"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS"
Act III - Part 2
The Charmed Ones, along with Leo, Jason and Paul, finally arrived at the McNeill house, around twelve-thirty in the afternoon. Piper, Leo and Paul held wrapped trays of food and Davies led them to the kitchen. Paige knew she should go upstairs and check with Barbara and the other bridesmaids, but she wanted to join Phoebe (holding young Wyatt) and Jason in the garden and circulate with the other guests first.
"Hmmmmm . . . nice," the youngest Charmed One commented. "I love the way the trees are decorated with . . ." She stopped herself from mentioning the word, "Wiccan" in front of Jason.
The newspaper publisher glanced at the younger woman. "Decorated with what? Those odd symbols hanging from the tree branches? Do you know what they are?"
"Who me?" Paige quickly shrugged. "Haven't the foggiest."
Phoebe patted her boyfriend's arm with a free hand. "Probably some new design for Japanese lanterns or something. I like it."
"Yeah, I guess it's not bad." Jason glanced around, looking uneasy. "God, I never thought I would set foot in this place, again."
A fourth voice added, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Hello Jason." Jack McNeill appeared before the trio.
Jason immediately stiffened. "Jack, it's good to see you, again."
"I'm surprised that you're here. Who invited you?"
After a brief pause, Jason replied, "Uh, the groom. Bruce invited me."
Blue-gray eyes scrutinized the younger man. "Now I remember. Bruce told me that you had changed your mind about your paper doing an article on the Golden Horn. Pretty decent of you." Mr. McNeill's eyes fell upon Wyatt, wriggling in Phoebe's arms. "And who is this young fellow?"
"Wyatt," Phoebe replied breathlessly. "This is Piper and Leo's son."
Mr. McNeill bent down to tickle the baby's chin. Wyatt broke into a wide grin. "He's a charmer," the McNeill patriarch added. "How old is he now? About two months?"
Phoebe said, "That's right. His Wi . . . uh, christening will be held during the first week of May. Next week."
"Yeah, we got our invitations." Mr. McNeill continued to tickle Wyatt's chin.
Jason added, "I hope I'll make it back in time. I'm supposed to be leaving for Hong Kong, tonight. Just for a few days."
"Yeah, I heard about your purchase of Imaton Communications," Mr. McNeill said. "Congratulations."
A pleased smile appeared on Jason's face. "Yeah, I've been negotiating for the company for nearly a . . ."
Mr. McNeill directed his gaze behind Jason's shoulder. "Well, look who's here! Cole! Andre! Over here!" Jason looked embarrassed by the older man's interruption. Phoebe looked as if she wanted to hide.
Paige greeted the half-daemon and the Vodoun priest, as they approached the other four. She also noticed how Phoebe's eyes widened at the sight of Cole's handsome companion. For once, the middle Halliwell seemed unaware of her ex-husband's presence.
Cole became the first to greet the others. "Hey Jack! I see that the wedding is almost in motion. Everything looks lovely."
"Congratulate Gwen and my mother," Mr. McNeill said, shaking Cole's hand. "They had literally taken over the house, this past week." He faced Andre Morrell. "Andre, I see that you made it here, okay. Were you able to pick up Eric?"
Andre nodded. "He was ready and waiting for me, when I arrived."
Mr. McNeill added, "Eric Grant is the . . ." He glanced at Jason. "He's the one who'll be conducting the wedding ceremony. Oh, and I guess that you ladies haven't met Andre, yet."
"I have," Paige said. "Yesterday. He and Cecile helped Piper and me prepare P3 for the bridal shower."
Andre smiled at the youngest Halliwell. "Nice to see you, again." He turned to Phoebe. "And you are . . .?"
"Phoebe Halliwell," Paige's sister replied.
Dark brown eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, so you're Cole's ex." Phoebe's cheeks turned red. Jason's mouth tightened. "It's nice to finally me you. Cole has told me all about you."
"He did?" Phoebe shot uneasy glances at Cole.
The half-daemon spoke up. "Andre and I are old friends. Hell, we've known each other for over ten years."
It finally dawned upon Paige. "That means you two have known each other since you both . . ." Aware of Jason's presence, she finished lamely, ". . . since both of you were in college, huh?"
Jason frowned. "Just over ten years ago? I thought . . ." Both Cole and Andre stared at him. He shook his head. "Nothing."
