stills from a nerdy movie: 2019

2019-08-08

"His Girl Friday" (1940) and the Nutshell Technique

Recently, Jill Chamberlain wrote a book called "The nutshell technique: crack the secret of successful screenwriting" (link to her website). While I'm not yet done reading it, I like this book. As an exercise to understand this book, and to better delve into my favorite movie His Girl Friday (HGF), I wrote this post. Hope it helps someone out there.

Note:

HGF is in the public domain, so you can read its script and watch it for free. I'm going to assume you've watched the movie in this post.
Jill Chamberlain wrote a blog article describing Jordan Peele's Get Out using her Nutshell Technique. Check it out for more details on the method.

There are two flavors of the Nutshell Technique, one for Comedy (in the Aristotelean sense, where the protagonist gets what they want) and one for Tragedy (where the protag doesn't). We'll deal only with the comedy version in this post, since that's what HGF is.

The Nutshell Technique is a way to describe a feature film story using seven story elements which the protagonist (the main character that drives most of the action) has or experiences.

Flaw
This is a weakness of the protagonist, a character trait which causes the protagonist to react negatively towards the "catch."

In HGF, Hildy Johnson's "flaw" is her "external need" (in "the hero's journey" paradigm): she wants to be a conventional housewife, with a 9-to-5 husband, 3 kids and a house in the suburbs. As a result, she gets engaged to Bruce.
Point of no return (PONR)
As with the "inciting incident" (in "the hero's journey" template of a screenplay) the PONR happens to the protagonist and is not an event created by the protagonists' actions. The PONR can occur after the inciting incident, but the PONR has to be connected with the SUW and the Catch (see below).

In HGF, Hildy's PONR is her engagement followed immediately by the chance to write a newspaper article that saves someone's (the escaped convict) life. (One could also say, she got engaged and this immediately caused Walter Burns to interfere by giving her the article assignment. So the engagement is the PONR/inciting incident.)
Set-up want (SUW)
In "the hero's journey", the "external want" of the protagonist motivates action until the midpoint, after which the "internal need" becomes more of a driving force.
Here, the SUW is the protagonist's want that the PONR delivers to them; typically it corresponds to the internal need.

In HGF, Hildy's SUW = internal need is to be great reporter, being thought of as an equal or better by the other newspapermen.
Catch
This is a plot point something else delivered by the PONR but it is something the protagonist doesn't want. It's a counter-balance to the SUW and a test of the "flaw."

In HGF, the catch is that Bruce's mom plans to live with them and interfere with the marriage.
Crisis
This is the low point of the protagonist's arc (often marking the end of act 2). It is in some sense the worst thing that could happen to the protagonist, from the perspective of the SUW.

In HGF, Hildy's crisis is when she and Walter Burns are both arrested by the Sheriff (for aiding an escaped criminal and kidnapping Bruce's mom), supporting the crooked Mayor.
Climactic choice
This is a choice made by the protagonist which is counter-indicated by the FLAW. In "the hero's journey", it can be a choice determined by the "internal need," as opposed to the "external want."

In HGF, Hildy's climactic choice is to ignore the objections of Bruce's mom and to pursue her newspaper article instead of following Bruce to the train station.
Final step
This is a more emphatic choice made by the protagonist which is counter-indicated by the "flaw." It is a consequence, or at least dependent on, the climactic choice.

In HGF, Hildy's final step is to reunite with Walter Burns and to return to work on the newspaper, but this time as the top reporter.
Strength
The strength is the protagonist's characteristic that is achieved at the end of the character arc. It is a natural progression from the perspective of the climactic choice and the final step. In some sense, it is opposite to the "flaw."

In HGF, Hildy's strength is that she is an independent woman, as capable or better than any man on the newspaper reporting staff.

2019-08-06

Sol Saks’ Ten Commandments of comedy writing

The late great Sol Saks (creator of the Bewitched TV series) wrote a terrific book on comedy: Funny Business. Highly recommended. Taken from that, here are his Ten Commandments of Comedy Writing:

Thou shalt be brief.
Thou shalt be simple.
Thou shalt be clear.
Thou shalt be bold.
Thou shalt be relevant.Show ph
Thou shalt be recognizable.
Thou shalt be controversial.
Thou shalt be unpredictable.
Thou shalt be original.
Thou shalt be salable.

2019-07-02

More lessons from the script for "His Girl Friday" (1940)

I've blogged before, here and also here, about one of my favorite films, His Girl Friday. This film, and its script, are in the public domain. The film screenplay was written by Charles Lederer, a friend of the great writer Ben Hecht, based on the play The Front Page, co-written by Hechtand Charles MacArthur (brother of "genius grant" creator, John D MacArthur).

The script and film largely tell the same story. However, the film changed some character names and also had a different (and better, IMHO) ending than the screenplay. Here is the list of characters:

Walter Burns (Cary Grant), head of a newspaper, once married to former newspaper reporter Hildy and still in love with her. He is the antagonist.
Hildegard "Hildy" Johnson (Rosalind Russell), once a newspaper reporter who worked for Burns. She is the protagonist.
Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), Hildy's fiancee, who will give her all she thinks she wants - a house, a normal marriage, etc.
Mrs Baldwin (Alma Kruger), Bruce's mom
Duffy (Frank Orth), as assistant editor to Burns
Louie (Abner Biberman), a gangster friend of Burns
Earl Williams (John Qualen), a pitiful (mentally handicapped?) who's on death row, and the one Hildy is trying to save
Mollie Malloy (Helen Mack) a young woman who's taken pity on Earl, befriending him.
Mayor (Clarence Kolb), he uses Earl's executon to garner votes for his re-election.
Sheriff Hartwell (Gene Lockhart), the bumbling sheriff that allows Earl to escape.
Joe Pettibone (Billy Gilbert), the messanger carrying a reprieve from the governor, which the mayor and sheriff try to bribe to go away.
(Pettibone is Pinkus in the script)
And several minor characters who play reporters:
Porter Hall as Murphy,
Ernest Truex as Bensinger,
Cliff Edwards as Endicott,
Roscoe Karns as McCue,
Frank Jenks as Wilson, and
Regis Toomey as Sanders (Sanders is Schwartz in the script?, if so, he's also a reporter).
Pat West as Warden Cooley.
Edwin Maxwell as Dr. Eggelhoffer, psychiatrist who interviews Earl to see if he's crazy.
Marion Martin as Evangeline (the blonde girlfriend of Louis)

The script is available in various places on the internet as a pdf. It is worth studying. Threads to pay attention to:

The camera directions add a visual feel. Note:
1. These camera directions take a lot of space on the page, and are considered my many as excessive by today's script standards. Such directions usually are left to the director, besides taking up space on the page.
2. Today, camera directions are sometimes included, but in an abbreviated fashion. For example, the original
```
CLOSE SHOT OFFICE BOY as he bends over paper. We catch a glimpse of the squares of a crossword puzzle.
```
  might be rewritten today as
```
OFFICE BOY (15) bends over the crossword puzzle page in a newspaper.
```
The actor parentheticals add a blocking/physical feel.
Note:
These actor directions are considered as excessive by today's script standards. These are usually dropped altogether, but if they are included they're sometimes given in an action line. For instance
```
HILDY 
    (with a smile) 
   Hello, Skinny. Remember me?
```
would simply be
```
HILDY 
   Hello, Skinny. Remember me?
```
Perhaps her happy demeanor would be indicated during her character introduction. But
```
WILLIAMS 
     (putting out hand to stroke her hair)
   Don't cry, Mollie, there's nothing to cry about.
```
might be rewritten today as
```
Williams puts out his hand to stroke Molly's hair. 
             WILLIAMS 
   Don't cry, Mollie, there's nothing
   to cry about.
```
Usually parentheticals are reserved for tone, eg, if a line is to be read sarcastically. However, one modern script with lots of parentheticals is the script for Saw (2004, written by Wan and Whanell and available online).
The changing dynamic between what Hildy wants externally (husband, house, kids) and what Hildy needs internally (to make a difference, to be respected, to be independent as a professional).
Keep an eye on the dynamic between Walter Burns and Bruce Baldwin, Hildy's two love interests in the story. Observe how their different personalities represent Hildy's different wants. (Energetic, driven and self-confident Burns connects to her internal want of being a good reporter. Shy, legalistic, and conservative Bruce connects to her external want of wanting a stable home and family.)
Pay attention to the changing romantic connection between Hildy and Bruce vs Hildy and Burns.
The lack of "intercuts" wastes a lot of space on the page in the phone conversations between Hildy and Burns. (The others are covered as a one-way dialog, but they involved minor characters.)

Here is a plot summary, based on the script.

A scene of a busy newsroom, one end an elevator and stairs, the other end the windowed-off office of the managing editor, and inbetween a bullpen of activity (called the "City Room"):
* telephone switchboard operators,
* office boys running errands,
* reporters in a hurry.

The elevator doors open and Hildy emerges with her fiancee Bruce. She greets the office boys and operators with a friendly smile and kind words. Bruce is sweet towards Hildy, then she leaves him to wait while she talks to Walter. In her walk along the length of the City Room, the greetings she receives makes it clear she is much loved.

The first scene between Burns and Hildy. They are much more alike than Hildy and Bruce. Burns and Hildy are both fast-talking, tough-minded reporters, with a nose for news. We learn they were once married and that Burns is bothered by the fact that Earl Williams (a criminal with some sympathetic aspects) is to be executed tomorrow. Then they start to bicker over things Burns did that caused Hildy to divorce him (not taking his marriage seriously - allowing the newspaper to take precedence, a curtailed honeymoon, no house that he promised her, etc). Hildy wants him to stop "phoning me a dozen times a day -- sending twenty telegrams ...". Burns wants to get married again.

More wonderful banter. Hildy's insistent she won't return. Burns makes up a lie that Sweeney won't be a work today since his wife is delivering a baby. He begs her to come back to work and offers a raise. She reveals that she's engaged, and to be married tomorrow. She wants to quit the newspaper business. He says she'll be unhappy doing anything else. Burns insists on meeting Bruce.

Burns and Hildy walk the length of the City Room, everyone's quit listening to their banter. Burns whispers to an operator to have his assistant editor call him in the restaurant in 20 minutes. As Hildy’s about to introduce Burns to Bruce, Burns intentionally mistakes Bruce with an elderly office “boy”, profusely flattering him. When Bruce tries to tell Burns that he is the real Bruce, Burns gets rude. When Burns recognizes the real Bruce he insults him snidely and insists on taking Hildy and Bruce to lunch.

At the restaurant, Hildy is warmly greeted by the staff. Burns asks Bruce about the wedding. It’s revealed that his mother will join them and Mom with live with them for the first year. Burns is called away to the phone booth. There he tells the newspaper than Hildy is returning. He returns to the table and fakes being crushed by sudden bad news about his reporter Sweeney. He tries to convince Hildy to help him out this afternoon to help write an article what Sweeney was supposed to write. She refuses. Burns says if she’ll help him, he will buy a $100000 life insurance policy from Bruce. She agrees, with Bruce’s encouragement, provided that it is paid with a certified check.

