“The Magic Mountain of Thomas Mann coalescing with Claude Debussy’s “ Clair de Lune” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2015, a loss of life in Copenhagen , in the name of religion, freedom of expression on the guillotine block, passions stone deaf to “Claire de Lune’s…. Magic Mountain counterpoint.
II
How did these two creative giants do it? Discover the cumulative impact? Was Lou Gehrig’s “I’m the luckiest man on the face of the Earth”..his crippling disease foreshadowing his demise 7 and a half decades ago…..blood flowing from hisMona Lisa wounds that are immune to the consciousness of our planet’s inhabitants and their souls of moral ambiguity.
III
Could any human being like a Lou Gehrig say what he said seven and half decades ago? “I’m the luckiest man on the face of the Earth”
Baking mickies on the sidewalk curbs, skinny dipping in the Tilden High School summer pool, hide and go seek during the afternoon tags, “get yer cokes, pepsis, sasparllella, root beer, cram, orange …Ice cold. A nickel a pickle.”
But FDR’s New Deal, pulling ourselves out of those depression laden yesterdays seven and a half decades ago, our Brooklyn East Flatrbush accent, hustling the WPA brick layers, plasterers, painters into the hustle, buying ice cooled sodas, wheeled in a baby carriage, Bugsy Segal, walking alongside as a security guard aide camp incognito, on lend lease from Brownsville’s Murder Inc. ….the tycoon being Meyer Lansky, atop his bottled soda warehouse in Brownsville.
An Al “Bummy” Davis, a Golden Gloves contender, whose role when he wasn’t in the ring, was escorting short hand stenos,coming from their Big Apple roles….off the New Lots subwayin Brownsville.
Jimmy Cagney’s vaudeville turn at Klaw and Erlanger “I’m a Yankee doodle Dandy, I’m a Yankee doddle kid”, the Red Hook born “Yiddisha” speaking ”Angel with a dirty face” bargaininghis 7 year contract with Jack L of the Warner Brothers studio, years later when he became a star on the Burbank, California’ssilver screen….
Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Ann Sheridan, “Bogy”, IdaLupino, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, Dennis Morgan Allan Jenkins, Frank McHugh, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet,Mary Astor, John Garfield.(Julie Garfinkel) screen writer William Faulkner, reader Mark Myerson…”Life with father’s” son in law). Rin tin tin.
Clint Eastwood “Bonanza” one for the ages…Bll Orr, Jack L’s son in law, playing mah chon). Pat O’Brian, “win one for theGipper” Ronald “Dutch” Reagan (our 40th President)
IV
So where in such an oasis , could a fledgling B’ tennis player from Midwood High School on Bedford Avenue, in Brooklyn’s Flatbush, playing doubles against Jack L and his partner SollyBiano, the studio’s casting director, find a Walter Lippman, MaxLerner (“Learned Man”) essayist to put it all together.
V
Meanwhile over at Paramount on Melrose in L.A., Cecil B. DeMille off his “Ten Commandments” screened “Shane”, as Alan Ladd, director George Stevens, playing out a metaphor of good versus evil, Shane ‘s struggle with Jack Palance.. the Brandon de Wilde ‘ s “ eleven year old rancho de mirage” dash to the ranch’s gate .”SHANE SHANE”
His hero (Alan Ladd, formerly of North Hollywood High School) fades away, slapping his saddle. “Getty up pony. Getty up.”
February 15, 20915. The City that never sleeps.
