barryrd

I often tune in to this show to get friendly, intelligent and timely information and analysis on the stock market in Canada and the USA. Not sure what it offers on weekends because I like to follow what is happening on any given weekday, when the markets are open. The guests are generally very well informed and credible. Larry Berrman, Gordon Reid and John Zechner, for example, are very well informed, and appear comfortable talking to average listeners. Other guests appear on the show to take question from listeners.

The US counterpart on CNBC is racier, louder and more controversial. I don't tune in regularly but it isn't exactly my cup of tea and not designed for most Canadian investors. Serious Investors, whether in the US or Canada, want unbiased information and a serious approach. Think Warren Buffett.

I don't think too many Canadians get involved in personal investing. Maybe too conservative for what some might consider too erratic or complex. However, I think we need a more balanced view of "playing the market". It is a learning curve and requires patience but the rewards can be substantial.

In this show, we see some well known personalities like Sebastian Coe, William Roache and Richard Grant react to the characters in this ground-breaking telecast. It is truly heart warming to see how they interpret and relate to the observations and lives of the characters in the series of telecasts, filmed every seven years in the lives of the participants. There was laughter and tears and human interest as they listened to them and saw their progression through life. Sebastian Coe said he was able to compete successfully and go on to become an Olympic gold medalist and could understand how the young man who aspired to be a jockey would feel when his efforts fell short. There, but for the grace of God go I. There was happiness for the young man who never knew his father and had five children when he was still in his twenties and went on to become a grandfather to many more. There was sadness for another who was very spontaneous at seven but seemed to lose his moorings as he grew older, to the point of being homeless and living on the street. Yet, when he was well into middle age he was applauded by William Roche of Coronation Street when he became a councillor fighting for the downtrodden and later a minister. Richard Grant wiped tears from his eyes as one visited the grave of his mother, the type of sorrow we all face at some point. I think they reacted as many of us would react with joy, regret and great understanding for the ups and downs we all face in our own lives. There were fewer women than men in the series so they were not given the same amount of air time in the original and later shows. This failing became more apparent over a period of time. There were criticisms of the questions posed to the girls/women by the director Michael Apted, who recently died and may have addressed this criticism if he had lived longer. Nevertheless, he did leave a great legacy, whether the series continues or not. This series gives visual and verbal evidence of what happens to us over the course of our lives and as such, constituted a great series of documentaries on the human condition.

I enjoy the Peter James books so I was glad to tune in for this superb television series set in the coastal town of Brighton. John Simm plays Detective Grace with his laid back and unassuming personality. Despite years of living alone after the disappearance of his beloved Sandy, he channels his professional instincts to hunt down some very nasty criminals in this seemingly sedate seaside town. A down to earth guy, he will persist in getting the job done despite his by the book boss who is more concerned with being mocked by the press than nabbing criminals. John Simm fits the mold as the dogged Detective Grace, who goes against the grain as a modest guy who gets results.

This convention took place amid one of the most fascinating Presidential election years I can remember and I remember them going back to 1968, which was a year marked by riots, political assassination and a growing civil rights movement.

The 2024 election year has been calm by comparison but by no less eventful.

The Democrats met following the nomination of Donald Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021 and has been one of the most divisive politicians in American history.

Following a debate with Trump, one term President Biden decided not to run for reelection because the fallout from the debate with Trump had delivered a fatal blow. Biden resisted for several weeks before he had to clear the way for his Vice-President. Trump was thrown from his lead in the polls as VP Kamala Harris was duly assigned as the nominee. Within days, Harris became the new front runner and Trump's campaign to unseat Biden had to refocus on Harris.

The Convention outcome was a foregone conclusion because Harris was the clear choice with no apparent opposition. The Convention turned into a huge party for the Democrats as they met in Chicago to formally endorse Harris as the nominee for President and a popular mid-western governor Tim Wahls as nominee for Vice-President. Wahls easily won the delegates support for his experience as a governor and former member of Congress.

The convention highlighted luminaries of the party including Biden and past presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Former First Ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton were also given speaking roles. Hillary Clinton, herself the 2016 nominee for president, gave a speech that fired up the Convention delegates.

