Polonsky's Prophesy - FORCE OF EVIL

One impactful film that is prophetic of the Trump age of unbridled capitalism is FORCE OF EVIL, a 1948 crime thriller film-noir starring John Garfield and directed and written by Abraham Polonsky based on Ira Wolfert’s novel, “Tucker’s People.” Wolfert co-wrote the screenplay with Polonsky.  I watched this film this weekend, and it confirmed my appreciation for John Garfield, a consummate actor whose intensity is not only convincing but also mystifying.   

The story unfolds with Joe Morse (John Garfield), a firecracker and an unethical lawyer, who represents crime boss Ben Tucker (Roy Roberts) for planning a numbers scheme on July 4th to wipe out small racketeering gaming outlets called banks. Morse’s older brother, Leo (Thomas Gomez), overweight, sweaty with a weak heart, owns and runs a small bank, who Tucker wants to merge into a big operation that plays an illegal lottery called Policy.  Joe wants to enlist Leo in the merger.  Leo emphatically says no to the offer and wants to run a small family-like business without gangsters.  He urges Joe to let his young secretary, Doris Lowry (Beatrice Pearson), leave the bank unscathed, but a police raid ensues, and she’s tainted.  Joe and Doris, lonely in the City, fall in love plunging in and out of the gloomy darkness of criminal greed and turmoil. 

Polonsky provided a poetic stream of consciousness dialogue, conflict, and an intense epic of the dilemma, money vs. ethics between two brothers of a different character.  The opening shot of Trinity Church and framing Wall Street provide symbolism encompassed in capitalism, and the ending shot at the George Washington bridge gives unequivocal hope of Joe’s redemption.

The back story regarding the creation of the film by John Garfield’s production company, Enterprise, which he modeled after the collectivism of The Group Theatre, is remarkable.  Garfield, a leftist, not affiliated as a member of the Communist party, hired top talent non-discriminatory towards their communist sympathies like Polonsky, a Marxist.  Polonsky sees capitalist corruption through the lens of gut-wrenching realism that money corrupts the soul and compromises moral values.

 After the film release, Polonsky refused to name names to the U.S. Congressional House Un-American Activities Committee and subsequently blacklisted in Hollywood as well as Robert Rossen, the director of Enterprise film hit, BODY AND SOUL. Garfield was under immense pressure to name names, died of a heart attack in1952 at age 39.  

Trump seemingly compromised by the Russians, and the GOP enablers of the President’s criminal wrongdoing are a force of evil that is undermining democracy every day.  Villains in films get their comeuppance.  Trump’s impeachment is coming.   

Revisiting The Disney Magic of The Lion King

The theatre is a beautiful thing to uplift the heart, mind, and soul.  The play in dramatic or musical form takes on engaging dimensions of the expression that elevates and cultivates one’s consciousness to a higher realm of thinking.  This phenomenon occurs especially if the theatrical experience taps into one’s center of wonder, creativity, and intuitive thinking. This episode of curiosity occurred while at a job on the merchandise team of The Lion King at the Dreyfoos Concert Hall at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.  The Dreyfoos Concert Hall is just shy of a twenty-two hundred seats.  When the theatregoers enter the hall there’s a mandatory security check-in at the metal detectors walk through that is a reminder of the current sad affairs of today’s threat of guns and bombs at entertainment venues.  It does not take away from the magnificent spiraling three open tiers in the front of house for concessions with tables and chairs and a marketing kiosk on the first floor and the store enclave on the second floor.  When the theater house is ready to open, the red rope barriers move away, and the anticipation on the audience smiling faces beam that theatre is alive and well.

 I saw The Lion King twenty-two years ago in 1997 on Broadway in previews when the Disney opened The New Amsterdam Theatre after major renovations to restore the original splendor for this production. Julie Taymor’s vision that occurred on stage was inventive, imaginative, artistic, and mind-boggling creative.  I marveled at the animal costumes, the puppetry, the dancing, and Elton John and Tim Rice’s magnificent score.  

I took on the assignment to work at the merchandise kiosks because I wanted to revisit the musical, work for Disney, and have a job for eight performances.  I could not see the production at the Kravis Center since the run was practically sold out except for the limited, costly seats in the orchestra.  