Andre said to Jason, "I believe we met, last night. Jason, right?"
"Yeah," Jason said with a nod.
Phoebe added, "Jason owns the newspaper that I work for. The SAN FRANCISCO BAY-MIRROR."
"Really?"
Mr. McNeill took control of the conversation. "By the way, Jason, do you mind if we have a private talk? Business." He placed a hand on the young publisher's shoulder and led the latter away from the others.
Once the two men disappeared, Paige turned to Andre. "You're the Vodoun priest who used to be a bokor, right? So that means you and Cole . . ."
"First met when we both walked the path of darkness and evil," Andre finished with a grin. "We met at a party in New Orleans.
Paige continued, "Do you have any powers? Like the rest of us?"
"You mean psi powers?" Andre asked.
Phoebe frowned. "Psi powers? I thought only normal people . . ."
"A lot of people have them," Andre said, interrupting Phoebe. "Whether we practice magic, or not. You know, stuff like telekinesis, premonitions, telepathy. They're all psychic abilities."
Paige added, "That's right. Olivia's grandmother once told me that our real talent for practicing magic lies within using spells, potions and stuff like that."
"Wait a minute!" Phoebe protested. "Are you serious?"
Cole said, "Paige is right. Although a lot of daemons in the Underworld possess psi powers, there are a lot of them who aren't really versed in the practice of magic."
Andre continued, "You see, real magic is centered around potions, spells, and incantations. We use nature, or call upon spirits or gods to tap into magic. Now, as for my psi powers - well, I'm a tetrakinetic. And I also have atmoskinesis."
"Huh?" A confused Paige frowned at the former bokor.
Cole replied, "That means, Andre has the ability to control earth. Tetrakinetic. He's also an atmoskinetic, which means he has control over different elements like fire, ice, water, the air, electricity . . . well, you know what I mean."
"Gee!" Paige declared. "That's a hell of a lot!" From the corner of her eye, she spotted a brunette woman waving at the group. "Does anyone know that woman?"
Cole sighed. "Uh, that's Veronica," he said. "My date." He coughed slightly. "Excuse me." Then he walked away and toward the other woman.
Paige and Phoebe continued to stare at Cole's date. The former commented, "Hmmm, not bad. I wonder if Olivia has seen her."
"So what if she has?" Phoebe protested. Irritation gleamed in her eyes. "Besides, I thought that Olivia was interested in Paul."
Paige shrugged. "Maybe. But after she finds out about Cecile's vision, I don't know if that still might be true."
A deep silence followed. Phoebe gave the younger woman a confused stare. Andre seemed to be holding his breath. And Paige realized that she had just committed a faux pas. "What vision?" Phoebe asked.
Andre said at the same time, "Cecile told you about her vision?"
"You know?" Paige shot back. Of course he did. She should have realized from the expression on Andre's face.
The houngan replied, "Yeah. She told me the morning after she met this Paul character."
"Okay . . . everyone!" Phoebe's voice drew stares from nearby bystanders. She blushed and continued in a softer tone, "When did Cecile have a premonition? And what does it have to do with Paul?"
Paige glanced uneasily at Andre, who shrugged. Then she answered Phoebe's question. "Cecile had her premonition when she first met Paul, on Wednesday night."
"She had a vision of Olivia killing Cole," Andre finished.
Shock reflected in Phoebe's eyes. "Olivia will kill Cole? How . . . how is that possible? No one can kill Cole. He's too strong. We couldn't kill Barbas with the Power of Three, when he had . . ."
"Yeah Pheebs, I know," Paige said, interrupting. "But Olivia did managed to kill Cole in Cecile's vision. I saw it, myself."
Shaking her head, Phoebe demanded, "But how? Why?" Realization lit up her eyes. "Ohmigod! Cole is gonna become evil, again! Isn't he?"
Andre stared at the middle Halliwell with something akin to contempt. "Now what makes you think this means Cole will 'turn evil'? What if this has something to do with Margolin? Or whatever his name?"
"Paul is a witch," Phoebe declared emphatically. "And a good one, I might add."
Andre's lips formed a sneer. "Really? Where I come from - that doesn't mean shit. We don't know why Cecile got the vision, while shaking the hands of Glinda the Good Witch's son. But something tells me that might not prove to be the innocent in all this."
