'Shirley, I Jest!' Cindy Williams Shows How She Made All Her Dreams Come True

The strongest endorsement of the Cindy "Shirley" Williams (with co-author Dave Smitherman) auto-biography "Shirley, I Jest! A Storied Life" is that it proves that sometimes you can meet your idols. Although one can assume that child of the '60s Williams joined her peers in experiencing voo de o doo and many other pleasures that The Summer of Love involved, we see that she is good-girl Shirley Feeney at heart. 

Our story aptly begins with the troubled childhood of Williams that involved poverty, a father with challenging issues, and multiple moves. Like many of her professional peers, Williams discovers her love of show business during her teens and starts trying to make her dreams come true on graduating from high school. In this case, we see that karma prevails by giving Williams the breaks that she deserves.

Williams shares how she comes to enroll in a college of the performing arts. In true sitcom fashion, helping a fellow student with his audition for The Actors' Studio lands our heroine a spot in that prestigious program. Another unsolicited lucky break leads to Williams becoming a client of rookie talent agent Garry Marshall years before he casts her in "Laverne and Shirley." This, of course, leads to the sometimes beautiful friendship and always gorgeous collaboration with "Laverne" co-star/Garry sibling Penny Marshall.

The post-adolescent period of Williams includes tales of following the pattern of waitressing and doing odd jobs while pursuing an acting career. One of the most memorable stories in "Shirley" revolves around Jim Morrison of "The Doors" participating in the hazing of Williams during her first shift as a waitress at The Whiskey A Go Go. 

The tale of Williams working at a bank is a missed opportunity for a perfect "Laverne" episode. She tells of taking pity on customers and worrying about the backlash. The TV version would have that kindness come back to bite her and have Laverne tell her to not be such a sucker only to be rebuffed.

While doing these day jobs, Williams lands roles that include playing opposite future "Happy Days" star Ron Howard in the George Lucas film "American Graffiti." This gig later puts Williams in the running for the role of Leia in "Star Wars." 

We also get the tale of how pre-"Laverne" conflict with Penny comes very close to Williams not being cast in the series. A frustrating aspect of this is we never learn why Penny leaves her then-writing partner in the lurch. 

The "behind-the-scenes" tales of "Laverne" include how our two favorite bottle cappers show perfect instincts by subversively changing their living room set. The background here includes stating that that set was the living room set of the Garry '60scom "The Odd Couple," in which Penny had a supporting role. 

An omitted topic is the story behind the two adorable small dogs who often appear in the establishing shot in Milwaukee-based episodes of "Laverne." 

We also learn how Williams is behind fan favorite stuffed cat Boo Boo Kitty joining the "Laverne" cast. The manner in which these co-stars reunite years later is another example of karma rewarding those who earn good things in life. 

Another rare disappointing aspect of "Shirley" is not addressing the reason for having the girls pack up up the beer truck and move to beautiful downtown Burbank in the sixth of eight seasons. Williams does note that that change facilitates adding two stereotypical characters to the series. Hunky stuntman Sonny and bimbo starlet Rhonda do expand the scope of the show. 

The saddest part of "Shirley" is the tale of how Williams comes to leave that series that successfully turns Lucy and Ethel into an odd couple. Fans knew at the time that Williams was pregnant and that her relationship with Marshall had ebbed and flowed while starring in the series. 

Learning of how Williams tried to help the show go on only to be treated worse than Joan Crawford on Mother's Day will diminish Garry in the eyes of his fans. There does not seem to be any reason that Shirley could not have regularly called Laverne after moving away only to return to temporarily room together for the final several episodes of the season.

The better news is that the book ends with karma once again rewarding Williams. Trying to calm her excitable boy leads to Williams watching TCM. This inspires her to pitch an awesome remake of a classic. This update introduces us to one of the best modern film characters. Like "Laverne," the original classic and the Williams joint prove that PG can be very funny.

The bottom line is that Williams is living a life about which it is well-worth reading. It is awesome to know that keeping high hopes paid off for that '70s American Sweetheart.

'Sherlock Holmes Vault Collection' BD and DVD: Watching the Detectives Has Never Been More Fun

 

The recent Film Detective separate Blu-ray and DVD releases of "The Sherlock Holmes Vault Collection" awesomely resurrect several of the rarest film adventures of the first consulting detective. This franchise still going strong more than 100 years after the first mystery proves that the game still fully is afoot.

The even better news is that Detective paired the "Holmes" releases with a reviewed equally expertly restored version of the 1947 biopic "The Fabulous Dorseys." This educational and entertaining depiction of big band legends Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, who star in the roles that they were born to play. is music to the ears of both audiophiles and anyone who does not experience brotherly love.

Detective shows what becomes a legend most as to the following promo. One unsolved mystery regarding this amusing "but wait there's more" presentation is whether every set includes the advertised tote-bag and 13-month calendar. The set sent to your not-so-humble reviewer lacks those items. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

"A Study in Scarlet" (1933) is the centerpiece of this quartet. It stars well-known Holmes portrayor Reginald Owen in the titular role. This one somewhat typically finds our hero trying to protect an "innocent." The damsel in distress this time is a young woman facing having to pay for the sins of her father in a tale that is reminiscent of the truly classic star-studded non-Holmes thriller "The List of Adrian Messenger" (1963). 

"Scarlet" also is noteworthy for being the film that includes the always spectacular Ballyhoo Motion Picture documentary that adds great value to Detective  releases. Ballyhoo outdoes itself this time by providing an in-depth look at the source material and the early live-stage and film productions of the adventures of the resident of 221-B Baker Street.

"Sherlock Holmes Fatal Hour," "The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes," and "Silver Blaze" all star Arthur Wontner as the man who will psych you out in the end. Wontner plays his role well, but the other Ian Fleming particularly shines in his portrayal of pal and confidante Dr. John Watson.

All three films are well-worth watching. "Blaze" stands out for being a sequel to the classic Holmes tale "The Hound of the Baskervilles." This one also entertainingly oddly embroils Holmes in the sometimes-dirty world of horse racing.

Detective additionally outdoes itself as to the plethora of vintage shorts that each film includes. Highlights include a "Felix the Cat" cartoon and the hilarious "Sherlock Holmes Baffled" (1900) that puts the then-new technology to good use by showing that the god must be crazy."

The "but wait there's more" element of this must-own set extends to the written essays that one could picture the late-great film host Robert Osborne reading before each screening. The final element is the high-quality postcard replica of the movie poster for each film. One truly could not ask for anything more.

The bottom line is that it is elementary that anyone who loves Holmes, enjoys a good mystery, or is even a moderate cinephile should buy this set. 

Joyce Meadows: From Alberta to "Arous" and Beyond

The intense joy regarding the (reviewed) June 21, 2022 DVD and Blu-ray releases of the '50s scifi cult classic "The Brain From Planet Arous" extends well beyond discovering that hidden gem. The righteously awesome dudes at The Film Detective arranged an interview with "Arous" star Joyce Meadows. 

This Silver Age starlet native is the separated-at-birth sister from another mother of voice-over legend June "Rocky the Flying Squirrel" Foray. Meadows is a big fan of Foray but stated that their paths never crossed. 

When asked if she had ever considered voice-over work, this star of stage, television, and film with 73 IMDb credits replied "voice-over work did interest me; it is tough to break into." The best reply to this is that Matt Groening can eat my shorts regarding not casting this woman who was born to voice passive-aggressive church lady Helen Lovejoy. 

The support that Meadows is providing the Detective release further proves the team spirit that helped her get rare multiple roles on classic series such as "Wagon Train" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." She literally goes above-and-beyond by supplementing her audio commentary with a witty video introduction to the film. Meadows seamlessly transitions between appearing as herself and her "Arous" character Sally in a manner that will make you believe that a brain can fly. 

"Arous": The True Hollywood Story 

 The cult status of "Arous" required asking Meadows about the extent of that fandom. She responded that "that role has followed me around like a little puppy all of my career." She added that she gets a great deal of fan mail. 

Much of this correspondence is available on her website, which includes a wide selection of merchandise that Meadows will inscribe. Your not-so-humble reviewer is not just a fan, he is a paying customer. 

The aforementioned post on the "Arous" release refers to the quality of the film including Meadows and co-star/love interest John Agar making you believe that they believe that a best brain is threatening mankind. Part of this challenge is having to film several scenes without actually seeing the animated image of the villain. 

