.  What director would you like to have direct a movie based on your life?

    - Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Peter Jackson would be great if our lives were exciting, but unfortunately, that is not the case, so's we think Powell and Pressburger would do a better job with our boringness. Elia Kazan would be great too.

9.  Do you ever like a remake better than the original film?

   - Nope. At least, it hasn't happened yet.
 

10. What's your least-favorite movie genre?

    - Horror is from the Devil... Literally, so none of that in this house. We try to avoid romance generally, although there are a couple that melt one's heart, so yeah
 

11.  Are there any movies in your least-favorite genre that you do like?

     - 'I Know Where I'm Going' (1945) is technically a romance, so there's that. Ooh, 'And Now Tomorrow' (1944) is absolutely lovely!

Irene's Top Ten Favorite Kingston Trio Songs

                         My Favorite Kingston Trio Songs

Um, I like the Kingston Trio. That is the reason for this post. What other reasons do I need? 

But honestly, they are really good. It annoys me to no end that many singing groups that have three or more members often don't even harmonize. At all. Harmonizing is awesome! Harmonizing is the reasons singing group exist! Why would you waste this opportunity? But the Kingston Trio does NOT waste this opportunity, and that's why I like them. Starting in the late 50's and going until the late 60's, the three California-dwelling singers Dave Guard (later replaced by John Stewart), Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds started a revival of American folk music that really took off. The sixties was full of folk music groups, including Peter, Paul and Mary, The Seekers, and, um.... I know there were more, but I am blanking right now. Needless to say, the Kingston Trio was very popular. It really isn't hard to say why. None of the three members have what I would called spectacular voices, but when together their harmonies are vibratingly beautiful and they all sing with real feeling. Their style is very earthy. Very down to earth. I don't know, they just sound authentic and unpretentious. I like them very much. So without further ado, here are my top ten favorite Kingston Trio songs.

10. Weeping Willow

This one is a beautiful love song/lament. His love is untrue, she'll bring him to ruin. But unfortunately, like so many other lovers in songs, he just can't bring himself to stop loving her. *Sighhhh* It has a lovely, dreamy melody and the harmony on the chorus is too beautiful. 

'Bury me beneath the willow, 'neath the weeping willow tree.

When she hears that I am sleeping, maybe then, she'll think of me.'

9. My Lord What A Mornin'

This is an awesome worship song. I've heard a couple different versions of it, but the Kingston Trio version is my favorite. They start with just one voice singing 'My Lord, what a mornin'' and then another voice is added and then they all sing together. The intensity builds throughout the whole song, so by the end of it you might want to have your hand on the volume. Again, the harmony is wonderful, and the song is a happy and triumphant one.

'I can hear the Christians singing.

When the stars begin to fall.'

8. Run The Ridges

I'm not even sure what this song is about. It's about Tennessee, I know that much. When I listen to it, I envision a western movie. Every single time. It tells a story, but like I said, I don't really know it. I probably don't listen well enough. The Trio switches between singing the chorus quickly and without harmony, to slowly WITH harmony. It adds flavor to the song and the story in the song. I love the quick and intense guitar music throughout. An altogether enjoyable song!

'And we will run the ridges of our green land Tennessee,

And we we will hide for forty years if that's what's meant to be, meant to be, meant to be.'

7. One More Town

Ahhh, this one. The ultimate wandering aimlessly, nostalgic song. The man in this song is always moving, moving on from one town to the next. Does he know where he's going? Nope. He just know he must keep on movin' on. This is song reminds me of a tumbleweed being blown across the prairies by a gentle wind. I know there are rarely gentle winds on the prairie, but this song feels like that. It's a sad song, but beautiful in its own way.

'If there's one more song I'll be singin'

I'm always goin' but I don't know where.'

