Sometimes a great notion

Kesey story set in Oregon with Paul Newman and Henry Fonda as the patriarch of a maverick logging family. Suitably weird as you might imagine. From 1970, smack dab in the middle of my golden age of cinema 1968 - 1972. Dandy Newman sports matching white Levis jeans and jacket. Music soundtrack, period vehicles and work shirts co-star. Note upbeat bluegrass ending lifted from westerns.
- bill 1-15-2012 2:01 pm

Right, the authentic feel provided by real-life logger extras at home and work in their own community often (not completely) eclipses the actors and fictional elements. It's like the moon landing. Good movie though.
- steve 1-15-2012 3:38 pm [add a comment]


Right, also co-starring well cast locals. I wonder if Peckinpah saw this before starting junior bonner (1972.)
- bill 1-17-2012 1:40 pm [add a comment]


Kesey was a great contrarian, always ready to confound expectations. The publication of STAGN was the reason for the famed Prankster bus trip from CA to NY. It was the 2nd act to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but confused his audience mightily.
It’s title is taken from Leadbelly’s Good Night Irene, a song popularized by The Weavers, a group closely identified with unionism, but the heroes are strike-breakers; go figure…

Sometimes I live in the country
Sometimes I live in town
Sometimes I take a great notion
To jump in the river and drown

Interesting that it was filmed before OFOTCN, with little result. When the film version of Cuckoo’s Nest won a bunch of Oscars for 1975 Kesey’s name wasn’t even mentioned in the acceptance speeches.
Love ya, Chief.
- alex 1-18-2012 2:19 am [add a comment]





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