EVEN MORE THOUGHTS ON "THE HEART STAYS"
March 26, 2024
WHEN I SAW THAT TOUCHING SCENE BETWEEN SHANNON & ANDREW , IT REMINDED ME SO MUCH OF THE SCENE IN "ON GOLDEN POND" WHERE CHELSEA SAYS "GOODBYE" TO NORMAN, & SINCE HENRY FONDA WAS SO FRAIL AT THE TIME OF THE FILMING OF THAT SCENE, YOU GOT THE SENSE THAT IT REALLY WAS THE LAST "GOODBYE" FOR THEIR CHARACTERS. (ALTHOUGH I SAW THE TV VERSION, AND A COUPLE OF STAGE PRODUCTIONS OF "ON GOLDEN POND," I DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY WERE QUITE AS GREAT BECAUSE THE ACTORS IN THOSE PRODUCTIONS- CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, JAMES EARL JONES, & KEIR DULLEA WERE A LITTLE TOO ROBUST TO PLAY NORMAN). I HOPE THAT MR PROUDSTAR GETS THE CHANCE TO PLAY NORMAN SOMEDAY, & I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER DELANNA STUDI (WHO PLAYED HIS WIFE, CARRIE) OR IRENE BEDARD (WHO PLAYED HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, CECILIA) PLAY NORMAN'S WIFE ETHEL BECAUSE BOTH OF THESE ACTRESSES ALSO CONVEYED SO MUCH DIGNITY INTO THEIR CHARACTERS. I ALSO THOUGHT THAT SIERRA SPIRIT KIHEGA'S AGONIZED PORTRAYAL OF SHANNON'S YOUNGER SISTER, ERIN, GAVE A REAL SENSE OF THE INNER CONFLICTS OF HER CHARACTER. HOWEVER, ONE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH "THE HEART STAYS" WAS WHEN ERIN STARTED A FIGHT WITH THE SECURITY GUARD AT SHANNON'S COLLEGE, & I ALSO DIDN'T LIKE THE NEGATIVE DEPICTION OF THE BORDER PATROL POLICE OFFICERS IN THE FILM. I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SECURITY GUARDS, POLICE OFFICERS, CORRECTION OFFICERS,, & FIRE FIGHTERS ALL ENDANGER THEIR LIVES TO KEEP THE REST OF US SAFE. THAT MAKES THEM THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF ALL. ALSO, THE INITIAL DEPICTIONS OF SHANNON'S COLLEGE ROOMMATE & HER MOTHER ARE TROUBLING. THE FILM IS JUSTIFIED IN SHOWING THE RACIST SIDE OF HER MOTHER'S CHARACTER, BUT SHANNON'S DESCRIPTION OF THEM AS "WHITE TRAILER TRASH' & HER CLAIM THAT "YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD & STILL NOT HAVE ANY CLASS" ARE TROUBLING- ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LEARN THAT THEIR LAST NAME- MORTIMEER- IS A TRADITIONALLY JEWISH NAME. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DIDN'T LIKE "BILLY JACK" IS THAT THE TWO MAIN VILLAINS IN THAT FILM HAD A VERY JEWISH SURNAME- "POSNER." APPARENTLY, NOONE TOLD THE CREATORS OF "BILLY JACK" THAT BIGOTRY AGAINST JEWS IS JUST AS BAD AS BIGOTRY AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS!