THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

Ever had one of those nights when you’re sound asleep and then you’re not? You toss, you turn, you punch and fluff your pillow. You pull the bed covers up. You kick the bed covers off. You lay there eyes closed. You lay there eyes opened. You turn on the light, and check the clock. It's two a. m. and sleep is a distant dream.

What to do, what to do? Well, I don’t know what you do, but I generally turn on the TV, find something that isn’t too scary or intellectually stimulating and watch it until my eyes close and I can get back to the business of sleeping—hopefully, in a matter of minutes.

I had one of those nights recently, and after what seemed like an eternity of tossing, turning, punching, fluffing and surfing, I landed on the Turner Classic Movie channel, where The Buddy Holly Story was twenty minutes or so into its hour-and-a-half run. 

If you are under the age of fifty, there’s a good chance you never heard of Buddy Holly, or know little-to-nothing about his music.  I can only tell you that he was an original. He didn’t have the looks to be a heart throb like Elvis Presley or other teen idols of the day, but his voice was unique. He was also one of the first rock artists to write, arrange, sing and produce  his own material. 

His career was brief, as was his life. He was just twenty-two when he died in a plane crash along with Ritchie Valens, J. P. Richardson (a. k. a. "the Big Bopper") and their eighteen-year-old pilot. Singer/songwriter Don McClean would later refer to it as “The day the music died” in 1971’s American Pie.    

Considering the fact that Holly’s time in the spotlight was brief—a mere two years from start to finish, he left behind an impressive list of songs that have turned into classics. His story of an American dream gone wrong, sounds like something straight out of Hollywood. Small wonder that over the years several of the country's biggest studios have attempted to bring more than six Holly-related film projects to the screen. Three made it as far as the production stage.

The film I saw on that sleepless night not so long ago was the last of the three, and the only one to make it into the theaters. The first― A Three-Sided Coin, was written by Jerry Allison, Holly’s bass player. He was part of the singer’s back-up group; a trio of boyhood pals known as “the Crickets". Interestingly enough, Gary Busey was chosen to play Allison in that film. But, without script approval from Holly’s widow, it never saw the light of day.  

The second project, which was green-lighted by 20^th Century Fox despite the fact that they had yet to procure the rights to the story, was forced to shut down production just two weeks into filming. 

Why all of these false starts?  Well, according to most sources, Holly’s widow felt that her husband’s story would be best told by a small, independent company, where Holly the man wouldn’t be overshadowed by the star chosen to portray him.

She got her wish when producers Fred Bauer and Ed Cohen, along with director Steve Rash came calling. The trio had produced several well-received music-related productions, and were keen on the Holly project. Their interest, expertise and promise to cast an unknown in the title role won the widow over. Hands were shaken, contracts were signed, and the process of finding that great unknown began.

But finding someone who could not only act but talk, sing, play the guitar and perform like Holly was to say the least, a bit daunting, and the producers realized that there was a good chance they were going to have to go with an actor who could lip-sync to Holly's tracks.

And then came Joyce Selznick, who, as casting director for one of the earlier Holly flicks, had seen, heard and championed a fellow named Gary Busey for the title role. Selznick turned them on to the native Texan, and with rights secured, money procured,and actor lured, success was―hopefully, assured, and the Buddy Holly Story was on its way.

Now, if you’re under the age of forty, there’s a good chance you only know Gary Busey as that lovable but crazy gray-haired guy on TV’s Celebrity Apprentice, this despite the fact that he has appeared in any number of films through the years, including Lethal Weapon and the Streisand/ Kristofferson version of A Star Is Born, and has appeared as himself in various episodes of Two and a Half Men, HBO’s Entourage and Celebrity ReHab with Doctor Drew.

I think the last thing I saw him in on the big screen was in 1992’s The Firm, where he played a burnt out PI who met his Maker while his secretary/girlfriend (Holly Hunter) huddled under his desk where she had been – well, that’s a story for another day.

The Firm aside, my most vivid memory of Gary Busey dates back to his public stance against wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle, despite the fact that the lack of one had nearly cost him his life. Over the years various health professionals have speculated that the brain damage the actor suffered when his bike hit the asphalt in 1988, caused damage that basically took away his filter mechanism, causing him to “speak and act impulsively.”

While Busey’s antics on Mr. Trump’s reality show may make for good television, it is, at least in my opinion, a waste of the man’s considerable talent. I’d forgotten just how talented he was, until that sleepless night in my not-so-distant past. Even in my sleep-deprived state, I was mesmerized by his performance. When I finally turned the TV off at― gasp―4:00 a.m., I made a mental note to add the film to my NetFlix queue, and watch it again when I wasn’t half way between groggy and slumberland.

I would not be disappointed. 

Given the constraints of the film’s meager budget and Mrs. Holly’s wishes, the film’s cast was made up of less-than-familiar faces. Today, more than two decades after its release, viewers may recognize a few actors, but in 1979, even Gary Busey was a virtual unknown.

Busey fit comfortably into Holly’s shoes. Like Holly, he hailed from Texas, no need to affect an accent. What's more, he was a working musician, singing and playing guitar with the Leon Russell band under the name Teddy Jack Eddie. With some minor acting credits to his credit, and an infectious enthusiasm and energy, the actor/singer/musician was, as they say on TV’s talent competitions, 'the whole package', albeit a bit chunkier.

But not for long. By the time filming began, Busey had dropped thirty pounds from his one-hundred-and-seventy pound frame to more closely resemble the wafer-thin musician.  

Gary Busey was thirty-three when he took on the role that called for him to portray Holly from his nineteenth to twenty-second year, but, unlike Kevin Spacey, who appeared far too old to play Bobby Darin in 2005’s Beyond the Sea, I never even thought to question the age disparity. For me at least, he was Buddy Holly. The words he spoke didn’t sound like something he’d memorized; he owned them, his performance completely natural an unaffected. In short, he looked like Holly, talked like Holly, sang like Holly, and moved like Holly. It really is an incredible performance. 

And the music is incredible.   

Outside of some guitar overdubs by Busey’s friend, Jerry Zaremba, what you see on film is what you get. Aided by Don Stroud as the Cricket’s drummer, and Charlie Martin Smith on stand-up bass, Busey shows us why Holly’s music deserves to be remembered. You’ll be dancing in your seat to songs  like That’ll Be the Day,  It’s So Easy, Heartbeat, Peggy Sue, Every Day, Words of Love, Maybe Baby, Will Not Fade Away, Oh Boy!, It Doesn't Matter Anymore, and True Love Ways ―Holly’s only ballad. Based on the spiritual I Will Get By, it is quite something. I could not get it out of my mind for days.

Considering the fact that the entire film was made for somewhere around two million dollars (a minuscule budget, even in 1967), the producers got a lot of bang for their buck. Yes, they used the same concert venue for all of the various theater shots, altering its appearance with a change of curtains, lighting, and camera angles, and yes, the majority of sets are modest. Then again, so was Holly’s life.

What's more important is the quality of the musical sequences, be they in a studio or performance setting. A lot has been made of the fact that the sound track in 2012's Les Miserables was recorded on camera rather than having the actors lip-sinc to prerecorded tracks, as is the norm in movie musicals. But as good as it is, is was not the first.

As we learn on the Holly DVD’s commentary track, Busey and his fellow musicians sang and played on camera, giving these sequences an energy and realistic turn that sets them apart from other films in that genre. Budget and time restrictions made them feel even more spontaneous, as a tight three-day schedule for all of the concert sequences often precluded rehearsing the numbers before they were filmed.

As a result, they are a far more realistic. Lyrics are flubbed, and unscripted moments are caught on film, as when Busey’s mic chord gets tangled in a piece of equipment during one of the concert sequences. Like any seasoned musician, he keeps on going, making it through without falling down or stressing out.

That’s not to say that the movie doesn’t have its flaws. There are more than a few over-the-top moments, the worst of which takes place early-on, when a DJ goes a little crazy, playing Holly’s first record for hours on end. The resulting mayhem, as portrayed on screen, has everyone from the station manager to a couple of over-zealous policeman breaking down the studio door to stop him.

If such an event actually did take place (and I have my doubts) it was no doubt resolved with a turn of a key, as opposed to brute force. Farther into the film, shots of an all-black audience in Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater feel staged. But on-stage, where it counts, the action, music, and electricity are real.  

Some of the characters and situations are not. As with most bio pics, a good many liberties were taken in presenting Holly’s story. In this case, previous contractual agreements prevented the producers from using the Cricket’s real names. Time lines were rearranged, three Crickets morphed into two, and other characters were omitted, created or melded together in order to move the plot forward.

Understandably, some of those who knew Holly were more than a bit put out by these changes, but compared to, say, Night and Day, the 1946 film about Cole Porter that totally misrepresented his private life, The Buddy Holly Story is a fair representation of the singer's final years, and is—despite the knowledge that things will end badly, a joy to watch. 

You’ll also find the DVD’s commentary track to be a treasure trove of information. Recorded in 1998, a full twenty years after the film’s release, it features Busey and director Steve Rash chatting about everything from the singer to his family and music, to the way the production came together. Armed with all of this insightful information, you will no doubt want to go back and watch the  film yet again.
  