Kamala Harris' speech was one of the most effective speeches I have ever heard. She talked about the influence of her immigrant parents, especially her mother and her fight to help average Americans and the responsibility to care for the less fortunate. The people are her client she said. She contrasted this stand with Trump "whose only client has been himself". She also talked about his support for the insurgents who stormed Capitol Hill and killed six police officers, a frightening event about the danger he poses for democracy.

The convention was a huge success and brought about a tremendous show of unity among the delegates. The campaign that follows will be a hard fought one. Trump has a tremendous well of support among Americans who see the opposition as an elite group who represent news media, Hollywood activists, intellectuals and liberal thinkers bent on favouring minorities over average Americans. It is ironic that a multi-millionaire who was raised in privilege and has nothing to offer but rants and tax cuts for the wealthy is considered to be a friend of ordinary Americans.

So as the campaign gets underway, there are two hostile camps ready to engage in national combat.

I was very taken with this series which I watched on PBS-TV. It is very much an inside look at the major events in the House of Windsor - the extended family of Queen Elizabeth II - and the Royals who have played a role over the decades. The Queen is the focus and all others are in supporting roles. We see Elizabeth's reign as she evolves from a woman in her mid twenties to an experienced head of state. We see Prince Charles, her eldest son and heir, who is mentored by Earl Mountbatten. He grows up to be somewhat of a playboy before his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales. After she suffers an untimely death, Charles carries on his long love affair with the woman who later becomes his wife and Queen. Prince Andrew and Prince Harry appear to share much of the negative attention. Prince Andrew was a very popular Royal who served with distinction in the Falklands War. Later his lavish, self-serving lifestyle and rude behaviour eroded his early popularity. Prince Harry, a military man who served in Afghanistan, seemed to be at loose ends after his war service and marriage to Meghan Marple. To me, Harry is the victim of his mother's early and tragic death as well as being the "spare" for the throne who is now superseded by Prince William and his children. Unfortunately the series pays no attention to Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, who have assumed a larger and highly positive role in recent years. Generally, however this series is a comprehensive review of the life and times of Queen Elizabeth and her family. There is a lot of fascinating film footage and intimate profiles of her family.

This movie deals with the theme of life and death, happiness and sorrow. It reaches into our innermost feelings with the main characters played by Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. The movie, directed by Sir Richard Attenborough, shows the life of a teacher at an elite school, possibly Oxford or Cambridge, who comes in contact with an American journalist. At the beginning, the two react uncomfortably to one another; however, a certain chord is struck and there is a plan to possibly meet again. The American and her young son return and eventually take up residence in London. The two are opposite personalities but friendly enough to enter a marriage of convenience. Illness forges a strong bond and friendship becomes love and a true marriage partnership. The onetime committed bachelor develops deep feelings and becomes a great source of strength as the two spend precious moments together. Their final moments are very touching and death becomes an unshakable grief. With the surviving child, the sorrow is shared and life takes on new meaning.

Director Norman Jewison took the theme of Cold War hysteria to ridiculous lengths with this movie. Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin and Brian Keith are among a stellar cast with a series of hilarious scenes that mocked American and Russian attitudes back in 1963. The residents think a Russian invasion is taking place when a group of Russian sailors run aground. Allan Arkin was outstanding as the leader on the Russian side. Police chief Brian Keith tries to calm the locals on the island town off the coast of Massachusetts. Supporting cast members like Jonathan Winters, Tessie O'Shea, Paul Ford, Dora Merande, Parker Fennelly and others delivered great comedy performances. Watch for a climatic act of heroism towards the end. Of course it is dated but it is still great viewing.

This jury drama seems to derive some of its inspiration from an American movie from the 1950's - Twelve Angry Men. This one however deals with the domestic lives of the jurors as well as the conflict over the guilt or innocence of the accused. I found some moving and powerful performances by Michael Maloney, Nicholas Farrell, Gerard Butler, Sylvia Syms etc. The background of racism against the young man from a Sikh family is played out on the streets outside the court. There are connections made among the jurors and heated differences of opinion in trying to establish the facts, a huge challenge in this particular case. Derek Jacobi was very impressive as the defence attorney. Gerard Butler was outstanding as a young man fighting addiction while falling for another juror. Michael Maloney rose to the occasion as the foreman. The outcome is not in the least predictable as they deal with conflicting evidence and struggle to find the truth. Worth watching all six episodes.