Citing her extensive theater background, which includes scads o Shakesepearean roles, Meadows commented that she "used a lot of imagination" when talking to and battling with empty space. She added that she was "living the moment" and that "when you are on the set, there are a lot of technical things that the audience never sees." 

All of this makes it very apt that "Arous" was the first film of 21 year-old Meadows, which is the stage name of our living legend, fresh off starring in a stage production of "Romeo and Juliet." The portrayals by Meadows of the world's most famous star-crossed lover and the feisty and brave Sally prove that a strong independent woman by any other names is just as sweet. One spoiler is that Sally does the complete opposite of denying her father. 

On a more general level, Meadows stated that she fully commits to every role. A very bizarre "Arous" plot point involving a dog required asking animal-lover Meadows about that aspect of the film. She replied that "I thought that was wonderful; I love animals and can accept that [her canine co-star had a pivotal role in saving his best friends]." Her praise for that good boy included that "he was beautifully trained; we got along wonderfully." 

The larger truth this time is that Meadows showed that W.C. Fields was wrong in saying to never work with animals. 

Its A Living

The bigger picture this time was discussing the life of a working actress. Meadows aptly summarized the negative aspects of her profession by stating that it involves "a lot of rejection and conflict." She added that her commitment to a project often precluded auditioning for other (sometimes more prominent) roles. 

Meadows further observed that "Hollywood is a small town" and that the news "spreads like wildfire" if an actor does not show up, arrives late, or has been drinking. The clear message was that a bird-in-the-hand is worth more than a flock in the bush. 

Meadows was living with her family in Sacramento when the opportunity to move into the Hollywood Studio Club residential hotel for women facilitated her transition to television and film work. This safe space also was the home of Marilyn Monroe and Rita Moreno early in their careers. 

The only misconduct of Meadows during that period was sneaking in a bottle of whiskey to cure a cold. She shared that the whiskey put her to sleep but did not help her illness. 

An amusing (but not surprising) insight was that Meadows noted that she has worked with (unnamed) well-known female character actresses who would only be on set when filming. Meadows added that these divas would refuse to even acknowledge their co-stars. 

Conversely, Meadows lit up when discussing appearing in the "Golden Girls" spinoff "The Golden Palace." Meadows described her role as a "nasty southern girl" and stated that she "so enjoyed watching those people work together" in reference to the three female stars. The southern accent that Meadows adopted in discussing her character makes one wish that she at least had been cast in a recurring role as a relative of Blanche in "Girls." 

A personal highlight was discussing the few episodes of the awesomely off-beat NBC daytime soapcom "Santa Barbara" in which Meadows played a psychiatric ward nurse. She recalled that that was her first role after leaving Hollywood to do live theater. That transition in her career was the reason that the numerous westerns in which Meadows appeared did not include "Gunsmoke" or "Bonanza." 

Asking Meadows about any high-profile roles for which she was a strong contender but did not get showed how casting can be very unpredictable. Meadows shared that her audition for "The Ten Commandments" caught the eye of Cecil B. DeMille. DeMille approached Meadows and gave her "a great deal of compliments." In the end, Debra Paget edged out Meadows for the role of Lilia in that epic of Biblical proportions. 

Our conversation also showed that Meadows had a wonderful time making movies and television episodes and put her heart-and-soul into that work but that theater was her true love. 

You Oughhtta Write a Book 

Our much too short hour-long talk concluded with my asking Meadows why she has never written an auto-biography. Replying "I am probably in the minority of the actresses who have not written a biography" shows the wit and wisdom that screams for such a tome. The bigger picture this time is the importance of documenting the experiences of performers from the era in which they were actors, rather then stars, requires such works before it is too late. The bottom line regarding all this is that Meadows goes beyond being a celebrity with whom you would want to sit down for coffee. She would bake you cookies and regale you with tales of being a being a working actress who proves that good guys sometimes finish first. I'm ready for my snickerdoodles, Ms. Meadows.

'The Brain From Planet Arous' DVD and BD: Dogged Effort to Save Earth

The Film Detective provides folks man (or woman) enough to admit to non-ironically loving low-budget '50s scfi an especially delectably cheesy treat next week. The June 21, 2022 separate DVD and Blu-ray releases of "The Brain From Planet Arous" far exceed all expectations. The "but wait there's more" extras this time include full-screen and wide-screen versions of this film that criminally is not mentioned in the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" opening theme. 

The only thing that would have made "Arous" any better would have been the outer-space threat originating from either Pluto or the Dog Star. 

An even special treat for your not-so-humble reviewer is an interview with delightful "Brain" star Joyce Meadows. 

The following SPOILER-LADEN Detective promo. provides an excellent sense of the bizarrely eerie tone of this "goofy" cult classic. We additionally get copious looks at the hilarious intro. by Meadows, who shows great elan, and the other special features. The latter shows that Detective partner-in-crime Ballyhoo Motion Pictures ALWAYS comes through.

 

Our story begins with nuclear scientists Steve March (John Agar) and Dan Murphy detecting an anomaly. This prompts this pair, who are more Nelson and Healey than Einstein and Grossman, to trek (of course, pun intended) to the aptly named Mystery Mountain. This soon leads to exploring a cave that seems to be the center of the oddity. One spoiler is that two men enter, one man leaves. The rest of this story is that subsequent events surely cause Steve to wonder what possessed him to enter the cave. 

Meanwhile back at the ranch, main squeeze Sally Fallon (Meadows) is waiting for her man to return. The usually bland Steve being aggressively amorous is an early sign that something is wrong. The audience additionally learns that a trip to Vegas can be analogous to going to live on a farm. 

Our Lois Lane and her non-military father John Fallon then retrace the steps of Steve and Dan in an effort to determine what they must do to put right what once went wrong. This results in a "sliding doors" moment in which they learn the nature (and the extent) of the threat. 

This leads to one of the weirdest twists in any film. The general idea is that a good shepherd undertakes the task of saving humanity. 

All of this results in the final countdown that involves Sally essentially having to take a crash-course in brain surgery and making Steve the teacher's pet to avoid all of humanity being subject to the tyranny of the evil Gor. Of course, the latter element became especially hilarious in 1992. 

This leads to a well-executed essentially split-second confrontation with the expected setback before the population of earth experiences either death or an even worse fate. It is fair to say that two lassies deserves thanks for this outcome that can be considered a tale of two hemispheres. 

"Arous" works because low-budget scifi veteran Agar and Shakesepearean actress Meadows make the audience believe that they believe that an enormous floating brain that fluently speaks English is a real threat. Agar deserves special kudos for playing dual roles very well. 

For her part (of course, pun intended), Meadows strikes a PERFECT balance between a shrieking wimp and a kick-ass Ellen Ripley. The aforementioned other special features are equally educational and entertaining looks at "Arous" director Nathan Juran. Learning of his dual professional life and of his connection to 1313 Mockingbird Lane are highlights.

'Billions' S6 DVD: Drama of Olympic Proportions Improves With Age

CBSHE aptly provides the cure for the Covid-era summertime blues by releasing the sixth season of the Showtime drama "Billions" on DVD on June 14, 2022. This essentially Blu-ray quality 4-disc set shows that there is plenty of "Wolves of Wall Street" spirit left in this always strong series. Any failure to deliver a seventh season REQUIRES hauling co-creator Andrew Ross Sorkin, who masterfully honors a television legend with whom he shares a surname, before the New York legislature. The following S6 clip expertly entices masters of their universe and lovers of good drama to sceam for more. The well-chosen snippets illustrate the trifecta of "ripped from the headlines" plots, cinema-quality writing, and ideal casting. Seeing the aforementioned Dartmouth frat boy level alphas will evoke thoughts of where is Will Smith when you need him.