The Buddy Holly Story won two Oscars, one for Best Adapted Score, the other, for Best Sound (a triumph given the technology available to them in 1967). But while Busey was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, he lost the award to Jon Voight for his work in Coming Home. That said, he was in good company; other nominees in that category included Robert DeNiro (The Deer Hunter), Warren Beaty (Heaven Can Wait) and Sir Lawrence Olivier (The Boys from Brazil).  

Though we know how the story ends, this is not a sad film. The last frames are spent on stage, where, after wowing the crowd with his music, a buoyant Holly waves ‘good-bye’ before heading off to catch his flight, leaving the viewer with a real sense of what a talent he was, and what a gifted actor Gary Busey is. With any luck he will find his way to another great role, and thrill us all, all over again.

 

SIAO YU

Remember Hill Street Blues? It was a big hit back in the 1980s— a cop show with an ensemble cast headed by Daniel J. Travanti.  

After the show went off the air in 1987 we heard little from Travanti, though he appeared in a number of made-for-cable films, and a couple of short-lived series. It wasn’t until 2002 that he had the chance to take on what I would consider to be the role of a lifetime, this time, on the big screen.

Though Saio Yu takes its name from its young female heroine, it is—at least in my opinion, Travanti’s picture. As Mario Moretti, an over-the-hill writer who hasn’t actually written anything since a nonfiction expose on the poultry industry some thirty years prior, Travanti is at his best.

I am a fan of understated acting, believing that—with very few exceptions, less— as they say, is more.  Travanti’s  demeanor tells us far more about his character than the words he is dealt on the scripted page: a script handsomely crafted by Sylvia Change, who also directed the film,  Geling Yang  and Ang Lee, the much –lauded filmmaker who was recently up for a Best Director Oscar for his work on Life of Pi. 

At its heart, this Taiwanese drama is a story of coping, hoping and living life between the lines.  It revolves around a twenty-four year old illegal immigrant named Siao Yu (Rene Liu), who came to America from Mainland China as a tourist and never went home. It was all part of a master plan engineered by the young girl’s boyfriend Gang Wei (Chung Hua Tou), who is in the country on a student visa,  and his mother. The plan, if fulfilled, would almost certainly offer the couple a chance at a better life as citizens of these United States.  

While Gang Wei’s status is at least temporarily legal, Saio Yu’s is not. As one of a dozens of young Asian women working in a sweat shop on Manhattan’s lower east side, she appears to be but a stitch away from discovery and deportation.  Gang Wei is understandably nervous, and anxious to put the plan into action, even if it means standing by as his girlfriend marries someone else.  Not just any someone, mind you, but an American someone.

Are you still with me?

You see, if Saio Yu can marry an American, and theirs is deemed to be a proper marriage, she will, as the wife of an American, get a Green card. With that card in hand she can then divorce the American, marry Gang Wei, and ride off into the sunset.  

At least that’s the plan.

The trick, of course, is to find an American who is willing to go along with the charade, while making it appear to the ever-vigilant authorities that theirs is, in fact, a ‘real’ marriage.

Where to turn, where to turn? Match.com? Hardly.

Of course, just about anything – even a male-order bridegroom, can be had if you have enough green. A buddy down at the docks where Gang Wei works introduces him to a guy who knows a guy who has arranged five such hitches without a glitch. The price? A paltry ten thousand dollars–a bargain!

Which brings us to Mario, who, it seems, has a bit of a gambling problem. As the film opens he’s in big trouble, with a $9,000 marker he has no way of repaying.  One not-so-subtle warning punch- in-the-stomach later, Mario’s got the message: pay up, or you’re going down.

Which brings us back to our couple, and the ever-so-helpful matchmaker. Turns out he’s the same guy Mario is into for the nine grand, which makes for some interesting negotiations.

When the deal is done, the couple has handed over their life-savings. In return, they get their American bride groom, who hands over his portion of the transaction to the big boss, erasing his gambling debt and allowing him to live  another day. And the extra thousand? Call it postage and handling or better yet, a finder’s fee. 

Match made. Debt paid. Life saved. All is well.

Hell-o Dolly! 

Ten thousand-under-the-table-dollars later, Siao Yu meets the man of her schemes. Some forty years her senior, Mario appears to be far older than his years, drinking, smoking and gambling his way into oblivion. Burnt-out, washed up and over the hill, it would appear that he is but a cough away from the coffin.

After a brief ceremony, a wedding photo is taken to mark the occasion. It is a gesture intended to document the marriage rather than preserve the memory.  Of course the immigration authorities have seen it all before, and know that such unholy unions are all too common. It doesn’t take them long to get on the case, showing up at Mario’s apartment all hours of the day and night to see if the couple is really—a couple.  It soon becomes apparent that if they’re going to get away with this sham of a marriage, they’re going to need a lot more than a photograph and marriage license.

And so it is that, with great reluctance,  Saio Yu moves into her new husband’s cramped apartment: a move that does not sit well with Gang Wei—or Mario for that matter, who didn’t sign up for a roommate.

Before long, one glitch begets another, and another, and another, as more people, problems and personalities come into play. How these characters cope, evolve, and resolve their problems makes for an interesting hour-and forty-four minutes-worth of bitter-sweet moments and unexpected revelations laced with a modicum of humor.  

Adapted from Yang's novel, Saio Yu is less about plot than it is about relationships: a story of opportunities lost, and chances taken.  A tale of love and jealousy, worry and wonder, friendship and deception, intervention and contemplation. Its characters are as well-drawn as its story is compelling.

If I have one complaint or issue with the film, it is in its resolution. Not quite pat, but not quite perfect. Then again, few things are.

BEST FRIENDS

The year was 1982.  Shoulder pads and leg warmers were in, mutton chops were out, and the computer was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year, even though most of us were still pounding things out on our electric typewriters.

At forty-six, and a full ten years after his centerfold in Playgirl magazine, Burt Reynolds was still fit enough to take it all off – again, in the old-school romantic comedy, Best Friends.

Goldie Hawn, his thirty-seven year-old co-star, brought her own star-power to the project, thanks to a highly successful turn as the producer and star of 1980’s Private Benjamin. 

Though neither Hawn nor Reynolds was young by Hollywood standards, they had yet to turn to injectables and cosmetic surgeries—a good thing.  And while Best Friends wouldn’t garner any awards, or pump up their careers in any discernible way, it was, and remains a highly watchable film.

At its best, it is simply terrific. There are at least three scenes within its 116 minute frame that are truly unforgettable. The first takes place in a wedding chapel. No more than four minutes long, it is a classic. The other two scenes, featuring the divinely talented Jessica Tandy, are equally as good if not more so, and not to be missed.  For these three scenes alone, this film is worth watching.   

Burt and Goldie play Richard Babson and Paula McCullen, a couple of screenwriters who work and live together. They are a winsome twosome, much like Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin―the film’s cowriters, on whom the film is loosely based.

Richard and Paula are the ideal Hollywood couple. Great looking.  Crazy about each other. Sexual. Smart―a team in every way. As writing partners, they make a pretty good living turning out saleable but ultimately forgettable screen plays for a sleaze of a producer named Larry Weisman. Ron Silver slivers into the part, bringing this goofy, slimy, jerk of a bad boy to life. No one does sleaze like Silver.

As we meet Paula and Richard, they are in the midst of writing yet another screen play for Weisman’s studio. It’s going slowly, but undeterred, the couple takes some time out to shower and deflower.

While it is never stated, we understand that this is a long-standing relationship, and while Paula is of the “if it ‘ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought, and content to leave things as they are, Richard, who is nine years her senior, yearns for something more.

Eventually, a still-wary Paula sets her marriage reservations aside, and makes a couple of others: booking two tickets on an Amtrak train headed east, where they will meet the parents for the first time.  

But before they shuffle off to Buffalo, where Paula’s parents await, the couple makes a pit stop at a no-frills wedding chapel, where Richard Libertini in an inspired bit of casting, marries them in a quick but unforgettable exchanging of vows.     

Then it’s on to the station, and a cross-country train ride that rivals 1981’s Continental Divide. Not many people travel across country by train these days, but, like making love on the sand (think Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr) or sleeping under a star-lit sky (i.e. Jane Fonda and Robert Redford), there is something wildly romantic (if not realistically comfortable) about the idea of lovers bedding down in a small but cozy cabin for two. But as we soon see, it is as challenging as it is romantic.

There is, on one-hand, the heavenly combination of starry skies and wind-swept snow falling just outside their cabin's window as the train rocks along, while on the other hand, there are the two foot-by-five foot bunk beds that would test the ardor and dexterity of even the most enthusiastic of lovers.

Just watching Richard and Paula trying to fit into the same lower bunk, is hilariously sweet. Concessions to the limitations of the cabin, even more so. What can I say? It’s a great ride.

But all good things must come to an end, and before we know it, we’re in snowy, frigidly-cold Buffalo, New York, where Paula’s elderly parents (Jessica Tandy and Bernard Hughes) are ready and waiting at the station. Tandy is dandy as Paula’s eccentric mother: her comedic timing never better, especially in those two truly unforgettable scenes I mentioned earlier.  
The first takes place in Paula’s teenage bedroom, where Richard finds himself all alone by the telephone – or more to the point, the frigidly-open window.  Paula, it seems, will be sleeping in another bedroom, as in this household, she will always be a virginal sweet sixteen. Here, all beds are twin beds, and never the twins shall meet. 
 
As Richard prepares for bed, Paula’s mom stops by to tuck him in for the night. Pulling the bed covers up just below her son-in-law’s nose, she tucks him tightly, throws open the sash, kisses him on the forehead, turns out the light and closes the door behind her. Beautifully written and executed, it is cold gold: a true bit of window silliness.  

But as good as it is, another Tandy scene, is even better. Set in the master bathroom, it involves a mother-daughter heart-to-heart: a comedic tour de force tinged with the bitter-sweet realities of a long-standing marriage and joys and foibles of growing old together. 

Leg two of the trip finds the newlyweds in the senior Babson’s Virginia condo, where Richard’s sister (Veronica Cartwright) has come home to roost after her recent divorce. More caricatures than characters, Richard's side of the family―including his parents (Audra Lindley and Keenan Wynn) are both overdrawn and overacted. 

To be fair, I should tell you that I am not a fan of broad comedy, and what I may think of as too broad, may not be broad enough for your taste. I also admit that some of the situations in this section of the film may strike a familiar chord, as most of us have found ourselves in situations where we needed some sort of help to get through the day. 

The traumatized couple eventually makes their way back to L.A., where, despite the fact that they are barely talking to each other, they must finish a script that is, by this point, long overdue. Can they pull it off? Will the marriage survive? Was Paula right after all? Should they have remained best friends, or―to steal a more current title, Friends with Benefits? It’s a romantic comedy. What do you think?

Before you press the ‘Happily ever after button” remember that the film was loosely based on the real-life relationship of its writers, who, sad to say, divorced in 1981— roughly the same time as the movie was being filmed.  

Whether Levinson and Curtin wrote the script before they separated, I do not know. But at least on the screen, their sense of humor and respect for each other remained intact to the apparently not-so-bitter end. As for Paula and Richard’s relationship, well, that’s another story. Let’s just say that outside of Roman Holiday, I am hard-pressed to think of one romantic comedy where the couple didn’t live happily ever after―together. 

The music, which is very much of the time, is similar to other film scores of the period.  Masterfully penned by Marilyn and Alan Bergman and Michel Legrand, its theme song (“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”), garnered an Academy Award Nomination, and was subsequently recorded by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Céline Dion. 

For director Norman Jewison, who had put his thumb print on a couple of Doris Day flicks some years earlier, Best Friends was another jewel in his romantic comedy crown. But it wasn’t until 1987’s Moonstruck, that he really hit his stride in that genre.

Barry Levinson would also go on to write and/or direct a series of highly successful films, including The Natural, Avalon, Rain Man, Diner, Good Morning Viet Nam, And Justice for All, and the uncredited scripting of 1982’s Tootsie. That’s a lot of great movie making, and he’s still going strong.

If any of the above films are on your “hit” list, I think you’ll enjoy this underrated, overlooked and generally forgotten film. Better yet, make it a double feature, tacking on Neil Simon’s Chapter Two. Like Best Friends, it too is based on the writer’s real-life marriage. Like Levinson and Curtin, Simon and his wife  Marsha Mason ― who played a celluloid version of herself in the film, would also part, though they would remain together for another five years before calling it a wrap.

But hey, this is Hollywood, and while the song has ended for these real-life couples, the melody lingers on in the form of these two hopefully romantic movies. Despite it's flaws, Best Friends delivers some of the silver screens’ most memorable comedic moments. Like a newlywed's first roast, it is surprisingly tasty and ultimately satisfying, despite the fact that it may be slightly overdone.

 

GLORIOUS 39

Last year at just about this time, I introduced you to a film called Joyeux Noel. Based on fact, it revolved around a 1941 World War I Christmas truce, as seen through the eyes of French, German and Scottish soldiers.

One year later, I find myself writing about another wartime film, 2009’s Glorious 39. I was drawn to this British import by its extraordinary cast of personal favorites, including Julie Christie – Dr. Zhivago’s “Laura”, Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame, and Bill Nighy, who first came to my attention as the woozy over-the-hill rocker in Love Actually.

Writer/director Stephen Poliakoff wrote Glorious 39 with Nighy in mind, having worked with him twice before. But it is Romala Garai, who is the star of the piece, as she is in nearly every frame.

Far from a perfect movie, the film is still worth watching for any number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it looks into the whys and wherefores of the appeasement movement, a subject that is often sidelined by other WWII films.

Promoted by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in the late nineteen thirties, appeasement was championed by those who believed that by making certain concessions, or as historian Paul Kennedy put it, "satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and compromise”, Great Britain could avoid war with Nazi Germany.

Many of those who were directly involved in the movement had served in World War I - the memory of the horrors of war, still fresh in their collective minds. The thought of another war following so closely on its heels was unthinkable, and to be avoided at all costs. Those words – “at all costs” – found so-called “good” people doing very bad things for what they believed to be the greater good.

Judging them and their motives now, with the benefit of hindsight, gives the viewer a decided advantage. But at the time, they believed that there was no way Great Britain could outfight Germany. For them, (particularly those on the top financial and social tiers of society), appeasement was a viable alternative to almost certain defeat, and the demise of a lifestyle to which they had become accustomed.

Apparently historians are still debating the issue, but for me at least, this film, fictional though it may be, sheds some light on the times, temperament and transgressions of the people within the movement.

Taking its title from what has been described as the picture-perfect summer of 1939, Glorious 39 begins on a stunningly beautiful afternoon in mid-August. We are in the low lands of Norfolk, some 100 miles east London. Here,on the grounds of a grand country estate, where everything is as it has been for decades,seemingly undisturbed by the dark, foreboding under-current of the approaching ‘storm'.

We watch as a small cluster of young people play some sort of harmless war game amidst the stones and sheds that dot the property. And then, in one digi-second, we are transported to 2009, where, on a tony London street, a young boy by the name of Michael Walton (Toby Regbo) calls on Walter and Oliver Page, his two elderly cousins. It is the first time the brothers have seen the boy since he was a toddler, and they are obviously and humorously unraveled by his visit.

Michael explains that he has sought them out in order to solve a family mystery involving his great aunt, Anne Keyes (Romola Garai), a beautiful young actress who disappeared during the first days of World War II. The brothers, it seems, are the only surviving members of the family who are old enough to have been there when she disappeared.

Decidedly uncomfortable with the idea of revisiting those fateful days, Walter is hesitant. “It’s not always a good place to go, Michael – the past” he warns, but back we go, to Norfolk, and the great estate, where the youngsters we saw earlier, slightly older now in their late teens and early twenties, are showing some friends around the grounds of the Keyes family’s country estate.

We hear Walter’s voice over their laughter and mindless chatter, as he recalls the summer of thirty-nine.

WALTER: “It was the most glorious summer most people could remember for a very long time. The year before it seemed that the war with Germany had been averted a policy of appeasing Hitler and reasoning with him really had worked. And even now, it seemed it might still work.”

And now we are there. The sky is blue. The sun is warm. The view is to die for. In the center of the grounds we see a large tent dressed, ready and waiting in quiet anticipation. It is one of those willowy-romantic affairs that speaks of a privileged lifestyle. Inside its billowy walls, a formal table covered in crisp white linen is set with crystal stemware and fine china, as staff, family and invited guests await the arrival of Sir Alexander Keyes (Bill Nighy), the family patriarch. It is Sir Alexander’s birthday, and no expense has been spared, no napkin, plate or goblet left unturned for what will certainly be a night to remember.

We learn that Sir Alexander, a well-respected member of the House of Commons, has, over time, chosen to take a back seat in the political hierarchy for health reasons that are never explored. And yet we are told, he still wields considerable influence. Charming, noble - writer of books and giver of speeches, he is, by all accounts a man to be admired. A family man who loves and is loved by his wife and children. His eldest, Michael’s great aunt Anne, was adopted by Alexander and his wife Maud some twenty years before, believing that they were incapable of having children of their own. To their great surprise, a few months after Anne’s arrival, Maud became pregnant with a son they would name Ralph (Eddie Rayme), and later, a daughter named Celia (Juno Temple).

Now in her late teens, Celia looks up to her twenty-something older sister, whom she views as living a wildly romantic life both on and off the screen. Brother Ralph, who has followed his father into government service, is extremely fond of Anne as well, although there is an inescapable competitiveness his part. Yet and still, this is a loving, family, where Anne is treated as an equal. There are even times when it would appear that she holds a special place in her father’s heart.

As portrayed by Bill Nighy, Sir Alexander outwardly views the times with quiet reserve. While he is obviously against the war, he is far from its most vocal critic. Having fought and been wounded in WWI, his memories of the war are still fresh, and he tells Anne that he is fearful of what a second war – following so closely on the heels of the first, could mean to his country, his family, and life as they know it. Brother Ralph and sister Celia have similar leanings. Mother Maud says little, preferring to concentrate on the health of the estate’s garden.

Alexander’s sister, Elizabeth (Julie Christie), is a much stronger presence: a woman who enjoys the life afforded her by her station. Flighty and self-consumed, she is both a party-giver and goer, appearing to see the war as more of a nuisance than anything else.

