Saturday, November 29, 2014

Thoughts While Watching TCM

After moving into our new house we signed up with a satellite providers for subscription TV. One of the channels we receive now is Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In the last few months that has become our default channel, and we've enjoyed several old favorites and discovered many movies we'd never seen. 

Yesterday was Hitchcock day on TCM, and one of the films was "Shadow of a Doubt," starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotton. We came in about halfway, but a quick check of the plot on IMDB got me up to speed. 

My favorite scene was where the Teresa Wright character wants to get to the library so that she can check the newspaper to see if her uncle, Joseph Cotton is a murderer.  The library closes at 9 p.m., and it's five minutes before 9. As she walks up to the library, the lights go out, and the door is locked. She pounds on the door, and finally the librarian (a stern looking older woman) tells her that the library is closed. Teresa begs to be let in, and the librarian relents and tells her she has three minutes. 

This is where Hitchcock's genius is apparent. How did he know that my recurring work dream is where it's closing time, and people keep coming into the library and won't leave?  I just had that dream the other night, and it's been almost six months since I've worked in a library. It's like he knew everyone's worst nightmare. 

This morning we watched "Between Two Women," one of the Dr. Gillespie series starring Van Johnson and Lionel Barrymore. I find those entertaining as it gives me an insight as to how the medical profession, or at least the Hollywood version of the medical profession has changed in 70 years. Case in point: in today's movie, Van Johnson is treating a woman who refuses to eat by using psychoanalysis. To try to learn what trauma is causing her condition he goes to the nightclub where she works and gathers all the employees together to see if they had any insight into her condition. So much for doctor/patient confidentiality.  Thanks to HIPPA, we'll never see that scene again.  Unless Dr. House makes a return. 


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