S6, which builds on the exceptional (reviewed) S5, proves that this season bucks the trend of series deteriorating with age. Nothing illustrates this trend more than the myriad of classic sitcoms that literally become live-action cartoons during their dotage. Team Sorkin successfully shifting the central conflict of "Bilions" is the primary factor regarding transforming "Billions" from a Tivo-worthy show to a water-coooler-worthy topic of discussion. Your not-so-humble reviewer came to "Billions" via the CBSHE S4 VD release. That series largely centered around hungry-like-a-wolf Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) battling with rival (but not lover) Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon). While monotonal, robotic, androgynous (not that there is anything wrong with that) Mason likely appeals to "kids" of all ages, at least this man of a certain age finds that character almost unbearably annoying SOLELY based on their personality and almost literal failure to blink. S5 finding Axe and Mason as strange and uneasy bedfellows allows the animosity between Axe and New York Attorney General Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) to take center stage. This time it is personal in that Chuck's ex-wife Wndy Rhoades (Maggie Siff) is literally and figuratively sleeping with the enemy as the Team Axelrod performance coach. Further, Mason playing more nicely makes competing finance god Michael Prince (Corey Stoll) the new Reggie to Axe's Archie. This matchup is more compelling than Axe v. Mason. The events of S5 lead to Axe being absent for S6 and Prince being his successor. This change in leadership seems to only enhance the desire of Chuck for truth, justice, and the American way. Those of us who have enjoyed the urban oasis peace and tranquility of Gramercy Park in NYC will find an episode in which Chuck fights to open the gate to the masses particulalry compelling. The manner in which these events fully unfold proves that our warriors must always remain vigilant. What begins as a battle regarding the campaign of Prince to bring the Olympics to NYC leads to a ruthless scorched-earth strategy on both sides with ample collateral damage that extends to folks who put their money where their mouth is. This plotting PROVES that you should not challenge Sorkin to a game of chess. The fallout from the Olympics bid arguably can be seen either as straying very close to cartoon territory or as being a morality tale regarding national politics in 21st century America. Pop-culture loving Team Sorkin would be proud of your not-so-humble reviewwer for making an analogy to Clark Kent trying to prevent what seems to be an inevitable (and catastrophic) Lex Luthor presidency on the CW teendram "Smallville." The S6 finale serves its dual purposes of tying up most loose ends and serving as a satisfying series finale in the event that Showtime precludes any possibility of seven seasons and a movie. At the same time, fans are eager to see whether Chuck or Prince can succeed to the point that the former is a guest of the state or an ambulance chaser or Prince is a Walmart greeter plotting to unionize his co-workers as the first step of his well-plotted comeback. CBSHE enchances all this with a handful of special features on Giamatti, wonderfully quirky Axe "number one" "Wags," and the well-cast cameos.

Briar Barn: Inn Credible New England Property Better Than Ever

A recent repeat visit to the Briar Barn Inn in Rowley, Mass. proves not only that you can go home again but that things can be even better the second time around. Much of this is due to the hiring of manager Billie Sue Hutchins, who reflects the "avoiding getting inn trouble" principle of being born into hospitality. The first stay was wonderful, but Billie Sue has greatly enhanced the spirit of the place and it shows. The exuberant welcome from exceptional desk clerk Jordan shows that Billie Sue clearly treating her staff right benefits those folks and the guests. Furhter evidence that the Briar Barn treats staf members well came in the form of two housekeepers hugging Jordan and wishing her a happy birthday on their arrival. The delicious-looking confetti cake, which your not so-humble reviewer was very tempted to poach, at the party for Jordan the next day shows that the on-property Grove restaurant has wonderful food. Covid concerns related to an "underlying condition" have prevented eating at Grove, which offers outdoor dining on its wonderful patio in warmer waether. There is not doubt that the employees of this property meet the challenge of regularly contending with bridezillas and monsters-in-law at this largely wedding venue. On a broad level, the Briar Barn is the right place that fills a long overdue need in this area that is an easily accessible 45-minutes from The Hub of the Universe (a.k.a. Boston). The inn in the center of Rowley, which is a 15-minute drive from the charming seaside community of Newburyport. Attending local prep. school The Governor's Academy (formerly Governor Dummer Academy) and having lived in Newburyport for 15 years shows that your not-so-humble reviewer knows that of which he writes. This area is attractive enough in every sense to warrant a visit at least twice a year. The generally central geographic location of Newburyport and its moderate selection of shops and restaurants make it a logical place to stay in the area. Further, the decades-old long intent to build a hotel on the waterfront are as old as the promises to repair the treacherous sidewalks in the residential neighborhoods. The Briar Barn awesomely boldly went where no Newburyport hotelier has gone before. This begins with the owenrship being local, rather than being an absentee holding company that is a big "avoding getting in trouble" no-no. Further, the Briar Barn is bright and new where the competition is darker and more historic. On a more practical level, the Briar Barn has ample parking in a well-maintained and beautifully landscaped parking lot compared to inadequate parking at the Newburyport hotel lots. The personal experience here is consciously not moving my car after getting a coveted spot in the lot of one such Port City place. The Briar Barn additionally has abundant inviting open space that has rocking and Adirondack chairs galore, a fire pit, and a charming porch. Both visits have include porech picnics. The most recent repast consisted of fare from nearby Pomodori, which has the best sandwiches and pizza in the area. The nostalgia this time is years of getting take-out there at least once a month and watching "Stargate SG-1" and the rest of the Sc-Fi Channel Friday-night line-up at the Rowley hobby farm of friends. This hiden gem also reflects the "inn credible" principle of splurging on relatively local top-of-the line accommodations. This truly makes your time away close to home even more special. The standard room at the Briar Barn offers a well-appointed comfortable oasis for two; the king suites enhance that with a separate seating area that allows relaxing away from the bedroom area. Having the privilge of upgrading from the VERY comfartable and homey king suite my last visit to the "wow factor" worthy grand king suite PROVES that the few extra bucks are an excellent investmenmt. As the below photo of the living room shows, a grand suite offers exceptional country home comfort. Having a full-size couch, gas fireplace, and smart tv loaded with the apps of every "household name" streaming service greatly facilitates forgetting about the cold cruel world outside. A bath-salt enhanced session in the soaking tub greatly enhances healing from the intense stresses of live during an never-ending pandemic.

The bottom line is that your not-so-humble reviewer literally is going to put his money where his mouth is by booking a grand king suite stay for later this year and my numerous future stays at this best-of-both worlds little bit couuntry and little bit rock-and-roll sanctuary.

'Ray Donovan: The Movie' DVD: The Many Saints of Bawstan

The CBS Home Entertainment May 24, 2022 DVD release of "Ray Donovan: The Movie" FULLY embraces the spirit of seven seasons and a movie that reflects the fan desire for closure regard a beloved cult series. This "family" drama exceeds expectations as to finality regarding the literal and figurative trials and tribuilations of the titular connected clan. One spoiler is that the final scene does not involve the titular fixer and his relatives breaking bread in a diner. The following "Donovan" trailer strikes the perfect balance between teasing about film and avoiding spoilers. It also shows that this franchise finale stays very true the series on which it is based.

CBSHE provides lazy reviewers everywhere a gift in the form of the followning synopsis that provides a perfect "25 words or more" recap of the film. "A showdown decades in the making brings the Donovan family legacy full circle. As the events that made Ray who he is today finally come to light, the Donovans find themselves drawn back to Boston to face the past. Each of them struggles to overcome their violent upbringing, but destiny dies hard, and only their fierce love for each other keeps them in the fight. Whether they stand together or they go down swinging, one thing is certain – Ray doesn’t do loose ends." The strongest vibe of "Donovan" is of the 2021 six seasons and a prequel movie "The Many Saints of Newark." This one tells the comning-of-age tale of an teen and post-adolescent Tony Soprano. That guy figuratively is hte Jersey boy cousin of our titualr antagonistic anti-hero. "Donovan opens with the almost ubiquitous present-day scene that leads to recent past series of events leading up that dramatic event. In this case, we get a plethora of flashbacks that show how all this comes to be. The Asian lesson is that Donovan (Liev Schreiber) should double his workload. One spoiler is that the SUBLIME surprise climax shows the only effective means for ending toxic family cycles. Sometimes one literally must take a bullet for to pay for the sins of the father. We also see that daddy's little girl does not like Mondays. The central time period of "Donovan" is in the wake of the dramatic season-seven finale. Ray has left Los Angeles in lukewarm pursuit of his father Mickey (Jon Voight) who has fled the City of Angels for the Donovan home turf of the Hub of the Universe (aka The Athens of America) (aka Beantown) (aka Boston). The motive for that sort of a homecoming is to abscond with goods that were ill-gotten during season seven. Commentary regarding this will have you chanting "hookers and coke." Returning to his roots triggers memories that remind Ray and the audience of how he comes to be the wise guy that he is today. We see the oft-portrayed southie Irish tale of an abusive and thieving father, a pedophile prist who merely is transferred to another parish when an altar boy is caught with his pants down, and a teen who has nothing but negative role models. We also get the defining moment in the development of Ray as a person and of his relationship with Mickey. This meta storyline has a California film crew coming to the neighborhood in a flawed attempt to make a realistic movie about the just-below-the-surface undebelly of that section of Bawstan. One of the best scenes has a 40-ish Mickey providing a hlariously graphic demonstration in his self-declared role of technical advisor. This leads to a beautiful friendship with the young method star of the production. The ensuing shock-and-awe provides the previously mentioned turning point for the Donovans. The bottom line this time is that "Donovan" is must-see for both series fans and virgins of this saga. Fully enjoying this Shalesepearen tale does not require having watched what has led to these dramatic events. Furthr, there is never a dull moment and everyone from the leads down to the background characters play their roles well. The highly relatable (pun intended) theme is that our mother (and or father) are responsible for our lifelong angst; we also see that cutting the apron strings is the only final solution. Audiences everywhere can rejoice as to Ray taking a page from Thomas Wolfe by learning the consequences of coming home again.