While the Keyes family grounds the story, friends, lovers and colleagues drive it forward, establishing motives and revealing consequences. When Anne stumbles upon some potentially damaging recorded material on the grounds of the estate, the war becomes far more personal, as she is catapulted into the quiet fury of the times. Suddenly people she cares about are dying all around her, silenced by their own hand, or murdered for their political beliefs. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that no one is safe, and everyone is suspect. And while her family goes to extraordinary lengths to keep her free from harm, she cannot help by see her place and status within their ranks change, as her roots are questioned, and ties, unbound.

One can see how, in the light of impending war, the line between right and might can become blurred, and even those with no political connections, must figure out who to trust and who to fear. What to believe and what to question. What to do, and what not to do when everything you thought to be true, isn’t.

In Poliakoff’s ’s world, wolves gad about in sheep’s clothing, with few obvious villains aside from the menacing Joseph Balcombe (Jeremy Northham), a decidedly evil government operative who arrives with Alexander in time for the birthday dinner.

Beyond the high drama, and the answer―if there is one― to young Michael's question as to what became of his great aunt, there is the undeniable reality of how quickly things can change in time of war. Rules go out the window. Identities are challenged. Families are uprooted. Homes are abandoned. Animals are euthanized. Hearts are broken. Lives are shattered, and time is suspended. The only certainty―uncertainty.

Days after watching this motion picture, knowing what I know about Hitler, and the horror of the Holocaust, I find myself wondering what the world would be like today, had the misguided efforts of the appeasement movement gone unchecked.

Talk about scary stuff.

Glorious 39 is an unsettling and uneven movie: a bit too slow, too long and too wordy. Those of you who are fans of the quick cut and short scene will no doubt grow impatient with its deliberate pace. Billed as a thriller, it never set my heart racing. There were no great reveals. No red herrings. No amazing plot twists or Hitchcockian moments. I tell you this as I believe that you will realize early-on who has done what to whom. Yet, despite its girth, pace and probability, this thoughtful, handsomely cast film offers a unique perspective on one of history’s defining moments. For that reason alone, I believe that it is well worth your time and (im)patience.

Why now? Why not? This is, after all, a time when we sing of peace on earth and good will toward men. A time to reflect on our many blessings, not the least of which is the freedom we enjoy and the brave men and women who are putting their lives on the line to protect all that we hold dear.

There are a lot of wonderful, uplifting Christmas films out there. You’ll find many of them listed in previous posts. My favorite, Christmas in Connecticut, is a delightful bit of whimsy that the whole family can enjoy.

So what will it be? Glorious 39 or Christmas in Connecticut? They are about as different as different can be. Watch one, or both, when and where you like. As we used to say when I was a little girl, "It's a free country, and you can do as you please."

THE NATURAL

REVISITING ONE OF ROBERT REDFORD'S BEST

Yesterday, as I was preparing for my day, I saw a segment on NBC's Today Show about a 31-year-old former ball player named Adam Greenberg. I’m not a sports buff, but Adam’s story caught my attention. Back in 2005, on his very first day in the majors, the Chicago Cubs’ outfielder was hit in the back of his head by a 92-mph fastball, literally ending his career. To hear Greenberg tell it, it was much like the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities going from the best of times to the worst of times in one, life-altering moment.

Filmmaker Matt Liston couldn’t get Adam’s story out of his mind, and though he literally didn’t know Adam from Adam, he set out to help the ballplayer get one official major league at-bat. Undeterred by the Cub’s dismissal of the idea, Liston posted an on-line petition asking for support, with the hope of getting one of the majors to give Adam a chance. At the time of this writing, over 25,000 people had signed on.

In the seven years between that ill-fated day and Thursday’s interview, a determined Adam Greenberg was hard at work, getting his body in shape, while knowing that at thirty-one, his chances of getting a second chance at bat were slim.

The morning show’s segment began with an explanatory video followed by a brief interview with host, Matt Lauer. Moments before the segment was set to end, there was, as they say, the great reveal, by remote broadcast, David Samson, General Manager of the Marlins (the very team the Cubs were playing on what was to be his first and last game) stepped up to the virtual plate. In a mighty mix of good will and great PR, Samson offered Goldberg a one-day contract. Both Goldberg and Liston were understandably overwhelmed.

While Greenberg’s story reminded Liston of Terrance Mann (James Earl Jones’ cantankerous recluse in 1989’s Field of Dreams, I was reminded of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), the central character in The Natural, the film that breathed new life to an aging and discarded genre. Like Hobbs, Greenberg's story is about baseball, a thirty-something rookie, and a chance at a second chance. Any similarity ends there.

Now, I don’t usually write about big pictures, and this film, with its four-star company and equal number of Academy Award nominations, certainly falls into that category. But it’s a picture worth seeing again, especially since a few years back a DVD Anniversary Edition provided us with the Director’s cut, featuring twenty minutes of never-before-seen footage and a totally reworked first act.

By tightening some sequences and expanding others, the production team was able to add only six minutes to the film's total running time, while producing a piece that, we are told, a great deal closer to the original intent of the script. Director Barry Levinson offers it as an alternative rather than a substitute for the original. With more time to establish why Hobbs is the way he is, it is a darker, more intimate view of the ballplayer’s life and mindset.

Based on the 1952 novel by Bernard Malamud, The Natural begins somewhere in the Midwest. It’s 1923, and, spotted by Sam Simpson, and older but wiser scout/agent, the 19-year-old minor league player is given the opportunity to try out for the Chicago Cubs. And so it is that Hobbs leaves his boyhood home and sweetheart (Iris Gaines - a fetchingly warm, Glenn Close)behind, promising to bring her to Chicago as soon as he is able.

Fresh from an eight-game streak of no hitters, the young ballplayer’s confidence is shaken when, shortly after boarding the train to Chicago, he is introduced to Max Mercy (Robert Duvall), a hard-nosed syndicated sportswriter/cartoonist and his Babe-Ruth-like pal, known to baseball fans as “The Whammer.” Mercy obviously enjoys his relationship with the idol, a bigheaded bully who likes nothing better than to belittle anyone who might possibly threaten his standing. Moments after the obligatory handshake, The mean-spirited duo set about undermining Roy's confidence, raising doubts in his mind as to his readiness for the majors.

A short time later the train makes a 30-minute water stop, where a carnival is in progress. While the Whammer parades his batting skills before a captive crowd, Hobbs seeks out one of the carnival's games of skill, hurling balls at bottles with an uncanny rate of accuracy. When one ball fails to connect, The Whammer and his pal show no mercy, taunting the player with a series of cruel and demeaning barbs. Having had enough, Simpson lays his money down and places his bet: Hobbs vs. the Whammer: three throws/three strikes.

The far-from-humble icon is both unfazed by the challenge. "You old boozer," he retorts, "your brain must be full of mush. This sh-t-kicker couldn't strike me out with 100 pitches."

But strike him out he does: a feat that does not go unnoticed by Mercy, who, while shrugging it off as pure luck, is impressed enough to draw a quick sketch of the match, underscored by the words, "Three balls - three strikes". His relationship with Whammer in jeopardy should he print it, there is little doubt that the cartoon will ever make the morning paper.

Back on the train, a mysterious woman in black by the name of Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershey) takes Hobbs’ win seriously. Making her way to his seat, she turns on the charm, showering him with compliments. Flattered, his confidence boosted by the day's triumph, Hobbs confides, “Someday I’ll break every record in the book. I know I got it in me.”

“What do you hope to accomplish?” she prods.

“When I walk down the street, people will say, ‘There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was.'"

“Is that all?” she asks.

“Well,” he replies, quizzically, "what else is there?”

It is the answer to that question that drives the story and turns the tide, as, in short order, a life-altering event insures that Hobbs never makes it to first base.

When he resurfaces some sixteen years later, seemingly out of nowhere, any connection to his triumph by the train has been all but forgotten. He is a man with no past, and a very imposing present, almost single-handedly digging the flailing New York Knights out of last place. Hell bent on finding out who this mystery man is, Mercy (whose is vaguely aware that he’s seen the ball payer before) pokes and prods and pokes some more. But Hobbs isn’t talking.

What Mercy finds, and how it impacts the thirty-six year old rookie and baseball in general, are just two of the components in this darkly shaded, finely tuned tale.

The Natural is of the few films of substance that has something for just about everyone. Funny, romantic, serious and sensuous, troubled and triumphant, it is a story about a boy and his bat, a man and his woman, a player and his dream, and the uplifting and underbelly sides of the great American pastime.

Some of the generations’ most formidable actors serve up first-rate performances, with Redford, Close and Duvall leading the way. They are backed up by one of the best supporting casts ever assembled in one film, including Wilford Brimley and one of my all-time favorite character actors, the late Richard Farnsworth. The chemistry between the two men is palpable, and makes for some of the film’s most natural and amusing exchanges. Kim Bassinger, as a woman with split alliances and motivations, won a Golden Globe for her role as femme fatalle, Memo Paris. Like a heavy-hitter at the top of his game, this wildly talented ensemble knocks it out of the park.

Some years ago I was wandering through an open-air, Nashville flea market when I came upon a booth filled with movie memorabilia. Among the offerings, a series of waist-up, life-size, particle board-backed, black and white photographs of men in vintage clothing, posed as if they were seated in a baseball stadium. There must have been twenty-to-thirty different groups of two, all of which were used to fill out large expanses of empty seats in sequences calling for a backdrop of people-filled bleachers.

