`` Liar and a Dreamer''

  We have Thomas Sullivan  Magnum to thank for recommending this film How did Animal- stand the cold dressed only in long johns He is soaked in mud a few times too. The film is set in that horrible winter of 1944 offscreen Patton is about to relive the Americans at Bastogne   I wonder if Animal is the blueprint for Belushi's character in Animal House - This film is also the inspiration for Hogans's Heroes  I liked the ping pong balls- smoke bomb sequence- Thank you Towering Inferno There is an extended scene of men dancing together-even some cutting in and such. One character dresses up as Betty Grable. It was a more innocent time. One character has been cuckolded and is trying to talk himself into it  The narrator Cookie also seems quite a mild mannered man to be a Sgt  Even in World War Two soldiers could not keep up with their car payments There is a character with shell shock-or battle fatigue  Though this is sometimes played for laughs. It gets de...

  Llosa  plays it straight This is a retelling of the story of Rodger Casement and his work in the Belgian Congo and Peru and finally his time in Germany trying to raise an Irish Brigade and failing- returning to Ireland to call off the Easter Rising and his trial and death in London There was according to Llosa a counter protest to Casement outside Pentonville  This was much more readable then Death in the Andes I thought about purchasing it for my mother for mothers day  llosa has clearly read the black diaries, he states later that he believes these are private fantasies. Though it strikes me Casement could easily have molested the boys he described doing . I think this is lamp shaded with Casement getting stabbed in the Canary Islands by a sailor- who has rebuffed his advance.   I do know an Irish Peruvian called O'Donnell I wonder if he a descendent of the person mentioned in the book llhosa rifts on colonialism and anti colonialism as well as post col...

  I had to concentrate to understand the dialogue which I did not have to do with Casablanca and High Noon  Johnson and Howard speak very quickly and are very verbose It was made in 1945 and it is an England which looks to have a escaped the war.  The book is an adaptation of a play There is a scene with two soldiers who are causing a scene at the bar. The England we see is carefree, tidy and very middle class. The children debate over whether to attend the pantomime or the circus. One does see a model toy of a spitfire Celia Howard and I say this without malice looks older than her current counterparts She looks rather like Keely Hawes I think. I note that Howard has drawn on eyebrows. Which is a current fashion I do not care for  The story is simple a married woman and married man- meet by chance and have an affair. At least of the heart. They are stopped  from consummating the relationship by happenstance and swear themselves off to fidelity Coward's wit shin...

  I didn't know Grace Kelly was so beautiful I did not know Lee Van Cleef and Jeff Bridges were in this. Bridges is great Like my review for Butch and Sundance the modern world is intruding on mythic time. We see a fire engine there is also talk of people wanting to build factories in the town. Motor cars are not quite there, but the clock is ticking and the train is coming.  I enjoyed the Cooper v Bridges Fist fight it was rough and messy- two big men rolling on the floor Grace Kelly's role in the final fight suprised me.  Katy Juarz looks like the late Claudia Christian  I learn with amusement that our old friend Lee Majors made a sequel

 Even the map looks different- Southern Rhodesia named and only Arabia  Well they don't make them like that anymore. Even with what nearly 80 years slowly burning in pop culture- Magnum P.I - Cheers, The Naked Gun. I still had butterflies in my stomach until that damn plane took off for Lisbon Cafe is pronounced in Latin style  Bergman looks so beautiful. Her tears move me.  The subplot with the Bulgarian woman and her husband was moving too- the Bulgarian woman is offered an exit visa in return for sleeping with the chief of police. She begs Rick to know if the deal will be honoured and will her husband understand?   The mess of accents is not jarring. Senor Ferrari being an Englishman- he also sports a fez One of the soldiers at the Gard in Paris is African. I noticed it was raining Paris fell in the summer.  The scene where Bogart confronts the German sounds terrible though Well what more can I say. Go and watch it. 

  Dear London Irish Family, This month, London Irish Rugby Football Club, founded in 1898, has taken its first bold steps toward reclaiming its place in elite professional rugby, emerging stronger from a two-year administration process. With resilience, passion, and the unwavering support of our community, we are determined to restore the club to the heights it deserves. Our vision is clear: to bring world-class rugby back to West London, combining champagne rugby with great entertainment, music, food, and unforgettable moments shared with family, friends, and fellow supporters. This is not just a return — it’s a rebirth. Our Road Back to the Pitch We are actively working with unions, fellow clubs, and key rugby stakeholders to secure the best pathway for London Irish’s return. While we recognise that elements of this journey require collaboration, our team is taking decisive steps to ensure a sustainable and competitive future for the club. Our goal is to be back playing competiti...