And the countdown continues in my quest to watch and find something inspiring in every single one of Yahoo’s 100 Movies to See Before You Die.
Martin: Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, don’t you remember? I’m Martin, I’m Martin, your brother, remember? Debbie, remember back. Do you remember how I used to let you ride my horse? And tell you stories? Oh, don’t you remember me, Debbie?
Debbie: I remember, from always. At first I prayed to you: “Come and get me, take me home.” You didn’t come.
Martin: But I’ve come now, Debbie.
Debbie: These are my people. Go. Go, Martin, please!
I just can’t get into westerns. Maybe it’s a genetic thing. Maybe it’s a female thing. They just do not appeal to me. The cinematography was beautiful in this tale, though, which followed “cowboys” searching for the “indians” who kidnapped a little girl. I read that the film was based on a somewhat true story, in which case I pity the people who spent years (YEARS!) of their lives searching for this girl who in the end is completely assimilated into the tribe and does not want to leave. There’s a fine line between perseverance and obsession. I’m inspired to make sure I don’t waste my life away chasing ghosts like John Wayne and sidekick.
General Broulard: Colonel Dax! You will apologize at once or I shall have you placed under arrest!
Colonel Dax: I apologize… for not being entirely honest with you. I apologize for not revealing my true feelings. I apologize, sir, for not telling you sooner that you’re a degenerate, sadistic old man. And you can go to hell before I apologize to you now or ever again!
Kirk Douglas is a pawn in this dastardly World War I tale. When his French troops fail to make headway in trench warfare against the Germans, his bosses put him in one awkward position after another. It’s not enough that he agrees to a suicide battle and that he somehow makes it to the middle of the field (in an amazing Kubrick-directed scene), no! When his troops are either forced back by heavy fire or knocked unconscious by dead soldiers falling atop them, the bosses are displeased and request several soldiers’ heads on platters. Kirk puts up the good fight though, even though it’s in vain. I’m inspired to never compromise my moral code, no matter how many promotions or wars I could win if I did so. It’s just not worth it to step over dead bodies on the way to your throne.