A thick elastic band on the backside of each photo enabled the film’s crew to attach the boards to large sections of umanned seats, supplementing the six thousand extras that moved about the rows, booing, cheering and going wild with excitement on cue. Choosing one of the more colorful duos, I dubbed them “Vinny and Guido”. On the ride home, I felt safe and sound, my rear-view mirror filled with what appeared to be two men of dubious character guarding me from any and all intruders.

Such ingenuity on the part of the production team made for a smartly propped and dressed, divinely photographed film, with a soft focus and color palate reminiscent of Edward Hopper's work punctuating the dusty railroad stations and Chicago neighborhoods of that era. So perfectly designed is the lighting and cinematography, that nearly every frame is a work of art. Lovers, silhouetted against a summer moon, Redford waiting for a train, the lovely Iris, seated behind an ice cream parlor window. A baseball thrown from a train at sunset, each and every one of them, exquisite.

While music can often upstage or overwhelm a film, Randy Newman’s score is pitch-perfect: a complex mix of humor and wall-to-wall, bigger-than-life, Americana that makes you want to raise a barn, stand up and cheer, or drive along a wide expanse of lush country road, as I have, to the sound of this big, bold, sumptuous score.

Amazingly enough, The Natural was only Newman’s second film, and he was more than a bit nervous about pulling it off. Once filming began the entire project was put on fast-forward, with everyone racing to complete the feature by the studio's mandatory release date. As a result, while the film was being edited in one room, the music to whatever sequence had been completed last, was being written in the next. So thin were the walls, that the director could hear the piano, as Newman went about his work.

In one of the DVD's featurettes, the director recalls the day he heard the movie's haunting theme for the very first time.

“I’m hearing this fiddling on the piano, and all of a sudden I hear [he sings] ‘Da da da da, da da da. Da da da da, da da da’, and I think, 'I wonder if that’s going to be the main theme?' You can imagine how thrilling that is: to be hearing through the wall the moment of the birth of a piece of theme.”

Newman concedes that in a very real way, necessity was the mother of invention, as, had he not been forced to write to the edited footage, the ‘heroic horns’ that are so identifiable, would have never come to mind, as they were, he says, against his natural inclination.

Such tidbits make the Anniversary DVD a treasure trove of information. Aside from the all-new, high-definition digital transfer, the Director's Cut is enhanced by a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and comes complete with a diverse collection of featurettes that address everything from the differences between Malamud’s much-loved novel and the film, to how it came to be written, cast, produced, scored. The hours it took to film and edit the picture's key baseball sequences, particularly the final game, which called for over six hundred separate shots and edits.

You’ll also learn which events, characters and quotes were drawn from real life, and share a laugh with the director, as he tells of an opening day visit to a local movie theater, where he was met by a group of disgruntled ticket holders, who wanted their money back. The whys and wherefores of it all make for hours of interesting viewing. Fascinating stuff, all.

Much of the credit for the on-going popularity of this film goes to Barry Levinson, who job it was to take the script from conception to completion. The fact that Redford saw in Levinson the ability to carry it off, despite the fact that he had only one small, though highly successful film (Diner), is to his credit. And carry it off, he did.

Close to fifty movies later, Barry Levinson’s filmography is filled with instant classics like Rain Man, Avalon, Good Morning, Viet Nam, High Anxiety, and Wag the Dog, But it was The Natural that paved the way for other great baseball movies, including Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, A League of Their Own, Eight Men Out, The Rookie, and more recently, 2011’s Moneyball and Trouble with the Curve, which is currently showing at your local movieplex.

Suffice to say, The Natural was a natural: a wonderful tale, told well. It, like Roy Hobbs and Adam Greenberg, deserves another turn at bat.

A final note: Adam Greenberg signed the afore-mentioned one-day contract yesterday. Unless you hear differently, he'll be in the batter’s box next Tuesday (October 2nd), when the Marlins go head-to-head with the New York Mets.

QUEEN TO PLAY

At first glance, Queen To Play appears to be a simple tale of a woman who finds her passion in the game of Chess. But don’t be fooled. It is one of those small, but eloquent films that the French are so rightly famous for. Its cast of characters is small, its dialogue, sparse, and its settings, unremarkable, save for a few wistfully idyllic bicycle rides through the Corsican countryside, a far off ocean view or two, and a balcony setting that is, by its very nature, romantic.

At its core, this 2009 film is about one woman’s search for meaning in her life― to feel as if she has something to offer, and to have that something be acknowledged, as much by herself, as by others. And while it is far from the traditional boy-meets-girl kind of love story, it is very much about love: the love between a husband and wife, mother and daughter, and teacher and student. It is also about learning to love one’s self, and the love one feels for something rather than someone, be it art, music, sports, literature, science, history, or in this case, Chess.

As the film opens, Hélène (our heroine) is getting ready to leave for work. Pleasant but plain looking, her hair in a bun, her face devoid of make-up save for a bit of lipstick, she is a face in the crowd.

As portrayed by Sandrine Bonnaire, Hélène is a woman who observes life, rather than living it. She watches as a female co-worker steals a kiss from her lover, then listens as the young woman reveals her plans to leave the island in search of something more. It is during this brief but telling conversation that we learn that once upon a time Hélène had much the same plans and dreams, leaving her home, friends and family in exchange for the promise of a better life.

But as we see, that promise has gone unfulfilled. Easing into middle age, her life has been far from easy. As a chambermaid at a small but elegant island retreat, she works where others play. Her day involves a series of mundane routines: the washing and ironing of the hotel’s linens, the making of beds, replacing of towels, and removing of room service trays, stains, crumbs, personal items and other left-behinds, so that each room is in pristine condition by check-in.

At quitting time she does not quit, taking the bus to her second job as housekeeper for the somewhat eccentric and reclusive Dr. Kröger (Kevin Kline), a sixty-something American expatriate who is hard pressed to remember her name, even though she has, it appears, been in his service for some time.

If Hélène is unfulfilled at work, she receives little-to-no validation at home. Her husband Ange (Francis Renaud), is a good looking but inattentive partner, who thinks nothing of spending a night or two each week playing backgammon with his friend Jacky, while being all but oblivious to his wife’s needs and desires. When he confides that work is slow and getting slower, she asks how they will manage if he is laid off. “We’ll see” he says, shifting the onus onto her shoulders. “Did you ask your Yankee for a raise?”

She hasn’t, but does—haltingly, and Kröger is quick to pick up on her insecurities.

Hélène: I wanted to ask –
Kröger: Yes?
Hélène: It’s about my—
Kröger: —about your..?
Hélène: Salary. My husband thinks—
Kröger: Does he think for you?
Hélène: No, I think so too.
Kröger: Yes - - ?
Hélène: You could give me a raise: Ten euros.

But clearly, she has, over time, put Ange’s thoughts, desires, and wishes before her own.

In the end, “the Yankee” comes through, though it is doubtful that the extra money will offset the couple’s financial woes. Unlike their teenage daughter (Alexandra Gentil), who is ashamed of their social status, they accept the fact that they are members of the working poor, and destined to stay that way.

And then one day, the chambermaid enters an American couple’s room to straighten up, only to find that the guests are still in residence. Startled, she turns to leave, but the couple, flirtatiously playing a game of Chess on the balcony, encourages her to stay.

From her place by their unmade bed, Hélène finds herself transfixed, as the two engage in what might be termed intellectual foreplay over a Chessboard. She (Jennifer Beals), in her negligee, he, (Dominic Gould), divinely handsome in his linen-white shirt and slacks, do a delicate “dance” that is as intimate as if they were physically making love.

Later, the woman asks the voyeur, “Do you play?”— a question of Chess, with underlying undertones. Hélène responds with a quiet, almost bashful, “No”, but her fascination with the game, its pieces, process, power and sensuality is instantaneous. Soon, she will find herself, as she finds herself consumed by it.

But to play Chess, one has to have a Chessboard and pieces, and money is tight. Realizing that this is not the time to buy something for herself, let alone something frivolous, she, like the man who buys his wife a big-screen TV for their anniversary so that he can watch the Super Bowl, buys her husband an electronic Chess set for his birthday. His displeasure is obvious.

Ange: What’s this?
Hélène: An electronic Chess set.
Ange: So, I see. What’s it for?
Helene: Playing Chess, I’d say.
Ange: But I can’t play.
Hélène: You can learn. It’s a change from Backgammon.
Ange: Who am I supposed to play with?
Hélène: I don’t know—with me (pregnant pause), or on your own—It's a game you can play on your own.
Ange: On my own?

Bewildered, disappointed and annoyed, Ange sets the game aside, with a barely audible "thank you", and the telling, “I hope it didn’t cost too much.”

But whatever the cost, Hélène is hooked, and as soon as the birthday boy has fallen asleep, she rises from their bed, reclaims the set, and submerges herself in the rule book, examining the pieces and finding her way around the Chessboard.

Within days, fascination has turned into obsession, though it soon becomes apparent that if she is to progress, she will need both a partner and teacher. With her husband both unwilling and unable to fill the bill, she sets out to find someone who can.

She finds that someone in Kröger. His initial reluctance is soothed by her offer to forgo her wages in exchange for a daily game of Chess. Soon, any reservations he may have had are replaced by the realization that Hélène has a real gift for the game: a gift that goes well beyond his own level of play. Mentor and cheerleader, the doctor encourages her to enter a local competition: a step that will cause her to reach higher, dig deeper, and potentially change the course of her life.

