So there I was having dinner in the DFAC between two of the junior Enlisted, as is my wont, when the Battalion Commander comes along with his dinner tray laden with food, and asks if he might join us.
"So, what are you guys talking about," says he.
"We were just talking about movies, Sir," I explained, "and how this young man doesn't like old movies." I motioned to the Soldier on my left. He's a twenty-year-old combat vet.
"You mean like Gone with the Wind?" asked the Battalion Commander. "What's not to like about Vivian Leigh?"
The Soldier to my left looked puzzled.
"You've never seen Gone with the Wind?" he asked incredulously. The young man shrugged.
"Don't tell me *you've* never seen Gone with the Wind, Chaplain!" he implored.
"I love that movie, Sir, and have seen it many times. In fact, I have a friend who played Bonnie Blue Butler in that movie. She once said to me, 'Tim, when you're five years old, and get to bounce on Clark Gable's knee, life can only go downhill from there.'"
The Battalion Commander looked in the direction of the Soldier to my right. "Surely *you* have at least heard of this movie!"
"Yes, Sir."
Turning back to the other Soldier, the Commander said, "So what movies do you like, then?"
"Well, Sir, there's that movie where they can make bullets curve around corners after they've been shot...."
"Wanted, with Angelina Jolie," chimed in his friend.
"Is that a good movie?" asked the Commander.
"No!" came from my right, while "Yes!" came from my left. I said "No" at the same time.
The Commander looked bemused.
"Well it's a lot better than *old* movies," the friend to my left said, a bit defensively.
"What exactly do you mean by 'old movies'?"
"Anything before 1995."
The Commander and I just looked at each other and sighed.
Blessings and peace to one and all,
Fr. Tim, SJ
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3 comments:
Love the headline!
Funny, I just mentioned GWTW to somebody who thought that Avatar felt long. My answer is that at nearly three hours, it is. And that it's longer than GWTW. He had taken his tween age daughter who doubtless has not seen, nor heard of, GWTW.
Gosh. Think of it. That poor guy is missing every Audrey Hepburn movie ever made. Now *that's* a true pity. Comic timing and amazing good looks not to mention incredibly subtle sex appeal bundled into one tiny lady and a lot of great pix. No curving bullets.
"Heat of the Night" isn't funny, but still great Audrey. One can only sigh for a generation's loss.
It is amusing being so ancient, isn't it? We were talking at work and one of the young nurses aids mentioned that our Governor (California's Arnold Schwarzenegger) was an actor!! and how did that make him a Governor. We "ancients" mentioned that Ronald Reagan was an actor and became president - her jaw dropped and she said,"an actor - he was an actor?!" - we just looked at each other and realized that it was only going to get worse. My mother shared her world with me as I was growing up and I have attempted to do the same with my boys. It is difficult to dig up Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton for them to watch - but I hope they at least know who they were. They were before my time but the late night movies my mother allowed me to watch were peppered with their films. As a nurse I work with the elderly and understand the depression that comes with the fact that their world is gone and they don't relate to the new world that has taken its place. Ah well - I shall join fairly soon. Thank you for your service and care of our young men and women. lorraine
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