Posted by
Michael on Friday, October 06, 2006 10:19:02 AM
I have a confession to make. For the longest time, my favorite actor has been Leonardo DiCaprio. I think the man is one of the best actors in Hollywood, and over the last few years he's shown his acting skills he first showed in
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?.As such I have to take issue with Megan Besham's
analysis of DiCaprio's recent filmography, in particular the Aviator. In her latest column she said:
And as a leading man for Cate Blanchett
in The Aviator he looked more like a teenager escorting his older
sister to a 1930’s theme party than Howard Hughes romancing one of
Hollywood’s legendary blondes.
Sigh.
While DiCaprio doesn't look very much like Hughes, he shined like a star in that movie. He perfectly portrayed the torment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and made you feel the pain of Hughes.
*
One of the columnists I share space with, Richard Carl Lehman, regularly
shares his stories of life through the last six decades. I've always felt a nostalgia for the 1940s, as strange as it may sound.
Here's an excerpt detailing some old fashioned punishment:
When it was time to give up my job as a paper boy, I did not see him
again until the time I met the principal in the boiler room for the
paddle experience.
While waiting for my punishment, the janitor and I talked once again.
Considering all things, our conversations were much easier when I had the paper route.
It
wasn't like I could get on the pay phone to call a friend who would
commiserate with me before being punished by paddle; the only phone at
J.J. McGilvra was the one in the principal's office. It would have been
unusual to have a nickel for the phone anyway.
When I was in first grade, I do recall my teacher spanking one of the children in front of the class. She remained at the school, but somehow I think that sort of punishment has been thrown out for suspensions. And to be quite honest, to the average student suspension is a
reward. It's more time to spend wasting.
I know for sure I wouldn't have gotten into as many fights or done as much stupid stuff if I had had some sort of discipline in my life.
I realize this post will probably anger or disturb some readers, and may even get flagged as inappropriate, but I'm really thinking out loud here.