She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
 

Watching this film tonight I was reminded of so many things I love about Americans. Also 'It's a Wonderful Life'.
Schmaltz, yes, but such optimism and hope.
Sometimes I wish I were American.

In your cups, David?

All the best for the NewYear BTW.

Jan

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/mo...bituaries&_r=0

Sad news.

We made some great movies in the old days. Just last night I watched "A Face in The Crowd", made in 1957 and showing what Andy Griffiths could do before he became sheriff of Mayberry County.

Still, David, I'll trade places any time. We haven't got many Gothic
cathedrals.

Thanks for your good thoughts, David. We can feel that way when we watch Mrs. Miniver, I Know Where I'm Going, or Hobson's Choice -- such decency and straightforwardness. Happy new year!

Mrs Miniver was taken from a character created by my great heroine, Joyce Anstruther. The true-Brit-grit you see in the film bears little relation to the original, whom William Wyler set a good deal lower on the social ladder than Joyce's creation, whose upper-middle-class set-pieces were intentionally hilarious.

Harry Carey's gone? Oh, that hurts. A mental image of him and Ben Johnson each riding standing up with two horses under both men. Rio Grande with Big John and Maureen O'Hara. And Gail, I love A Face in the Crowd. He's even more vicious because we know Andy the sheriff.

David: Chesterton said America is more of a church than a sovereign state. Maybe therein lies the hope.

Thanks, Ann. I have ordered it from our library, along with a volume of "Jan Struther's" poems and A Canterbury Tale.

Hope you enjoy them, Bill. I also recommend "Try Anything Twice" - and if you still have something that will play tape cassettes, you might find a copy of the audiobook version which I recorded (for Isis) a few years ago. The box set sometimes comes up on eBay.

Thanks! I also found this link: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/wom.../struther.html