More every day
June 4, 2009 (Thursday)
Yesterday was nostalgia time for me. I viewed a DVD production of the 1973 Centennial Celebration of the First Baptist Church of Rockport. The pictures were 36 years old, and many people in the slideshow have since gone to be with the Lord. I could not help but think about the many times those folks and I had done things together, and I relived some happy days and some sad days as well. Life moves on, with or without us, and these pictures were a strong reminder to me of that fact.
Then, after church last night, I worked on some projects at the Timbergrove Baptist Church cottage, looking at the Turner Classics Movies channel out of the corner of my eye. It was King Vidor night, featuring movies he directed. The silent movie, “The Crowd,” from 1927, was playing and I caught snatches of it. Nevertheless, I was captured by it, remembering John Ford’s observation that silent movies were more difficult to make than “talkies.” They required more action, yet were able to reach the hearts of the viewers. After “The Crowd,” another King Vidor film, “The Champ,” with Jackie Cooper as a little boy and Wallace Beery as his father. People would leave the theater in tears because of the sad ending of that movie. When it came on last night, I dropped what I was doing and watched it from beginning to end.
After “The Champ,” the 1946 movie, “Duel in the Sun” was shown. It began with a 15-minute musical prelude including an overture written for the movie. This movie brought back memories because it came out when I was an usher at the Majestic Theater that used to stand at the corner of Rusk and Travis, between the Esperson Building and the Gulf Building, the two major sentinels of the old Houston skyline. When “Duel in the Sun” made its debut 63 years ago, it was a midnight show and sneak prevue. The employees of the Majestic and Metropolitan were invited to a free show that night at the Kirby Theater, and “Duel in the Sun” was the surprise movie.
I ended the day with memories. I have many of them, a few more every day.