But change seldom comes without consequence. Her work suffers, and she seems distracted at home, no longer willing to put everything and everyone else first. And as is so often the case, those who initially cheer her on begin to feel threatened as her role in their lives begins to change. Some reactions are subtle, others more overt. And though, after a few initial missteps Ange tries to be supportive, it’s clear that he is uncomfortable with his wife’s newly found confidence. Even Hélène is torn, wondering if the prize was worth the price. “I liked it better before I didn’t question everything.”

Her angst is apparent when discussing Martin Eden (Jack London’s semi-autobiographical novel) with her daughter, Lisa. Though the circumstances are very different, the similarities between the hero’s life and her own are palpable, and in talking about him, Hélène is really talking about herself. “Have you read it?” She asks.

Lisa: It made me cry. Beautiful—The sailor who became a writer.
Hélène: You mean the writer who should have stayed a sailor.
Lisa: Why do you say that?
Hélène: Because he was unhappy. Because he realizes it wasn’t worth the effort, and he doesn’t belong anywhere.
Lisa: Yes, but he did it. If he’s an outsider, it’s because he's better than those he tried to impress. impress.
Hélène: Why be better if you don’t do anything with it?

And there’s the rub.

As Hélène and her family begin to sort it all out, the reclusive doctor is doing some sorting of his own. His secrets, fears, failing health, longings and ambitions make up a bittersweet subplot that is skillfully unraveled by the ever-fascinating Kline.

But it is Hélène’s relationships that are front and center here, and ultimately, the film is not as much about Chess, or class, as it is about love, passion and self worth. I tend to disagree with writer/director Caroline Bottaro’s feeling that the film would have worked just as well had Hélène’s obsession been with Backgammon or Bridge, as I find the queen’s power in the game, as spelled out by daughter Lisa (“She [the queen] can do anything, go anywhere she likes. She’s stronger than the king.”) an interesting counterpoint to the way Hélène interacts with, and is viewed by her family, friends, employer and co-workers.

In an interview following the release of the film, Bonnaire points out that it isn’t so much the game that initially arouses the chambermaid’s interest, as it is the intimacy - how deeply the American couple appears to love each other– savoring every moment, “falling all over the chess board.” It is an intimacy Hélène yearns for, one―to her astonishment―that remains in tact, even when the woman wins the game.

Originally titled Jouyese,(the feminine form of “player”), and based on Bertina Henrich’s novel La Joueuse d’échecs, Queen To Play is a study in understatement, save for a few flashes of overt symbolism and telepathy. The dialogue is simple, the scenes, short, and the acting, low-key, belying the fact that it took eighteen drafts and five years to get it to the screen.

That simplicity, if you'll pardon the cliché, speaks volumes, for while this is a film about finding your passion, pursuing your dreams and changing your destiny despite your origin, education, or surroundings, it is not Rocky or Breaking Away. This to say that Hélène’s triumphs are not underscored by pulsating trumpets, an over synthesized sound track or the roaring of crowds, and yet, you will find much to cheer about in this small, well put and played film about every day people whose lives while not shaken, are stirred.

OUR TOP FOOD FINDS OF 2012

Welcome to our Second Annual Food Find edition, the one time each year that this blog focuses on food rather than film. The following 'finds' have either been sent in by readers, or discovered by yours truly over the past year. Save for a few regional offerings, they are all readily available at supermarkets and specialty stores throughout the United States, or by mail order. This year our finds range from the sinfully rich, to low cal and gluten-free standouts. There’s something for everyone, so let’s get started!

BREAKFAST

BACON
Smithfield Pouch Pack Bacon is perfect for those of us who only eat bacon occasionally, or have small households where you only need a slice or two at a time. It’s made up of two slim, breakaway sections that fit into even the most crowded freezers. Not only does the bacon freeze well, but the slices (six to a pouch) are longer than most packaged brands, with one slice the near equivalent of two. I happen to like the Hometown Original variety, but there are several options to choose from. You’ll find them in supermarkets around the country including Spartan’s, Lowe's, Winn Dixie, Safeway, Food Lion, Acme, and Kroger.

POWER BARS
One of our more health-conscious readers recommends Cliff’s Mountain Mix MoJo Bars. She says she enjoys them as “an afternoon pick-me-up” at work. The bars come in a variety of flavor combinations, with ingredients like chocolate chips, rice, oats, raisins, almonds, cashews, pecans, white chocolate chips, and peanut butter-filled pretzels. “You get eight-to-nine grams of protein in every bar” she writes, with no trans fats or processed sugars. Weighing in at 200 calories a bar, they are, "delicious."

SAVORY BAKED GOODS

BREADS
Last year’s Food Find edition included Pepperidge Farm’s Bagel Flats. This year, Audrey of Little Neck, New York adds their Thin Sliced white and whole wheat bread to our list, noting that at 40 calories per slice, “You can make a sandwich [or at least the bread component] for just eighty calories.” I’ll buy that.

ENGLISH MUFFINS
George of Hot Springs, Arkansas is a fan of Wolferman’s English Muffins, which he says, are ‘to die for!!!” “I grew up on the original recipe,” he writes, “ but have come to savor the blueberry as well. We lived two blocks from the main Wolferman’s store in Kansas City, and four of six kids worked there at one time or another.” George fondly remembers Saturdays, when “one of the kids who worked that day would come home with grocery bags full of produce and baked goods that would not hold over ‘til Monday. With six kids, this was a Godsend to mom and dad, and we never got in trouble if we snuck some of the ‘free stuff.’” George also recommends Wolferman's preserves and jelly, which were also a part of those early day goodie bags. “The owner used to throw a few jars in ‘for the baby’ – moi!” writes George, “All their products are good enough to make you wanna slap yo momma, as they say ‘roun here.” Find these and other Wolferman's treats at wolfermans.com.

CRACKERS
I’m not sure why, but this year we’ve got a barrelful of crackers 'finds' ― big and small, long and round, wavy, bite-size and otherwise, each one deliciously unique in its own way.

Perhaps the most unusually shaped cracker on our list is a Canadian entry. Leslie Stowe appears to be Canada’s answer to Martha Stewart, and she, like Martha, has built a line of products that bear her name.

Leslie Stowe Raincoast Crisps don’t look or taste anything like the crackers you grew up with. If I had to describe them in familiar terms, I would say that they are a far far far distant cousin of Melba toast – but that would be doing a major disservice to these wonderfully quirky, slightly wavy crackers. During the Christmas holidays, a friend was a guest at a party where they were served, and fell in love. She said they were laced with lovely paper-thin slivers of fruit and nuts. Intrigued, I set out to find them, and was richly rewarded for my efforts.

Of the three varieties I’ve tried, Leslie Stowe's Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps are, to my mind, the best. You’ll find them at Whole Foods, which charges more than a dollar more per box than this region’s Fresh Market chain. But even at Fresh Market, they are a splurge. Other flavors include Salty Date and Almond (I couldn’t taste the dates), Fig and Olive (I couldn’t taste the fig), Rosemary Raisin Pecan (haven’t tried them), and the original crisps, which are good with cheese, but in my opinion, nowhere near as interesting as the Cranberry Hazelnut crisps.

Margaret’s Artisan Bakery, whose Roasted Garlic and Chive Artisan Flatbread was on last year’s list of finds, makes a slightly less expensive version of Stowe's oddly shaped crisps. Their various blends veer only slightly from the originals, combining for example, cranberries and pumpkin seeds rather than cranberries and hazelnuts. Some pairings fare better than others. While, as noted earlier, I could hardly find the dates in Stowe’s Raincoast Crisps, Margaret’s Date and Walnut Crisps seem to have gotten it right, with a slightly sweet, mildly nutty flavor that goes well with butter, Boursin or similarly flavored cheeses and spreads.

Paula in Memphis, Tennessee sent this next find in just after the first edition was published, giving me plenty of time to find it on my grocer’s shelf. While she wrote about Blue Diamond Hazelnut Thins (16 crackers = 130 calories), which were her absolute favorite, I got hooked on Blue Diamond's Nut and Rice with Sea Salt Nut Thins (17 crackers = 130 calories). They sell for from $2.50 to $3.00 a box, and appear to go on sale fairly often.

Strangely, I got hooked on the crunch, as much as the taste of these crackers, which reminded me of Fritos Corn Chips. I also marveled at the fact that despite the fact that they were the lower salt version of the line, I could still taste the salt. Just seven or eight calories a cracker-depending upon the flavor, these bite-sized, incredibly crunchy, grab a bunchy crackers, are often found in the Health Food section of the country's supermarkets.

From Florida comes word of a Sam's find. Margene in Sarasota, recommends the wholesale warehouse club's Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers.“They’re really good,” she writes, “and gluten-free.”

And while we're talking 'gluten-free', even if, like me, you're not glucose intolerant, you're going to love Sesmark gluten-free Savory Rice Thins. I just happened to stumble upon them in the cracker section of my local market. Modestly priced, tasty alone or topped with whatever you're in the mood for, they hit the spot and the mark at just 18 calories a cracker.

Paula in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma is a fan of Kellogg’s Special K Crackers. She didn’t specify which flavor she favors, but the multi-gain variety I sampled tasted a little like a graham cracker. At 120 calories for 24 bite-sized crackers, you can have your fill.

