Wid and Mifune

No, I'm not speaking German - because that might come out more like Mit und Mifude - or one of those nutty NorweigieSwedie lingos. I'm speaking of the love that speaks it name over and over and over again.

I had a helluva day ... loud-mouth a-holes named Al yelling -- literally, not figuratively, yelling -- at me on the phone, that guy from Nigeria who kept calling every ten minutes ("Et's been 10 minutes. Do you have price?" without ever telling me what the hell he wanted a price on "Et's so hard to explain") and kept referring to me as "Karem" (not my effing name, man), and Maryrose Borda who insisted that mid-size was *not* smaller than large even though the measurements were 2" shorter on length and width ("But are you sure it's smaller? How is it smaller?") ... and I come home and I'm cranky and I just want a little love, ya know?

That's when I turned on the television and saw Richard Widmark. Zut! He's the best. I love that creepy laughter, the way his mouth takes that weird corner when he's tough-talking, the vulnerability that turns into fury when he's double-crossed ... It was a double-feature on Fox Movie Channel: "Panic in the Streets" ("You've got the PLAGUE!") and "Pickup on South Street", and part of me wants to say that "Pickup on South Street" is my favorite, because Thelma Ritter is so good in it and Jean Peters -- flippin' A, the way no one believes her when she tells the truth, and that low voice that is so un-50's-Hollywood -- but I think I'm going to have to say that "Night and the City" is the best Wid.

It's like how I feel about Mifune. I love "The Seven Samurai", I could watch it all day, but my favorite, absolutely, is "Throne of Blood."

I've figured it this way:

Wid in "Night and the City" - conman who thinks he's got this great racket set up with the wrestler, but is in way over his head
Mifune in "Throne of Blood" - warrior who thinks he's got this great deal set up in his castle, but is in way over his head
Wid - led on by a dame that runs a nightclub
Mifune - led on by his scheming wife (who's fantastic!)
Wid - incredible death (very moving)
Mifune - even more incredible death (everything is moving)

So work = paying for cable.

Sometimes the payoff really is worth it.