In the press room of the criminal courts building, reporters are playing cards while waiting for court news. There is a bank of phones at one end of the room for them to use once something happens. They are especially interested in the Earl Williams case, where he may get the death sentence carried out. Hildy enters. They all greet her warmly. "No, I'm not back for good. I'm just covering the Earl Williams story for Mr. Sweeney who had a sudden attack of something but will be all right by tomorrow. No, I haven't made up with Walter Burns...." She learns by talking to the reporters that Williams is delusional and hid out at Molly Molloy. The Mayor orders him arrested. The cop that arrives is killed by Early because he (in his delusional state) assumed he was there to murder him.

Hildy learns that a new psychiatrist (called an "alienist" in the script), Dr. Max J. Egelhoffer, is going to interview Williams. The execution by hanging is creating a big controversy (told in a darkly humorous way by the reporters).

Burns and Bruce have a discussion of the life insurance policy. Burns still loves Hildy and wants her to be his beneficiary of his policy.

On the phone, Hildy warns Bruce not to put the certified check in his wallet, but to put it in his hat instead. (She knows Louis can pick his pocket.) Louis follows Bruce anyway and scams a cop to arrest Bruce claiming Bruce stole his (Louis') watch. Bruce goes to jail, but at least he keeps his hat.

Hildy interviews Earl Williams in his jail cell. He believes the Golden Rule means to "do away with the profit system and have production for use only. There's enough food and clothing and shelter for everybody if we'd use some sense. ... Food was meant to be eaten, not stored away in restaurants while poor people starved; clothing was meant to be worn, not piled up in stores while people went naked." In this way, Hildy established that he lacks the ability to understand the consequences of his actions. Hildy then asks "Is that how you came to shoot the policeman?" Earl answers "Sure. You see, I'd never had a gun in my hand before and I didn't know what to do with it. Well, when I get stuck, I know that there's an answer for everything in production for use. So it came to me in a flash: what's a gun for? To shoot! So I shot. Simple isn't it?"

Back in the press room of the courthouse, Mollie Malloy shows up to berate the reporters for their slanders against Earl. She says "I never said I loved Earl Williams and was willing to marry him on the gallows! You made that up!" Hildy shows up and starts typing up her interview with Earl. Finally, Hildy says "Come on, Mollie. This is no place for you" leading Mollie toward door. Mollie says "They're not human!" Hildy says "They're newspaper men, Mollie. They can't help themselves. The Lord made them that way."

Mollie and Hildy leave together. Bruce calls for her. When she returns she speaks to him and learns he's in jail. She goes to the jail. Convinces the police lieutenant in charge to release him, or else "the Post will run the story of that roulette game on 43rd Street that you brother-in-law runs." The LT lets Bruce out. Bruce tells Hildy he lost his wallet but has his hat.

Hildy and Bruce go back to the press room in a cab. Hildy leaves Bruce in the cab, intent on finishing the interview, then taking the cab directly to the train. Hildy goes back to the press room by herself, types up the interview then takes it to the phone, asks for Burns, and tears it up over the phone. "ear that? That's the interview I wrote... Yes, I know we made a bargain. I just said I'd write it -- I didn't say I wouldn't tear it up." She hangs up.

Earl Williams is being questions by the incompetent Dr Egelhoffer and the Sheriff. Earl escapes just as Hildy is about to storm out of the press room. The reporters rush to the window to watch police search for Earl, gunshots being clearly heard, some even hitting the windows of the press room. Each reporter quickly calls his newspaper, sends in a report by phone, then leaves the press room (presumably to watch the action on the street).

Hildy calls Burns backs and tells him the news about Earl's escape an that she's back on the job. Hildy runs downstairs and corners Cooley, a policeman who witnessed the escape. Hildy brides Cooley (with 450 dollars) to tells her how Earl escaped. Colley agrees.

Reports return to the press room, including Hildy. Some file more reports but they don't know how Earl got his gun. Hildy does (but it hasn't been yet revealed to the audience). They ask Hildy how Earl escaped and she jokingly says "the Sheriff let him out so's he could vote for him." More machine gun fire downstairs and the reporters rush out of the room again. Hildy and Burns have a phone conversation taking 3 pages (at the time, intercuts were not used). We learn that "The Sheriff gave his gun to the Professor, the Professor gave it to Earl, and Earl gave it right back to the Professor -- right in the stomach! Who? No, Egelhoffer wasn't hurt badly. They took him to the County Hospital where they're afraid he'll recover." Burns promises to join her there in the press room. She tells him to hurry, as Bruce is downstairs in a cab. Burns hangs up and tells Louis and his blonde girlfriend to play a trick on Bruce in the cab.

A reporter comes in and files another report by phone. Hildy gets another phone call from Bruce, in jail again. Hildy rushes out again to help get Bruce out of jail.

The Mayor enters the press room looking for Sheriff Hartman. Hartman enters and tells the reporters how to find Earl (at Mollie's). They all run out, leaving the Mayor and Sheriff alone. Another reporter enters and makes fun of both of them, also making clear that the Governor doesn't like the Mayor and conversely, files a report then leaves.

Mayor and Sheriff leave to find a more private room to discuss something important. They go to Sheriff's office and agree that if they don't hang Earl, they will lose the upcoming election. A messenger Pinkus (Pettibone in the film) comes to tell them that Earl has a reprieve from the Governor. The Mayor bribes Pinkus to leave, to return the next day, hoping he can capture Earl before Pinkus returns.

Hildy is in the press room when Louis shows up with $450 in counterfeit bills. She also demands Louis returns Bruce's wallet, which he does then leaves. Hildy is alone when Earl crawls through the window. She gets the gun from him and calls Burns, telling him to hurry over. She gets a call from Bruce and asks him to wait more. Bruce hangs up on her. Mollie shows up and gives Earl moral support.

The reporters want to get in but the door is locked. Hildy hides Earl in the rolltop desk. She asks Mollie to pretend to have fainted, as a distraction. Mollie lays does, closes her eyes and Hildy unlocks the door. Mrs Bardwin (Bruce's mom) shows up and berates Bruce. Mollie recovers and the reporters grill her so heatedly she goes crazy and jumps out the window (Mollie doesn't die). Mrs Baldwin faints. Burns arrives and Mrs Baldwin recovers, very upset. Burns tells Louis to take her out of the room. Burns talks Hildy into focusing on the story and to ignore Bruce for the moment. Hildy begins typing up the story furiously.

Bruce shows up, having been released from jail again. (He bailed himself out.) She keeps typing. Bruce asks for the money she owes him. She gives him $450 (in counterfeit bills), as well as his wallet. He tells her he's going on the 9pm train and tells her to meet him there. Bruce leaves. Burns and Hildy lock the door again. A reporter shows up, demanding to be let in. Burns offers him a job at his paper, tells him to go talk to Duffy right away. Reporter leaves. Burns calls Duffy and tells him to "Stall him along until the extra comes out." Hildy finished her article. Burns kisses her.

Louis returns, says his cab crashed into a police car and he lost Mrs Baldwin. The implication is that Mrs Baldwin is dead. Hildy wonders how she will tell that to Bruce. Burns tells Louis to get some men to haul the desk with Earl in it out of there. Having called the local hospitals with no luck, Hildy gets ready to leave to search for Mrs Baldwin.

The Sheriff shows up with the reporters and demand that Hildy tell them where Earl is. He's about to arrest Hildy and Burns and confiscate the desk when Mrs Baldwin enters, with two deputies. Bruce is there as well, but she has him stay outside the press room. Mrs Baldwin and Burns argue over who kidnapped her. Burns insults her and she leaves. The Sheriff discovers Earl hiding in the desk, then takes him out. The reporters all run for their phone and file a report. The Sheriff returns and puts Burns and Hildy in handcuffs.

Pinkus returns, drunk, and mentions the reprieve to Burns and Hildy and the bride the Mayor gave him. Burns and Hildy use this information to get the Sheriff to release them.

Burns reminds her that Bruce is expecting to meet Hildy at the train station to take the 9pm train and that he (Burns) promised she'd be there. Burns asks Hildy to stay another hour to finish the article, telling her she can make the 10pm train instead. Conflcted, she flips a coin: Heads she goes, tails she stays to write the story. She stays and wires Bruce to call off their engagement. Burns proposes again. She excepts (under pressure from Louis, who kidnaps a judge to perform their marriage ceremony.

After they are married, Hildy learns that Bruce has been arrested again, this time for passing counterfiet money (the money Burns gave him via Louis). As she chases Burns around the table, Louis has the last line, said to the judge: "I think it's going to work out all right this time." (This is not the ending of the movie.)

2019-03-21

Breakdown of "The Red House Mystery" by A.A. Milne (1922)

"The Red House Mystery" by A.A. Milne (1922) is in the public domain.

Major characters:

• Mark Ablett (40), owner of Red House, unmarried, mustasch and beard, independently wealthy, and his
father was a parson
• Bill Beverley, friend of Mark and Antony, guest at Red House
• Antony Gillingham, friend of Bill and guest at “The George” until after the murder, then a guest at the Red House until the inquest
• Mrs. Stevens, housekeeper and aunt to Audrey, lives at Red House
• Audrey Stevens, parlor maid, lives at Red House
• Elsie Wood, housemaid (also eferred to as second parlor maid)
• Matthew Cayley (28), cousin of Mark Ablet, lives in room on first floor of Red House (others live upstairs)
• Robert Ablett, brother of Mark, clean shaven. Arrived from Australia (he was there for 15 years) the day he was killed.
• Miss Betty Calladine (18), guest at Red House
• Mrs. John Calladine, mother of Betty and driver of the car (owned by Mark?), guest at Red House
• Major Rumbold, retired, guest at Red House
• Miss Ruth Norris, actress, guest at Red House
• Inspector Birch, policeman from Middleston
• Angela Norbury, a young (single) lady living nearby, possibly a romantic interest of Cayley
• Mrs Norbury, owner of Jallands (a neighboring cottage) and Angela’s mother
• the Coroner, presumably from Middleston

Minor characters:

• Joe Turner, boyfriend of Audrey (mentioned only)
• landlord and landlady of The George
• police associates of Inspector Birch
• train station employees
• inquest witnesses: Andrew Amos (lives in the “inner lodge” of the Red House estate), Parsons (a gardener who lives in the “outer lodge” of the Red House estate), John Borden (a local man who happened to be on the train station platform when someone who might have been Mark was seen boarding a train)
• inquest jury (no names but listening to evidence collected at the inquest)

Locations:

• Red House, interior (kitchen, dining room, library and underground tunnel, bedrooms, housekeeper’s room, suite of 3 rooms: office and Cayley’s room and bathroom) and exterior (the Temple, bowling green and lake/pond, all on the estate)
• Waldheim (the closest town), in particular The George inn
• Stanton train station (Robert arrives there from Australia)
• golf course
• police station in Middleston
• Jallands, a neighboring country cottage belonging to a widow Mrs Norbury (it is 600 yards from the nearest road, with no driveway)
• The Lamb, an inn/meeting house/theater in Stanton (where the inquest takes place)

(click to enlarge)

The Red House is about a half-mile from the nearest town of Waldheim (which has no police station) and about 3 miles from the next largest town of Stanton (which has no police station either). The nearest police station is in Middleston, about twenty miles away.

