I watched "Now, Voyager" (1942) and "My Man Godfrey" (1936) this evening and enjoyed the hell out of myself. "...Godrey" is a screwball comedy where the rich are silly creatures who have no sense of humanity; it's all about them. And it's crazy but even though it's 75 years old, it still fits in perfectly with how the rich are, today -- "It's all about me and never mind that the rest of the country is suffering due to my selfishness." You can see that from the nonsense about ending Bush's ludicrous tax cuts and honestly trying to get the economy going.
In fact, a lot of the films of the 30s showed just how much the country was controlled by the rich and their corrupt politicians to the detriment to those who draw a paycheck or really work for a living. Don't believe me? Check out "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" or "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" or "His Girl Friday" or "They Won't Forget" or even "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (the Errol Flynn version, which is still the best). They're rampant with thieves in designer suits and oily smiles.
As for "...Voyager", it's a classic romance about a forbidden love and self-sacrifice by the woman for a greater good, and it's a bit silly in how easily everything works out in the end, considering the emotional difficulties of those involved. And yet...viewing it this time, I noticed how the lead female (Charlotte Vale, played by Bette Davis) winds up being a caring, loving person specifically because of the brutality visited upon her by her aged, very wealthy mother (played by Gladys Cooper), a snob of a person who places her money and position in society above everything else. Again, with the old bat it's all about me, and when Charlotte casts her control off, completely, she dies in order to hand over yet another guilt trip.
Looking at how people behave now...with Wall Street scum giving themselves massive bonuses despite having wrecked the economy and Banksters using illegal procedures to foreclose on people's homes and politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle kissing the ass of billionaires who've bought them their offices...nothing's really changed. The corrupt senator of "Mr. Smith..." would feel right at home in today's Washington DC, even though it's more than seven decades later. The venal mayor and sheriff in "His Girl Friday" have their exact counterparts in the governor of Texas and sheriff of Phoenix, today, both of whom are willing to twist the law and even kill innocent people to further their careers.
And it's not just in the US. Similar crap happens in Russia and China and England and Ireland and Germany and Syria and Brazil and Chile and name-your-country anywhere else. Look at how the banks in England and Germany tried to turn Iceland into a slave nation, meant only to replay the losses they incurred while gambling on idiotic projects. The only thing that stopped it was the people said, No. Now it's happening in Ireland and Spain and Greece, and their people aren't being given any say in their newfound servitude. It's outright theft of these countries' treasuries on the grandest scale imaginable, and no one in power is even trying to stop it.
I wonder who actually said, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? Whoever it was must have been a prophet.
I guess this is where hope comes in. And dreams. And wishes for a better tomorrow.
In fact, a lot of the films of the 30s showed just how much the country was controlled by the rich and their corrupt politicians to the detriment to those who draw a paycheck or really work for a living. Don't believe me? Check out "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" or "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" or "His Girl Friday" or "They Won't Forget" or even "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (the Errol Flynn version, which is still the best). They're rampant with thieves in designer suits and oily smiles.
As for "...Voyager", it's a classic romance about a forbidden love and self-sacrifice by the woman for a greater good, and it's a bit silly in how easily everything works out in the end, considering the emotional difficulties of those involved. And yet...viewing it this time, I noticed how the lead female (Charlotte Vale, played by Bette Davis) winds up being a caring, loving person specifically because of the brutality visited upon her by her aged, very wealthy mother (played by Gladys Cooper), a snob of a person who places her money and position in society above everything else. Again, with the old bat it's all about me, and when Charlotte casts her control off, completely, she dies in order to hand over yet another guilt trip.
Looking at how people behave now...with Wall Street scum giving themselves massive bonuses despite having wrecked the economy and Banksters using illegal procedures to foreclose on people's homes and politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle kissing the ass of billionaires who've bought them their offices...nothing's really changed. The corrupt senator of "Mr. Smith..." would feel right at home in today's Washington DC, even though it's more than seven decades later. The venal mayor and sheriff in "His Girl Friday" have their exact counterparts in the governor of Texas and sheriff of Phoenix, today, both of whom are willing to twist the law and even kill innocent people to further their careers.
And it's not just in the US. Similar crap happens in Russia and China and England and Ireland and Germany and Syria and Brazil and Chile and name-your-country anywhere else. Look at how the banks in England and Germany tried to turn Iceland into a slave nation, meant only to replay the losses they incurred while gambling on idiotic projects. The only thing that stopped it was the people said, No. Now it's happening in Ireland and Spain and Greece, and their people aren't being given any say in their newfound servitude. It's outright theft of these countries' treasuries on the grandest scale imaginable, and no one in power is even trying to stop it.
I wonder who actually said, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? Whoever it was must have been a prophet.
I guess this is where hope comes in. And dreams. And wishes for a better tomorrow.
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