Dena, from Flourtown, Pennsylvania, sends in two Trader Joe finds. Trader Joe’s Thin Mini Crackers are short on everything but flavor. “Just grab a handful like you would peanuts or pretzels,” says she. Grab two; they're just 27 calories a serving, with no fat, carbs or protein. Look for Dena's other Trader Joe find, under Pretzels, Chips, Dips and Other Snacks.

CHEESES
Say ‘Cheese” and Jackie from Bartlett, Tennessee’s mind immediately turns to Mississippi State University, which, she writes, “has a renowned dairy science department.” While the school sells everything from butter to ice cream, it's their cheese that gets Jackie's family’s attention. Their favorite is the Edam cheese, which Jackie describes as savory and mellow. According to Mississippi State's web site, they use fresh milk from their own dairy herds. Jackie's also a fan of their Vallagret cheese, “a Swiss-type cheese without the holes." The two-pound wheel arrives unsliced, and has "a nutty, buttery flavor.” Interested? Be forewarned, you can't dawdle when it comes to ordering. “It’s so popular that they usually sell out before we can get our order in”, she writes, "but THIS spring we managed to buy some for the whole family and we all agree that it’s scrumptious.” She goes on to say that Mississippi State also sells juice, cider, condiments, peanuts, meat and other non-dairy products. For more information go to MSUcheese.com.

These next two cheeses are types, rather than brands of cheese. The first is a hugely popular Swiss cow’s milk cheese known as Gruyere. If you haven’t tried it, make room in your budget for a small, hand-sliced wedge. At its best, it has a slight crunch to it, and little in common with the pre-packaged bricks or pre-sliced, household brand versions in your grocer’s refrigerated case.

Parrano is another personal favorite. This Dutch cow's milk cheese is not nearly as well known as Gruyere, and often gets confused with the far more famous Grana Padano (a hard cheese that has earned the distinction of being the most popular cheese in Italy.) Parrano may not be as popular, but it is every bit as delicious, and can be eaten as is, grated or used for cooking. As cheese is so expensive these days, I tend to eat it full on, one slice at a time. It goes well with grapes, a bite of salami, Capicola or Proscuitto, and if you are so inclined, a glass of wine. One Internet cheese purveyor describes Parrano as “sweet and salty, mild and nutty.” All I can say is, I adore it.

Boursin Garlic & Herbs cheese made last year’s list, but at 41 grams of fat per serving, isn’t exactly what you’d call ‘diet-friendly’. Enter Boursin Light Garlic & Fine Herbs Gournay cheese in a handy dandy re-closeable tub. I tend to avoid products labeled lite, light, and sugar-free (except for an occasional diet soft drinks), choosing instead to have less of the real thing. But in this case, Boursin hits it out of the park with a spread that― could it be? ―is even better than the original. And with 50% less fat and 35% fewer calories, you can indulge. Two tablespoon’s-worth comes in at only 50 calories. Slather it over two or three of those pricey-but-worth-it Leslie Stowe Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps, or Margaret’s Date and Walnut Crisps and prepare to swoon.

JAMS, BUTTERS & SPREADS
Missy from Germantown, TN. writes, “I've never been much of a marmalade fan, but the Tangerine Marmalade by Stonewall Kitchen is irresistible! Fresh Market sells the brand but not this variety. (We were served this at a B&B in Portland, Oregon, and I have vowed to never be without.) I order directly online and add their scone mix for an awesomely wonderful breakfast treat.” After receiving Missy's note, I logged into the company’s website at www.stonewallkitchen.com/ and found all manner of tempting and reasonably priced vittles, including four scone mixes: traditional, toasted coconut, blueberry sour cream and orange cranberry. Now all you need is some butter (no margarine allowed), and you’re set!

Which reminds me - Last November, I stopped by the cheese counter at my local Kroger, where they had a short supply of hand-blended Orange/Lemon/Grapefruit butter for sale. You may think it sounds a little crazy, but let me tell you, spread across one of George’s English muffins. Missy’s scones, Audrey’s bread, or melted over a hot sweet potato, snuggled inside some hot rice, or drizzled over baked rainbow trout, Brussels Sprouts or any number of veggies, quick breads and cobblers, it’s heavenly.

SIDES

I found this next ‘find’ while ogling the pots, pans, spatulas and other handy dandy cooking utensils at a restaurant supply store. I'm not sure what drew me to the large (32 ounce) jar of Cajun Chef Louisiana Spicy Green Tomato Pickles, but drawn I was. Reading the nutritional facts on the label, I was pleased to find that 23 bite-sized tomato chunks translated into only 28 calories, This was clearly my kind of snack. It was also a bargain at less than $4.50 a jar. I carried one home, put it in the fridge, and started a love affair that continues to this day. They are both sweet and hot (not scary hot, but with a bit of bite after the fact). Packed in a vinegar bath, they’re great chilled and served right out of the jar. Add them to your relish tray, use them as a garnish on your martini, or to stave off hunger pains before dinner, or pair them with fried catfish, as we do in this part of the country. If you can’t find them at your local market or restaurant supply store you can order them by mail at www.cajunwholesale.com.

RICE & PASTA
Love rice, but tired of the same old same old? Try Sadaf Basmati Rice Mix―Sweet Harmony. I came across this box of deliciousness at a Mediterranean grocery store some years ago. The vegetarian blend is a heady mix of orzo pasta, raisins, almonds, currents and cranberries, and orange peel, onion, cinnamon, saffron, a little sugar, and some exotic spices that add a wonderful flavor to the overall dish, and the golden color of the rice and other ingredients really perk up a plate!

FROZEN ENTREES

Losing weight isn’t easy. Low cal foods generally don’t cut it, which is why I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for Lean Cuisine’s Frozen Dinners. Comparing them to the so-called “TV dinners” of yesteryear is ridiculous, as they have little in common with the uninviting slab of meat and instant mashed potatoes that once were the norm. Several of the brand’s latest offerings are actually better than homemade, and that’s saying something. In fact, some of them are better than similar dishes you’ll find at your neighborhood restaurant. Truly.

Lean Cuisine Frozen Dinners come in boxes and steamable pouches. Both can be microwaved. The pouches, which are fairly new to the brand, really work beautifully, their contents steamed to perfection in a matter of minutes. Among my favorites, is their boxed Butternut Squash Ravioli (a slimming and delicious 260 calories). My favorite pouch dinners include Asagio Cheese Tortelloni (280 calories), Mushroom Tortelloni (310 calories) and Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (300 calories).

DESSERTS

CAKES, COOKIES, PIES & OTHER SWEET BAKED GOODS
Geoffrey who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and summered in Atlantic City, New Jersey, offered up some nostalgic finds, including Berger's Hand-Dipped Cookies. A Baltimore favorite since 1835, they are, says BonAppititehon.com, ‘firm and cakey’ with a ‘thick topping of dense chocolate frosting.” According to the city's CBS-TV outlet, Berger’s sells some 20,000 of their generously chocolate-coated cookies a week―that’s a lot of cookies! Find them in stores throughout the Baltimore area, or order them through the company’s website at www.bergercookie.com/. A 15-ounce package is just $5.25 plus postage.

Geoffrey also sent in a shout-out to “Tripician's Almond Maccaroooooons!” A boardwalk 'must-have', G. Carl Tripician Almond Macaroons are what are often referred to as “French macaroons.” Large, soft and totally unlike the hard, chunky concoctions you find in the supermarket, they are available on line at www.boardwalkmacaroons.com/, and make an incredibly generous gift (Thank you, Geoffrey!). Coconut nuts will be happy to note that Tripician's offers a coconut version of these superior macaroons as well.

Next, an old time favorite takes the spotlight, as Audrey, of Little Neck, New York writes to remind us of Nabisco Mallomars were most recently seen on-screen in a cameo appearance in When Harry Met Sally (“the greatest cookie of all times), and were often mentioned in Seinfeld. Leave it to writer Nora Ephron to wax nostalgic about the cookies of her youth. In the film, Billy Crystal explains how he eats these international favorites. Audrey has been eating them since she was a child. “My brother would take the whole box, which had 10 or 12 in it, and give me two. And he would eat the rest with a quart of milk” she says. How does she eat them? I eat around the cookie first, “she says, then I eat the cookie (graham cracker), and then I pop the marshmallow with the dark chocolate in my mouth and let it melt.” Here in the states, they are only available between October through April, and according to one site, ‘devoted eaters stockpile them for the summer months.”

PRETZELS, CHIPS, DIPS, CANDY AND OTHER SNACKS

Several categories ago I mentioned that our Flourtown reader's second 'find' could be found here, and so it is. Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Spread is a tasty blend of red peppers, eggplant and garlic, and at under $2.00 a jar, it’s easy on the budget. Dena says she slathers it on everything from Matzo to crackers and bread, adding, “When I make a wrap for myself or a sandwich, I use it in place of mayonnaise to make it more interesting.” An added benefit for some readers is that fact that is both gluten-and-onion-free.

A Memphis reader suggests Fountain of Health Hummus – Premium Traditional. I found a tub in the refrigerated section of the cheese case at my local Kroger store. While they have a garlic-flavored variety, I, like our reader, far prefer the Premium traditional.