The timeline is not linear. Chapter 1 begins after breakfast. Chapter 2 covers who was at breakfast.

Chapter 1. Mrs. Stevens is Frightened.
Location(s): The Red House, housekeeper’s room
Characters: Mrs. Stevens, Audrey Stevens, Elsie, Robert Ablett, Matthew Cayley
Summary: Audrey and her aunt talk about the arrival of Mark Ablett’s brother, Robert Ablett. Robert arrives and waits for Mark in Mark’s home office. While Audrey is searching for Mark, a gunshot is heard from within the house. Audrey was out of the house at the time. The chapter ends with someone banging on the front door.

Chapter 2. Mr. Gillingham Gets Out at the Wrong Station
Location(s): The Red House, kitchen/dining room
Characters: Major Rumbold, Mrs Calladine, Betty Calladine, Bill Beverley, Ruth Norris, Antony Gillingham, landlord and landlady of The George, Matthew Cayley
Summary: Background on Mark and Cayley. Introduction to Mark’s guests (Major Rumbold, Mrs Calladine, Betty Calladine, Bill Beverley, Ruth Norris). Mark, Cayley and the guests have breakfast. After that, except for Mrs Calladine, the guests play golf at the golf course (driven to by Mrs Calladine, who eats lunch with friends instead). Mark and Cayley stay at the Red House. Antony arrives while they are out to visit with friend Bill. Chapter 2 ends at the same time that chapter 1 ends: with banging on the front door. This time we learn it is Cayley who is doing that.

Chapter 3. Two Men and a Body
Location(s): The Red House, exterior, office and Cayley’s room.
Characters: Antony Gillingham, Matthew Cayley
Summary: We get a good read on the geometry of Red House (see the diagram on page 2). Cayley and Antony break into the office via the rear window. They discover Robert shot between the eyes, dead. Antony agrees to stay at the Red House during the police investigation. Antony sees the window to Cayley’s room open and suggests to Cayley that the killer might have escaped out the window into the back bushes and gardens.

Chapter 4. The Brother from Australia
Location(s): Golf course, tea at golf course (in a club house?), car (back to the Red House), Red House (various), exterior
Characters: Major Rumbold, Mrs Calladine, Betty Calladine, Bill Beverley, Ruth Norris, Antony Gillingham, Inspector Birch
Summary: The guests finish their golf match, have tea at the golf course, and drive back to Red House in Mrs Calladine’s car. When they arrive, Antony explains the situation. Mrs Calladine, her daughter Betty, and Ruth Norris decide to leave for London. The Inspector does over the clues with Antony and Cayley.

Chapter 5. Mr. Gillingham Chooses a New Profession
Location(s): Red House
Characters: Antony Gillingham, Inspector Birch, Matthew Cayley, Elsie, Audrey, Mrs. Stevens,
Summary: Inspector interviews Cayley, Audrey, Elsie. Elsie told him she overheard Mark say to Robert 'It's my turn now. You wait.' Facts of the case so far: Robert had been shown into the office (witness Audrey); Mark had gone in to Robert (witness Cayley); Mark and Robert had been heard talking (witness Elsie); there was a shot (witness everybody); the office had been entered and Robert's body had been found (witness Cayley and Gillingham). And Mark was missing.

Chapter 6. Outside Or Inside?
Location(s): Red House exterior (front garden), car, at the end of the scene Antony and Bill start along path towards The George in Waldheim
Characters: Major Rumbold, Mrs Calladine, Betty Calladine, Ruth Norris, Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, Matthew Cayley,
Summary: Every one of the guests except for Bill leaves. Antony and Bill decide to walk to The George, pay Antony’s bill and get his things.

Chapter 7. Portrait of a Gentleman
Location(s): Red House exterior from front garden of house along path towards The George in Waldheim
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: Antony and Bill discuss the character of Mark (somewhat controlling, set in his ways) and of Cayley (loner but hard working). For example, Mark believed in ghosts and thought the house was haunted. One night, for fun, guests devised a ghost character played by Ruth Norris who appeared in costume on the bowling green. This upset Mark so much he left and went to his room, calling for Cayley. Bill was there and assumed Cayley calmed him down. This clue plays a role in chapter 9. Antony suspects Cayley is complicit in the murder somehow.

Chapter 8. "Do You Follow Me, Watson?"
Location(s): Red House interior (Antony’s bedroom upstairs, hall downstairs) and exterior (path to “bowling green” still on the estate)
Characters: Matthew Cayley, Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: Antony and Bill talk in Antony’s bedroom, while Antony gets dressed for dinner, then go down to the hall and smoke a cigar. They talk to Cayley and they discuss what Elsie told the Inspector. Cayley thinks it was accidental. Cayley leaves then Antony and Bill walk from the Red House to the “bowling green” (still on the estate) to talk privately. Bill shows he can imitate Mark’s rather monotonous, high-pitched voice. Antony asks Bill to be Watson to his Sherlock. They discuss the case. In particular, they notice each room has a lockable door with a skeleton key on a hook hanging either inside or outside the room, depending on the room.

Chapter 9. Possibilities of a Croquet Set
Location(s): Red House exterior, “bowling green”
Characters: Matthew Cayley, Bill Beverley Antony Gillingham
Summary: Antony and Bill continue to discuss the case. Antony suspects that the story of the ghost character played by Ruth Norris appeared on the bowling green (which upset Mark) lends evidence that there is a secret (very long) tunnel from the house to the bowling green. They search the shed where the croquet balls were kept (“bowling” refers to lawn bowling, related to croquet). While there, Antony hears someone coming, so they sit on a nearby bench and Bill talks as if Antony is there while Antony sneaks around looking for the spy. He sees Cayley’s head pop out of a box where croquet balls are stored. Antony goes back to Bill, they decide to play a game of bowling and then quit. As they walk back to the Red House (it’s bedtime), they run into Cayley. They innocently discuss things, with no indication from Cayley that he was spying on them and no indiction from Antony or Bill that they knew it. Antony and Bill realize that the reason Miss Norris was hurried away (by Cayley) because she knew about the secret passage.

Chapter 10. Mr. Gillingham Talks Nonsense
Location(s): Red House interior (dining room, hall, Antony’s room) and exterior (Cayley outside the dining room window, Antony and Bill walk to the park and lake).
Characters: Matthew Cayley, Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, Elsie
Summary: Antony comes down and talks to Cayley. Cayley tells him the police plan to drag the lake, in case the gun was dumped there or Mark drowned. Cayley leaves and Bill joins Antony. Bill and Antony have breakfast and discuss the case in guarded terms, as Cayley is smoking outside the dining room window. Antony goes up to his bedroom and meets the parlor maid Elsie there. He tells her the inquest will be the next day. Antony then goes to the hall and meets Bill again. They agree to walk in the park (in the Red House estate), but detour to the lake. They surmise Mark did not drown himself. They surmised Cayley told Ruth Norris of the tunnel, as he wanted her to like him. The chapter ends with the question: Where does the secret passage begin?

Chapter 11. The Reverend Theodore Ussher
Location(s): Red House exterior (lake) and interior (library) Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: At the lake, Antony and Bill decide to search the library for the beginning of the tunnel. They walk back and , making sure Cayley is not nearby, enter the library. It’s full of books and is well-organized by subject. Antony comes across a shelf of sermons (remember Mark’s father was a parson). When he sees 'The Narrow Way, being Sermons by the Rev. Theodore Ussher' he gets an inspiration. He takes out the book and tries pressing the back of the bookshelf in various places. Eventually, the shelf swings open, revealing the tunnel entrance. They close it back, agreeing to search it later in the afternoon or that night when Cayley is away.

Chapter 12. A Shadow on the Wall
Location(s): Police station in Middleston, Red House exterior (lake/pond), Red House interior (office and Cayley’s room)
Characters: Inspector Birch and other police associates, Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: Inspector Birch calls London police about the case, and the train station in Stanton with a description of Mark Ablett. In the afternoon, the Inspector and his associates go to the lake to drag it for a body or the gun. Antony and Bill talk with the Inspector at the lake. The Inspector does not need them there. (No mention is made of Cayley being at the lake in this chapter. However, it appears that is is there after all – see chapter 14.) So Bill and Antony go back to the Red House. Antony mentions the idea that Cayley recommended dragging the lake so might be planning on planting something there after the police are done with it. At 3pm, 24 hours after Antony and Cayley discovered the body, Antony and Bill enter the office. As Antony recreates the events, he remembers Cayley left to get “water”. He returned with a sponge and a handkerchief. Antony remembers a shadow he saw at one point that does not appear unless Cayley quietly shut his room (just beside the office) while getting the sponge and handkerchief. Why would he quietly shut his room just to “get water”?

Chapter 13. The Open Window
Location(s): Red House interior (office and Cayley’s room), Red House exterior (path to lake)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: Antony and Bill talk about what Cayley did which needed him to quietly shut his room (just beside the office) while getting the sponge and handkerchief. Bill discovers a collar at the bottom of the trash basket in the office. Bill opens the window to Cayley’s room to get some air. At that, Antony thinks it must have been Cayley wanted the door shut so he could quietly open the window. Then they agree to search the passage but first they must be sure Cayley is at the lake. Bill sneaks off to the lake to spy on the Inspector and hope to catch and eye of Cayley, then rush back. Antony will wait for Bill in the library. Bill leaves for the lake.

Chapter 14. Mr. Beverley Qualifies for the Stage
Location(s): Red House exterior (path to lake, car in driveway) and interior (library, hall)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, (in the distance) Inspector Birch, Matthew Cayley
Summary: Bill returns from the lake to meet Antony in the library to tell him Cayley is indeed with the Inspector at the lake, as expected. They open the shelf door to the tunnel. Antony decides to go in to see if it’s safe. As soon as he does, Bill hears Cayley outside. He has just enough time to close the door, straighten the sermon shelf, move over to another shelf and make up an excuse for being in the library (he’s trying to verify a quotation on a bet with Antony), when Cayley opens the door. Cayley says that nothing was found at the lake so far but mud. Cayley stays to write a letter (before he takes the car to Stanton) so Bill tries tapping a Morse code message to Antony (annoying Cayley in the process, as he thinks it is merely nervous tapping). It seems to work. Bill tells Cayley he’s waiting for Antony as they plan to walk into town. Cayley finishes his letter and Antony doesn’t open the tunnel door while Cayley is there. Cayley gets in the car. Antony walks up to them, apologizing to Bill for being late. Cayley asks them to deliver his letter to Jallands in town and then he leaves in the car. Antony and Bill decide to deliver the letter instead of investigating the tunnel. Antony tells Bill that he took the length or the tunnel to the bowling green, then ran back. In the tunnel, he discovered in the passage a large locked cupboard.

Chapter 15. Mrs. Norbury Confides in Dear Mr. Gillingham
Location(s): Path from the Red House to Jallands, Jallands interiors (living room)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, Matthew Cayley (in the car in the distance), Angela Norbury, Mrs Norbury (her mother)
Summary: Antony and Bill walk to Jallands to the letter. They see Cayley in the car in the distance returning to the Red House. Antony surmises that Cayley just wants to get back into the tunnel and wrote the letter to make sure they were gone from the house while he did. They meet (beautiful) Angela and her mother. Bill and Antony discover that the mother nearly arranged the engagement between Angela and Mark (before he disappeared, that is). They assumed it was Cayley that was interested in Angela. In fact, Angela was not interested in Mark (nor Cayley, except as a friend) but when she turned to Cayley for support, he apparently fell in love with her. Now she has his letter, which she dreads opening. They learn from Mrs Norbury that Mark went to Middleston the day before yesterday, But why? Bill and Antony leave Jallands, and head back to the Red House.