The Out of Towners from 1970 is a comedy that I saw when it first came out. I saw it again recently and it does seem dated; however, the comedy team of Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis is still well worth watching. Lemmon plays a sales executive from a small town in Ohio who is on his way to an interview. I can relate to being in an unfamiliar city and losing my way around but this one takes the story to ridiculous heights as the mid-west couple cross paths with a range of criminals in the city. Just the same, Jack Lemmon's frantic behaviour and Sandy Dennis's dry sense of humour sparkle as they trip through a series of misfortunes. All the reputed pitfalls of the Big Apple are played out as Lemmon agonizes over getting to his interview on time. Of course, times have changed and New York's reputation as a bastion of crime has greatly improved.

This movie from 1982 tells the story of a young recruit for the Naval Academy, played by Richard Gere, who learns valuable lessons about relationships between men and women and how to treat people with respect. His own family life was marred by his mother's early death and an absentee, alcoholic father. The movie is very much a product of its time with young women looking to marry a Naval Academy graduate to travel and live abroad, a life they could never achieve as factory workers in a small town.

Gere's best friend played by David Keith is someone who is willing to sacrifice his own career for love takes a hard fall when his idealism is misplaced. Gere's character is a young man determined to succeed, although he pays a price for his arrogance under the thumb of Lou Gossett Jr. As Sgt. Foley who puts him through a tough and highly regimented training program. Debra Winger plays Gere's love interest who teaches him a few things about himself and what it takes to build a loving relationship. The two deliver one very sizzling sex scene. A very good story with strong performances, there is great on location shooting and a memorable theme song "Up where We Belong".

The Chalk Garden describes a garden where Deborah Kerr as Miss Madrigal becomes the governess for Hayley Mills as a young girl named Laurel. It is also a metaphor for a family relationship. Hayley's grandmother, Mrs. St. Maugham, played by Dame Edith Evans, is the owner of an estate where Laurel resides. She has strongly influenced the relationship between Laurel and her mother. The mother, played by Elizabeth Sellars, abandoned Laurel, and wants her child back. Miss Madrigal sees her own past mirrored in Laurel and wants to make things right for the daughter and this leads to conflict. Madrigal's past is a big unknown but comes out when Felix Aylmer, as a judge who was acquainted with Madrigal, visits Mrs. St. Maugham, a longtime friend. The conflict over Laurel's future took time to come into focus as we watch the story. The movie, directed by the Ronald Neame, highlights the acting talents of Edith Evans and Deborah Kerr. John Mills, Hayley's real life father, plays the butler and the full-time resident of the estate, who becomes very fond of Madrigal. The photography provides a beautiful backdrop for the story with the garden, residence and the magnificent seascape.

"Billy Elliot" had an emotional impact for me that comes from watching a young boy persevere against the odds to achieve something important in his life. I felt as if I was seeing real people deal with difficult personal circumstances. The challenge allowed them make a major change of attitude and direction in their lives. As the story progressed, you could feel the distance that was developing between Billy and his family over his desire to pursue a life of his own. His brother and father, both mine workers, are involved in the coal strike of 1984; this leaves his family almost penniless. The strike is a great strain on Billy's father, as the breadwinner who has also lost his wife. They are not about to fund Billy's hope of taking advanced ballet lessons, which his instructor recommends. Billy takes care of his elderly grandmother with the passing of his much loved mother. He also finds kindred spirits among his own friends and his dancing instructor, performed by Julie Walters, who saw his potential and gave him the push to excel. This movie shows the strains and the bonds among family as they drift apart and come together. The background of the coal strike of 1984 and the recent death of the mother made this movie more poignant. Great movie!