'Girl On a Chain Gang' BD and DVD: Hazzard County Burning

The Film Detective separate Blu-ray and DVD releases of the pristinely restored black-and-white 1966 "hickplotation" film "Girl On a Chain Gang" (1966) provides a good chance to see a "Night of the Living Dead" style take on the murder case on which the 1988 film "Mississippi Burning" is based. TCM host and co-host (with her charming young son) of the Detective series of classic films for kids Jen Churchill coins the descriptive phrase and offers great pairings for "Girl" in her insightful audio commentary. The Ballhoo Motion Pictures documentary "It's All in the Title: Exploiting Jerry Gross" provides additional entertaining and educational tidbits about the film and the titular softcore producer. Learning about the casting call (and probable casting couch) descriptions alone is worth watching this short. The campy fun of this one includes shooting it on Long Island, all of the hicks playing their roles as if they are in an Edward Albee film adaptation of "The Andy Griffith Show," and the local good-time girl being a perfect morality tale. Modern macro and micro events make the release of this film sadly timely. It seems that claims of police brutality agaainst black people and efforts to suppress voting by that demographic make headlines at least once a month. A personal experience supports the theme of "Girl" that police misconduct is not limited to black people; the larger problem is resentment against those whom the arrested development boys-in-blue consider the enemy. The sad mesasage, which "Girl" conveys, is that it CAN happen here. Your not-so-humble, white, middle-aged 5'8, 150 pound reviewer who always dresses nicely was subject to the almost full force of a small-town law enforcement group in June 2020; continued fear of being dragged out of my home on completely false charges is behind not revealing more details. I had made a rare Covid-era venture to a grouping of outlet malls two hours from my home. My first stop was at a store that plays a large role in these events. I had filed a corporate complaint as to the horrific service, which included the clerks literally pushing me out of the way and refusing to help me get items from a top shelf, several months before. On arriving in June, I merely looked in the store window and saw that it was closed. I had a nice conversation with a mall maintenance worker, who saw me from the mooment that I approached the store until I walked away. On walking back 15 minutes later, I saw a police car in front of the store and figured that there had been evidence of a break in; I also thought the store would open 15 minutes later. I sat on a bench near the store, and a second police car soon raced around a corner and parked near me. The cop who got out REFUSED to accept my story that I had not pounded on the store door or yelled at the employees. He also REFUSED to try to find the maintenance guy to whom I had spoken. Two more police cars soon arrived to surround me. This resulted in four police cars in this community of 10,700 residents responding to an offense that was no worse than essentially being a "college boy." I never acted assertively or got off the bench. A friend with whom I discussed this commented that this alone made a good case for defunding the police. Doubling down involved the cops lying about the presence of video cameras that would have shown that I only looked in the window. The bigger picture (pun intended) is that I supposedly was so stupid that I created mayhem, left my car parked near the store, saw a police car when I returned 15 minutes later, and then sat on a bench by the store to make a telephone call. The police chief merely stated that his officers "misinterpreted the information" and stated that my being a "frustrated customer" months earlier justifed the abuse and the related no-trespss order. I knew that the cops would avoid any liablity for the incident and that filing a complaint would only brighten the target on my back. Our fictional story begins with titular future damsel-in-distress Jean and fellow freedom riders Ted, who is white, and Audie, who is black, driving through (presumably) deep south Carson's Landing while on a voter registration campaign. This predictably leads to red-neck deputy, whom the casting call refers to as a Barney Fife type, pulling the group over on a trumped up speeding charges. This just as expectedly leads to an arrest and a visit with textbook red-neck Sheriff Sonny Lew, who is more Buford T. Justice than Andy Taylor. Sonny Lew ratchets up the terror by relentlessly trying to find offenses that will justify locking up his latest prey. Right-minded viewers will delight as each failed effort further frustrates this psychopath with a badge. The mnost memorable line in this scene is Ted telling his friends that these corrupt cops staying within the law provides some protection. Our gang is set free only to make the rookie mistake of not getting out of Dodge. Ala your not-so-humble reviewer returning to the scene of the "crime," Jean and the boys stop at the local dive only to have a local succumb to the pressure of Sonny Lew to make a completely false claim. This empowers Sonny Lew to lock up the intellectuals before his blatantly kangaroo court convenes in the morning. This unfortunate incarceration leads to a night of terror for our literal innocents. The psychological warfare and physical attacks will make all Yankees want to avoid driving through small southern towns. A real-life perspective this time is that many residents of Savannah remain angry about Sherman burning that city. All of this leads to the climax to which the title of "Girl" refers. This is reminiscent of the classic "Charlie's Angels" episode "Girls in Chains" that finds that trio purposefully becoming the guests of a Bible Belt state. This portion of "Girl" also has a line that not only is the best on of that film but earns a place on the list of best film lines ever. Ala Scarlett O'Hara declaring that she never will go hungry again, Jean assertts that she will continue her hard labor before she will give into the lust of her jailor. Although "Girl" provides a typical quasi-Hollywood ending for this type of film, personal experience shows that the survivors of the events of "Girl" and their real-life counter-parts will never fully heal from their experiences. All of this warrants following the advice of Churchill to make yourself a 60s-era cocktail and watch this micro-budget grindhouse cult classic at the witching hour.

'Mary Tyler Moore' From an Adult Perspective

 

A medical condition that requires an abundance of Covid-era precaution is behind a deep dive into a collection of DVD sets of at least 500 sitcoms. This recently led to revisiting "Mary Tyler Moore" after several decades. The first bit of realization as to the TV Land classic is that the brightly lettered title in the opening credits reveal that the title is not "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." 

Introduction to the series came via UHF station evening reruns that coincided with a CBS broadcast run that was past the bedtime of your then quite youthful not-so-humble reviewer. It remained a cherished memory but was never so personally deeply loved that subsequent indie station and basic-cable runs made the cut as to the plethora of similar fare. 

Literally watching the show through the eyes of a child supports the image that the program chronicles the personal and professional lives of a thoroughly modern '70s-era career woman with the morals of a girl scout. Seeing MTM through significantly older eyes shows that America's sweetheart was not so pure and that her show was not always suitable for young children. Finding humor as to "Aunt Flo" not visiting Mary until the sixth season and not stopping by monthly is a subtle example of this.

It should be undisputed that the MTM cast and the behind-the-scenes talent were exceptional. The real issue is that the show did not live up to the hype even back in the day. The primary nature of this is that any show that touts itself as ground-breaking really is not ala personal experience that EVERY CEO or public figure who promotes that she is a mother does not demonstrate any caring or compassion in her professional life. 

As an initial matter, Our Miss Brooks and Ann Marie are single career gals long before Mary Richards came along. This is not to mention Sally Rogers of Tyler Moore's first series "The Dick Van Dyke Show" being one of the boys in a show that divided its focus between the highly combined professional and personal lives of the star ala MTM. A related observation is the absurdity as to the frequency of the unannounced evening and late-night visits by WJM colleagues to the home of local news producer Mary Richards.