Phoebe opened her mouth to protest, but Paige spoke first. "He might have a point, Phoebe. I mean, don't you find it strange that Cecile would have a premonition of Cole's death by shaking Paul's hand?"
An exasperated gasp left Phoebe's mouth. "I can't believe this! I can't . . . never mind! You know what, Paige? If you want to believe that Cole will turn out to be an innocent in this . . . go ahead. But if I were you, I'd tell Olivia. Unless Cecile already has. However, I plan to tell Leo and Piper." She glared at the other two and walked away.
Silence fell between the witch and the houngan. Paige glanced at Andre, who regarded her with reproach. An uneasy smile touched her lips, as she asked, "Did I just fuck up?" Andre's continuing silence answered her question.
-------------
The gray van marked MORGAN'S, turned left into the McNeill driveway and stopped in front of a high, black iron gate. The driver leaned out of the window and punched the gate's intercom box.
"Yes?" a voice from the intercom demanded.
The driver replied, "I am from Morgan's." He spoke with a slight foreign accent. "I am here to deliver a wedding cake."
"One moment." The iron gate swung open. "You may enter," the other voice continued. "The servant's entrance is on the east side."
"Thank you." Giancarlo sat back into the driver's seat, wearing a smug smile. He drove the van past the gate and followed the driveway toward the large, three-story Spanish-Colonial house. The van finally reached the servant's entrance and stopped.
The van's back doors swung open. Two people - a man and a woman dressed in waiter uniforms, jumped out. They walked over to the driver's side. "Alessandro, Talia," Giancarlo said to the pair, "the greenhouse should not be far from here. According to the Streghone, there you will find the Soma plant."
"Anything else?" Alessandro asked.
Giancarlo answered, "Yes. Try not to use any magic. The Padronessa has no idea how effective is the protection spell around the house. She is trying to counter the spell."
The two daemons nodded and headed toward the house. The service entrance door opened and a tall, thin man wearing a butler's uniform, appeared in the doorway. "Are you the driver from Morgan's?" He spoke with a British accent.
"Yes," Giancarlo politely replied. "The wedding cake is in the back. Shall I help you?" He smiled at the manservant and climbed out of the van.
-----------
Inside one of the bedrooms, Claudia was occupied in creating a spell to counter the protection spell around the McNeills' house. Dressed only in white lingerie and stockings, she stood in the middle of the room with her eyes closed and began to chant in Latin:
"The god, Faunus, hear my plea,
I summon thee to this plane to help me.
Erase the strength of the mallow that surrounds this house,
And allow the magic of Della Scalla to flourish within."
A heavy breeze swirled around Claudia, scattering loose objects around the room. She opened her eyes, walked over to the windowsill and smiled. The sprig of mallow on the windowsill had dried up. Which could signify that the protection spell had disappeared. To test her theory, she teleported out of the bedroom in a cloud of smoke. Seconds later, she reappeared. The spell worked!
"Leonardo!" she hissed. "Leonar. . ."
Claudia broke off, as the door swung open. In walked the young Vodoun priestess and an older version of the red-haired witch. Claudia concluded that the latter must be Gweneth McNeill. "Good heavens!" the older woman declared. "Barbara, you're not dressed! And the ceremony starts in less than forty minutes."
"Sorry," Claudia murmured. "I'm a little nervous right now, and I've been trying to calm myself. But I still managed to do my hair."
Cecile added, "I'll help you get dressed, cherie."
"Oh, that's . . ."
The McNeill witch spoke up. "That sounds like a marvelous idea. Meanwhile, I will check on the food for the reception. The wedding cake has just arrived." She disappeared, leaving Claudia alone with the priestess.
"By the way," Cecile commented, as she walked over to the bed, "I want to thank you for showing good fashion sense in your selection of the bridesmaids' gowns. We all thought we would end up in some hideous outfit."
Claudia noticed the bridesmaid gown that Cecile wore - a light, peach-colored long dress with a square bodice and spaghetti straps. Very simple and tasteful. She smiled wanly. "You're welcome."
