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Post 0

Friday, July 13, 2007 - 9:22pmSanction this postReply
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Here is the two minute link to Stanwyck, it is wonderful. If Hong is reading, I hope she watches it.

Ted

Post 1

Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 2:09amSanction this postReply
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For those scared by the gypsy curses subliminally running along the bottom of the screen, it's actually a pretty god job of subtitling in Croatian. Remember, the croats brought us the neck tie (a minor defense against being beheaded by Turks) and That is why you will never see an Iranian wearing one.

(Edited by Ted Keer
on 7/14, 4:00am)


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Post 2

Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 8:59amSanction this postReply
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Thanks, Ted. I've added it to my queue on Netflix. (And thanks for the embedding tips)

Sam


Post 3

Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 10:48amSanction this postReply
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It came out when I was 15. I remember thinking it was a chick flick and not having any interest. But that dialog was Randian in its drama. Like I said, she'd have loved to see her old friend say those words.

Ted

Please do check out the link I have provided.

Post 4

Monday, July 16, 2007 - 2:39pmSanction this postReply
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Ted:

     I thought the same, it being from a 'popular' novel-writer of the times (forget who.) I ntl decided to catch it in it's mini-series format, mainly because of Chamberlain and Stanwyck (a hottie even with white hair!)

     Definitely worth catching; they were both good, and, the story itself was thought-provoking.

LLAP
J:D


Post 5

Monday, July 16, 2007 - 8:01pmSanction this postReply
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I'm interested in others' opinions of the Series.

I'll have to rent the series from Netflix myself. I haven't seen any of it at all except for that clip, which I first saw on the TCM biography of Stanwyck.

Post 6

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 9:09amSanction this postReply
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I'll be getting the two DVDs from Netflix in the next coupla days.

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Post 7

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 10:24amSanction this postReply
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I both read the book and saw the Series when it originally came out.  Richard Chamberlin and Rachel Ward as Ralph de Bricassart and Meggie Cleary did a decent job as the leads.  My only real critism of Ward's performance was that I thought her slightly husky voice wasn't quite right for the character she played.  The best performances in my opinion were three minor characters: Barbara Stanwyck as the deliciously evil, but also sympatheic Mary Carson (she appears in the first episode only, as I recall), Mare Winningham as Justine O'Neill (who appears later in the series as Meggie's daughter) and Christopher Plummer as Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese (he also appears later in this cameo).

The series is faithful to the book, but the book is much better.

Kevin


Post 8

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 3:22pmSanction this postReply
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Thanks for the review, I await Sam's opinion.

Post 9

Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 12:35amSanction this postReply
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I recorded the 24 hour Stanwyck marathon on the 16th.

Of the movies I've watched so far:

EXCUTIVE SUITE: Holden, Pidgeon, uninspiring seedy boardroom drama, Holden is a weak lead, turned off & erased after half thru.

CLASH BY NIGHT: Fritz Lang Dir., Marilyn Monroe plays girl of Stanwycks' younger Brando-type brother in a fishing town to which Stanwyck returns, broke, after 10 years of glamor in NY. For no reason, she marries ugly old doofus to be conventional. Affair with dark young hothead tempts Stanwyck, turned off & erased.

JEOPARDY: Stanwyck, Son & Husband drive down Baja for the day, husband gets stuck under piling when boy goes out on a pier, the tide's coming in, and Stanwyck has to drive off for help or husband will drown. Well acted, good drama, Stanwyck plays the Randian Heroine to save hubby - very good, only 1h15m.

Ted Keer

Post 10

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 10:40amSanction this postReply
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OK, I've watched all 8 hours of this "sprawling saga" but if anyone's looking for Objectivist content they'll be completely out of luck. The plot is almost totally involved with Richard Chamberlain's ambition to sacrifice himself to God rather than have a life with the woman (Rachel Ward) whom he loves, "but not as much as God." So, he has a constant struggle with the mind/body dichotomy. Self-sacrifice is the watchword of all of the principal characters who might be considered heroes.

The story starts out with Barbara Stanwyck, a 75 year old widow who is arguably the richest woman in Australia, wreaking vengeance on Chamberlain, at that time just a priest and about 30 years her junior, because she has loved him for a very long time and he has rebuffed her for the church (as he does later to Rachel Ward.) She does this by endowing the Catholic Church with her sheep ranch, which is worth 13 million pounds, in 1920s money, with the stipulation that he have authority on its management.  She knows that this action will cause his ultimate downfall which (guess what?) it does.

Back at the ranch, and the Vatican, there is a lot of complicated relationships going on — children dying, wildfires, adultery and all the drama that make a good soap opera.

In summary, the actors are very, very good, the production and scenery are great but if you want more than a soap opera this doesn't cut it. It is entertaining, though, if you are looking for a tear jerker.

Sam


Post 11

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 12:31pmSanction this postReply
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The plot is almost totally involved with Richard Chamberlain's ambition to sacrifice himself to God rather than have a life with the woman (Rachel Ward) whom he loves, "but not as much as God." So, he has a constant struggle with the mind/body dichotomy. Self-sacrifice is the watchword of all of the principal characters who might be considered heroes.

That was all I had ever seen it to be the first time around it was shown..... good acting in a wasted plot of typical sense of life of a religionist......


Post 12

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 6:30pmSanction this postReply
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Ted,

All I can say is:

"In literature [and films], as in love, we are often astounded at the choices of others." Andre Maurois.

:)

Jeff


Post 13

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 7:03pmSanction this postReply
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Jeff,

I haven't seen the series - just that one great clip from YouTube. So I'm not sure if you liked the series and are surprised at Sam's comments, or if you hated the series too, but thought I liked it. I'm pretty sure Hong liked the series - or at least Chamberlain. Could you clarify your opinion?

Ted

Post 14

Friday, July 27, 2007 - 10:09pmSanction this postReply
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Ted,

Sorry, I should have been clearer by quoting what I was responding to, which in this case was your dislike of Executive Suite and Clash By Night. I liked both, the first one in particular, and I rarely like Barbara Stanwyck.

I haven't seen The Thorn Birds, other than a minute here or there in passing.

For soap opera, I prefer things like The Best of Everything, Peyton Place, or A Summer Place.

Again, de gustibus...

Jeff


Post 15

Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:33pmSanction this postReply
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Oh my gosh, is Ted still here? Can't believe that I am here to reply to him after almost 2 years!

Father Ralph aka Richard Chamberlain, oh my (swoon), what can I say?! I fell head-over-heel for him some 20+ years ago when I watched The Thorn Birds at a pirate screening in China. I fell even harder watching the series again not long ago. Gay or not, who cares. I am totally with Mary Carson/Barbara Stanwyck re Father Ralph. What does age have to do with anything?!

Just forget about idealogies and principles, let the story sweep you away. I love love The Thorn Birds. I felt related to young Meggie in some way when I first watched it, though there was  no Father Ralph (sigh).

It's interesting though how much a Catholic priest can get away with, as long as his confession goes to an understanding ear! A priest is human after all. I kind of like that.


Post 16

Monday, May 18, 2009 - 5:31pmSanction this postReply
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Thanks, Hong, nice to see you here again. Well, I never did get around to watching The Thorn Birds. But I have been watching episodes of The Big Valley with Stanwyck and Lee Majors. Quite good. I'll have to take another look at the titles on this thread.


Post 17

Monday, May 18, 2009 - 8:08pmSanction this postReply
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HZ:  Oh my gosh, is Ted still here? Can't believe that I am here to reply to him after almost 2 years!
You have not aged a day!  Still cute as ever.  Ted, however, seems to be aging backwards...


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