Chapter 16. Getting Ready for the Night
Location(s): Red House exterior (path from Jallands to the lake then to the house), Red House interior (hall, bedrooms)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, Matthew Cayley
Summary: Antony meditates on how and why Cayley may have killed Robert. If Bill could imitate Mark’s voice so successfully, why not Cayley? This would explain the voice Elsie heard the day of the murder. They stop at the lake and plan their night. Cayley will likely check on them in their bedroom before leaving to take the tunnel to throw Mark’s body (they presume) in the lake. They plan to wait for his visit and for him to get into the tunnel before running to the lake to watch Cayley dump the body. They discuss using two pine trees, one for each of them, behind them and a fence on the far side of the lake to determine the position Cayley’s boat is when he dumps the body in the lake. (They need two lines to intersect in order to determine the point where the boat is located.) They decide not to call the police but to dive for the dumped body themselves. They walked back to the house together. Cayley was in the hall as they came in. They said hellos then went upstairs to dress for dinner. They dressed, discussed strategies more, then went downstairs together for dinner.

Chapter 17. Mr. Beverley Takes the Water
Location(s): Red House interior (dining room, billiard room, hall, bedrooms), Red House exterior (path around house)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham, Matthew Cayley
Summary: They have dinner, take a stroll with Cayley around the house, play billiards with Cayley, have drinks with Cayley in the hall, then go to bed. They wait for Cayley to check on them (he does) then Bill dresses and goes to Antony’s room (in the dark). They leave then house via Antony’s 2nd floor bedroom window and head off for the lake. Antony points out each other’s tree to mark the boat from. After waiting for some time, Cayley arrives at the boat with a paper bag in his hand. He puts the bag in the boat with him, pushes off, rows into the middle of the lake, dumps the bag into the lake, then rows back and ties up the boat at the shore. Cayley leaves. Antony tells Bill to wait until he returns. Antony plans to follow Cayley back to the house, check everything’s okay, then return. He does. When he gets back to Bill, they do the dive. Bill dove 3 or 4 times before finding it, but gets the bag back into the boat. In the bag: (a) all of the clothes Mark wore when Robert died (including underwear but not the collar), (b) stones (for weight), (c) letters, (d) two keys including the office key and the key of the passage cupboard (see chapter 14). On the way back to the house, they unlocked the cupboard in the tunnel. It was empty.

Chapter 18. Guess-work
Location(s): Red House interior (bedrooms)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: The inquest is today at 3pm. After breakfast, Antony gets packed to be ready to go to The George after the inquest. They tell Cayley that Bill is leaving for London after the inquest and Antony is leaving for The George. In fact, Bill will go with Antony to The George. Then Bill and Antony goes to the park to talk by themselves. They have this timeline: Monday Robert's unpleasant letter came in the morning (saysing Robert would arrive the next day around 3pm) then Mark told Mrs. Norbury about Robert (the black sheep of the family), on Tuesday Mark tells his guests he got his brother's letter that morning, Robert arrived later that day, was killed about the time Antony arrived. They have the puzzle of the missing collar in the bag of clothes (see chapter 13). Also, the puzzle of why hide clothes if there is a body to hide? They surmise that Mark is alive and that Cayley helped him escape by helping disguise him with a change of clothes and hiding the clothes he wore.

Chapter 19. The Inquest
Location(s): The Lamb, an inn located in Stanton
Characters: All major characters but Mark and Robert Ablett, as well as Andrew Amos, Parsons, John Borden
Summary: The Coroner asks everyone questions about Mark and Robert. The chapter only covers interviews with Bill, Andrew Amos, Parsons, Audrey Stevens, Elsie, Cayley, Antony, Inspector Birch, and John Borden. The Coroner sums up and turns it over to the jury. They deliberate and announced that the deceased had died as the result of a bullet-wound, and that the bullet had been fired by his brother Mark Ablett. The chapter ends with Andrew Amos and Parsons going out of the room together, with Antony between them.

Chapter 20. Mr. Beverley is Tactful
Location(s): The Lamb Inn in Stanton exterior, walking along the road from the Lamb Inn to Waldheim, The George interior (dining room); implicit location: Plough and Horses Inn (pub/dining room) in Stanton
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham; implicit character: innkeeper of the Plough and Horses Inn
Summary: Antony tells Bill that Amos and Parsons are old friends of his (in the previous chapter he indicates he doesn’t know who they are, so perhaps this is a joke). Bill and Antony discuss a poster for a local play that Mark, Cayley and Bill acted in last December. Antony asks if they share the same dentist. Bill says yes, Cartwright, on Wimpole Street. Antony asks: was Mark fond of swimming? Bill says no. Antony asks Bill to return to Stanton and go to the other inn there, the one closest to the train station, the Plough and Horses Inn. To drink a few beers and ask if a stranger stayed there on Monday night. They agree to meet again for dinner at The George at 8pm. Bill leaves. Antony walks another 20 yards, takes a lane off to the left and stops at a gate on the right side of the lane. Time jumps to 8pm when they meet for dinner. Bill tells Antony the innkeeper told of a woman who stayed Monday night, and no one else. She had her own car and drover herself. Antony announces that Robert was not killed by Mark or Cayley, but will give other details tomorrow. They finished eating and went to bed. The morning there was a letter for Antony from Cayley.

Chapter 21. Cayley's Apology
Location(s): The George interior (dining room)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham; implicitly Matthew Cayley
Summary: This whole chapter is a letter from Cayley to Antony, read over breakfast by Bill (eating with Antony at The George). The letter mentions a letter Antony wrote to Cayley, so this is a response. Cayley confesses to killing Mark (who pretended he was Robert to trick the guests, especially Ruth Norris who he was mad with) over Mark’s mistreatment of Cayley’s brother and over Cayley’s jealously regarding Mark’s relationship with Angela Norbury. Other than that, he outlines events as Antony already knows.

Chapter 22. Mr. Beverley Moves On
Location(s): The George interior (dining room)
Characters: Bill Beverley, Antony Gillingham
Summary: Antony tells Bill (they are still eating breakfast at The George) that he needed the dentist Mr. Cartwright of Wimpole Street to identify the teeth of Robert Ablett as those of Mark. Antony wrote a letter to Cayley telling him Antony was telegraphing to Cartwright to identify the body as that of Mark. Cayley knew the truth would come out then. Antony explains which clues lead him to the solution. The clothes were an important clue since (Antony reasoned) they were important for Cayley. The collar had to be taken off by Mark since otherwise Cayley would have included them in those he dumped. Antony explains more clues (but not why he stopped at the gate on the walk back from the inquest). Bill says to Antony about Cayley: "He's a clever devil. If you hadn't turned up just when you did, he would never have been found out." They wonder if Cayley has committed suicide as a result of being caught.

2019-03-18

Summary of LeFanu's "The Room in the Dragon Volant"

Sheridan LeFanu's "The Room in the Dragon Volant" was published in 1872. It is in the public domain.

Note: dragon volant means "flying dragon".

Major characters:
Richard Beckett - 23, Englishman, wealthy, and speaks fluent French. He's the protagonist.
Marquis d'Harmonville (also named Monsieur Droqville, also named Doctor Planard)-
French associate of the Count. He's a mentor/trickster
Count de St. Alyre - An old man, usually dressed in black. He's a trickster/antagonist.
Countess de St. Alyre - A young very attractive woman, usually dressed in black. She's an attractor/trickster/antagonist.
St. Clair - RB's servant
Colonel Gaillarde - A military officer who hates the Count and Countess.
Magician - an oracle (the Countess in disguise)
Mademoiselle de la Valiere - a friend of the Countess (the Countess in disguise)
Russian officer - man who searched RB's papers while he was in a catatonic state in his carriage (the Countess in disguise)
Tom Whistlewick - a friend of RB's
Monsieur Carmaignac - A friend of Tom's, who ultimately saves RB

Chapter 1: We are introduced to Richard Beckett is 23, Englishman, wealthy, and speaks fluent French. He is 6' tall, a good boxer, and is considered attractive. He helps a broken down carriage, carrying a well-dressed old man and a veiled, mysterious beautiful young woman. From their dress and the stork decoration on their carriage, they appear to be nobility. Both thanked him for his help. The old man had a reedy and nasal voice, while the woman's was a sweet semi-contralto. Fascinated by the woman, RB discretely followed them to an old inn, the Belle Etoile ("beautiful star").

Chapter 2: RB walked into her room in the inn (the door was open) and stared at her while she read a letter. When she discovered his presence, she asked him to leave, but thanked him again for his help. RB took a room in the same inn one floor above them and bribed a helper of the couple to discover info about them. He learned they are called the Count and Countess (we later learn her name is Eugenie and he is the Count de St. Alyre). RB paid his servant, St. Clair, to learn more.

Chapter 3: Just before dinner, out of his open window, he hears the Countess, near her open window one floor below, sing this strange song:
"Death and Love, together mated,
Watch and wait in ambuscade;
At early morn, or else belated,
They meet and mark the man or maid.
Burning sigh, or breath that freezes,
Numbs or maddens man or maid;
Death or Love the victim seizes,
Breathing from their ambuscade."
The old man slams the window shut. RB thinks she sung it for him. He leaves his room for a short walk before dinner is served.

Chapter 4: On the steps of the hotel, he meets a tall and elegant gentleman, who appeared to be about fifty, the Marquis d'Harmonville also called Monsieur Droqville. Droqville asked if RB was Mr. Beckett. RB said yes. Droqville gives RB a letter from "Lord R----", who knows Beckett. The letter starts "My Dear Beckett," and spoke very highly of the Marquis d'Harmonville, but also gave some private details not connected with Beckett. Puzzled, Beckett sees the letter is not to him but to "George Stanhope Beckett, Esq., M.P." He tells Droqville of the embarrassing mistake and promises to keep the private information in the letter confidential. They become friends as a result. The Marquis took his leave, going up the stairs of the Belle Etoile. (This may have been an elaborate set-up to ensnare RB to trust Droqville, who ends up being an accomplice with the Count.) RB continues down the steps to look at the Countess' carriage again. There he meets a strange French officer with the palest face RB ever saw. It was broad, ugly, and malignant. He was six feet high and across the nose and eyebrow there was a deep scar, which made the repulsive face even grimmer. (We learn later that his name is Colonel Gaillarde.) As they look at the stork emblem on the carriage, the officer says "See, Monsieur; when a man like me--a man of energy, you understand, a man with all his wits about him, a man who has made the tour of Europe under canvas, and, parbleu! often without it--resolves to discover a secret, expose a crime, catch a thief, spit a robber on the point of his sword, it is odd if he does not succeed. Ha! ha! ha! Adieu, Monsieur!" Colonel Gaillarde stomps off.

