Tomorrow is the 100th birthday of John Wayne. Walmart is calling it an anniversary on their dvd displays, which I like. Birthdays are so "me, me, me". An anniversary suggests that the event is a communal one. It is an event that we all share and celebrate. I think from now on I will stop having birthdays. Instead, each year I will have an anniversay of the glorious day that I graced the world with my presence. That way, it's not just about me. It's really the worlds day. It's a day you can celebrate, too.
So in the current issue of Time (May 28, 2007) they have a little blurb about three of the Duke's movies. One in particular struck me as idiotic, and just shows how little Time thinks of John Wayne Anniversary Day. The caption they have for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance concludes with "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only the audience could see." Gee, why not say "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only people with eyes could see." Or "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only people watching this movie could see. Everyone else would see trees, cars, or whatever else they might be looking at at that particular time not The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Maybe the writer meant "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only paying ticket holders could see." And if you somhow saw The Secret Grace of the Duke outside a movie theater, some Hollywood goon would break your kneecaps and steal whatever cash you had on you.
I am just trying to imagine a secret grace that anyone besides the audience could see. I picture planes crashing, cars exploding, and mayhem errupting everywhere anytime someone turns on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Just as American Airlines flight 2424 begins it's acent from LAX, John Smith puts The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance into his portable dvd player, thus causing The Secret Grace of The Duke Effect. Suddenly, a rough and tough Cowboy miracullously appears in the cockpit sending the pilots into a panic and the airplane straight into the ocean.
So on John Wayne Anniversary Day let us all be thankful that this secret grace can only be seen by those watching the Duke's films. For that, I recommend True Grit, Rooster Cogburn, and The Shootist. Rooster Cogburn also stars the Secret Grace of Katherine Hepburn. The Shootist also stars the Secret Grace of Jimmy Stewart. Opie is in it, too.
So in the current issue of Time (May 28, 2007) they have a little blurb about three of the Duke's movies. One in particular struck me as idiotic, and just shows how little Time thinks of John Wayne Anniversary Day. The caption they have for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance concludes with "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only the audience could see." Gee, why not say "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only people with eyes could see." Or "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only people watching this movie could see. Everyone else would see trees, cars, or whatever else they might be looking at at that particular time not The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Maybe the writer meant "This is pure Duke, showing a secret grace only paying ticket holders could see." And if you somhow saw The Secret Grace of the Duke outside a movie theater, some Hollywood goon would break your kneecaps and steal whatever cash you had on you.
I am just trying to imagine a secret grace that anyone besides the audience could see. I picture planes crashing, cars exploding, and mayhem errupting everywhere anytime someone turns on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Just as American Airlines flight 2424 begins it's acent from LAX, John Smith puts The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance into his portable dvd player, thus causing The Secret Grace of The Duke Effect. Suddenly, a rough and tough Cowboy miracullously appears in the cockpit sending the pilots into a panic and the airplane straight into the ocean.
So on John Wayne Anniversary Day let us all be thankful that this secret grace can only be seen by those watching the Duke's films. For that, I recommend True Grit, Rooster Cogburn, and The Shootist. Rooster Cogburn also stars the Secret Grace of Katherine Hepburn. The Shootist also stars the Secret Grace of Jimmy Stewart. Opie is in it, too.
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