Caught At Christmastime

In regards to my last blog, someone pointed out I took the gist of it from one of my favorite Christmas films, The Bishop's Wife.  I admitted this was true, as it's a wonderful lesson, albeit from a motion picture.

Peter Falk and Valerie Bertinelli in
'Finding John Christmas'

Many of our films having to do with Christmas have outstanding lessons, whether or not we pay attention to them.  Take Miracle On 34th Street and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.'  Both deal with the way we have allowed the holiday to be so commercialized, forgetting the real meaning of Christmas.  And the latter has the most inspirational scene in a Christmas film when Linus explains the real meaning of the holiday to Charlie Brown under the spotlight as everyone is as quiet as a church mouse.

It's A Wonderful Life is considered a Christmas film, and lets us know we are not alone, although we often think we are.  The inscription Clarence writes in the book he leaves for George sums it all up.

3 Godfathers is an overlooked Christmas Western, telling of the Three Wise Men put in the West, as they care for an orphaned newborn.  It's a terrific look at the birth of the Christ Child, and a wonderful look at responsibility and keeping one's word, no matter the cost.

The Man Who Came To Dinner is a hilarious look at an extremely gruff man who intercedes in others' lives, even when they often don't want him to.  Although he comes across as a grouch, we as the audience see that he does care for people, but doesn't want them to realize it.  We learn that people aren't as they seem to be.

As I stated last year, my favorite Christmas films are a trilogy made for television:  'A Town Without Christmas,' 'Finding John Christmas,' and 'When Angels Came to Town.'  They have two things in common--Peter Falk as the angel Max, and letting us know there is someone who cares for us, even when we think we are all alone in this world.  Never have I been able to watch one of these with dry eyes.

So, as the holiday approaches and we remember the Reason we celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy a few of these.  Maybe you'll see a few of the lessons in the films and find a few others.  If you do, please let me know. 

In the meantime, Merry Christmas.

The Empty Stocking

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone.  Many of us have started on our Christmas shopping.  Some who plan for the future have even finished it, and begun on next year's. 

We know that Aunt Martha wants a new purse, while Cousin Henry needs a webcam.  Your daughter is impossible to shop for, so she gets a Wal Mart gift card, and so forth.  The presents bought and wrapped, you mail a few, and put the rest under the tree for now.

But what goes in the empty stocking on the mantle?

You don't have an empty stocking?  You should.  You see, families have stockings for each and every member:  You, me, Grandpa, Aunt Minerva, Uncle Fess, Cousin Henry, but very few of us ever remember to leave another stocking for the One whose birthday we celebrate.  And when you think about it, He received the first Christmas presents.  So why should that change now?

What are you giving Jesus for his birthday this year?  Your first thought is He has everything, being the Son of God, but everyone should get something for their birthday.  Think about it.  Give Him a gift, and when you contemplate, you'll know it won't be able to match what He has brought us, but He won't care.  He just likes to open packages.  Your time is something He really likes.  Give to your church or a charitable foundation in His name.

Your Christmas shopping isn't done yet.  Put something in His stocking this year.  Don't let it be empty.

Mizpah.

Drop It



Elia Kazan

 Elia Kazan was one of the finest directors Broadway or Hollywood ever produced.  On the stage, he brought us hits such as 'All My Sons,' 'A Streetcar Named Desire,' 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,' 'Sweet Birth of Youth,' and 'The Dark At the Top of The Stairs.' In Hollywood, he produced such classics as A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Boomerang!, Gentleman's Agreement, Pinky, A Streetcar Named Desire, Panic In the Streets, Viva Zapata!, On the Waterfront, East of Eden, Baby Doll, A Face In the Crowd, and Splendor In the Grass.  He won three Tony Awards and two of his movies won Best Picture.  In short, the man knew what he was doing.

When Kazan was honored with a Lifetime Oscar, it created quite a stink, as he had testified before HUAC, being a former member of the Communist Party.  As Richard Schickel--who states he himself is far to the left--says, people today treated Kazan as if he named liberals, not Communists, forgetting there is a vast difference.  People came out of the woodwork, stating the director had 'ruined their lives' had never even been named by Kazan.  They merely wanted their ten minutes of fame by the director.

Well-known liberals such as Ed Harris and Nick Nolte made their disgust for the award known, and at the ceremony, made a show of not applauding.  It was considered 'making a stand.'  Another well-known liberal, Warren Beatty, refused to dishonor Kazan, pointing out 1)  the director was the one who gave him his start in the movies and 2)  Beatty didn't know what he would have done under the circumstances.  Thus, he was one of the few honest people around at the time.  To keep the peace, Beatty also went to a ceremony honoring those who had been blacklisted.

Director Edward Dmytryk was a member of the 'Hollywood Ten' who recanted, and wound up testifying before HUAC, naming names.  He got his career back, going on to direct The Caine Mutiny, Broken Lance, Raintree County, The Young Lions, and Warlock and wound up losing friends.  Yet history has not damned him the way they have Kazan.  Dmytryk eventually wound up writing a book, Odd Man Out:  A Memoir of the Hollywood Ten.  It is considered to be one of the few honest versions dealing with what happened then.

If you want to judge these men, that is your right.  But read all the facts.  If you don't like their politics, that is your right as well.  But get every bit of information you can.  Those were difficult times for this country, and many who have cursed these men and others weren't even there.

As the line from old time radio goes, "Vas you dere, Charlie?"

Why Just One Day?