6. Seasons In The Sun

This is definitely NOT the most famous version of this song, but it my favorite (sorry Larry Jacks). It might seem a little fast for those not used to it, but the first time I heard the chorus it just gave me flashbacks of good times on the beach with my friends. This song (originally a French tune) is about a man who is dying (presumably) and is saying goodbye to his best friend, his father, and his wife. I like the variations with the fast and slow choruses and the quickly strumming guitar. I really do imagine sunny days on the beach, basking under palm trees, even though I've never basked under a palm tree in my life. Seasons in the Sun is quite an apt name for this song, in my opinion.

'All our lives we had fun, we had seasons in the sun,

But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach.'

5. Chilly Winds

Okay, THIS is the ultimate nostalgic Kingston Trio song. It's so pretty!!! Starting with a lovely, delicate, and chilly sounding guitar opening, the song enters into a melancholic song about wandering and unrequited love. And just so you know, I liked this song much better after listening to it a couple of times. It grew on me immensely after several listens.  Each verse is surprisingly beautiful, albeit simple. It makes one ache in the chest. 

'I'm leavin' in the springtime, won't be back till fall.

If I can forget you, I might not come back at all,

Our where them chilly winds don't blow.'

4. Tom Dooley

Based on the real life story of Tom Dula, the Tom Dooley folk song, sung by the Kingston Trio, made famous the tragic story of the Confederate soldier who was convicted of the murder of Laura Foster. It think that Dooley killed Miss Foster on accident, but I can't remember at the moment. The song itself is solemn and straightforward. Not too melancholic at all, it is rather told from a distant point of view. The singers tell Tom Dooley to 'Hang down his head and cry' as he is about to be hung. It's a great song.

'Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry.

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley,

Poor boy, you're bound to die.'

3. Greenback Dollar

Dangggg, this song is so cool! The beginning guitar chords sound surprisingly modern, like something you might find in a current rock song. Be warned that Greenback Dollar does contain the d-word in the chorus. You have been warned. So basically, the guy in this song travels here and there, does what he wants, sings what must be song, and doesn't give a darn about a greenback dollar. Good for him, I say. Money is the root of all evil, after all. But honestly, this song is one of the rock songs of the folk world. It's amazingly legit.

'Some people say I'm a no-count,

Others say I'm no good,

But I'm just a natural-born travellin' man,

Doin' what I think I should, oh yeah, doin' what I think I should.'

2. 500 Miles 

I have heard many, many versions of this beautiful song and the Kingston Trio version is still my favorite. John Stewart (who sings the verses) has such a yearning and melancholic voice, and that works perfectly for this song. The guitar solo is enchanting. The premise of a traveler farm from home who just can't go home because of the sorry state he is in is heartbreaking. I first heard this song while driving across the wide open space of Eastern Washington, and it was incredible. Talk about nostalgic. 

'If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone,

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.'

 

1. I'm Going Home

As the winner of first place, I'm sure you all can tell that I'm Going Home has a special place in my heart. Just like 500 Miles, Chilly Winds, and One More Town, I'm Going Home is about roaming hear and there, near and far, everywhere but home. But unlike all those other songs, this one has a feeling of anticipation. A feeling that no matter how far you stray, you can always find the road back home. It is introduced by a single banjo playing a fast melody that makes you wanna get in that car and drive! It has a rousing chorus and beautiful words. I really love this song.

'Folks who know me call me a drifter. They don't know I'll stop my ramblin'.

They don't know that someday, somewhere somebody's gonna make me settle down!

I'm going home Lord, I'm going home. I'm going home Lord, I'm going home.'