The Entertainer is an extremely well acted movie from 1960 that describes the downfall of a music hall entertainer, played by Laurence Olivier, who cannot face up to the fact that his career is over and that his unpaid taxes will soon catch up with him. He keeps going on despite dwindling audiences who are given stale humour and mediocre song and dance routines. The fine cast includes Brenda DeBanzie, Alan Bates, Joan Ploughwright, etc. Director Tony Richardson gained fame in the 1960's for his "kitchen sink" movies, where the unheralded working class people were featured rather than the polished lords and ladies with the upper crust accents. These were excellent movies with compelling narratives. This one, however, has a very sombre feeling. The movie takes place with the background of the Suez Canal disaster which also directly affects the family in this movie. I didn't sense a link in the story with Britain's decline as a world power except that the time period coincided with the 1950's when many Britons were feeling disenchanted with their reduced role in the world. What it does portray very effectively is the demise of a music hall entertainer who held on for too long. He refused employment in Canada and allowed his talent to wither away. Very sad but well portrayed by one of the world's greatest actors.

Mrs Brown tells the story of a loving relationship that Queen Victoria developed with a loud, boozy Scot named John Brown. Brown had a tremendous loyalty to Queen Victoria which the Queen came to treasure in the years following the death of Prince Albert whose death had driven the Queen into the depths of depression.

Billy Connolly performed the role superbly, although one might wonder how the Queen, who was a stickler for Royal protocol, could tolerate some of his erratic behaviour.

Geoffrey Palmer, who was paired with Judi Dench in the long running television series As Time Goes By, is Henry Ponsonby, who was thoroughly alarmed by Brown's hold on the Queen's affections.

Judy Dench showed an interesting range as the widowed Queen who was haughty towards family and aides and warm and loving towards Brown. On one outing she appeared as a gracious guest in the house of one of Brown's friends in the highlands near Balmoral.

I was very taken with Antony Sher's performance as Disraeli. He seemed to capture the essence of the Prime Minister who persuaded the Queen to withdraw from her extended period of mourning and once again show her public face.

All in all, a fine movie that dramatizes a period in the middle of Victoria's reign before she became known as the Grandmother of Europe.

Street Scene from 1931 was recently televised on TCM and I was glad to record it as an early example of talking movies. I also found the movie very telling of life in that era.

The first part of the movie was a very watchable slice of life as neighbours gathered on the steps and sidewalks of their tenement building. They talked about the heat wave and then the talk moved to their neighbours' comings and goings, jobs, rents, love life, etc.

The second part of the movie was much darker and involved the double murder of a wife and her lover. It seemed very sudden and before long the street was filled with police, ambulance and a huge throng of bystanders. It was a terrific shock to the neighbours.

My attention was often on Beulah Bondi who led the conversation and was the most outspoken. She was a great acting talent and seemed to be a perfect fit for the neighbourhood.

Sylvia Sydney was the daughter of one family and was seeing a Jewish boy. They loved each other and wanted to escape the inner city. The relationship was a bone of contention among the neighbours. Even in a melting pot like New York, people were conscious of who married who, especially someone who was Jewish.

The movie was an interesting social commentary. It harkens back to the time when people were used to going out and actually talking to their neighbours. No televisions or computers and no noisy traffic to compete with everyday communication.

This was an excellent story from director Blake Edwards with powerful acting by Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick. Lemmon plays a successful public relations executive who falls in love and marries Remick. The two are very much in love and before long, they have a child. The pressures of family and work become a trigger for Lemmon's battle with alcohol, which gets the upper hand, and leads to a downward spiral. Sadly, his wife succumbs to bouts of drinking as well, which was often how they spent their evenings. Charles Bickford gave a strong performance as Remick's father who at one stage took them into his home. The two make failed attempts to become sober. Lemmon's career slides and they move from their upscale apartment to more rundown accommodations. Lemmon realizes the toll things are taking and joins AA, beginning his road to recovery under the guidance of Jack Klugman, who works to keep him sober. Lemmon makes progress and tries to convince his wife to do the same, especially for their young daughter's sake. How will it turn out? We cannot say but we can see the heavy price alcohol takes on those in its grip. In this case, a couple who lose control over their future. Much of the movie was shot in the dark, which is when the drinking went on. This matches the mood. As a sidebar, it was by accident that I happened to view this movie after a trip to San Francisco so the names of streets, the views up and down the hills and some of the buildings had a ring of familiarity, even in the dark. I always appreciate on location shooting and it was a bonus. This is a great movie about the ordeal of alcoholism and the strength often required to overcome it.