Kirk Douglas

 This must be my month for Kirk Douglas stories.  But they seem to fit, so I'm not apologizing. 

In one of his books, he wrote of how he was serving as an emissary of the United States, and was eating a meal of grubworms with a tribe.  He turned to the tribal elder, saying, "Today is Thanksgiving in my country.  We give thanks for what we have today."

The man replied, "We give thanks for what we have every day."

Douglas wrote of how he suddenly felt very small.  This man, who literally had nothing, was grateful for what he had, including a meal of grubworms. The same for everyone in his village.  Douglas, who made a good living, gave thanks once a year, as do many of us Americans.  He learned something that day, and hoped to pass it along in his book.

Like the actor, I too felt tiny upon reading the man's statement.  I am sure I'm not the only one, and all of Douglas' books have been best sellers, so that man has made quite an impact.  The elder knew what was important in life and has passed along his lesson.  We need to be grateful for what we have instead of concentrating on what we don't have.  Be thankful to God each and every day for what He has given us.  Not just on Thanksgiving, but 365 days of the year.

Born In A Gold Box

We've all heard the expression 'Being born with a silver spoon in their mouth,' but this is one of my favorite stories.  Kirk Douglas was born into an impoverished family, and his mother said the way he came into the family was when she looked into the backyard one day to see a gold box lowered by a string made of silver.  She rushed out in the cold, opened the box, and saw a naked baby boy.  Elated to at last have a son--The woman had five daughters--She took the child into her home. 

As the family was always short on funds, Douglas always asked about the box.  His mother said when she went back outside, it was gone.  He constantly wondered if that didn't bother her.  No, she replied.  When she saw him, she could care less about the box. 

I would have liked Kirk Douglas' mother.  She knew what was truly important, telling her son at an early age how he was far more important than gold or silver.  And she tried passing that along to him.  It took a long time--long after her death--for the lesson to sink in, but eventually, he learned it. 

Other parents have taught this lesson to their children in various ways.  It's a beautiful analogy, and Douglas will insist today it's a true story.  After all, his mother told it to him.

For those who doubt it, remember Baron Munchasen's famous line, "Vas you dere, Charlie?"  Have faith in the words of our parents, who have let us know throughout the years in various ways we are far more valuable than gold or silver.  And their value to us is immeasurable.  We may not realize it growing up, but we do as we get older.

Cherish your family.  They are your gold box.

Mizpah

It's Not Hard to Say

I'm in the midst of reading Peter Ford's wonderful biography on his father, Glenn, one of my favorite actors.  About halfway through it, Peter, who is an email friend of mine, stated his father never said, "I love you," to his son.

Kirk Douglas has won accolades all around the world.  The one thing he wanted more than anything he never received.  It was a pat on the back from his father.  He wrote of once being taken out for ice cream as a child by his father, and treasures that moment.  To Douglas, that ice cream cone to this day means more than any award he has.

Why is it we cannot say those three words?  Are we supposed to be 'tough'?  Is it not manly? It can't be the latter, as there are women with the same problem.  Perhaps we think they already know it.  Or even more tragic . . . in many cases, the love isn't there.

My family has never been short on sharing love, so when I read the above stories, I want to reach out to those people and embrace them to let them know someone does care about them.  (I come from a family of huggers.)  We were taught at an early age "I love you" is not hard to say, and my sister's bunch has carried on the tradition. 

My nephews are a perfect example. They're all ex-jocks who jokingly like to act like they're 'bad', but they can all say "I love you" without hesitation.  They don't look around to ensure no one is watching, or whisper it under their breath.  They know no one is going to snicker at them.  They've been taught it's beautiful to say, not a sissy thing.

It's only three words, and if you can say it, you'll make someone's day.  With all the profanities we utter daily, "I love you" shouldn't be so hard.

It's A Guy Thing

My sister, bless her heart, is a very understanding woman.  She and some friends have started a ministry for mothers and a friend and I were picking up supplies for it.  I'd asked what they could use and one of the items was sippy cups.  Hey, not a problem.  That's what brothers are for.

So we go to Wal Mart, get a few things, and being a bachelor who knows nothing about this stuff, I call Sis.  The problem is, I ask her about spit cups.

Now, she was with a bunch of her friends at bunco. Great opportunity to roll her eyes and say, "Guess what he just said!"  She didn't.  (Thank you, Sis.)  She knew it was a guy thing. 

Two weeks later--we're getting supplies for the ministry again--and yes, I did it again.

Now, before you tell me I need to quit dipping--I don't.  This is merely a guy thing.  There is a huge difference between men and guys.  If you don't understand what I am talking about, you need to read  Dave Barry's Guide to Guys.  Women may not agree with it, but it will allow them to understand us.  A perfect example Barry gives is of four men who er, had a touch too much to drink one evening.  So for some fun, they decided to go off a ski ramp.  At night.  In a canoe.  Yes, a canoe.  All they got were a few scrapes.

I know.  Sounds ludicrous, doesn't it?  The women I tell that story shake their heads.  The vast majority of the men widen their eyes and say, "Cool." ( I think I've given them an idea.")  I then tell people the rest of what Barry wrote:  "The moment they pushed off--They were guys."  The women get ill, the vast majority of the men go "Yeah!," pumping their fist.

So . . . I'll continue to buy babies spit cups, slouch, have my Dew in the morning, put BBQ sauce on my scrambled eggs, think John Wayne's the best, and the Western is the only type film out there.

Sue me.  It's a guy thing.