  

~Irene

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

The first book in Agatha Christie's 'Tommy and Tuppence' mysteries is so much fun, it's hard to handle. After World War I, Prudence Cowley (Tuppence) happens to bump into her childhood friend, Thomas Beresford (Tommy), and as they are both hard-up on money, they decide to create 'The Young Adventurers, Ltd.,' a rather unconventional private and unofficial detective agency. Tommy and Tuppence put an advertisement in the newspaper stating that they are two young adventurers willing to do anything or go anywhere... No unreasonable offer refused. Their ad is answered more promptly than anticipated. Spunky Tuppence and steadfast Tommy find themselves absolutely in over their heads in a plot to find a missing young American named Jane Finn and a secret document. If the documents falls into the wrong hands it could plunge England into revolution, and then anarchy. The problem is, the only one who knows where the document is to be found is the missing American. Tommy and Tuppence resourcefully attempt to uncover the location of Jane Finn and the document, as well as discover the true identity of the mysterious man who goes only by the name 'Mr. Brown.' Mr. Brown is the head of a desperate group of anarchists who kidnap, kill, and maim lightly enough. But despite the anarchists ruthless nature, even they live in constant fear of the elusive Mr. Brown... The Secret Adversary.

 

My friend gave me this book for my birthday and I am ever so grateful that she did. Once I started reading, I zipped straight through it. It's so darn entertaining! Tommy and Tuppence are such fun characters. When reading the Poirot mysteries, I sometimes wish that Ms. Christie took more time in fleshing out her characters and less time on the plot, although I do love her plots. I just like when writers put effort into their characters to make them realistic and believable. Both Tommy and Tuppence never lacked for personality, that's for sure! They act and converse like real friends. It's a joy to read their conversations. They literally sparkle when together. The whole book is very witty and full of those plot twists that set Agatha Christie a couple notches above most mystery writers. Also, if you like a little romance, Tommy and Tuppence are not a married couple in this first book, so some delightful jealousy ensues. It's always cute when characters like each other, but won't admit it until one or the other has an admirer. I also like that in these books the guy isn't a complete idiot. I know, idiot males weren't really trending in the '20s, but it was still refreshing to see Tommy being the intellectual rock of the partnership. Tuppence is very clever and has an uncanny intuition, but she often jumps into things before thinking them out. Tommy always thinks things through, which sometimes annoys Tuppence, but often leads her to thank him later. They complete each other wonderfully. There are some good side characters in this book (Albert being my favorite), and the villains are wonderful, but it is undoubtedly Tommy and Tuppence that steal the show. All in all, this book is a masterpiece of light and fun entertainment. You can read it anytime and it'll give you a lift. It's one of my favorite Agatha Christie's I've read so far.

                                                    

This is from a t.v. series that wasn't that great, but I like the picture.

The dialogue is just too good in this book, so I thought I'd share a couple lines with you :D

~ "I should have a great objection to dying" ~
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~ "... I always help old ladies over crossings, and pick up parcels for old gentlemen, in case they should turn out to be eccentric millionaires..." ~
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~ "The moral guilt," Tuppence pointed out, "would be theirs - not mine. You must admit that there's a difference between stealing a diamond necklace for yourself and being hired to steal it."
"There wouldn't be the least difference if you were caught!"
"Perhaps not. But I shouldn't get caught. I'm so clever."
"Modesty always was your besetting sin," remarked Tommy.
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~ "Nothing," said Tommy "could be plainer than your words - unless it was your face." ~

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And there are lots of other wonderful lines, which you can find if you read the book yourself. And now, until next time old bean, Cheerio!

                                                                            ~ Irene
 
                                                                   

I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)

~ Ever since she was a child, Joan Webster has known where she is going. That is to say, she is a rather stubborn and independent woman. As she has always desired to be wealthy, the young Englishwoman jumps on the chance to marry the rich (and insanely old) owner of a successful chemicals company. Joan's Intended lives on an island in the remote Scottish Hebrides, so her wedding is scheduled to take place on the island of Kiloren (her fiancee's remote island), but adverse weather conditions cause her to be stranded on the nearby Isle of Mull. Every day Joan prays that the weather shall improve and that a boat shall come to take her to her wedding, and every day Joan grows more and more attached to the people and way of life of the Isle of Mull, as well as developing a growing attachment to one person in particular ~

Sound like a romance to you? You're right. Sound like one of those cliched stories where a spoiled woman meets honest and hard-working peasants and falls in love with one peasant in particular and learns what life is really all about (*cough cough* It Happened One Night)? You're (kinda) right again. Sound like a movie that's okay but you probably wouldn't enjoy? You're wrong! This movie is wonderful and I strongly doubt anyone would NOT enjoy it (except maybe my dad).