Much of the humor of MTM relates to Richards being a virtuous in every sense woman in a world of people whose values are more typical of a '70s everyman or woman. The ugly truth is that "Virgin Mary" (and the series) is less pure than largely considered. 

Our story begins Richards being a 30 year-old woman fresh off a break-up with her fiance. Chances are quite good that a late-20s woman in a committed relationship in the late '60s has carnal knowledge. That episode also involves Richards moving into her apartment despite fully knowing that neighbor/soon-to-be-best friend Rhoda was promised those lodgings.

Even the early MTM seasons included numerous indications that Richards was not saving herself for marriage. The arguably most blatant example of this is our "innocent" is unapologetic on her father learning that his little girl stayed out all night. A more amusing moment involves the priceless expression on the face of Richards on learning that boss/friend Lou Grant (Ed Asner) considers the mid-single digits as the threshold as to a woman being a slut.

A very creepy early-season episode apparently did not raise any eyebrows even in an era in which a blind eye was turned as to most workplace sexual harassment. Richards had invited then quasi-swinging single/anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) for a friendly dinner that he turned into an opportunity to try to fish off the company pier. This culminated in Baxter forcing his way into the apartment of Richards and refusing to leave.

The MTM writing staff may actually have been groundbreaking by having the story evolve into Baxter lying about having hit a home run with Richards at what is recalled to be a time before such a plot became a sitcom trope that typically involved a bragging high-school or college boy lying about a classmate. 

Related observations are that MTM matured as a show in every sense in the post Rhoda and building manager/real housewife of Minneapolis Phyllis era. It is highly likely that, ala a 14 year-old who is sick of carrying around a doll and talking with a lisp on a sitcom, Tyler Moore demanded that Richards grows up. A symbolic aspect of this is having Richards move from essentially a glorified bedroom in what can be considered the house of her parents into a one-bedroom apartment in a high-rise.

An amusing aspect of this era is that Ted Bessell of Ann Marie series "That Girl" has a recurring role as a highly amorous boyfriend of Richards. It is strongly implied that the Bessell character regularly gives Richards reasons to figuratively call out "Oh, Donald."

These also are the seasons in which Happy Homemaker (and borderline hooker) Sue Ann Nivens (Betty White) is promoted from recurring character to series regular. This arguably is a jump-the-shark moment in that it leads to MTM transitioning from a modern version of  "Van Dyke" to an early version of network-friendly raunchy sitcom "Three's Company." 

The racier Sue-Ann era extends beyond an amusing episode in which her long-term efforts to get Grant in bed succeeds to the same lazy writing behind the equally predictable (but still entertaining) innuendo humor of "Company." The first few times that Nivens provides wisecracking news writer Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod) a set up are amusing. This getting to the point that virtually every episode essentially includes a moment in which Nivens asks to borrow a quarter (i.e., two bits) for a parking meter and Slaughter suggests that she just make a date. 

The later-season writers also regularly resort to the old make a comment right before someone walks in joke. A hypothetical example is a hungry Lou telling Murray that he is in the mood for a tart just before an oblivious Nivens enters the newsroom. It is equally predictable that someone will comment on a missing houseplant only to have the dim-witted Baxter arrive seconds later.

The bigger picture regarding all this is that the best of MTM reflects the wisdom of fellow '70s CBS comedy goddess Carol Burnett. Burnett has commented within the past few years that funny always will be funny and that one need not turn to blue humor to get laughs.

Most MTM fans believe that "Chuckles Bites the Dust," which includes numerous hilarious one-liners about the death of the titular kiddie-show host, is the best episode of the series. Perhaps because that episode was strongly remembered,  watching it earlier this week indicates that that outing does not fully pass the test of time. 

Coincidentally, Nivens has a prominent role in every personal favorite episode. "The Dinner Party" earns the top spot on this list. Richards hosts the titular event at which the guest list gets comically out of hand. An episode a few years later has Nivens hire Slaughter as her producer only to demand that he perform increasingly humiliating tasks. The climax of this episode deserves a high-rank in sitcom history because it is unexpected and involves a timelessly hilarious element. This moment additionally reflects the fondest wish of anyone with a horrible boss. 

Another favorite puts an interesting twist on the Christmas episode. The newsroom staff is experiencing very rare animosity towards each other when a November snowstorm strands them on the same night that Sue Ann has an abundance of extra food from the episode on international Christmas traditions. The gang opts for eating together despite their anger and agrees to wear silly hats over going hungry. Hilarity truly ensues until they predictably hug it out in the end. 

The best news regarding all this is that the writers and the cast fully step up to combine the best elements of the show for the season finale that deserves a place on the list of the top 10 episodes of the series. The "sit" that drives the "com" is realistic in the world of independent television stations, and the best moment comes before the perfect final scene that is indelibly etched in the minds of fans. This lead up provides Richards an epic comeuppance as to her considering herself the untouchable darling of the newsroom. 

'Monster From Green Hell' BD and DVD: Safari Not So Good

 

Film Detective separately releasing the awesomely campy subterranean budget creature feature "Monster From Green Hell" (1957) on Blu-ray and DVD today once more proves that they don't make 'em like they used to. The bonus fun this time extends beyond the criminally blatant use of stock footage to having Jim "Jock" Davis of "Dallas" fame star as stalwart scientist Dr. Quent Brady. Further, Detective includes both the widescreen and full-screen versions of the film. 

On a technical note, "Monster" greatly benefits from the usual but far from typical restoration by Detective. The contrast in the black-and-white images on the Blu-ray version is phenomenal. Being almost literally blown away when inadvertently having the sound bar turned marginally too high was reminiscent of the opening scene of "Back to the Future" when Marty McFly cranks up his amp.

The following CLUES-LADEN promo. from Detective provides a goods sense of the cheesy goodness of the film and of the Silver Age leading-man cred. of Davis. 

Our story begins with Brady sending a literal guinea pig and other critters up in a rocket that can be considered an outer-space version of Noah's Ark. This launch is part of an ongoing research project to discover the impact of groovin' way above the atmosphere before trying to get back to here.

Although it is known that the ship has not landed on Mars or another kooky planet, Brady is uncertain (and initially not unduly concerned) that the craft seems to have landed off the coast of Africa. The concurrent rumors of a horrific monster in the titular region of the Dark Continent allows even the dullest mind to put two-and-two together. 

A combination of a strong sense of integrity and a desire to fight them over there so that we do not need to fight them here prompts Brady to travel to Africa to battle the giant wasps that his research created. This leads to typical filler as our hero and his assembled bunch makes the 450-mile trek from a developed area of Africa to the arena where the action is occurring. 

This leads to the usual love interest, who of course become a damsel-in-distress, and the equally predictable confrontations with the big bad. The related exceptional elements that make "Monster" Detective worthy are that the plan of Brady fails and the ending scenes add something truly special and unexpected ala the final scene of the first season of the original "Lost in Space."

Detective further steps up by including a usual insightful and entertaining Ballyhoo Motion Pictures featurette. This time, film historian/Ballyhoo regular C. Courtney Joyner tells the tale of the career of Davis. This clearly shows the logic behind Davis going from being a B-movie character actor and occasional leading man to becoming the Ewing patriarch. 

The bottom line this time is that "Monster" is a perfect choice for a weekend kiddie matinee, and the Detective restoration does this shouldabeen a cult classic proud. 

'Sordid Lives Saga: Before the Trip': Del Shores Novel Approach to the Winters of Discontent

 

Son of a southern Baptist preacher man Del Shores fulfills the fondest wishes of his biggest fans by releasing the short-story collection The Sordid Lives Saga: Before the Trip. This collection of character studies of the fictional discontented residents of real-life small-town Winters, Texas is available for pre-order on delshores.com.

Folks unable to wait for that April 15, 2022 release can order it on Kindle beginning on March 31, 2022. The benefits of getting a physical copy include a personalized message from the author. Such a tome will get a place of honor in the library of your not-so-humble reviewer. 

The fun begins with a foreword by Leslie "Brother Boy" Jordan that explains how his beautiful friendship with Shores and the related spark of inspiration that led to oodles of sordid delight began. The 25-words-or-less version is that Jordan gave Shores a book by a southern writer that inspired the latter to share his stories of his eccentric friends and relatives. Those white papers on white trash led to the (reviewed) film "Sordid Lives." The rest is history. 