"Say honey, why don't you let me help you get into this dress. Here." Cecile held up a cream-colored dress with a halter top. "Step into this." While holding on to Cecile's shoulder, Claudia stepped into the long gown. She stood still, while the other woman slid it upward until Claudia was able to slip her arms through the straps. "There!" Cecile commented with an air of satisfaction. "Turn around and let me zip it up." Once they finished, the Vodoun priestess examined Claudia with admiring eyes. "Now, don't you look lovely! All you need to do is put on your shoes and get your corsage."
Claudia glanced around the room, searching for the latter. "The corsage is somewhere around . . ."
"It's in the greenhouse," Cecile said. "Olivia's mother thought it would be best to keep it fresh there, instead of the fridge. I'll get it."
"No!" Claudia cried out, remembering that two of her minions should be there, searching for the Soma plant. "I mean . . ."
Cecile frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I . . . why don't you get one of the servants . . . what's his name?"
"Davies," Cecile replied quietly. "You really must be nervous, if you can't remember his name."
A heavy sigh left Claudia's mouth. "I must be. Anyway, why don't you let him get the corsage?"
"He's probably busy in the kitchen. I'll get it." Cecile started toward the door.
Claudia's first instinct was to stop the Vodoun priestess with an energy ball. Until she remembered that she could not afford to have a senior bridesmaid disappear before the wedding. That would upset her plan. So would Cecile snooping around the greenhouse. Of course, she could get one of her minions to impersonate the Vodoun priestess. Unfortunately, by the time Claudia had made up her mind to kill Cecile, the latter had left the bedroom.
Cursing out loud, Claudia summoned one of her henchmen. "Leonardo! Come here! Now!"
The younger daemon materialized in the middle of the bedroom. He gazed upon his mistress with open admiration. "La signorina es bellisima!"
"Never mind that!" Claudia growled. "We have a problem! That Vodoun bitch is headed for the greenhouse. Send Giancarlo to warn Talia and Alessandro. Or do it yourself. Tell them to hurry up and find that plant!"
Nodding, Leonardo replied, "Si, Padronessa!" and disappeared. Claudia heaved another sigh, as she fought down a surge of anxiety. Then she leaned down, picked up her shoes and proceeded to don them.
END OF ACT III - Part 2
Below are photos from the new political thriller directed by Kevin MacDonald. It stars Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, Harry Lennix, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels and Helen Mirren:
"STATE OF PLAY" Photo Gallery
Below is my review of the 1989 miniseries, "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS":
”AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS” (1989) Review
I have seen at least three full versions of Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, ”AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS”. And if I must be frank, I have yet to see a version that I would consider to be flawless or near flawless. But if I had to choose which version would rank as my favorite, it would be the three-part miniseries that aired on NBC in 1989.
Directed by the late Buzz Kulik, this version of Jules Verne’s novel starred Pierce Brosnan as the globe-trotting Phineas Fogg. ”MONTY PYTHON” alumni Eric Idle co-starred as Fogg’s French manservant, Passepartout; Julia Nickson portrayed the India-born Princess Aouda; and the late Peter Ustinov was the English detective who was convinced that Fogg had robbed the Bank of England, Detective Fix. The story started with a conversation between Fogg (Brosnan) and three fellow members of the Reform Club (Christopher Lee, Patrick Macnee and Simon Ward) in 19th century London about the technological advances in transportation in the past thirty to forty years. This leads Fogg to make a wager for twenty-thousand pounds (£20,000) that he could travel around the world in eighty (80) days or less. During the same day, a thief robs the Bank of England and all suspicions point to Fogg, who is identified by a bank employee as the robber.
Wentworth (Robert Morely), an official from the Bank of England and his assistant McBaines (Roddy MacDowell) dispatch private detectives to various ports throughout Europe to find Fogg and have him extradicted back to England. One of the detectives include Fix (Ustinov), who is sent to Brindisi, Italy. Unfortunately, Fix spots Fogg and Passepartout boarding a steamer bound for Suez and Bombay a minute too late and is forced to follow them on their trek around the world. Upon Fogg's arrival in India, one last member joins his traveling party when he and Passepartout (actually, Passepartout) rescue a recently widowed Indian princess from a suttee funeral pyre.