Chapter 5: RB heads back to the Belle Etoile for dinner. About thirty people had gathered in the dining room, but the Count and Countess were not there. RB sat next to the Marquis d'Harmonville. Droqville warns RB of villany, especially at the gaming tables. RB confesses he arrived in France with a purse of thirty thousand pounds sterling. Droqville confessed that, in a gambling house, he "was saved from ruin by a gentleman whom, ever since, I have regarded with increasing respect and friendship." Namely, the Comte de St. Alyre, who Droqville describes as "the very soul of honor, and the most sensible man in the world". Further, he describes the Count's wife, the Countess as "in every way worthy of so good a man." On the other side of RB, Colonel Gaillarde sits and dominates the conversation by explicit description of his war wounds and experiences. Droqville leaves. At the end of several long monologues, the Colonel asked RB who traveled in the carriage with the stork emblem. RB said "I rather think the Count and Countess de St. Alyre." The Colonel began "muttering to himself, and grinning and scowling." Dinner was over and the guests dispersed.

Chapter 6: RB sat in an arm chair, drank wine and fell asleep. He had a strange dream that he was in a "huge cathedral, without light, except from four tapers that stood at the corners of a raised platform hung with black, on which lay, draped also in black, what seemed to me the dead body of the Countess de St. Alyre. The place seemed empty, it was cold ..." RB awakes and find the Colonel looking at him. The Colonel makes odd statements about gathering clues regarding the Count and Countess. RB leaves the inn and meets Droqville in the town. They talk about leaving for Paris the next day. They also discuss the Colonel, who Droqville describes as "a little mad." They go their separate ways. Back at his inn, RB talks to a waiter:
RB: "Is he perfectly in his right mind?"
Waiter: "Perfectly, Monsieur."
RB: "Has he been suspected at any time of being out of his mind?"
Waiter: "Never, Monsieur; he is a little noisy, but a very shrewd man."
But then, in the hall of the old inn, the Colonel confronts the Count and Countess. The Colonel's sword was drawn in his hand, and he said: "You! you! both--vampires, wolves, ghouls. Summon the gendarmes, I say. By St. Peter and all the devils, if either of you try to get out of that door I'll take your heads off." RB steps between the Count and the Colonel. RB hits the Colonel twice in the head with his walking stick, knocking him out. The Count rushed out into his carriage. RB escorts the Countess to the carriage. She gives RB a white rose as a present for saving them.

Chapter 7: Droqville has rented the last of the carriage horses, RB must travel wth Droqville in his carriage to Paris. The Colonel is taken to his room, unconscious, cared for by "a bald-headed little military surgeon of sixty". During the trip, RB asked about the Countess: "Has he not a daughter?" Droqville replied: "Yes; I believe a very beautiful and charming young lady--I cannot say--it may have been she, his daughter by an earlier marriage." (Clearly, based on later info, a distraction.) They drank coffee (later w learn RB's was drugged) then Droqville read letters from a locked box, and RB "slept" (though aware of his surroundings).

Chapter 8: RB and Droqville arrived at their hotel in Paris (the Dragon Volant) and RB is still asleep/drugged (though aware of his surroundings). While Droqville exits, "a total stranger got in [his carriage] silently and shut the door." Here we learn "he was a young man ..." (but later it is explained that the person is the Countess). When RB recovered, he disclosed the experience to Droqville. Droqville said he hear of a similar "attack", who never experienced it again. This comforted RB.

Chapter 9: RB arrived in his room, looking out his hotel window upon Paris, when Droqville visited him. Droqville insisted that RB not venture out to gamble without him, and that Droqville would provide all the introductions he needed. RB asked about the Count and Countess and we learn (a) she is unhappy, (b) he wants her to sell her diamonds (worth a million francs), (c) they do not socialize much. Again, warning RB not to venture out without him, Droqville leaves.

Chapter 10: Two days later, Droqville visited him again. There is a masked ball on Wed and he wants RB to go with him. RB says he can't, as he's seeing friends that day. Droqville got very upset and coerced RB into cancelling his engagement to attend the ball. Droqville then told RB to book a hotel in Versailles for the night of the ball. RB left soon afterwards to try to find a hotel room but all the inns were booked. RB happened upon Droqville (surely Droqville was following RB), who told RB that there was a room reserved at Le Dragon Volant for him. Droqville took him to the Dragon Volant and they made arrangements on what costumes they would wear to the masked ball, so they could meet up there.

Chapter 11: At the DV, RB is shown to his room by the host. The host tells RB that the inn is owned by the Count de St. Alyre. Outside RB's window he sees a small park with the a run down house called the Chateau de la Carque. RB is told that the Count is staying there. The host leaves and RB's servant St Clair enters. St Clair tells RB of a story of a man who stayed at the DV and disappeared afterwards.

Chapter 12: "No more brilliant spectacle than this masked ball could be imagined. Among other salons and galleries, thrown open, was the enormous Perspective of the "Grande Galerie des Glaces," lighted up on that occasion with no less than four thousand wax candles, reflected and repeated by all the mirrors, so that the effect was almost dazzling." RB soon met Droqville, who arrived with the Count and Countess. Droqville introduced RB to the Count, who remembered him from the Belle Etoile inn. The Count offered to introduce RB to his wife, the Countess, when she was available. Droqville then asked the Count to see "the magician", who can answer any question asked of him. The three of them went to "the magician". The oracle was dressed, very richly, in the Chinese fashion. The Count (disguised by his mask) asked "the magician" several questions. The magician replied that in ways embarrassing to the Count (eg, that the Count loved his wife's diamonds more than her and that they argued about their marriage document, signed 25th July, 1811.

Chapter 13: The magician also talked to Colonel Gaillarde, who's mask did not disguise him from RB, and to RB himself.
Colonel: "Whom do I pursue at present?"
Magician: "An Englishman, whom if you catch, he will kill you; and a French widow, whom if you find, she will spit in your face."
The Colonel left.
RB: "Have I ever learned any words of devotion by heart?"
Magician: "Yes, approach."
RB did. The man with the black wand closed the curtains, and the magician said these words:
Magician: "I may never see you more; and, oh! I that I could forget you!--go--farewell--for God's sake, go!"
These were the last words whispered to RB by the Countess. Droqville and RB follow the Count to look for the Countess.

Chapter 14: Droqville told RB to wait in a room called the "Salon d'Apollon". RB sat on a sofa next to a young woman disguised as "Mademoiselle de la Valiere". We learn later that she is the Countess de St. Alyre in disguise. They talk, in very respectful tones, about the Countess, who the "Mademoiselle de la Valiere" claims is a close friend. The Mademoiselle tells RB: "You shall meet her at two o'clock this morning in the Park of the Château de la Carque." This obviously made RB very happy.

Chapter 15: On the way back to the DV, at around midnight, RB ran into an English friend Tom Whistlewick and his friend Monsieur Carmaignac. Carmaignac told RB of two strange disappearances at the DV about four years ago. Both were wealthy men who suddenly and mysteriously vanished. Carmaignac also said that the room in the DV they vanished from was in the back of the inn, upstairs to the right - the same room RB has. Tom and Carmaignac had to go but the agreed to talk more the next day.

Chapter 16: The DV closed its doors at 3am or so. RB's meeting with the Countess was at 2am. RB got changed, packing 2 pistols for protection, and left his room for the park of the Château de la Carque. There he met the "Mademoiselle de la Valiere", who now confessed to RB that she is the Countess. RB promised to be her "slave", They agreed to meet the next night when she would give him more details of her plan. She hinted that she wants to leave the Count.

Chapter 17: Droqville called on RB early the next day and asked if RB was going to Paris. RB said yes. Droqville asked to share RB's carriage, as his had an accident. They went to Paris and to RB's hotel room there. There the Count was waiting for him. The Count was wearing his arm in a cast and wanted a favor. Droqville said he's be happy to but it would have to wait until later that day, as he had to leave immediately to meet some people. RB offered his help. Droqville left. The Count explained that a relative died and he needed to fill out a form, and pay some fees, but couldn't because of his arm sprain. RB took the money from the Count and took care of the funeral
preparations for the Count's dead relative. The Count left in his carriage. RB finished his own banking affairs and then took his carriage back to the DV.

Chapter 18: Back at the DV, the next night RB had dinner with his friends, including Carmaignac. Carmaignac told RB about yet another strange disappearance of a wealthy person from the DV room RB was in. After that (long) story was relayed, RB's friends left and RB, once again, prepared to meet the Countess in the park near the DV. On the way to the park, RB saw Colonel Gaillarde (but CG did not see RB). CG was meeting someone else, but the two of them walked in a different direction that that taken by RB.

Chapter 19: RB meets the Countess. She said: "Richard, I must speak plainly. The crisis of my life has come. I am sure you would defend me. I think you pity me; perhaps you even love me." The Countess showed RB a necklace of diamonds. She says she will sell the diamonds and they will share the wealth after she runs away from her tyrant husband. They plan to leave when the Count is at his relative's funeral. the Countess then said: "My only difficulty, is how we shall quickly enough convert my diamonds into money; I dare not remove them while my husband is in the house."
RB volunteered thirty thousand pounds to help. She then gave RB a key. It was a double key -- a long, slender stem, with a key at each end--one about the size which opens an ordinary room door; the other as small, almost, as the key of a dressing-case. She then said: "You cannot employ too much caution tomorrow night. An interruption would murder all my hopes. I have learned that you occupy the haunted room in the Dragon Volant. It is the very room I would have wished you in. I will tell you why -- there is a story of a man who, having shut himself up in that room one night, disappeared before morning. The truth is, he wanted, I believe, to escape from creditors; and the host of the Dragon Volant at that time, being a rogue, aided him in absconding. My husband investigated the matter, and discovered how his escape was made. It was by means of this key. ..." They departed, to meet again soon.

Chapter 20: Back at the DV, RB met an old woman in his room who added wood to his heater. She: "These old eyes saw you in the park of the château tonight. It avails nothing, Monsieur; I know why you stay here; and I tell you to begone. Leave this house tomorrow morning, and never come again." Near the window was a wood slide revealing a key-hole. Using the Countess' key, a door in the panel opened, showing a narrow, arched doorway, within which was a stone spiral staircase. With a candle, RB descended the stairs to the ground floor, where the other end of the Countess' key opened a door outside. RB made his way outside then, satisfied with his experiment, returned to his
room the way he came.

Chapter 21: RB told his inn host he planned a trip and would be gone for a week. RB traveled to Paris and withdrew 30000 pounds, placed in a strong-box. Afterwards, he walked around and happened to see, in an antique store, Droqville and Colonel Gaillarde talking together. RB was able to sneak away unseen. RB returned to the Dragon Volant, where he summoned St Clair, his servant. He told St Clair he planned a trip and would be gone for a week and gave him 50 pounds for the weeks expenses. After St Clair left, RB departed out the secret passageway from his room.

Chapter 22: RB went to the meeting place and waited for a signal from the Countess. When he saw it, he approached the Chateau de la Carque. As RB ascended some steps, the Countess appeared and said: "Richard, dearest Richard, come, oh! come! how I have longed for this moment!" She exhibited her diamonds and he produced his strng-box of 30000 pounds. There was a knock at the door. The Countess said: "I know who this is. My trusty maid, who is coming with us." After a whispered conversation, "She is bringing some coffee to the next room." The Countess then left to talk further wither her maid. There was a door at the other end. RB took a candle, opened the
door and walked into the room.