The introduction by Shores largely repeats the insight of his pint-sized brother from another mama. Shores adds that the origin of all this is a short-story titled Nicotine Fit, which is a bonus chapter in Saga. That tale centers on his real-life Aunt Sissy (nee Marie) using a popular negative reinforcement method to try to stop smoking. That true Winters story is included either in the "Lives" sequel "A Very Sordid Wedding" or the Logo prequel series "Sordid Lives the Series," which stars a perfectly cast Rue McCalanahan as Peggy Ingram. 

Speaking of Peggy, Saga introduces us to her before her fatal attraction that leaves a philandering husband without a leg on which to stand. We met her in the wake (no pun intended) of the death of her not-so-dearly departed husband. Ala fellow Tennessee Williams style southern widow Blanche Deveraux, Peggy has long unrequited lust in her heart for much younger man Wardell Owens. A related reveal is the real heat that Wardell is packing. This likely further endears Shores to former brother-in-law Newell Alexander, who portrays Wardell. 

This ties into the saga of the "night of" that changes everything. Good southern Baptist Peggy allowing freshly released guest-of-the-state/bar singer Bitsy Mae Harling to coerce her into going to Wardell's dive bar sets off a chain reaction that allows genuine hilarity to ensure throughout the entire "Sordid" franchise. 

We also get further insight into L.A.-based actor Ty Williamson, who is a small-town boy who gets out in more ways than one. The introduction by Shores verifies the theory of many fans that Williamson is a semi-autobiographical character. This reveal (pun intended) enhances speculation that Shores once appeared in a play that required going the Full Monty. 

A highlight of this portrait illustrates (pun once more intended) the talent of Shores for expertly taking things one step further. The book includes the "Lives" tale of Ty's mother Latrelle remedying the distress of her young son as to having to wear husky pants that are designed for chubby boys. Saga adds the element of getting stuck in an elevator immediately after that traumatic event terrorizing Ty.

Hairdresser Roger of the Beehive beauty shop is another secondary character whom Saga fleshes out. We learn more about the woes of being the only openly gay man in a small Bible Belt town. 

The bottom line is that no one who revels in the exceptional wit and wisdom of Shores can ever learn everything that he or she wants to learn about the lives and loves of the fictional folks of Winters, Texas. However, Saga  comes close. 

'Six Characters in Search of a Play' DVD: Shores' Sordid Sources

The Breaking Glass Pictures DVD of the one-awesome-man stage show "Six Characters in Search of a Play" provides a nice segue to the soon-to-be-released Del Shores short-story collection titled The Sordid Lives Saga: Before the Trip. The DVD is available from online retailers; fans of the written word can pre-order a personalized copy of the book from delshores.com for the apt price of $32.09, rather than the inflation -adjusted cost of $34.09.

The performance focuses on the titular sextet that plays a role in the hilarious white-trash fare of southern Baptist sissy Shores. The MUST-READ book consists of the intertangled character studies of the fictionalized trailer and tract-home dwelling residents of Shores' hometown of Winters, Texas. These works add to the mountain of proof that nobody does Dallas better than Del. 

The final digression before discussing "Characters" is a PSA for a cause that is near-and-dear to the heart of everyone's favorite son of a preacher man. The Del Shores Foundation financially supports screenplays and scripts by LGBTQ authors. The general idea is to allow these voices from The Bible Belt to be heard.

"Characters" is filmed live before a studio-theater audience. It opens with righteous dude Del gleefully making the sordid confession that he is a thief. The basis of this admission of grand-theft guffaws is that Shores bases the 'verses of "Sordid Lives" and of other work that includes the aggravatingly difficult-to-find "Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will?" on friends, family, and people whom he encounters in his travels. 

The rest of the origin story relates to the title of the work. Shores shares that the inspiration this time is a play titled "Six Characters in Search of an Author." That one has a group of fictional characters unexpectedly pop up in the real world. 

The most prominent character in this bunch is the real-life Aunt Sissy of Shores. His telling of her final days reinforces the sense that Beth Grant nails that role in the "Sordid" series. 

This story begins with Sissy being on her deathbed not preventing her from expressing disappointment that Shores, who has gone out of his way to visit her, has not brought one of his beloved chihuahuas. We also hear how this real-life Thelma "Mama" Harper does not care that her desire as to her final resting place is illegal. One can easily picture  Vicki Lawrence saying "Good Lord, Eunice. I don't give a damn if it is illegal. I'm an old woman, and I can have my ashes spread wherever I damn well please. Now hand me the pork rinds and get the Hell out of here." 

In true Shores style of taking a joke one step further, our host shares that the potential for publicity is behind his willingness to risk an unfortunate incarceration to spread the ashes of Sissy as requested. Readers of Saga will know that Shores does not consider losing a gym membership an acceptable penalty for breaking the law.

The next best-well known character is real-life actress Sarah Hunley, who portrays barfly Juanita Bartlett in the "Sordid" franchise. The Saga insights include the childhood experiences behind Juanita becoming the Norm Peterson of the Winters dive around which much of the "Sordid" activity is centered.

The vivid storytelling of Shores evokes strong images of real-life Golden Age star turned tragic alcoholic Marie Prevost. Unlike Prevost, Bartlett never became a household name but was beloved among the version of The Mercury Players in the plays and films of Shores. 

This portion of the film arguably has the best line in "Characters." Shores shares that "Characters" producer Emerson Collins, who is the Joseph Cotton in this tight-knit group, states that he does not need Bartlett to be completely sober for the filming of the "A Very Sordid Wedding" sequel but does need her to be able to stand.

We also hear how Shores (presumably with a box of Whitman chocolates) goes to visit Bartlett in her (presumably shabby) WeHo apartment to find her engaged in her daily routine of drinking alcohol, chain smoking, and watching The Game Show Network. The response of Bartlett to Shores expressing concern that she is drunk every time that he telephones her truly is laugh-out-loud funny.

The "unsung heroes" of characters include an encounter with a fan who becomes a monkey on the back of Shores, and an ultra right-wing Republican relative with good intentions who essentially crashes the funeral of Sissy to which the aforementioned pet is invited. 

A chance encounter with a good-ole boy at the hilariously named real-life Kum & Go gas stations is the segment that proves that Shores is more than a pretty face. This story has Del make an amazing transformation with a minor costume change and incredible alteration of his facial expression and mannerisms. 

BGP does its usual excellent job with special features. An introduction by Shores tells the tale of the inspiration for this depiction of the source material for the work that has made him a minor gay celebrity. The extras also include an interview with Collins and promos for the "Characters" tour. 

Langenstein's Markets of New Orleans Do Not Let the Good Times Roll

 

As the old joke goes, I would like to say that I received a little Mardi Gras joy during a challenging winter of comfortable isolation. 

The fact that Langenstein's markets of New Orleans reneged on a year-long promise to mail me a treat COMPLETELY at my expense was stressful; the manner in which they REFUSED to do ANYTHING to make it better aggravated me to the extent that it exacerbated a serious medical condition and caused emotional distress. The textbook business management aspects of all this warrant this detour into Blogland.

The broad background of this tale of woe is that your New England-based not-so-humble reviewer has visited New Orleans four times and had thoughts of returning post-Covid and of making it a winter home. The appeal lies not in the drinking and debauchery for which The Big Easy is known, but the unique style, culture, and food of the city. Readers of the Inn Credible New England posts on this site know of my disdain for cookie-cutter hotels and communities. 

The delicacies of The Crescent City include king cakes, which are glorified sugar-coated coffee cakes that offer a variety of fillings. The lore of this Mardi Gras treat is that a plastic baby Jesus is baked into it, and that the person who finds that newborn must host the party the following year. Sadly, these cakes and most other New Orleans sweets are almost impossible to find in any New England store.

The rest of this story is that getting a king cake, which arguably has a $15 retail value, shipped typically costs $50 and often more. An aspect of this is that the big boys, who are far from po', that include Haydels and Randazzos ship these semi-perishable baked goods via expedited FedEx or UPS. As a guy who has found sugar-laden week-old king cakes adequately fresh, sending them via the U.S. mail is a reasonable alternative so long as the filling is not cream-based.

