I really like film noir, and pulp writing from the 1930s-40s. As some of you know, I've been working my way through the 181 Doc Savage pulps, written from 1933-1948. So, it's great to see a film that mirrors that style.

Double Indemnity (1944) stars the deliciously seductive Barbara Stanwyck, the decidedly not My Three Sons Fred MacMurray, and the iconic powerhouse Edward G. Robinson. The script was cowritten by director Billy Wilder and mystery writer giant Raymond Chandler. Chandler apparently hated working with Wilder and writing this screenplay. Thankfully, the result is giddy streams of dialogue that I'm convinced almost no one can perform today. I say this because some very fine actors tried recently in the movie Sin City. Michael Madsen did about the best.

So what about the story? Take deceipt, betrayal, murder, love, lust, intelligence, cleverness. Add shadowy atmosphere, a superb score by Miklos Rozsa. Costumes by the famous Edith Head. Top it off with a sprinter's pacing. You get your two hours' worth with this one, baby.

Barbara Stanwyck. The blonde wig removes some of her beauty (Billy Wilder didn't realize his mistake in having her wear it until well into filming), but for those of us who mostly remember her from The Big Valley, it's great to see her playing the vixen.

Edward G. Robinson. At 5'5", he was almost a foot shorter than Fred MacMurry. In their every scene together, you feel like Robinson could pick up MacMurry and throw him across the room.

Fred MacMurry, trying to stay composed.

And, Fred MacMurry, as the whole thing starts coming apart.

Barbara Stanwyck, lovely, dangerous.

I'm not sure, now, how I came across this sport/exercise, but I've become temporarily obsessed. Here is some information about parkour, and links to other sites and videos.

Parkour was invented by David Belle, influenced in part by his father, who was a soldier, and also by the "Natural Method of Physical Culture" developed in the early 1900s by George H�bert. The information on H�bert is very interesting--to me, as interesting as parkour.

Parkour emphasises getting from point A to B by effeciently overcoming obstacles. Instead of walking around a fence, a traceur would vault it. Faced with a low wall, he would jump and scale it. Rolls are emphasized in order to reduce joint injury. There is a definite simian quality to the movements. At its best, parkour is fluid and strong. These fellows (and a few ladies) are in excellent condition.

There are two branches of parkour. One is the "pure" form, which is my opinionated way of saying it's the form approved of by David Belle. Effeciency and elegence are emphasized, and extraneous movement avoided. If a motion isn't necessary to overcoming the obstacle, then it isn't parkour. The second branch was developed by Belle's friend S�bastian Foucan and is commonly called free running. In free running, obstacles are overcome, but style and art of movement are encouranged. Free running has more flips and other flashy techniques. While there's a wow factor to free running, I much prefer the simple grace of parkour. The most breathtaking element in parkour is the building leaps, and yet Belle doesn't treat them as overly important.

It's tough to find really good video, but here are some that I think properly reveal this interesting sport.

I think this is the best video. It shows off parkour, and is one of the few videos to remark on the danger of the sport, including deaths. (It's also in german with subtitles)
Parkour Pro7

A commercial that featured David Belle, and brought attention to parkour.
Rush-Hour (BBC)

A clip from the film Banlieue 13. Again, David Belle. (I could do without the scree-scree soundtrack.)
B13

Another german television special. No subtitles.
Parkour on kabel1

Finally, a better view of parkour "training". This is nice, showing off lots of seemingly simple movements that are in fact difficult. For example, notice how Blane moves up and down the tree branches. also, check out the jumps from hand rails to hand rails. (And, sigh, why the harsh music for such a smooth sport?)
Blane - Power is Nothing Without Control

Near the bottom of this page is a list of videos that are supposed to represent good parkour.
Parkour News

I only just received The Gold Rush. This film was reedited and rereleased by Chaplin in 1943 with a new muscial score and narration by Chaplin. Unfortunately, I didn't know this. It appears the disk I received has the 1943 version, rather than the 1925, so, I'm left trying to evaluate the film as if I'd seen it without the sound.

Charlie Chaplin was responsible for the narration, and I can't fault his motives for trying to take advantage of sound. But, in my opinion, it doesn't work. The dialogue is rushed, and detracted from my imagination of how things were being said. It's hard to tell, but I think I like this the least of his films I've seen (Hard Times and City Lights). It does include the famous dancing dinner rolls scene (lovely and funny), some amazing walking against the wind, and astonishing sets with great forced perspective. There is also the bittersweet love story with well-handled displays of casual human cruelty. (There's also some surprising violence.)

Worth seeing, but try to watch the 1925 version.

New Year's Eve dinner is prepared, but the ladies have not appeared as promised.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot..."

That's Chaplin leaping out of the falling cabin. How this was done so realistically, I don't know.