Chapter 23: On a narrow table, lay a coffin. According to a plate on the coffin, this was the body of the Count's dead relative. Strange, as the Countess earlier said that the Count had already left for the funeral. Returning to the first room, he met the Countess de St. Alyre, who detected in RB's face some evidence of what had happened. The Countess' excuse: (paraphrasing slightly) "The body did not arrive till eight or ten minutes after the Count set out. He was afraid lest the people at the cemetery should suppose that the funeral was postponed. He knew that the remains of poor Pierre would certainly reach this tonight, although an unexpected delay has occurred; and there are reasons why he wishes the funeral completed before tomorrow. ... It is the last time, I shall ever practice a deception on my brave and beautiful Richard -- my hero! Am I forgiven?" The coffee and some liquor arrived. The Countess served RB both coffee and liquor. Finally, the Countess gives Richard her name - Eugenie. After telling her how impatient RB was to set out upon their journey, an odd sensation ("a sudden constraint of the brain") overcame RB. Once the Countess had convinced herself that RB was in a frozen catatonic state, she rang a handball two or three times sharply.

Chapter 24: The door to the room with the coffin opened and the Count enters. The Count praised the Countess for her good work. They counted his money.

Chapter 25: The door to the room with the coffin opened and Droqville entered. The Count called him "Planard," and also "doctor". They discussed ow much poison the Countess gave to RB. They said the amount given should "evaporate" from RB's body after 7 hours. The Countess left and they started to undress RB.

Chapter 26: They placed RB in the coffin, which it turns out was empty. The put his clothes and pocket belongings in a "press" (some kind of storage box). Droqville, ie Doctor Planard, said he would go to the hall to summon the men who were to carry the coffin out and place it in the hearse. Droqville returned and said: "Monsieur le Comte, I am sorry to have to announce to you a most unseasonable interruption. Here is Monsieur Carmaignac, a gentleman holding an office in the police department, who says that information to the effect that large quantities of smuggled English and other goods have been distributed in this neighborhood, and that a portion of them is concealed in your house." Carmaignac said: "The Count de St. Alyre will pardon me ... I am instructed to make a general search ..." Eventually, Carmaignac discovered that RB was in the coffin, and was still alive. RB was saved and the Count and Countess were arrested. The Countess admitted she, admirably disguised, had rifled my papers in the carriage on my night-journey to Paris. She also had figured as the magician at the masked ball at Versailles.

2019-01-05

Movies I watched in 2019

This is a list of movies or TV series I watched in 2019. The links are to the wikipedia page of the movie/TV show.

