Last night PBS in NYC ran The Sand Pebbles (1966), which I’d not seen in its entirety since its release. Adapted from Richard McKenna's best-seller, directed by Robert Wise and starring Steve McQueen at his natural best, it was made in an era when story and characters were more important than action. If remade today, it would no doubt require many additional explosions and battle scenes to keep modern film-goers interested. I think it holds up very well. The setting is China, 1926, when resentment of the foreigners' exploitation of the country’s resources is fomenting revolution. Of course, the natives were right in that. Unfortunately, what followed eventual victory decades later was the butchery and economic blight of communism. But the film is concerned largely with the fate of its westerners. What I found most surprising and interesting after all these years is the politics. Parallels can drawn to the Vietnam War. The cast is a film buff’s dream. Candice Bergen, 19 at the time, is the love interest. There is an army, or navy in this case, of familiar supporting players: Mako, Richard Attenborough, Simon Oakland, Ford Rainey, Larry Gates, Gavin McLeod, Richard Crenna, Gus Trikonis, Richard Loo and James Hong. Trikonis played Indio, Bernardo’s right-hand man in West Side Story (1961). He went on to direct, mostly in TV. Hong, who plays a sleazy brothel owner, is the host in the early Seinfeld classic where Jerry, Elaine and George wait futilely for a table at a Chinese restaurant. 84, he is still going strong, four titles in pre or post-production. Overall, he has 382 credits at IMDb. The Sand Pebbles runs three hours. I was not bored, despite the lack of constant action. On a scale of five, four. It is rated 7.6 of ten at IMDb.
RIP Broadway legend Julie Harris, 87, who succumbed to heart failure. She won five Tonys and was awarded another for lifetime achievement. I never had the privilege of seeing her on stage, but I will always remember her work in East of Eden (1955), where she played opposite James Dean, and Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), opposite Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason. To my surprise, she was a regular in prime time soap Knots Landing, appearing in 195 episodes. She has 99 titles listed at IMDb, including several appearances in mini-series and in series that had a brief run. Kudos, madam.
In an effort to boost sales, I’ve reduced the Kindle price of Killing from three bucks to one, link below. And today I chose to concentrate on hawking my own works, setting up a limited shop at the busy corner of Bay Parkway and 86th Street. I didn't sell any of my or January Valentine's books, but I thank regulars Frank, who bought a bible, King James version, and Maryann, who bought three more thrillers. In effect it was the same result as if I'd set up at my usual spot on 85th. Sometimes life laughs at you.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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