The Breaking Point (1950) starring John Garfield and directed by Michael Curtis is based on the novel To Have and Have Not written by Ernest Hemingway. This vehicle is more true to the Hemingway tale then the highly popular and entertaining movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. In my view, in many ways, The Breaking Point is a superior product. John Garfield turns in a magnificent portrayal of a down and out a boat captain Harry Morgan. Phyllis Thatcher plays his world weary but loving wife who is still hot for Harry. Patricia Neal is the sexy temptress who Harry is attracted to but doesn’t go overboard for.
Michael Curtiz has created and directed a taught thriller with no extra padding. Excellent black-and-white photography throughout.
Because Garfield was associated with the communist party during the Red Scare Warner Bros. buried this film and it lost out at the bus box office
This is a must see film for all serious movie buffs. It has definitely stood the test of time. Highly recommend.
Had breakfast this morning with the breakfast club at Min Wah’s.
Members of the Breakfast Club: Buddha, Perry Steve, Andrew, Bruce, and Al.
Took a cab with Buddha to Chapala, a town nearby much larger than Ajijic. A beautiful town on the lake with a nice Malecon. We had lunch at the Patio and looked around the square and visited some shops. Buddha bought a guitar which he didn’t need. Spent too much money and ended up with buyer’s remorse. He said he was going to trade it. Later that night he got drunk and fell asleep with the guitar in his bed. He kicked it out of bed and the next morning when he woke he discovered that there was a crack in his new guitar.
We took the bus back which was quite an experience. The bus was full. Jam packed with people. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some supplies and went home for a siesta. Buddha came over about 5:30 and we took a bus to Perry’s pizza to listen to the music. Not much happening there. We had a couple of drinks and ended up at eEl Barco for a nightcap and then I walked home from there.
Breakfast at Bin Wah’s
Buddha, Perry, Steve, and Andrew
Bruce, Al, Alain
The next series of pictures were taken in Chapala later that same day.
Chapala
Boats on Lake Chapala
Girl eating a snow cone
Young Boy Singing for his Supper
The Fisherman of Chapala
“I am the light of the world.”
Mother and Daughter
Shoreline Chapala
Fishermen of Men
Please be generous
Interior Parish of San Francisco, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico
Ajijic is a very colorful town with many shops and restaurants. There is the Malecon on the lakefront and there is a town square. So much to see. Here are some more photos of this beautiful fun town.
Woke up at my usual time (6 am). I was craving coffee, so I walked up to Dona’s hoping it would be open. It wasn’t. I stopped by the pharmacia on the way back and picked up some supplies. They had a cappuccino machine there so I tried one of those. Too sweet. I walked back to my place on Constitution and was going to take a shower before meeting Buddha for breakfast. I turned on the faucet. No water! I quickly messaged Louis, my host and he came down to take a look at it.
“Strange he said. “That’s never happened before.”
He looked around and finally got it working. Something not switched on on the boiler or something.
Anyway, I got my shower and met Buddha at Scallions for breakfast. After breakfast we walked around town a bit to explore.
You have to really be careful while walking in Ajijic. The streets are cobblestones. The sidewalks are uneven, narrow, and broken in many places, with unexpected drop offs. Dogs are running loose everywhere. It would be very easy to step in a hole or in dog shit and I don’t know what’s worse. I scrupulously aimed to avoid both possibilities.
We had dinner that night at an Italian restaurant. I had spaghetti and meat sauce which was pretty good and Buddha and I split a bottle of red wine. Later that night Buddha and I went to a little nightclub around the corner from my place on Septembre Street called La Bodega. A lot of locals were dancing there to a musical duo, one was on the keyboard the other sang vocals. They played mainly traditional Mexican music, But at one point they broke into a set of American rock and roll. It was pretty strange, let me tell you, to hear Roy Orbison’s pretty woman in a Mexican accent.
We left about 10 PM and I went back to my place on Constitution. It was dark and at first I walked right past my door. When I came back I thought it odd that there was no light on over the door. I fumbled with my key and finally got the door open. Once inside it was pitch dark. No power!
Koi Pond- Lake Chapala Society
On the Path at Lake Chapala Society
Tea for two at the Corazon Restaurant- Lake Chapala Society
I left Louisville at 7:30 in the morning on a United Airlines flight connecting in Houston. It was a tight connection and I boarded almost immediately after arriving at the gate. We got in the air with no delay and arrived in Guadalajara on time at 3:30 pm. Off the plane we had to go through immigration and customs. There were long lines but it didn’t take long before I was in the main terminal looking for a taxi for the last leg of the journey to Ajijic.
It was about a forty-five minute ride to Ajijic. By the time I got there and checked into my Airbnb my phone was blowing up by two of my friends who were already there.
“Where ya at, Kat?”
“What’s your exact address?”
“Can you come over now to Bruce’s on Victoria?”
We had plans for dinner as a seafood restaurant that night and then we were going to a “drag” show at the Spotlight Theater later.
So I got my shit together and headed over to Bruce’s house one block away on Victoria Street where my friend Buddha was staying. We got in Bruce’s car and drove to La Pacena for dinner. That was a whole other experience that I’ll tell you about later.
Anyway, after dinner we went to the drag show. Here are some of the pictures.
The show was hilarious and quite well performed. Topical humor, political humor, and a lot of Jewish Jokes. Oh…and the name of the show was, Oy ve Christmas! Performed by The Kinsey Sicks.
I’ve decided to do something a little different on my blog. I do travel pieces from time to time, but usually I wait until I get home and edit my photos and then put a story together. This time I thought I’d do something in real time. I am currently on a trip to Ajijic Mexico. I’ve been here a few days and it’s been quite an adventure so far.
I secured lodgings through my Airbnb ap. This is my fourth trip with Airbnb and while every experience has been different they have all been good.
Marriage Story (2019) is written and directed by Noah Baumbach and stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Everyone is at the top of their game. To say I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it was is an understatement. I mean, I was expecting it to be good given the parties involved, but this movie pretty much blew me away. This movie realistically depicts the pain and drama of a marriage dissolving and the subsequent divorce. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, two actors I adore, have never been better. There are standout performances from other actors as well, Ray Liotta, Wallace Shawn, Alan Alda, and Laura Dern.
The writing plays a starring role as well. These characters are fully realized as their lives unfold before our eyes on the screen. Baumbach reminds me somewhat of Woody Allen in his more serious mode or a later version of Henrik Ibsen. A masterful storyteller who presents to us the drama of ordinary domestic life about characters we ultimately come to like and care about.
Queen and Slim (2019) is one of the most emotionally satisfying movies I’ve seen this year. It’s the story of a first date gone wrong. Very wrong. And a couple on the run. Part crime drama, part road movie, and all love story, this movie resonates. It seems a little underwritten and disjointed in places, and you wonder about some of the decisions the characters make, but for me that just adds to its charms. Sort of a cinema verité of the Black Lives Matter Movement. It has a gritty feel and is very watchable.
Outstanding cinematography by Tat Radcliffe. Clocking in at 132 minutes some critics thought was too long but I was totally caught up in the story and didn’t notice the time.
The movie was directed by Melina Matsoukas and was her first feature film. She has been known for her TV work and music videos, most notably Beyoncé’s Formation. Excellent work for a debut film.
Acting performances were very solid. Daniel Kaluuaya of Get Out fame played Slim and Jodie Turner-Smith played Queen in what may be a breakout performance for her. I just loved these two characters!
With a killer sound track, a compelling story, and characters you root for and care about this is a must-see film.
Our Lady Of Guadalupe
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Ghost Dog 