As indicated above, an employee who ships products for Langenstein's told me last year when I tried to order a king cake that they were out but that she would mail a cake this year. She remembered speaking to me when I called this past Friday, and she repeated the promise to mail the cake as well as other Mardi Gras sweets that I wanted to order. She also told me that she was wrapping up her day and asked that I call back this past Tuesday. 

On my calling, the same employee acknowledged the repeated pledges to use the postal service to send the king cake. The only extra effort  that this would have required compared to FedExing a package would have been to have a free box sent from the post office and going online to calculate the cost. She knew that I gladly would have paid the postage. 

Also as indicated above, the article-worthy aspects of this series of unfortunate incidents relates to the case-study elements of what I consider a deplorable manner in which Langenstein's operates. 

The broadest aspect of this is the complete failure of Langenstein's to show awareness of the basic principle that the customer is not always right but always is the customer. 

If CEO Ellis Lanaux or COO Trey Lanaux had responded in any manner, tears and recriminations would have been avoided and I likely would have had my desired treats without the company losing a penny. I also would have continued my practice of shopping in their Uptown store when in New Orleans. 

Neither executive acknowledged any of the telephone message that a REFUSAL to provide a more direct number required leaving with a store manager. Nor did these "suits" respond at all to outreach via LinkedIn and direct e-mails.

A related (pun intended) factor is the practice of disingenuously identifying businesses that the same clan has operated for years as "family-owned" to create a pretense that their operating model reflects "peace, love, and understanding." This is akin to my consistent experience that every politician or CEO who identifies herself as a mother lacks any iota of caring as to how she conducts business. 

Another example of this principle is that I am an animal lover to the extent that I say "doggie" just about any time that I see a canine, stop to pet just about every furry creature that I encounter when walking, and quickly bond with all creatures great and small. However, I do not publicly identify that element of my personality because doing so would falsely assert that these warm-and-fuzzy feelings extend to the general population of homo sapiens. 

A more narrow aspect of this is the decades-old management theory that the quality of the leadership of a family business deteriorates with each generation. My experience with fifth-generation grocer Ellis supports that. This also seems to be a theme of the HBO sitcom "Succession."

Reading about that theory while studying for my management degree at a top-ranked school years ago precludes providing definitive details as the reason for this phenomenon. PURE speculation is that these "kids" resent having to spend most of their lives from tweenage to adulthood "helping out" and/or have a sense of entitlement as to occupying the corner office of the increasingly large family empire and not even having to worry about keeping any outside directors happy. There also be some cases of the offspring being "pulled back in" out of a sense of duty. Some of this might be akin to senior tenured professors at institutions of higher-learning who know that their employment is secure regardless of the quality of their work.

A more period-specific theory is that many companies unduly exaggerate the acknowledged tough challenges of keeping the doors open during a pandemic. This animal lover is sympathetic to the folks who must face an unhappy public these days, but this does not excuse a lack of a reasonable effort to conduct business. I suspect that I am far from alone as to walking away from many businesses the past two years and pledging to stay away after it is safe to go back in the water. 

The bottom line this time is that a year of looking forward to a little joy during a Covid period in which chemotherapy is a recent memory unnecessarily ended up being another in an endless string of days of suck the past two years. 

'Dancing Pirate' BD and DVD: Broadway Star Shakes Technicolor Booty

 

The Film Detective cracks an especially important case by tracking down the only existing nitrate print of "Dancing Pirate" (1936). 

The claim to fame of this Oscar-nominated romcom swashbuckler musical is that it is the first full-length technicolor song-and-dance flick. The must-see Ballyhoo Motion Pictures documentary "Glorious Pioneers: The Birth of Technicolor" tells the intertwined origin stories of that technology and that movie in a manner that will make you give a damn my dear.

The wizardry of this production makes it apt that the perfectly cast wonderful leader of the merry old land of Oz himself Frank Morgan portrays the mayor of the California community where our current absurd comedy at its best occurs.

The following aptly bright-and-bold Detective promo for "Pirate" shows that adding the Blu-ray version of this buried treasure to your home-video library is a no-brainer. The showcased charm and humor make this gem the perfect grog to ease the pain of our highly troubled times. 

This 19th-centrury portrait of the titular pirate commences with a clever opening shot that excellently utilizes the technology of the day. Jonathan Pride (Broadway star Charles Collins) is teaching the Beacon Hill crowd the scandalous new dance the waltz in his Boston studio just ahead of travelling to his aunt. 

The first in a series of unfortunate circumstances that fully set our story in motion is that Jonathan gets a Shanghai style surprise on his way to the station. He later awakens to find that he is not in Massachusetts anymore. 

The new literal galley slave manages to jump ship in California only to find that he has gone from the frying pan into the fire. The locals who capture him do not believe that his assertions of innocence. This leads to terrific actual gallows humor. The ensuing laugh-out-loud hilarity is a "Pirate" highlight. 

The "rom" in this "com" centers around the relationship of "beast" Jonathan and local belle Serafina (Steffi Duna), who is the daughter of the mayor. She is the disregarded voice of reason in this community with heavy shades of the dim-witted residents of Hooterville in the "Green Acres" and "Petticoat Junction" sitcom 'verse.

Serafina uses her charming wit and wisdom to delay the unfortunate incarceration of whom she knows to be an innocent man. The arrival of the Gaston of our tale as old as time further complicates things. Seemingly dashing and virtuous Don Balthazar comes riding in from Monterey Jack and soon seeks to bring Jonathan when he goes back. This requires Serafina, who enjoys dancing in the dark, to use her feminine powers of persuasion to save her man.

A subsequent scene in which Balthazar and the mayor negotiate a dowry that literally involves buying the cow and not giving away the milk for free is another "Pirate" highlight. It, like every other scene in which Morgan appears, proves the perfect casting of the wizard in "Oz." 

The climatic wedding scene with vague shades of "The Graduate" provides a perfect end to this fable. Another laugh-out-loud moment comes when Balthazar realizes that his groomsmen do not have his back. 

The epilogue is equally good in that it involves a fitting variation of the trope of riding off into the sunset. This is all part of the mandatory Hollywood ending.

The Ballyhoo twofer that Detective offers pairs "Pioneers" with a featurette on "Pirate." This "True Hollywood Story" discusses the place of the film in motion-picture history.

Detective additionally includes an essay on "Pirate" that is one of the best of the best written of the excellent short histories that supplement these releases. 

'The Capture' BD & DVD: Sturges Does Ford

The Film Detective recent Blu-ray and DVD releases of the John Sturges ("The Great Escape") action/romance/western film "The Capture" (1950) adds to the mountain of proof that the style and substance of tales of the not-so-final frontier greatly extends beyond cattle stampedes and showdowns. This film also is further evidence of the skill of Detective as to finding the best films that you never watched.

Despite this typically masterfully restored film meeting the high Detective standards in most regards, the absence of an insightful and entertaining Ballyoo Motion Pictures documentary is disappointing. The truly good gumshoes at Detective compensate by having Boston broadcasting legend and righteous dude Dana Hersey narrate insightful and entertaining featurettes on Sturges and leading lady Teresa Wright. 

The well-earned fame of Hersey stems from hosting the must-see "Movie Loft" series on WSBK Channel 38 in The Athens of America long before TCM existed and Robert Osborne earned well-deserved fame for sharing insights about a wide variety of films. Hersey also co-hosted the HILARIOUS Channel 38 series "Ask The Manager" that involved answering the letter from viewers about fare such as "The Three Stooges," "Hogan's Heroes," and "Rocky and Bullwinkle." 

These features make one hope that Hersey screened "Capture" on "Loft" back in the day. 

The following Detective SPOILER-LADEN promo. for "Capture" highlights the awesome Silver Age noir vibe of the film and the playful chemistry between Wright and leading man Ayres. This not-necessarily fatal attraction fully comes through in a scene in which Lin Vanner (Ayres) entertains Ellen (Wright) with a bath that is much more vaudeville than burlesque.

Our story begins with a noir staple cum modern film trope. We meet Lin riding through desolate country on the run from the law. This leads to taking refuge at the rustic home of a priest and the subsequent figurative "24 hours ago" time shift to the commencement of the events that brought us to the present conflict.