It occasionally happens that actors enter from the lobby down the aisles onto the stage for the opening after the audience is seated.  The opening number, “The Circle of Life,” the actors imitating animals used the lobby for entrances, and it was so cool to see great actors work the puppet characters deftly.

What makes The Lion King the #1 grossing musical is the show taps into the inner child in all of the audiences; parents, children, and humans who love the marvel of theatre.   Disney Theatrical marketing magic is ever enticing from the tour merchandise manager and company.  The audience leaving the theatre with the theatrical experience and filled totes certainly puts the thoughts of unlawful violence at bay.  

Review: The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait

The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait by Frida Kahlo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“What would I do without the absurd and the ephemeral?” – The rhetorical question posed by Frida Kahlo intrigued me throughout this soulful journey revealing Kahlo’s subconscious mind through her winsome spirit, transcending words, and undisguised paintings. Recommended to Frida fans who loved her zest for life and art.

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Review: The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window

The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window by Lorraine Hansberry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The American Masters/PBS documentary, of the legendary playwright and civil rights activist, Lorraine Hansberry, provided a longing to read THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW. Miss Hansberry, an intellect, a precocious talent for writing ahead of her years, captures, in a non-linear time capsule, Greenwich Village bohemia of artists and activists driven by ideals.

I don’t recall watching a production of this play, but I couldn’t help thinking that I saw the opening scene in an acting class in the distant past or that it was a related memory of living on Bleecker Street during my youth, evocative of the longing of a commitment to ideals that are ethereal.

The plot centers on the protagonist, Sidney Brustein, an intellectual, who is searching for his livelihood and winds up a publisher of a local newspaper that his left-wing buddies, Wally and Alton, push a political opinion for an election. Consequently, Sidney hangs a sign of reform on his window. Meanwhile, his wife, Iris, is a struggling actress, socially unconventional, befriends David, a gay playwright. However, she wants Sidney to be practical. Mavis, Iris’s sister, is a matchmaker type and shoves her traditional beliefs onto them. Their personalities clash in the dialogue, which is funny and meaty. The entrance of the prostitute Gloria, who is Iris and Mavis’s other sister pivots into an over-the-top turn of events that is left unresolved. Satisfyingly gripping that the climax is left up to the imagination.

When the play opened in 1964 on Broadway Lorraine Hansberry at age 34 was suffering from pancreatic cancer and facing her mortality, while there were political turbulence and social unrest from the civil rights, women rights and gay rights movements. Her work conveyed through the characters is infused with conflict and meaning born from a personal pain that initiates a yearning to transform, and to care about your life when indifference shows up. The message revealed is to care, and a committed life is worth fighting for.

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TO: The Electors Representing the Red States of the Electoral College
RE: Save Democracy - Un-Elect Trump, Vote Hillary Clinton on December 19

I voted for Hillary Clinton because of her commitment to service to our Country as First Lady of the United States, Senator of New York, and Secretary of State.   Her lifetime commitment to further education and the well-being of all children proves that she stands for a bighearted America that’s inclusive of people who want love and kindness amid our diverse society for the betterment of all here and abroad.

Please consider that Donald Trump stands for a divided, white supremacist America.  Trump’s racism, bigotry, misogyny does not represent me, and the majority of Americans.   Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. 

Furthermore, voter suppression of people of color and Russian interference regarding the DNC email leaks has caused the Electoral College results to favor Donald Trump.  Hillary Clinton again won the popular vote by 2M and counting.

Please keep an open mind that Donald Trump is a shady businessman, who never served the government, has not revealed his taxes, settled the case for $25M for massive fraud regarding Trump University, and voiced a strong affinity for Putin’s Russia.  Trump and his clan are brash marketers setting out to destroy our democratic values and planet to enrich themselves.  Our future is at stake.

I respectfully request that you declare yourself a faithless elector, cast your vote for Hillary Clinton for the future of democracy, world peace, and morality.

Please vote to stop the hate.

Thank you for listening to my request.  I appreciate your consideration. 

