Non Civil War Books and Movies

[Matt McKeon]

I thought we could have a thread where posters could discuss books or movies not necessarily Civil War related.

 

[Matt McKeon]

The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett

Tough private eye has to unravel the string of murders revolving around Gabrielle Dain Leggett, carrier of the "Dain Curse." A ur text for tough guy noir detective written in the late 1920s. Its moves fast with Hammett's signature convoluted plots and slangy dialog. The stinking dollop of racism Hammett throws in nearly sinks the front half of the book. Maybe does sink it. If you can hold your nose, the rest is worth reading.

 

[Matt McKeon]

My Love, Don't Cross that River

A documentary about a long married, elderly Korean couple. I mean long, 75 years. They are playful as they follow their routines in their rural home. Finally, "Hubby" age 98, begins to fail. In an intensely moving scene, his 89 year old wife burns his clothes as he lies on his death bed. The Koreans believe burning someone's belongings means he will have the use of them after death. "He will get settled, and have everything ready for me."

Despite her belief that they will be reunited, the last scene is her unrestrained crying at his grave, her grief will not be appeased.

 

[jgoodguy]

Thanks for starting this.

 

[rittmeister]

are we supossed to just introduce stuff or discuss it in own threads. if it's the latter (which i'd prefer) we should make it a subforum in the chat. i don't believe sth like that'd fit into civil war media.

... i gonna hit you with the flashman papers which have a relation to the civil war but only in one of twelve books (#10 flashman and the angel of the lord). i always hoped george macdonal frazier lived long enough to write the civil war book but that was not to happen

 

[O' Be Joyful]

The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett

Tough private eye has to unravel the string of murders revolving around Gabrielle Dain Leggett, carrier of the "Dain Curse." A ur text for tough guy noir detective written in the late 1920s. Its moves fast with Hammett's signature convoluted plots and slangy dialog. The stinking dollop of racism Hammett throws in nearly sinks the front half of the book. Maybe does sink it. If you can hold your nose, the rest is worth reading.

 

[5fish]

Our man Flint...

 

[Matt McKeon]

A Mystery on the Isle of Shoals

The Isle of Shoals in a group of islands ten miles off the coast of New Hampshire. Since the 17th century there has been a tiny fishing village called Gosport, made up of rough men and their somewhat haphazard families.

By 1873, small boat, inland fishing had wrecked the local stocks, and larger schooners out of ports like Gloucester sailing out into the Grand Banks, to deplete that fishing ground. A new business, tourism, supplanted fishing, as well to do summer visitors stayed at a new hotel or smaller guest cottages to enjoy the ocean, clean air and quiet.

A Boston businessman bought out the entire village of Gosport, and levelled it, to build a magnificent new hotel the Oceanic.

Then the murders.

 

[Matt McKeon]

One fishing family was doing quite well, Norwegian immigrants, then lived in a small house on Smuttynose Island. A Prussian fishing hand lived in the house with them at first, but frequently ill, wasn't much help. When another Norwegian couple arrived, the Prussian, Wager, had to move back to the mainland.

Unable to find work, he brooded on the successful Norwegians, obsessed with a large cache of money he was convinced they had concealed in their island home. One night when he knew the men were away, he rowed out to Isle of Shoals, broke into the dark house at one in the morning and tried to find the money. In a frenzied and bloody struggle, he murdered two of the women, but one escaped, concealing herself among the frigid and rocky shoreline while Wager frantically searched the abandoned buildings that dotted the small island. Finally, daylight approaching he rowed back to Portsmouth.

The Boston police arrested him that afternoon, despite him shaving his beard and wearing a new set of clothes he had bought hours before. The surviving woman had identified him. The two murders netted him fifteen dollars, and a date with the hangman.

 

[rittmeister]

One fishing family was doing quite well, Norwegian immigrants, then lived in a small house on Smuttynose Island. A Prussian fishing hand lived in the house with them at first, but frequently ill, wasn't much help. When another Norwegian couple arrived, the Prussian, Wager, had to move back to the mainland.

Unable to find work, he brooded on the successful Norwegians, obsessed with a large cache of money he was convinced they had concealed in their island home. One night when he knew the men were away, he rowed out to Isle of Shoals, broke into the dark house at one in the morning and tried to find the money. In a frenzied and bloody struggle, he murdered two of the women, but one escaped, concealing herself among the frigid and rocky shoreline while Wager frantically searched the abandoned buildings that dotted the small island. Finally, daylight approaching he rowed back to Portsmouth.

The Boston police arrested him that afternoon, despite him shaving his beard and wearing a new set of clothes he had bought hours before. The surviving woman had identified him. The two murders netted him fifteen dollars, and a date with the hangman.

in what year is that supossed to happen?

 

[Matt McKeon]

The author, J. Dennis Robinson, provides the context of the murders, the changes on the Isle of Shoals, the debate in Maine over capital punishment, and emerging literature of "true crime." Its an interesting read, recommended.

Louis Wager was a prototypical sociopath. Conceited, impulsive, without empathy, a clever and compulsive liar. Maine had its doubts about the death penalty, and would shortly abolish it, but not in time for Wager. State law required the governor to personally sign off on any death penalty. The governor at the time actually visited Wager in his cell. "Do I look like a man who would commit murder?" Wager asked him. "You look like a man who got in a corner and killed his way out," was the governor's harsh reply.

 

[Matt McKeon]

in what year is that supossed to happen?

March, 1873

 

[O' Be Joyful]

in what year is that supossed to happen?

gOOgle

https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Isles-Shoals-Closing-Smuttynose/dp/1629145785

 

[rittmeister]

March, 1873

okay, i first thought it's actual* and prussia was disbanded in 1945

* as you put this into a new paragraph i saw no direct connection to the year 1873 in the pargraph before it

A Boston businessman bought out the entire village of Gosport, and levelled it, to build a magnificent new hotel the Oceanic.

i also didn't know they did that sort of thing back then

---

gOOgle .

https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Isles-Shoals-Closing-Smuttynose/dp/1629145785

no cookies with your mornin' coffee?

 

[rittmeister]

the name wager doesn't make sense though, should be wagner

 

[O' Be Joyful]

no cookies with your mornin' coffee?

Onion bagels, w/ chive and onion cream cheese mÖron. Everything, goes better w/ Philly.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

the name wager doesn't make sense though, should be wagner

Americanized? Mine did and they landed in 1760's to escape the oppressive taxes and military drafts in the infant German "states." Or a possible mis-translation, stop being so f'in pedantic.

 

[Matt McKeon]

the name wager doesn't make sense though, should be wagner

You're right the name is Louis Wagner.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

And, further after my hardy ancestors landed in Philadelphia they headed fer' the Cumberland Gap...NO..

 

[rittmeister]

You're right the name is Louis Wagner.

a wagner is wagonmaker