The Mule
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-05. Starring and directed by Clint Eastwood, this is a simple and wonderful movie based on the true story of Leo Sharp. Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest play supporting roles. Very much recommended.
The Invitation
I finished watching this on netflix on 2019-01-01, after a few stops and starts because it was so creepy. Written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, directed by Karyn Kusama, and released 2015, as I said, it's creepy and scary. The story is about a religious cult which preys (in more ways than one) on those who have lost a loved one. Highly recommended.
Dead of Winter
I watched this on 2019-01-06 on amazon prime (free). This is directed by Arthur Penn (Little Big Man, Night Moves) and starring Mary Steenburgen, who plays three roles. Excellent Gothic horror. Highly recommended.
Replicas
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-11. Starring Keanu Reeves, it's a good scifi movie but not great, due to several improbable improbable plot pushing past the scifi premise. Lukewarm recommendation.
Henry's Crime
I watched this on 2019-01-06 on amazon prime (free). Starring Keanu Reeves, it's a good bank heist movie with a romantic twist, and the theme of Chekov's play "The Cherry Orchard" running through it. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. Terrific performance by Vera Farmiga and James Caan is also wonderful. Recommended.
The Upside
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-15. Starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston (with Nicole Kidman in a supporting role), it's a terrific feel-good movie with excellent acting, writing, direction (by Neil Burger, probably his best film to date) and story premise. This film will be a classic. Highly recommended.
Glass
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-19. Starring Samuel L Jackson, James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, it is a continuation of Unbreakable and Split. While not as good as Unbreakable, it is good. Some of the plot elements, even in this superhero world, seem implausable and took me out of the story a few times. Still, recommended.
Destroyer
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-20. Starring Nicole Kidman, this is a story of a bad cop trying to fix the mistakes she's made in life. The coolest thing about this movie is the twist at the end, a nice narrative device which I don't remember seeing in this way before. Excellent direction by Karyn Kusama. I read the script first and the film follows the script closely. Highly recommended.
Stan and Ollie
I saw this in the theater on 2019-01-26. Excellent dialog and acting by Steve Coogan (Laurel) and John C. Reilly (Hardy). Highly recommended.
The Kominski Method (season 1)
I finished watching this on netflix 2019-01-28. Starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, this is a great comedy series by Chuck Lorre. Earlier this month it was announced that the series was renewed, so season 2 is in the works. Very highly recommended.
The Verdict (1946)
Watched this on dvd on 2019-02-01. This is a mystery/drama directed by Don Siegel and starring Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre. A simple enjoyable mystery, based on Israel Zangwill's 1892 novel The Big Bow Mystery. Recommended.
They Shall Not Grow Old
I saw this in the theater on 2019-02-02. This is a documentary on WWI by Peter Jackson using original, but restored (mostly colorized), footage and audio from the war. It tells the story of the British infantry invasion, a very bloody and violent one. Highly recommended.
Isle of Dogs
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-02-02. This is a stop-motion animation by Wes Anderson. Original and sweet-natured adventure. Recommended.
Cold Pursuit
I saw this in the theater on 2019-02-09. This is a very well-made revenge black-comedy directed by Hans Petter Moland and starring Liam Neeson. It's based on the Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance, also directed by HPM. Neeson's character loses his som to drugs and decides to kill everyone involved. Rewatched this on HBO on 2019-12-21 Highly recommended.
Incredibles 2
I watched this on netflix 2019-02-09. Fun animated family adventure movie, written and directed by Brad Bird. Highly recommended.
Fastball
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-02-13. This is a documentary narrated by Kevin Cosner on the fastest recorded pitcher. The documentary film interviews hitters, pitchers and scientists on baseball pitchers and the pitching process. This issue is that different speed-recording methods measure the ball speed at different points along the line form the pitchers mound to home plate. The ball slows down significantly (due to air drag) so these recorded speeds need to be standardized. The scientists do this and find that the fastest (recorded) pitch is due to Nolan Ryan, who threw a pitch at over 108 mph, measured at a point 10 feet from the pitchers mound. Recommended for baseball fans.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-02-14, but I own the dvd and have seen this many times. Written and directed by Shane Black, this is a cleverly written and well-acted film-noirish black comedy. A terrific example of clever set-ups and pay-offs. One of my all-time favs. Very highly recommended.
Alita: Battle Angel
I saw this in the theater on 2019-02-15. This is a slickly produced live action sci-fi film by James Cameron (as co-writer and producer) and Robert Rodriguez (as director). I enjoyed it, especially the fast-paced action sequences and the excellent acting by Rosa Salazar (who plays Alita). However, it is basically a set-up for part 2, as the story is only partially told. Recommended.
Friday After Next
I watched this on netflix on 2019-02-16, having already seen and loved the first of the series, Friday. They all are written by and star the extremely talented Ice Cube who gets into trouble in various ways and finds out how to get out of trouble. In this one, he owes rent money for his apartment and has to prevent Damon (Terry Crews) from catching them if they don't pay it. The problem is complicated by the fact that there is a neighborhood robber dressed as Santa who is also stealing their stuff. In the end, they catch the robber and recover their rent money. The jokes are often a bit cliched but still it's a fun film to watch. Recommended.
Long Kiss Goodnight
Watched this on dvd on 2019-02-20. I've seen this before, probably as a vhs. Written by Shane Black and directed by (Rennie Harlin (then married to star Geena Davis), this is an action black comedy. A good example of clever set-ups and pay-offs. Not as good as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but still recommended.
Green Book
I bought this on amazon prime (streaming) and watched this on 2019-02-20. This is a biographical comedy-drama film on a portion of the life of pianist Don Shirley. Directed by Peter Farrelly, starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen (as his driver, "Tony Lip"), it traces the arc of these characters and their understanding and affection for each other. Highly recommended.
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
I watched this documentary on netflix on 2019-02-23. Good description of his life and creative efforts, using lots of input from relatives, friends, and co-workers. Recommended.
Happy Death Day 2U
I saw this in the theaters on 2019-02-28. This is a scifi slasher film with some romcom elements. I liked the science problem-solving aspect to the plot and the way act 3 was paced. Recommended.
The Last Boy Scout
I watched this on dvd on 2019-02-28. This is an action buddy comedy written by Shane Black and starting Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans. While Tony Scott was an excellent director, IMHO this needed a director with a more comedic touch. Still, very recommended.
Fences
I watched this on hulu on 2019-03-02. One of the best films. Directed and starring Denzel Washington, with a script by August Wilson, based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Viola Davis won an Oscar for her performance as the wife of the character played by Denzel Washington. Very highly recommended.
Captain Marvel
I saw this in the theaters on 2019-03-09. This is a scifi superhero adventure starring Brie Larson. It's written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (in partnership) and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. This is an enjoyable film experience. Highly recommended.
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
I watched this on amazon prime (free) and watched this on 2019-03-09. This is a biography of Fred Rogers, creator of the long-running PBS children's show. Recommended.
Maverick
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-03-10. This is a 1994 comedy western, starring Mel Gibson (as Maverick), James Garner, and Jodie Foster, and written by William Goldman. Highly recommended.
The Notorious Landlady
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-03-14. This is a 1962 comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Kim Novak, written by Larry Gelbart and Blake Edwards. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Captive State
I saw this in the theaters on 2019-03-16. This is a scifi film starring Ashton Sanders and John Goodman. Highly recommended.
Made for Each Other
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-03-16. This is a 1939 film starring Carole Lombard and James Stewart. Highly recommended.
Us
I saw this in the theaters on 2019-03-22. This is a horror film by Jordan Peele, who wrote, directed, and produced it. Very symbolic. I enjoyed it but the symbolism took a larger role than the horror elements. Still, highly recommended.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-03-24. This is a 1967 musical comedy based on the 1961 play (based in turn on a book). Robert Morse stars and everyone is excellent. Very highly recommended.
Blood Simple
I watched this on amazon prime (paid) on 2019-03-25. This is the Coen Brothers' first movie, a neo-noir-ish crime drama, where Frances McDormand (Joel Coen's wife in her feature debut) stars as the femme fatale. The movie moves quickly with some nice twists and turns. Very highly recommended.
The Fortune Cookie
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-03-30. This is a 1966 Billy Wilder film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. It is the first pairing of Lemmon-Matthau. Highly recommended.
Dreams with Sharp Teeth
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-04-01. This is a 2008 documentary of writer Harlan Ellison, including interviews with Robin Williams and Neil Gaiman. It's about 100 minutes and highly recommended.
Shazam!
I saw this in the theater on 2019-04-05. This is an enjoyable DC superhero film starring Zachary Levi. This is a fun film, but with a focus on family-oriented values. Highly recommended.
Dreams on Spec
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-04-18. An enjoyable and well-done documentary on screenwriters in their early stages, by Daniel Snyder. It follows several writers in different stages. If you are a writer, highly recommended.
The Curse of La Llorona
I saw this in the theater on 2019-04-19. This is a James Wan production the "The Conjuring" series. The filming is often shot from the perspective of kids and the scary things that happen to them. If you are a horror fan, recommended.
The Equalizer 2
I watched this on XOD (free) on 2019-04-19. The first two acts of this are very well done. The last act has a very long fight sequence which is predictable. Recommended, especially for Denzel Washington fans.
Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-04-21. This is a remake of the 1944 film Murder, My Sweet, also based on the book "Farewell, My Lovely" by R. Chandler. While (IMHO, campy, unevenly) directed by Dick Richards, this stars Robert Mitchum as private detective Phillip Marlowe. Recommended, especially for crime or film noir fans.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
I watched this on netflix on 2019-04-23. This is a contained, small cast, supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal and starring Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox as father-son coroners. One night, they autopsy a woman who died mysteriously. Then odd things start to happen in their morgue. The cinematography is good but the action is too slow and the "scary" events are often too hard to believe. Recommended, for horror fans.
Avengers: Endgame
I saw this in the theater on 2019-04-26. This is a Marvel film, and one of their best ones. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Highly recommended.
Crazy Rich Asians
I watched this on hbo on 2019-04-27. This is a rom-com directed by Jon M. Chu. Enjoyable, thanks to a well-written script and the terrific performances. The film followed the script closely, but the shots of expensive real estate are hard to imagine from the written word. Highly recommended.
Red Joan
I saw this in the theater on 2019-05-04. This is a fictional drama of a British woman who spied for the Russians in WWII, "inspired by the life of Melita Norwood". While Judi Dench is excellent, it is slow moving and the niavity of the main character (played very well in flashback scenes by Sophie Cookson) is a bit painful. Recommended for the acting and the story.
The Intruder
I saw this in the theater on 2019-05-11. This is a psychological thriller starring Dennis Quaid, Meagan Good and Michael Ealy. This is the kind of movie that you can see more efficient ways of approaching it after watching the film. Worth watching for the underappreciated acting.
Bridesmaids
I watched this again on dvd on 2019-05-12. This is a comedy written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, directed by Paul Feig. This is really funny, but I think the script is even funnier. In any case, very highly recommended.
Double Indemnity
I watched this again on dvd on 2019-05-12. This is a thriller/crime/film noir directed by Billy Wilder, written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, based on the book by James Cain. Great film and very highly recommended.
John Wick 3
I saw this in the theater on 2019-05-17. This is a high-octane action film starring Keanu Reeves, directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad (and 3 others). I loved the dogs! I also liked the dynamic of the rules of the "high table" in the west, but when the story moves the Casablanca the rules become more fluid. It kind of mirrors the different societies we have in the west and in the middle east. Terrific action and a high body count, as usual, but not enough Lawrence Fishburne (as if there is ever enough). I think that will change in JW4:-). Actually, watched this twice in the theaters. Great film and very highly recommended.
Cowspiracy
I watched this on netflix on 2019-05-22. This is a documentary which claims that the greenhouse gases (causing global warming) primarily result from the animal industry (mostly the beef industry), accounting (they say) for 51 percent of the total. Others dispute this, placing the proportion closer to 15 percent. In any case, "go vegan" is the message. Well-done and recommended, but read the wikipedia article for an analysis of their data.
Brightburn
I saw this in the theater on 2019-05-24. This is an anti-superman "origin story"/superhero horror film written by a brother and a cousin of James Gunn, who produced the film. While the plot has some flaws, in common with many horror films, it has lots of suspense as well. Recommended for fans of horror or superhero films.
Stripped
I watched this on kanopy (free with an Anne Arundel County library card) on 2019-05-22. This is a documentary about comic strip writers, such as Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). A little slow but the graphics are excellent (no surprise there) and the writers tell a compelling story of how their industry has adapted to the decline of newspapers. Recommended for artists and writers.
Catch 22
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-05-27. This is a WWII comedy film from 1970 written by Buck Henry, based on the Heller novel, and directed by Mike Nichols. Great film and very highly recommended.
Night School
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-06-01. This is a comedy directed by Malcolm D. Lee and starring Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddis. Hart and Haddish are great. It ends well but the jokes are often too weak. Fun and recommended.
The Girl in the Spider's Web
I watched this on showtime on 2019-06-02. This is a 2018 action thriller film co-written and directed by Fede Álvarez. The star Claire Foy does a good job and it has some nice visuals, but is a fairly ordinary techno-thriller. Still, not bad and recommended.
The Gunman
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-06-02. This is a action thriller with a terrific cast and locations, but the story if either too flat or the execution isn't as good as it could be. Watch it if you are a Sean Penn fan, but Idris Elba, Javier Bardem and Ray Winstone only play minor roles. Recommended for Sean Penn fans.
The Ox-Bow Incident
I watched this on starz on 2019-06-04. This is a 1943 western starring starring Henry Fonda about a posse that hang 3 innocent men. Watched this on the idea that the narrative structure is not the typical heroic arc. Very highly recommended.
Dark Phoenix
I saw this in the theater on 2019-06-08. This is a superhero movie from the MCU written and directed by Simon Kinberg and starring Sophie Turner as Jean Grey / Phoenix. I enjoyed the movie, even if the ending was both derivative and over the top. Highly recommended.
Dead Don't Die
I saw this in the theater on 2019-06-14. This is a comedy zombie spoof written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Adam Driver, Bill Murray and Chloe Sevigny. Highly recommended.
Murder Mystery
I watched this on netflix on 2019-06-14. This is a comedy murder mystery starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Enjoyable, fun humor, and nice locations. Recommended.
MIB4
I saw this in the theater on 2019-06-15. "Men in Black International" is a comedy scifi film directed by F. Gary Gray (who also directed Friday) starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Highly recommended.
Chernobyl (miniseries)
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-06-21. This is a series depicting the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of April 1986 (while basically factual, and many of the actual characters appear in the series, many characters got combined into just a few fictional ones). The series was written and created by Craig Mazin. It's often horribly sad and uplifting at the same time. Very highly recommended.
Child's Play
I saw this in the theater on 2019-06-28. Except for the fact that Chucky kills a poor kitty, this is a mostly enjoyable horror story starring Aubrey Plaza. Recommended.
Spider-Man: Far From Home
I saw this in the theater on 2019-07-05. This is a fun superhero film in the MCU. Very imaginative scenes. Highly recommended.
Ordeal by Innocence (TV series)
I watched this on amazon prime on 2019-07-07. This is a series based on the Agatha Christy mystery of the same name. There is no one detective/protagonist but flash-backs and the interruptions by the character of Doctor Arthur Calgary push the story forward. Well-directed and performed. Highly recommended.
Con Air
I watched this on A+E on 2019-07-07 (for the um-teenth time). While I enjoy this movie, mostly due to the interesting concept, the story and plot have quite a few plausibility issues, causing the audience (namely me) to lose connection with the story. Also, the crashes and chase scenes at the end seem excessive and unnecessary. Still, recommended for action and/or Nicolas Cage fans.
Stuber
I saw this in the theater on 2019-07-12. This is a fun action comedy in the vein of the old Three Stooges shorts. Vic, the stubborn cop who can't connect with his daughter Nicole and is still after the perp that killed his partner years earlier, and Stu, the Uber driver with GF problems, team up to capture the baddest drug dealer in LA. They get him, Vic patches things with Nicole, Stu breaks up with his GF and starts dating Nicole. Recommended for comedic action and fans of Kumail Nanjiani and/or Dave Bautista.
Crawl
I saw this in the theater on 2019-07-13. This is a disaster horror film about a father and daughter trapped in a flooded house with alligators and crocodiles. Slow moving, but has some good moments. The dog doesn't die, so recommended.
The Man from Earth
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-07-15. This is a one-location film consisting of dialogue only, and it is surprisingly engaging. It's based on a script by sci-fi writer Jerome Bixby. Highly recommended.
Moneyball
I watched this on amazon prime (paid) on 2019-07-15. Based on the book by Michael Lewis, this is a dramatization of the Oakland Athletics baseball team's 2002 season and their general manager Billy Beane's attempts to assemble a competitive team. Very highly recommended.
Marty
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-07-18. This is a 1955 romance drama written by Paddy Chayevsky, which won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best adapted Screenplay. It also won the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or. Very highly recommended.
The Art of Self-Defense
I saw this in the theater on 2019-07-19. This is a very good dark comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola and Imogen Poots. Very highly recommended.
Network
I watched this on netflix on 2019-07-19. This is a 1976 satire on TV and the media written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet. Still relevant today. It won four Academy Awards: Best Actor (Finch), Best Actress (Dunaway), Best Supporting Actress (Straight), and Best Original Screenplay (Chayefsky). Very highly recommended.
The Hospital
I watched this on amazon prime (paid) on 2019-07-23. This is a 1971 satire of the health industry written by Paddy Chayevsky. It's written with unusual technical detail of medical ailments and treatments, which makes it feel real, but with numerous extremely unusual characters that it seems comical. Chayevsky won the Oscar, the Golden Globe, the WGA, and the BAFTA for Best Screenplay. Not as good as Marty or Network, IMHO, but still highly recommended.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
I saw this in the theater on 2019-07-26. This is a Quentin Tarantino film about an alternative Hollywood from the late 1960s. I was confused by the edit glitches when Timothy Olyphant's character (James Stacy) talks with Leonardo DiCaprio's character (Rick Dalton). However, the ending is pure fun and movie-gore violence. Very highly recommended.
Marshall
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-08-01. This is a biopic of Thurgood Marshall, focused on the part of his life during a rape trial in Connecticut. Starring the excellent Chadwick Boseman, it's fascinating and fun. Very highly recommended.
Hobbs & Shaw
I saw this in the theater on 2019-08-02. This is a big fun summer blockbuster, with lots of action and CGI and fighting and chasing. Highly recommended.
Serenity (2019)
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-08-05. This is an extremely odd "high concept" film which I enjoyed watching and found engaging, but had to look the plot up on wikipedia, because I couldn't believe it was so outrageous. Once I realized I'm not crazy, I sat back and enjoyed the ride. Recommended for the nutty ride.
The Kitchen
I saw this in the theater on 2019-08-09. This is a DC movie that seems like a typical period crime drama. Stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss. Enjoyable and recommended.
Laggies
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-08-10. This is a comedy/romance directed by Lynn Shelton, starring Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz and Sam Rockwell. Lots of relationship issues, girl talk, not a lot of comedy. Still, a very good movie, filmed in Seattle. While somewhat predictable, it's well directed and a good film. Highly recommended.
Outside In
I watched this on netflix on 2019-08-10. This is a drama/romance directed (and co-written by) by Lynn Shelton, starring Edie Falco and Jay Duplass. Quirky situations, lots of relationship issues, but well-directed and a very good movie, filmed in Granite Falls, WA, east of Seattle/Tacoma. Highly recommended.
After Life (season 1)
I watched this on netflix on 2019-08-11. An excellent series written, directed and starring Ricky Gervais. Very highly recommended for all adults.
Good Boys
I saw this in the theater on 2019-08-17. This is a comedy directed by Gene Stupnitsky, who co-wrote the script with Lee Eisenberg(the same team that wrote Bad Teacher). The film is about the wild misadventures of three sixth-graders. Goofy fun. Highly recommended for comedy lovers.