Fired from a college library for giving a student a banned book, Suzanne Pleshette takes a voyage to Italy where she finds a job, goes sightseeing, meets new friends and who would guess - finds romance. Troy Donahue, recently abandoned by his girlfriend Angie Dickensen, meets Pleshette and the two have a great time exploring Italy and falling in love. The movie does take you back to those years when the post war baby boomers were edging towards adulthood and getting their first taste of adult entertainment. Nothing too risqué but enough to titillate as the new couple travel as a Mr.& Mrs. Porter to conceal their identity, even while one sleeps on the balcony. The movie has a number of well known minor actors, and includes a botched scene with trumpeter Al Hirt, which was a low point in the movie. It was pleasantly amusing until Angie Dickensen comes back and tries to steal Donahue away from his new love interest. The movie is dated but does have enough spark to keep viewers watching. Towards the end, we enjoy a few more gags and surprises. A solid 6 out of 10.

This movie offers one of the finest acting performances I've ever seen with Paul Scofield as Thomas More in the leading role. The script resembles a theatrical presentation with Scofield giving a powerful defence of his personal conscience over his allegiance to the monarch, King Henry VIII. The movie incorporates the fine location background of More's estate on the River Thames. The opening scene is a beautiful visual clip that shows a messenger running to board a boat and travelling along the river to summon More to a meeting at the King's request. The King wants More, as the nation's Chancellor, to sanction his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon to allow him to marry Anne Boleyn. More makes clear that he is a loyal subject of the King but he will not be forced to agree to a marriage he does not believe is valid. Robert Shaw, as the King, rants and raves at More but the Chancellor does not yield and shows calm and dignity against the King's tyrannical outbursts. Scofield and Shaw lead a stellar cast that incudes Orson Welles, Leo McKern, Susannah York, Wendy Hiller, Nigel Davenport, John Hurt, Coran Redgrave, etc. Vanessa Redgrave has a short appearance as Anne Boleyn. Scofield portrays More not only as a man of conscience but also as a lawyer with a keen grasp of the finer points of the law. Scofield won an Academy Award for his performance. To my mind, the film is a classic that shows an event in a particular time and place and will never be dated. The sets, photography, and acting are all outstanding.

Vienna Blood is a classy detective series that takes viewers into the criminal world of the early 20th century. Set in the capital of the Hapsburg Empire, the show exposes the city under the veneer of palaces and stunning architecture that one usually associates with Vienna. Max Lieberman played by Matthew Beard is a medical doctor trained by Sigmund Freud in analyzing the psychology of the criminal mind. He works with Oskar Rheinhardt (Jürgen Maurer), a Detective Inspector in solving murders that are often carried out with unorthodox methods that baffle the authorities. The sets are outstanding as viewers go from public buildings that resemble palaces to the most humble back streets of the Hapsburg capital city. This program delivers a fascinating and highly watchable detective series with great credit to the BBC's usual high standards.

Waiting for some time to view this one, I finally saw it on TCM. Paul Newman was never better in the character of Mike Gallagher whose reputation is sullied by a newspaper report on him as a suspect in a murder case. A man of solid character, he seemed to be a convenient target because of his late father's links to organized crime. He didn't take this on the chin but went to the reporter, played by Sally Field, and her boss. The boss covered his tracks beforehand and didn't give an inch. The newspaper had stained Gallagher's reputation but without making any real accusation...so this puts them in the clear. His liquor business employees are ordered by their union to leave and friends shun him. Eager to boost her career, Sally Field's character has no remorse. A later story destroyed the reputation of Gallagher's girlfriend, played by Melinda Dillon. As much as Gallagher tried to convince the youthful reporter of his innocence, she threw up a protective barrier to the truth. I found Melinda Dillon very convincing in her short performance as the innocent girlfriend who suffered by her association with Gallagher. Sally Field was miscast with her sweet girl persona no fit for a tough as nails reporter. The days of irresponsible news reporting is largely over; however, Sidney Pollack delivered a movie that exposed the sinister underbelly of daily newspapers.

