C: The Quintessential Western
There are a few movies that draw me into them no matter how many times I have seen them. Some that come to mind: The Godfather (either of the first two); Ol’ Yeller ; Casablanca . If any of these happen to be on the tube and I am passing through the room, I will be drawn to watch as long as I can, even if just a few minutes through a scene I recognize. It happened to me again this past weekend. This time it was Lonesome Dove . Oh, my. When this mini-series comes on, I literally become absorbed in the expansive scenery, the exquisite McMurtry dialogue, the phenomenal acting. Robert Duvall will always be Augustus McCrae for me; Tommy Lee Jones is Woodrow Call. The rest of the cast is equally superb. This movie moves me emotionally, and I’ve tried to pinpoint why. It is, in my opinion, the quintessential western saga; it is also quintessentially “American,” the embodiment of our spirit. The men are men, by golly; and the women...