How It Ends
I watched this on netflix on 2019-08-19. This is a apocalyptic disaster drama starring Theo James, Forest Whitaker. I thought it moved well for a film with a very small cast. Recommended.
The Boys (season 1)
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-08-20. This is a superhero series where the "Supe"s are almost all bad. Well written and surprising in the plot twists, it's one of the best series I've seen. Highly recommended.
Paddleton
I watched this on netflix on 2019-08-21. This is a bittersweet story of two friends, played by Ray Romano and Mark Duplass, one of whom is dying of cancer. Well-written and well-acted. Highly recommended.
Max Payne
I watched this on starz on 2019-08-21. This is a neo-noir action thriller film based on the video game of the same name. Not bad for a movie of this type, as I've seen it many times. Recommended for comicbook/video fans.
The Giant Beast That is the Global Economy
I watched this on amazon prime (free) on 2019-08-21. Excellent documentary series. The best episodes were those on money laundering, rubber, and counterfeiting. Highly recommended.
Ready or Not
I saw this in the theater on 2019-08-24. This is a comedy/thriller about a bride who must play a "game" to be accepted into the family. There were some plot points that I think should have gone another way, but it has it's funny moments. Highly recommended.
The Stepford Wives (2004)
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-08-31. While I enjoyed some of the humor, the direction was off and the plot was too goofy. Recommended for its quirkiness.
Angel Has Fallen
I saw this in the theater on 2019-09-02. This is an action film, the 3rd in the "Fallen" film series. This has gunfights, knife fights, explosions, and high stakes. Besides Gerard Butler, it's even got Morgen Freeman and Nick Nolte. Fun movie. Highly recommended.
Serial Mom
I saw this on dvd on 2019-09-02. This is a mockumentary/comedy/horror film. While the script is excellent, the film seems slightly "off" in some way I can't precisely describe. Possibly the daughter's character was played with too much realism and not as over-the-top as the other characters? The balance of comedy and horror is very wobbly in some sense. Anyway, highly recommended as my favorite of the John Waters films,
Holmes & Watson
I watched this on showtime or starz on 2019-09-07. This is a comedy Sherlock Holmes movie but also a spoof of previous Sherlock Holmes movies (much like Tropic Thunder is a spoof on Vietnam war movies). For example, the CGI diagrams in Guy Ritchie's version are spoofed. There are some hilariously funny parts, but often the jokes are too predictable or too punny. I'd rank it in the same ballpark as Mel Brooks' Life Stinks - when it's funny it's hilariously funny. So, highly recommended for the funniest parts.
Late Night
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-09-07. This is a dramedy exploring the culture of women on late night TV, written by Mindy Kaling, starring her and Emma Thompson. Well-structured with some touching moments, but few actual laughs. Highly recommended.
Native Son
I watched this on hbo via amazon prime on 2019-09-10. This is a drama (both as a genre and by the adademic definition from the Greeks) adapted from the novel of the same name. The photography and performances (Ashton Sanders stars) are strong but the plot seems hard to believe, at least to me. Still, recommended.
Hustlers
I saw this in the theater on 2019-09-13. This is a crime drama and a female buddy movie about two strippers who drug and rob patrons of a strip club. The strippers are not terrible likeable, and the victims are almost all rich jerks, so the only interesting action is the relationship between these two women (played by Lopez and Wu). Solid acting all around, but I didn't especially care for the cinematography, for technical reasons. Recommended as a female buddy movie, but not as (the trailers suggest) a caper movie involving strippers.
Official Secrets
I saw this in the theater on 2019-09-13. This is a docudrama based on the life of a GCHQ whistleblower leading up to and during the outbreak of the Iraq War. At first, I was a little disengaged thinking that the protagonist was just being too naive (of course Cheney's crew is sleazy, how can you not know that?) but as the movie went on the specifically British issues emerged and I became much more engaged. Highly recommended.
Villains
I saw this in the theater on 2019-09-27. This is a darkly comic thriller with a very twirky, fun beginning that then becomes more of a standard thriller. The actors are terrific. Highly recommended.
Between two ferns: the movie
I watched this on netflix on 2019-09-27. Excellent mockumentary starring Zach Galifinakis and a long list of cameos. Highly recommended.
Joker
I saw this in the theater on 2019-10-04. This is a dark origin story for the Joker which stars Joaquin Phoenix. The acting is great - a very strong performance. The cinematography is also good. The writing is solid, if not somewhat predicable (if you know the character). Very highly recommended.
Lovely Molly
I watched this on netflix on 2019-10-16. This is a possession horror film directed by Eduardo Sanchez (or Blair Witch fame) and written by ES and Jamie Nash. There is a theory that possession is a metaphor for a family trauma. This film fits that model. I liked how the possession could be confused with effects from her drug addition. Recommended.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
I saw this in the theater on 2019-10-18. This is "Maleficent, 2" but I never saw part 1. I liked the structure of the plot. It's basically a Disney action film, so the acting is generally not difficult, except for Dakota Fanning who carries all her scenes well. She conveyed honest sadness when Maleficent "dies" and the ending is nice. My guess is that there will be a part 3. Recommended, especially for kids (Disney's target audience).
Absolutely Anything
I watched this on amazon prime on 2019-10-19. This is a Monty Python/Douglas Adams-like scifi comedy co-written and directed by Terry Jones (or Monty Python). The cast is stellar but the gags are sometimes too silly or obvious, while other times hilarious and clever. Overall, I loved it (but I love both Douglas Adams and Monty Python). Highly recommended.
The Laundromat
I watched this on netflix on 2019-10-20. This is a fictionalized documentary "comedy drama" on the Panama Papers (a corporation based in Panama that helped rich create shell companies to avoid taxes). Very well-written (Scott Burns), directed (Steven Soderbergh), and acted. Very highly recommended.
Parasite
I saw this in the theater on 2019-10-25. This is a Korean dark comedy, subtitled in English, about a family that tries to lie their way into a rich families home as cook, tutors, and drivers. Things end badly, but the son (the main protag, I assume) seems to survive the ordeal. It won the Palme d'Or in 2019. Slow to get started but highly recommended.
The Univited
I watched this on TCM (via dvr) on 2019-10-31. This 1944 film is regarded as the first "serious" ghost story. The previous ghost stories (eg, Topper) did not have a scary ghost, while this one did. I enjoyed it but was sad to learn that the young actress playing Stella (20 year old Gail Russell) died of alcoholism in her 30s. Highly recommended.
Terminator: Dark Fate
I saw this in the theater on 2019-11-02. This is the 6th Terminator movie and one of the best ones. The plot was, as usual, a little loopy (bad time-travel pun intended). For one, the new terminator is practically indestructible, except if it gets stuck in the eye with this tiny "power source." Unfortunately, they only brought one back from the future and it's used to keep this hybrid anti-terminator (played by Mackenzie Davis) alive. Why not bring 2 next time? Just a thought. Highly recommended.
Barbershop 2
I watched this on starz on 2019-11-06. This is a comedy starring Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer. A little disjointed in the beginning but got better as the film went on. Excellent acting. Highly recommended.
Doctor Sleep
I saw this in the theater on 2019-11-08. This is the sequel to The Shining, and IMHO it's really excellent. Newcomer, 13-year old Kyliegh Curran as Abra is good as well. Well-structured and well-acted. Now I want to read the book. Very highly recommended.
My Favorite Year
Saw this om amazon prime (paid) on 2019-11-15. Co-written by Norman Steinberg (who co-wrote Blazing Saddles) and starring Peter O'Toole. Loved it. Highly recommended.
Instant Family
Saw this om amazon prime on 2019-11-16. A well-written movie directed and co-written by Sean Anders. Highly recommended.
Gigi
I watched this on netflix on 2019-11-17. This romantic musical won 9 Oscars, including best picture, best director, and best adapted screenplay. Very highly recommended.
Don't Think Twice
I watched this on netflix on 2019-11-20. This ensemble comedy was written and directed by Mike Birbiglia, who also acts in it. It's the story of an improv troupe in New York. Highly recommended.
21 Bridges
I saw this in the theater on 2019-11-24. This is a crime thriller starring Chadwick Boseman. The dialogue is sometimes stilted but the actors pull their lines off well. Lots of action and plot twists. Highly recommended.
Get the Gringo
Saw this om amazon prime on 2019-11-26. A well-written movie starring Mel Gibson (who also co-wrote it), and directed and co-written by Adrian Grunberg. Recommended.
Knives Out
I saw this in the theater on 2019-11-28 (Thanksgiving). This is a mystery with some comedic elements, starring Ana de Armas, written and directed by Rian Johnson. Clever and very well-done. Very highly recommended.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
I watched this on starz on 2019-11-29. This is a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring James Stewart and Doris Day. It is based on Hitchcock's 1934 film of the same title. IMHO there are some plot issues (eg, parents allowing a stranger to look after their kid), but still it's highly recommended.
Avanti!
Saw this om amazon prime on 2019-12-15. A well-written movie starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills. The screenplay by Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond is based on the play of the same title. Highly recommended.
Bumblebee
Saw this om amazon prime on 2019-12-18. A fun movie, part of the Transformer franchaise. Highly recommended.
Bosch (seasons 1-5)
Finished bingeing this on amazon prime on 2019-12-21. An enjoyable neo-noirish detective series, that basically follows a case per season. Alone, I applauded the conclusion to season 5. Can't wait until April 2020, for season 6. Highly recommended.
6 Underground
Finished this on netflix on 2019-12-22. An ultimately enjoyable Michael Bay action film starring Ryan Reynolds, written by the same due (Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese) that wrote Deadpool. This is not Deadpool. Lots of action and cool locations but a very weak plot. Recommended.
Bombshell
I saw this in the theater on 2019-12-26. This is a movie focusing on the downfall of Fox's Roger Ailes. Terrific job of acting by Charlize Theron. Highly recommended.
Fast Color
Saw this on amazon prime on 2019-12-28. A fun and original but uneven sci-fi/superhero movie starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Recommended.
Detour
Saw this on amazon prime on 2019-12-28, although I've seen this 10 or 15 times. The b-roll of the car ride across country, where some cars drive on the left side of the road and some on the right (I'm guessing the film was flipped, so he'd seem be going right-to-left) still cracks me up. Uneven acting but a terrific film noir. Highly recommended.
Okja
Saw this on netflix on 2019-12-28, A sci-fi CGI/live action film about the friendship between a little girl (played by Ahn Seo-hyun) and a super pig named Okja. One of the best films I've seen all year. Very highly recommended.
El Chicano
I watched this on showtime on 2019-12-29. This is a crime/superhero movie about a Latino cop who becomes a superhero known as El Chicano. Co-written by Joe Carnahan. I loved it. Recommended.