Lin begins his tale of woe by stating that he is the well-liked and respected boss at an oil-field when the latest in a series of essentially stage-coach ambushes of the company payroll triggers the series of unfortunate incidents that bring us to the present. This commences with the "bros before hos" 'tude of Lin ending his office romance. 

The hunt of Lin for the prime suspect ends with finding that man on the trail. An ultimately fatal misunderstanding leads to our upstanding citizen essentially shooting the "outlaw" in the back. Guilt and other negative emotions result in Lin deciding to get out of Dodge.

An epitome of a Hollywood coincidence results in Lin ending up on the home turf of the suspected robber. This pattern continues with Lin becoming the sole hired hand of unsuspecting young widow/mother Ellen. The obvious underlying theme is that Lin feels that he is doing penance for his "sin."

Of course, the awful truth comes out. This fully turns our story into a combination of "The Goodbye Girl" and "The Taming of The Shrew" as Lin tries to endure the gleeful torment of Ellen while also scheming to have true love prevail. This culminates in one of the best scenes of "Capture" in which all the dirty laundry gets a thorough cleaning.

This confrontation leads to Lin once again hitting the trail in search of truth, justice, and the American way. Thus leading to the subsequent manhunt supports the theory that no good deed goes unpunished. 

Our return to the present leads to the Hays Code Hollywood ending in which justice prevails and those who deserve to live happily ever after achieve that ideal. 

The timeless appeal of this fable about love and honor is that it reminds us of the not-so-distant past in which movies did not rely on "shock-and-awe," the performances of stars rather than actors, or franchises that should have ridden off into the sunset decades ago. 

'Blues for Willadean' DVD: Del Shores Does Tennessee Williams Proud

The Del Shores Oscar-worthy film "Blues for Willadean" (2012), which is available on DelShores.com. awesomely channels "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." This shouldbeena classic strikes a "just-right" balance between the pathos of "Southern Baptist Sissies" with the more "Mama's Family" sensibility of Shores' better-known "Sordid Lives" franchise. 

A warning as to "Sissies" is that it WILL make your eyes leak through at least five viewings; they will get misty even thinking about that film. 

A note as to "Sordid" is that the trailer where most of the "Willadean" action occurs and the dive where most of the swilling of Pabst Blue Ribbon in that universe takes place will look very familiar to "Sordid" fans. Shores proves that you can go home again.

We also get the same attention to detail that Shores brings to all of his work. The "Willadean" sets are perfect; the kicking of the feet after the falling off the stool near the end of the famous "$32.09" scene in "Sordid Lives" is sublime. 

The big picture this time is that "Willadean" is the epitome of the work of a Southern gay playwright that son of a preacher man Shores supports through The Del Shores Foundation. That non-profit issues grants to produce works by good ole boys who like the all-American boy next door. 

The dirt-street cred of "Willadean" stems from the strong neo-modern Tennessee Williams vibe of this tale of this real battered housewife of a trailer park in the white-trash community of Mesquite, Texas. 

The associated exceptional live-stage feel of the production is attributable to Shores basing the production on his deservedly awards-laden play "The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife." Those accolades contribute to the WTF response to the lack of any Oscar love for the film and even more glaring as to Beth "Sissy" Grant, who reprises her role as the titular not-so-happy homemaker. Shores and Grant truly waz robbed. 

Our story begins with scenes of a honky tonk performance of the titular tune interspersed with Willadean scurrying like a petrified bunny to have things in order before her Ralph Kramden from Hell husband JD gets home. All this gets put on hold to call over neighbor Lasagna (nee LaSonia) (Oscar winner and "Trials" cast member Octavia Spencer) to watch one of their favorite low-brow talk shows that make Willadean and Lassgna look like members of the Algonquin Round Table. 

Shores uses this scene to convey three primary themes of "Willadean." Our Alice and Trixie delight in trash-talking about new trailer-park neighbor/bar waitress Rayleen Hobbs (Dale "Glyndora" Dickey) and being cruel without any kindness as the mother-daughter strippers/evangelists on the TV show. This demonstrates the delight that most of us enjoy as to feeling superior to those whom we consider to be beneath us.

Willadean becoming frantic on the television dying illustrates two other central concepts. The first is terror as to the anticipated beating by JD on his coming home to learn that he cannot watch his game. The broader message is the example of blue-collar life. Speaking as one who did not give much thought to going to spending a few hundred dollars at Best Buy twice on two televisions breaking within nine months of each other, many of us do not think about the working stiffs who cannot make such a purchase every few years.

Shores, Grant and JD portrayer David Steen truly bring on the Williams in the first simmering scene between our spouses. Willadean and the audience equally anticipate a smackdown any second. Shores and Steen particularly shine as to a monologue in which we learn the trials and tribulations of a trailer trash husband. These include kicking his still-estranged gay 16 year-old son out of the double-wide years ago. Another touch of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" comes later when we learn the fate of the namesake of our villain. 

Shores especially shines as to a monologue in which Rayleen provides graphic details about her first lesbian encounter. This reminiscence shows that John Bon Jovi knows about what he speaks. 

Our tale of woe progresses to the expected blackening of the eye and then apologizing and related rationalization regarding that brutal abusing that Willadean has down pat. The better news this time is that Willadean acts on an exit strategy with a real chance of success after hearing the gospel truth. The audience will think that Willadean now is a thoroughly modern Millie who will make it after all.

The range and related brilliance of Shores comes through in a climax that is a much darker version of a pivotal scene in "Sordid." The awful truth here is that JD has fully hulked out and is no taking any prisoners. The one sure thing is that at least one character either is going to end up in the free clinic on the wrong side of the tracks or in a cardboard coffin. It is equally guaranteed that the audience will feel the same shock and awe as the survivors. 

'Billions' S5 DVD: Shades of Sorkin

The recent CBS Home Entertainment DVD release of Season 5 of the Showtime "greed is good" series "Billions" provides a good chance to catch-up on this boiler-room drama before savoring the sixth season that started January 23, 2022. 

This simple-but-brilliant concept of "Billions" pits master-of-the-universe/wolf of Wall Street Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Damian Lewis) against now- New York attorney general Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). The numerous reasons for Chuck having an axe to grind include estranged wife Wendy Rhoades being the high-level performance coach at Axelrod firm Axe Capital and having a close personal relationship with the boss. 

Some of the best moments belong to Axe lieutenant Mike "Wags" Wagner, who particularly shines when verbally abusing Axe Capital employees. He is the boss from Hell who proves that comedy is trauma that is inflicted on someone else. 

Both the fast-paced plots and the enhanced quality of the already very-good writing distinguish S5 from earlier seasons. The most notable aspect of this is the obvious homage to classic Aaron Sorkin projects absent the extended speeches and the copious long walks. We additionally get numerous pop culture references that include inside jokes about Alan Alda and fellow Showtime series "Dexter" within minutes of each other in the "Billions" season premiere.

The no-reason-to-feel-guilty pleasure of the series include the vicarious joy of the win-at-all-costs 'tude of our major players. This extends beyond Axe separately blatantly exploiting an inner-city teen boy and (at least temporarily) ruining a competitor to achieve his own selfish desires to every main character proving that you cannot trust anyone. 

Our season begins with the zeal with which Chuck prosecutes a bitcoin mining operation fluctuating in response to the degree to which he and Axe are battling. The professional fallout from that abuse of discretion drives much of the action. This get-rich-quick-scheme also is a factor in a notable episode in which Axe and his prep-school son get schooled. 

S5 also finds Axe showing no mercy in his effort to obtain a bank charter. The price that he pays for that ambition reflects the morality of the Hays Code of the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

Secondary plots that tie into the main story arcs include the ripped-from-the-headlines issue of providing the marijuana industry banking services, the exploitation of opportunity zones that are intended to aid lower-income communities, and the conflict between art and commerce. A personal perspective as to the latter is once joking with a young artist about spending a small premium for a very limited edition print because its value would increase on his death. Moderate guilt arose on his passing away a few years later and the print substantially rising in value.

All of the "Billions drama aptly ends with a not-entirely-unexpected twist in the road runner/coyote relationship between Chuck and Axe. The conclusion follows the good model of a season finale also serving as a satisfying series finale in the event that are leads do not live to fight another day.

The apt bottom line this time is that "Billions" S5 easily provides investment-grade entertainment that is worth roughly $20 and approximately 12 hours of your valuable time.