Sincerely,

Elizabeth West Versalie

Politics as Emotional - The Mixed Bag

The mixed emotional bag of the bottom falling out is an unpleasant experience.  I was born during the last quarter of Eisenhower Presidency right before J.F.K. was inaugurated in January.  I remember the day J.F.K. died.  I was four years old watching television in the living room.  I knew something bad happened, but I was too young to understand the impact.  

It’s been four days and I still feel the heartbreaking, gut-wrenching emotional impact from Hillary Clinton’s defeat.  Hillary who eloquently spoke during her concession speech with grace and dignity showed the world what we would be missing, which is a leader with a bright vision.    Donald Trump's victory started the decline of civilization having democratic values.  That is what happens when an autocrat weakens democracy.  The fear is that the worst is yet to come. 

Two campaigns fought. One fight was based on the measure of extreme right-wing fascism; another fight was based on the initiative of very left-wing democracy. 

Both campaigns called forth feelings for voters to prescribe to emotionally. The emotional attachments concerning these beliefs are as follows:

Emotional attachments regarding the campaign of Donald Trump:

Bigotry

Racism

Misogyny

Pro-Life

Fascism

Violence

Xenophobia

White Supremacy

Hate Hillary

Pro-Trump

Emotionally attachments regarding the campaign of Hillary Clinton:

Liberty

Equality for all

Free Will

Pro-Choice

Democracy

Gun sense laws

Love

Kindness

Anti-Trump

Pro-Hillary

  

RESISTANCE

The path of resistance is a painful fight for the Democrats to make their voices heard. The shouts that Donald Trump is Not My President is resounding all over the world.  How did we let this travesty happen?

CONSCIENCE

Trump’s mantra is: Money is power.  Knowledge is lying. Education is elite.  To take the high road was not the path to victory for Hillary Clinton.  Donald Trump had to be hit hard with low blows and a knockout punch.

HOPE

-       The apostle Paul, in his first letter to his young disciple, Timothy, had this to say: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

The Purge

We are living in history.  The Progressives are back.  Seeds are being planted in the Democratic Party for sweeping reforms that address income inequality, global warming, and eradicating student debt.  The people’s voices are being heard.  The Country is moving left after the scale tipped the way to the right. The yin yang effect is transparent in politics. After two hundred and forty years of male domination, patriarchy leadership, the strength of Yin is surprisingly winning for a woman to lead powerfully.  It is strange how it’s all playing out: Hillary Rodham Clinton vs. Donald Trump.  Human greed, stupidity, bigotry, xenophobia are Trump’s motivational hubris that thrive at the expense of decent, regular individuals who want fairness.  So what we will have with a female leader of the free world is the force of Mother Nature, a purge of the hate that has been exposed and played out in the world arena by Donald Trump.  The rage of hatred bubbling to the surface from White Supremacists and Jihadists will make a last stand and come to a halt before being purged from the U.S and the Earth.  The taming of the beastly human traits, a calling to unify will permeate all people.  The highest virtues of understanding, love, mercy and kindness will prevail once and for all.

Hillary Clinton, before the Democratic convention in July, should consider having a heart to heart talk with the America people.  An apology for lying to the public regarding the mishandling of her emails would be appropriate.  She once again might be obliged to come clean about it.  These hearing and investigations from the GOP occur like a norm when Clinton’s run for office.  It seems like she is benefitting from the hearing because the Republicans cannot pin or adjust the FBI Director, James Comey, findings to criminal intent on her part.  She needs to ensure the American people that if elected to the Oval office, she will operate with absolute integrity.

We need to not only keep Donald Trump from the White House but also destroy his self-centered, self-interest, bigotry, and fascist agenda.  Trump, a narcissist, a vulgar pig is inflaming the minds of Americans with racism and hatred.  His incoherent, bullying speeches unconsciously perhaps manipulated rogue law enforcement into a violent rage where rational reactions amongst citizens and the police are squelched for murder and the taking of innocence lives.   

The American people do not either feel safe or trust the government.  A head-to- head battle with the NRA and the gun lobby to change the gun laws for stricter background checks and to ban the sale of assault weapons is necessary to cease the violence in the streets.

The rise of Donald Trump has brought these hateful racist sentiments to the surface only to be purged for a higher ideal of decency respect, tolerance, restraint, and justice.