June 9, 2021 – What I’m Reading

Wednesday … History and movies, all in one … Nice to have a stash at hand … The switch this past year, with libraries closed to in-person browsing, led to these purchases … details below …

Teeny Tuxedo says … “I’ve been practicing my dance moves … How ’bout it, West Side guys? … Can I join the gang??” …

• Saw Glenn Frankel discuss his books:
• The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend, 2013  … one of my favorite John Ford films … set me on the trail to Monument Valley, Navajo Nation … 6 times!
• High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic, 2017 … High Noon’s not a favorite, but intrigued to see the Hollywood Blacklist connection

• Saw Peter Fitzgerald’s documentary, West Side Stories, 1996 … great behind-the-scenes footage, interviews (both stage and film) … sadly, has been removed from you-know-where. This led me to:
• West Side Story: The Jets, the Sharks, and the Making of a Classic, 2020, Richard Barrios, Turner Classic Movies … LOVE the soundtrack … first heard in high school English Lit class, vinyl LP record album (what a terrific teacher, Mr. Somebody, just out of college) … the only weakness of the 1961 film (10 Oscars!), Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer (Maria and Tony)