This three-part drama was excellent viewing that had me eagerly tuning in for each episode. The story of a wife and mother who suddenly dies on the Isle of Mann was powerful blow to her two daughters and her husband. As the story continues, the viewer gets drawn into the suppressed antagonism between the two daughters who travel to the Isle to identify their mother. The plot was very unpredictable with a lot of curveballs that added extra layers of mystery to the life of the mother. Eve Best and Suranne James, as the daughters, go from one confrontation to another as the mother's unknown life away from her family becomes more and more incomprehensible to them. This takes a huge toll and we see the two daughters trying to swim against a tide that keeps pulling them down. Stockard Channing plays a friend of the mother. It seems that every time she appears, more chapters of the mother's life are exposed. The two daughters did come close to blows but the experience of their mother clearly enabled them to communicate their own feelings. The last 15 minutes are not to be missed.

This movie was one I hadn't seen until it appeared on TCM. Great acting talents are on display with the two leading characters, Peter Finch and Liv Ullman. Queen Christina appears as a very confused woman with sexual quirks that seem to dominate her performance combined with her obsession to be seen by the Pope. Apparently she suffered from an affliction that possibly makes her better understood which some viewers were clearly aware of. I did find Peter Finch's performance more impressive, asking questions of the Queen, which she didn't expect, as if the Church would bow to her title and immediately agree to her demand. Finch, who portrays a Cardinal (a Prince of the Church) is clearly a power within the Vatican, who is determined she will not see the Pope unless he is convinced of her sincerity. He is very stoic in the presence of the Queen despite her harangues. But he is also mesmerized. The halls and chambers of the Vatican are well displayed with Cardinals huddling among themselves as the Queen and Cardinal spar over her audience with the Holy Father. There is a dramatic change towards the end which will surprise some viewers. This is a very impressive take on Vatican politics at the time of the Counter-Reformation.

I visited Dachau in 1973 when I was just out of school and the experience has stayed with me. I don't ever want to forget what I felt that day and make an effort by tuning in to programs like this one - The Last Survivors. This program which I caught on PBS took a different approach by talking to the survivors: the brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren of loved ones who perished there. They were asked about their memories of family members they lost 70 years afterwards. It was very moving to hear the memories they shared from their childhood. It was important to capture their words on film because they will soon be gone.

One woman recounted how she said goodbye to her mother who was taken from her and directed to a line for the older or weaker ones. They embraced and the mother said "I love you" to her child and that was the last she saw of her. Another talked about his brother who he was separated from and never saw again. For many years, they buried these memories, which were too painful to talk about.

Others seemed to be reluctant to talk saying it was of no use to share their private memories because people only want to listen to happy stories. How true that often is! One daughter urged her father to talk about it and listened and hugged him. Both had tears in their eyes. That must be better than keeping silent for fear of making people unhappy. I think we can share these private moments with people we are close to, not just for survivors but for others who want to hear.

One brother returned to his childhood home on a street in Krassen in Germany. He was able to witness the laying of small plaques honouring each of his parents and his brother. He was very elderly and he was naturally emotional. This sort of gesture is important because it allows the survivors to get some small piece of closure. It Is also important for others to know and learn from their stories.

I didn't have any desire to view this movie on reading the reviews. The whole idea of an adult woman, played by Bette Davis, giving up her independence to cater to her mother seemed too far fetched. However, I did view it and was drawn into the story, which became a suspenseful drama as to whether Bette Davis could in fact follow her instincts and set out to make a life for herself. Although she never intended to give up her independence, she did play her cards right and kept in touch with her new found romantic interest, played by Paul Henreid. She also found herself taking his own daughter under her wing and showed her how to blossom as she herself was able to do. The movie had an excellent cast, including Henreid, Gladys Cooper, and Claude Rains. The movie has some interesting visual effects and photographic nuances. It also shows how to find fulfillment in surprising ways. As Davis says to Henreid: "Why have the moon, when we can have the stars."

This movie shows brutality of war and the callous attitude the top brass who conducted the Great War in early 20th century Europe on the backs of the men in the trenches. This war resulted in a huge loss of life that scarred millions for decades to come. The key part of the movie is the trial of three men for cowardice in battle, which was a total mockery of justice. Kirk Douglas was a man of principle who defended the three against the generals who cared nothing for the lives and hardships of their own men in battle. The best and most moving part of the movie comes at the end when a beautiful German girl is forced to sing to an audience of French troops. What happens is almost magical. This is a great anti-war movie and a triumph for director Stanley Kubrick.