Who Is No. 1?
Well, if you’re reading this, it means that you survived Black Friday, and you are to be congratulated for that. I never have been a participant in that madness, but I prefer to keep my place in line at Amazon.com, where I never have had to wait, and my merchandise usually arrives within two or three days. Also, I emerge from my trip through the Internet completely unscathed. Trust me when I say it’s the only way to shop.
Now as I was strolling through cyberspace the other day, I came across an interesting list for the greatest film heroes of all time compiled by the American Film Institute. But before we get into that, if you’re planning to sally forth to a movie house during the holidays, you may be interested in this tidbit. A few days ago my son and his family decided see the new James Bond film starring Daniel Craig in his final performance as that character. So it was my son, his wife, and their two children (a boy in seventh grade and a girl in third grade), and they went to a matinee to save money. Grab your calculator, and here we go with four tickets (reduced to $8.50 APIECE), two medium cherry slushes, one box cookie dough bites, and one box of Goobers for a grand total of CHAAAGINNNNNNGGGG! $65! My son and his family were the only people in the theater. I wonder why!
Now back to the list for heroes. This list was first published several years ago, but it still is relevant today. The AFI defined a hero as, “…a character(s) who prevails in extreme circumstances and dramatizes a sense of morality, courage and purpose. Though they may be ambiguous or flawed, they often sacrifice themselves to show humanity at its best.”
Obviously there isn’t enough space here to list all 100 names, so we will deal with just the top five names, and they are these. At No. 5 is Will Cane wonderfully portrayed by Gary Cooper in “High Noon,” one of the great westerns of all time. Cooper deservedly won the Oscar for best actor in 1952, and if you’ve never seen this film, you should make an effort to do so. You won’t be sorry.
In the No. 4 spot is Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart in the 1942 romantic classic “Casablanca.” Bogart was nominated for an Oscar as best actor, and he’s remembered for such famous lines as these: “Here’s looking at you, kid”; and “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”
Coming in at No.3 is James Bond portrayed by Sean Connery (He has my vote as the only true James Bond.) in “Dr. No.” (1963) With seven portrayals of the suave secret agent, Connery is tied with Roger Moore for the most times playing Bond, but in my humble opinion the role always will belong to Connery.
Now in the No.2 spot is Indiana Jones played brilliantly by Harrison Ford in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which may well be the greatest action-adventure film of all time. This 1981 classic has it all –terrific special effects, awesome fight scenes, a gripping storyline, and even some creepy crawlers thrown in for good measure. This is a film you can watch again and again tirelessly. And Indiana Jones is a bona fide hero.
All right, it’s time for a drumroll here. AFI’s greatest hero of all time doesn’t carry a gun or get into fistfights. He isn’t “… able to leap tall buildings in a single bound…” or wrap up a villain in a tight web. No, the No. 1 all-time hero is Atticus Finch from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the 1962 film based upon Harper Lee’s brilliant and beloved novel of the same name. Set in Alabama in 1932, this is the story of a widowed lawyer (Gregory Peck, won an Oscar for best actor.) attempting to raise two children and at the same time defend an innocent black man on trial for raping a white woman. Despite all the malice directed toward him, Atticus remains steadfast in defending his client. Both the book and the film make readers and viewers run through the gamut of emotions, and if you haven’t read the book or seen the film, you are missing art as high as it gets. And if there were more Atticus Finches on the planet, maybe the world wouldn’t be the screwed up mess that it is.
Great News!
Here’s some really great news for area radio listeners.
After an absence of more than a year, Steve Novotney is returning to live daily radio on Monday, Nov. 29, when his new show, “Novotney Now,” makes its debut on WLYV radio from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Novotney brings 16 years of live local radio-hosting experience to his show, which will be simulcast on 1290 AM, 1430 AM, 100.1 FM, and 100.9 FM.
Novotney’s previous local on-air experience includes “The Drive Home with Steve Novotney” on WWVA, “Steve Novotney Live” on WKKX for 13 years, and more recently a podcast titled “Steve Novotney Lives.”
Unlike many radio hosts who often just “wing” it, Novotney carefully plans his shows so that they always contain fresh ideas for discussion with his guests and callers. He also has a massive frame of reference that enables him to discuss just about anything imaginable. Be sure to tune him in. You won’t regret it.
It’s Still Out There!
Well, Thanksgiving 2021 has come and gone, and now it’s time to gear up for Christmas. This Thanksgiving was so much better than the one last year because families were able to enjoy a wonderful dinner together instead of talking to each other on Zoom or some other virtual method. We ate turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, creamed onions, a variety of other casseroles and dishes, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pumpkin roll, and more delicious desserts. Before we sat down to partake of a bountiful repast, I found myself looking around for the six grandchildren were. Then it hit me. They were the other grownups in the room with the exception of a third grader who talks and acts like an adult.
When everyone was seated in two different rooms because of the overflow of new adults, I walked through both rooms and took a careful look at each and everyone, and I realized how fortunate I am to have a closely-knit family. The young people all get along with each other and so do the older family members most of the time. And as I was reflecting on various things, I suddenly thought about those who are less fortunate and especially the healthcare workers who are battling Covid in hospitals across the country. We have made giant strides in fighting that horrific disease, but that war is ongoing, and the virus is spiking again as more and more people are traveling throughout the holidays. And now there’s another variant to worry about. One major way of helping to defeat the disease is by convincing people to get vaccinated.
Until more and more people get the magic shots, we must continue to realize that it’s still out there!
Ponder This:
Computers can never completely replace humans. They may become capable of artificial intelligence, but they will never master real stupidity.
~Garrison Keillor
