All that Heaven Allows--The Movie (Spoilers)

I had never seen 'All that Heaven Allows' til today and I really enjoyed it.  It stars Jane Wyman as Cary, a widow with 2 kids in college, living in a small town with people with small minds, apparently well off and lonely.  Her best friend is Agnes Moorehead.   She has a nice house, belongs to a country club full of gossips and does not own a tv (hey, it was important in the movie!!).   She meets and falls for her gardener Ron, played by Rock Hudson.  He lives on a tree farm, remodels a mill house for Cary and has fun friends who accept Cary and the romance without question.  Cary is not so lucky.  Cary's "friends" talk behind her back about the difference in age (in reality, JW is 8 years older than RH) and the difference in their stations in life.  And her spoiled kids make their disapproval clear while planning their own lives.  She finally comes to her senses only to find Ron injured after a fall.  The last scene shows him waking to welcome her home.    

I read that the original script had his fate ambiguous, left him in a coma to let us draw our on conclusions.  I'm glad they had the happy ending.  I like happy endings.   A major pet peeve of mine concerning movies is them leaving them ambiguous.  Its as if they can't think of an ending.  It's the writer's job to come up with the ending, good or bad, not my job.

Anyhoo...just have to say Rock Hudson at 30 really was a gorgeous man.   I don't care about what we now know about his private life now.  He was a hottie.

Good movie!!

Hill Street Blues and Capt Furillo

As many of you know, I am a huge Netflix fan and I tend to watch a lot of old TV shows more than the movies. Back in 1981 (I had to look it up) NBC ran the first "ensemble" drama, 'Hill Street Blues'.  It was forward thinking for it's time, even if Lucy Bates did have to wear a skirt uniform.  She was the only named female character although there were a couple of other women visible.  Undercover officers had long hair and tight jeans and facial hair and Mick Belker (Bruce Weicz) allegedly bit people.  Amusing guest stars included the actor who played  Douglas Neidemier from 'Animal House' in an occasional roll as an officer, David Caruso as the leader of the Irish gang and Dennis Franz of 'NYPD Blue' fame as a precursor of Andy.  And Captain Frank Furillo was played by Daniel J Travanti.   Capt F had a shrewish ex wife played by the creator's real wife and a hot girl friend public defender played by the gorgeous Veronica Hamel.   His crew also included an token Hispanic lt, a nutso swat team leader, a wimpy police negotiator and a wise old sgt who called him Francis.   I enjoyed the show when it was on and even though I've only watched the first 5 episodes again, I liked it this time too.

After I watch anything movie or tv wise, I normally go to IMDB to check out the stars...after 30 years, if they are still alive, what they look like, etc.   That brings me to my Daniel J Travanti observations.   He is alive, 71 years old, never married, rumored gay, a recovering alcoholic who has had a slow and steady career.   I always liked the actor.   I have deep sadness for gay actors of that generation...being out would have ruined his career (if it's true and I don't care).   So he had to hide who he was.  I read an interview where he called his alcoholism a "disease of loneliness and secrecy".    What a sad, sad statement.

I'm not gay but I have friends who are and I'm ok with that.  It's none of my business who any of my friends sleep with.  I work really hard to accept people for who they are, without judgment.  I don't always succeed but I try.  And I don't care if DJT is gay...but am sad if he had to lead less of a life because of it.   I always think of 'Brokeback Mountain' and of both characters but especially Heath Ledger's Ennis who had to live the rest of his life without love (except for daughters) when he lost Jack.   It is the saddest thing I can think of.

Boy, that was a trail from Hill Street to Brokeback.   I have a strange mind sometimes.

Chinese Blogs

In my reading of blogs, I normally get in a rut of running blogs or gardening or infertility but as I go "next blog" and have hit a to of Chinese blogs.  Should I put stupid comments in English just to annoy them like they do me?

Ready for Summer

I guess I'm ready...today  I bought a pool!!!!   This one:

It's not fancy and right now it's only 1/2 full and I have to get the chlorine stuff tomorrow so no telling when I'll be able to get in it.   I do hesitate to think what my water bill is going to be this month...Yikes!!!   But I have wanted a pool for a long time and even though I can't really afford it I bought it anyway.  I can hardly wait.

Then I bought a bathing suit for the first time in 15 years.  It is a 2 piece with a little skirty thing and I don't look like a sausage in it.  So I am ready for my first pool day, no doubt!!   

My cousin Holly sent this...it was at her Grandparents ranch