And from the New York area, comes word of Snyder’s of Hanover’s Honey Mustard and Onion Nibbler Pretzels (Pieces). With just 110 calories for 20 pretzels, you can snack away.

And while I generally don’t add local fare that isn’t available at least regionally to our list, Denise from Memphis recommends Martha’s Family Favorites. The bakery’s snack cakes, pies and cookies have been showing up in stores like Easy Way and the Highpoint Grocery. Martha uses family recipes and all-natural ingredients, and caters to people who have special dietary needs.

NUTS
Are you nuts about nuts? Try Paramount Farms Everybody’s Nuts California salt and pepper pistachio nuts. Pepper on pistachios? You betcha. They are big and beautiful and easy to open―so easy, that the company guarantees that you’ll be able to open every single nut! And they taste great. You’ll appreciate the pepper, without being overwhelmed by it. When the company first introduced these tasty nuts, they were actually inexpensive, but once the roll out ended, they went on to become competitively priced. You’ll find them in larger quantities at Sam’s Club, Amazon.com and Walmart. The smaller packages can be found at Wegman’s and other supermarkets around the country.

Diamond Foods' Emerald Premium Snacks standout in their shiny bright green canisters, and they taste as good as they look. I've tried several varieties, most of which are well above average. Their Deluxe Mixed Nuts as seriously craveable. Less caloric, but delicious just the same, Emerald's Dry Roasted Almonds are tasty, crunchy and, unlike some whole almonds, light to bite.

CANDY
Returning to the city by the sea (well, ocean), When it comes to candy, the following Atlantic City "finds" are bound to satisfy your sweet tooth. Steel’s Fudge tastes great and travels and freezes well. Personal favorites include vanilla, strawberry and pistachio. They are cut into bars and served up in a pre-selected or custom-filled selection. By them on the boardwalk or on line atwww.steelsfudge.com/.

James and Frailinger’s Salt Water Taffy used to be competitors, but somewhere along the way, the two companies joined forces, while retaining the products their fans had come to love. James makes a chunky taffy, Frailinger's, an elongated version. Both have a similar consistency that you won't find in the run-of-the-mill taffy sold at state and county fairs across the country. These delightful bites come a wide variety of flavors that go far beyond the usual chocolate, vanilla and banana.

Are you a chocoholic? Their Chocolate Covered Molasses and/or Peanut Taffy Paddles are heaven on a stick (assuming you have good, sturdy teeth), and James foil-wrapped chocolate-covered taffy is quite exceptional. Care for a mint? Both companies offer individually wrapped mints that literally melt in your mouth. I love them both. Order all of the above products at one of their stores along the Jersey shore, through their mutual catalogue, or on line at jamescandy.com

Remember Geoffrey of Macaroon and cookie fame? He's wild about another one of his hometown goodies: Rheb's Vanilla Butter Creams. To order, go to www.rhebcandy.com/, where milk and dark chocolate assortments of these luscious buttercreams abound.

Looking for a super duper hard candy? I've found one that is low in calories and high on flavor, without being 'sugar-free.' Balis' Best Espresso Candy is made with real Sumatran coffee. Each piece comes in its own foil wrapper, and is just 12 ½ calories. Balis also makes a terrific regular coffee flavored candy with a liquid center. Both are long-lasting and infinitely satisfying. I initially found them at Tuesday Morning, which never seems to carry the same items twice. Happily, I discovered them in totally different packaging at the Dollar Tree, where the price was definitely right.

Audrey of Little Neck, New York pops in again to recommend Popcorn Indiana’s Original All Natural Kettlecorn Crispy Crunchy Sweet and Salty Popcorn. A smart alternative to regular candied corn offering, it’s gluten-free, with zero trans fats and 16 grams of whole grain in every 4-ounce bag. She’s also a fan of their Caramel Corn Chips, all of which are available at Walgreen’s.

Always on the lookout for superior sugar-free candy, Audrey is a major fan of Miles Kimball’s Candy Shoppe (mileskimball.com/). She says that their Sugar-free Peanut Brittle is exceptionally delicious, and comes packaged in a pretty copper-colored tin. ($15.99 for a 12-ounces worth of brittle). It’s sweetened with maltatol. She also likes their Baby Jelly Beans, which come individually wrapped in assorted flavors, as do their Sugar-free Fruit Slices. They’re just $6.99 a package.

ICE CREAM
Our friend George in Hot Springs, Arkansas starts us off with Kroger’s Deluxe Strawberry Lemon Delight ice cream and Deluxe Churned Blueberry Pomegranate Chocolate Chunk ice cream. Who knew a store brand could be so creative? Margene in Sarasota recommends Blue Bell No Sugar Added Country Vanilla Ice Cream.

BEVERAGES

JUICE
You know the song, “You say to-may-to and I say to-mah-to…”? Well, as one New York reader writes, however you say it, Red Gold Sacramento Tomato Juice is a delicious and thrifty choice; priced at just $1.79 a can in her neck of the woods.

From Melrose Park, PA. comes two beverage suggestions, the first being Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice. Introduced to her by a neighbor, Elissa says it tastes great, and offers a refreshing alternative to the usual squeeze. The true cherry variety boasts half a pound of cherries per bottle, and ‘an abundance of antioxidants and nutrients.” There’s a skinny cherry version as well. Look for it in the juice aisle. After visiting the company's website (www.cheribundi.com/), I was intrigued by the possibilities of not just drinking the juice, but baking with it. Among the suggested recipes: cherry-lemon preserves, red cherry winter bread pudding, and cherry-pecan bread.

COFFEE
Several months ago a package of 8 O’Clock Whole Bean Columbian Coffee appeared on my grocer’s ‘bent-and-dent’ shelf, where bent, dented, crushed, nearly outdated and/or discontinued products are discounted beyond all reason, allowing the thrifty and adventurous shopper to try new things at up to 90% off.

My parents were 8 O’Clock and Chock full o’ Nut’s fans, and while I’d tried the latter, I had never sipped a drip of Eight O’Clock. And so it was that I tossed the beans into the supermarket grinder and came to know and love this old timey, amazingly rich coffee. If you like your coffee strong but not bitter, this brew’s for you. After reading up on this old time favorite I was not surprised to learn that Consumer Reports’ taste testers ranked it #1 in taste among Columbian coffees.

Want to try a new brew? Melody in Cordova, Tennessee wrote to recommend both a brew and a brewer. “Two years ago I bought my husband a Nespresso Coffee Machine for Christmas from Williams Sonoma. It’s a little pricey, but a great investment. It makes coffee shop style espresso and it’s very user-friendly. It operates like a Keurig machine, but there is just no other comparison. The coffees are amazing.”

She went on to describe Nespresso’s Vivalto Lungo as “a very smooth blend with no bitterness.” It is her absolute favorite. “The capsules come in two strengths,” she explains.
“If they have the name Lungo attached to them, they are formulated for a larger cup, which is what I like.”

While there are some pricier choices, most average out to about 55 cents a cup. If there’s a downside, it’s that they can only be ordered through Nespresso’s website, but Melody has only good things to say about their service. Last Christmas Melody upgraded to a Nespresso DeLong with a built-in steamed milk frother, and the treat goes on. For more information, on the brews and the brewers go to www.nespresso-us.com/?cid=ig_id-48977932” .

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
Invited to someone’s home for dinner? Want to bring along a bottle of wine, but don’t know what’s on the menu? Our friend Elissa suggests Val d’Oca Extra Dry Prosecco, which, she says, “goes with everything.” A cousin to champagne, this sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Italy is dry. crisp and bubbly, and priced somewhere around $14.00 a bottle. Buy two and keep one for yourself! For more information, go to www.valdoca.com/.

SUGAR
It’s always nice to end on a sweet note, and what could be sweeter than sugar? If you are of a certain age, you may remember a time when fine restaurants set out sugar bowls filled with individually wrapped cubes. Those days are long gone, but if you want to add a little sparkle to your next coffee klatch or dinner table, bring out the turbinado or demerara sugar.

Though they are slightly different, (one being named for the turbine from which it is spun, the other from the region where the cane was originally grown), they are fraternal twins. They look and taste very much the same, their golden brown crystals turning the most modest of sugar bowls into a work of art. Both of these sugars have a bit of a butterscotch taste to them, but just a touch. If you’ve ever melted sugar to candy something, and gotten to the point where it’s no longer white, but not yet a syrup, that’s about as close as I can get to describing their delicate taste. While iced tea and coffee are better served with superfine sugar that dissolves easily, hot beverages will be enriched by these golden crystals. And while I’ve never baked with either of them, the last box I bought of the turbinado included recipes for banana bread and pumpkin pie. Look for both of these sweet somethings among the sugars and sweeteners in your local market and specialty store. In this part of the country, Kroger’s Private Selection label is readily available, and Fresh Market carriers a could of different choice, including those elusive sugar cubes.

And there you have it - more than fifty nifty, not always thrifty but fabulously fantastic food finds. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their favorites. If yours wasn’t listed, chances are it was among last year’s offerings. To check them out, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on “OLDER POSTS.” The first annual edition was posted on May 29th, 2011.

And if, per chance, you’ve just found your way to this site, I hope you’ll join me next time, when I return to writing about generally small, sometimes foreign, often quirky films that I believe are worth watching. All of them are available on DVD.
Meanwhile, I hope you'll check out some of my other posts.

Till the next time…