'I know where I'm going!' was filmed on location in Scotland, and when you put that fact together with the talents of two excellent filmmakers -Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger- let me tell you, magic is made! I have recently watched quite a few movies by Powell and Pressburger (who's productions were formally known as 'The Archers' productions) and while it is quite hard to choose, I think this one might be my favorite so far. The cinematography is gorgeous, the scenery is gorgeous, the two main actors have great chemistry together, and the story-line is just too romantic and magical. There is also a great deal of Scottish folk lore and tradition contained in this film, which is an added bonus to anyone who loves Scotland and its traditions, such as myself.

When Joan Webster first realizes that she will not be taken by boat to the island of Kiloren, she is forced to stay at a large house, currently used as a boarding house for weary travelers. There she meets Torquill MacNeil, a Scottish native of the Isle of Mull and currently on an eight-day leave from the navy. This movie was filmed during the last year of World War II. Fog is the fiend that keeps Joan from her Beloved (or maybe not so beloved???) fiancee, and while I have all the sympathy in the world for dear old Joan, I don't regret the fog, cause man alive does it give us some epic shots!

Joan's host and Torquill's good friend, Katrina, returning from a hunt with the hounds.

Joan's first night spent on the little Isle of Mull has her saying a prayer to God that the fog will lift from the waters, so's she may be be wedded as soon as possible to her Beloved (or IS he????). Needless to say, God has a sense of humor. The fog certainly lifts, but in its place God leaves a bevy of gale-force winds. It is impossible to leave for Kiloren. Mr. MacNeil, whom Joan is not yet well acquainted with, offers to take her to a little shack a few miles away where an old woman owns a wireless set. There she may call her Beloved (I'm still not convinced). On their travels there and back, Joan is at first a little stuck up as MacNeil chats with the natives, who happen to be making fun of the 'rich man who lives on Kiloren'. I bet you can't guess who that is.

Joan and Torquill together on the bus.

But Joan softens and can't help liking MacNeil as she tours the countryside with him, getting to know the people of the Isle and learning the ancient folklore of the Hebrides. 

One of the best parts of this movie is when Torquill takes Joan to a local Ceilidh. The two of them watch most of the festivities from outside, which include dancing, singing, and lots of bagpipes, but eventually are pulled into the lively Scottish dancing themselves. The singing is really good, as is the dancing. I love Scotland!!!!!

Joan and Torquill watching the festivities... Well, at least one of them is.

Although Joan is having a perfectly lovely time with Master MacNeil, she grows more and more desperate with each passing day for the winds to die down so that she may travel to Kiloren. Why? you may ask. Well, Miss Webster is a bit of an idiot. All her life she has wanted to be rich, and since she is ambitious and independent, she thinks (or thought) she had accomplished this ambition by hooking up with ol' Consolidated Chemical Industries, even though she doesn't really love him. But hey, money is what counts, right? Well, that's what Joan always thought, but something is happening to make her change her mind, and our headstrong heroine is desperate to leave the Isle of Mull before all her long-thought over hopes of wealth vanish in the mist. In fact, she is so desperate to run away from her feelings, that she may go so far as to risk her own and others' lives in the process.

That is all I want to spoil so I'll leave you to watch the movie to find out what happens to Joan and her ambitions. This really is a lovely movie, and I'm sure you won't regret watching it. It's cozy and warm, and leaves one with a very satisfied feeling. I'll just leave you with this and a few other screenshots and then I'll be going.

#smoothestwaytoputyourarmsaroundagirlever

~ Haste ye back~

                                      

                                                - Irene