Like its 1956 predecessor, this version of "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS" turned out to be longer than necessary. The miniseries could have easily been a two-part miniseries or a 135-minute television movie. Unfortunately, John Gay filled his screenplay with unecessary scenes and dialogue that merely served as fillers to justify a three-part miniseries. In Part I, Fogg and Passepartout's adventures in France lasted longer than necessary - especially after they met a balloonist named Gravier and his mistress, Lucette. Even worse, viewers have to endure Fogg and Passepartout's balloon journey from France to Italy - which included a period that the heroes found themselves stranded in the Italian Alps. Part II included scenes that featured Fogg, Passepartout and Aouda's adventures with a Burmese prince and the bandits that kidnapped all of them; and Fogg, Aouda and Fix's encounter with the Empress of China and her son, the Emperor. I realize Gay also added these scenes to make Fogg's journey around the world more interesting. Unfortunately, they failed to interest or impress me.
Another problem I had with Gay's script turned out to be a major blooper that involved Fogg's encounters with the famous bandit, Jesse James (Stephen Nicols). Following Fogg's first encounter with James in San Francisco; he, Aouda, Passepartout and Fix boarded an eastbound train for Omaha. By some miracle, Jesse James and his brother Frank managed to catch up with this train somewhere on the Great Plains (probably in Nebraska), where Jesse boarded said train before the second encounter with Fogg. How was this possible? Fogg's train should have traveling eastbound for at least a day or two before James boarded it. There is NO WAY that the bandit could have caught up with that train. Gay should have allowed the James brothers or Jesse board the train in Oakland, along with Fogg and his party. Sloppy writing. And some of the dialogue featured in the miniseries seemed ladened with pedantic and half-finished sentences and unecessarily long pauses that seemed to serve no other function than to act as fillers to stretch the story.
One might wonder how I can view this version of "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS" as my favorite, considering the above criticism. But despite the flaws, I must admit there were many aspects about the miniseries I found enjoyable. John Gay's screenplay did not turn out to be a total loss. In fact, the number of gems in the story seemed to outweigh the flaws. I especially enjoyed the following:
*Fogg and Passepartout's charming encounter with actress Sarah Bernhardt (portrayed by a still sexy 54 year-old Lee Remick) at Dover
*Fogg and Passepartout's hilarious adventure at a Parisian bar
*The steamship journey from Brindisi to Suez that featured Fogg's encounter with Egyptian stonecutters and Fix's hilarious encounter with a Turkish prisoner willing to offer himself to help the detective pass the time
*Princess Aouda's rescue
*Fogg, Aouda and Fix find themselves shipwrecked on the China coast
*Fogg's first encounter with Jesse James at a San Francisco ball
*Fogg and James' duel on the Omaha-bound train
One particular scene I truly found enjoyable was Fogg and Aouda's hilarious and unsuccessful attempt to stowaway aboard Cornelius Vanderbilt's (Rick Jason) Europe-bound yacht. It was never featured in the novel or the 1956 movie. Too bad. I thought it was one of the best written scenes in the miniseries.
And it was Pierce Brosnan's performance as Phileas Fogg that really made that last scene a comic gem for me. Which is not surprising, considering he has turned out to be my favorite Fogg. Sorry Mr. Niven and Mr. Coogan, but I feel that Brosnan's portrayal has the other two beat. He managed to combined the best of the other two actors' performances to create the most emotionally rounded Phileas Fogg. He managed to perfectly convey the angst of Fogg's tendencies to suppress his emotions with some great comic timing.
Speaking of comic timing, Eric Idle's timing was effectively on display in some of my favorite scenes. Granted, I found his French accent rather questionable. But Idle more than made up for it in some very hilarious scenes. One featured his reaction to being attacked by a French thug at the Parisian bar and another a drunken moment shared with Fix at a Hong Kong tavern. But my favorite Idle moment centered around his reaction to a questionable meat pie purchased by Fogg on the Omaha-bound train in probably the funniest line in the entire miniseries.
Julia Nickson was both charming and amusing as the very brave Princess Aouda. Her Indian princess provided the miniseries with some deliciously angst-filled moments that allowed Aouda to question Fogg about his habit of suppressing his feelings from others. Nickson's Aouda also provided the miniseries with some political correct moments that were not only amusing, but well handled without being overbearing. And I simply enjoyed Peter Ustinov's performance as Detective Fix. Like Brosnan's Fogg, his Fix came off as more rounded and complex as Robert Newton or Ewan Bremmer's Fix. Without a doubt, Ustinov had some hilarious moments - especially in scenes that featured Fix's encounter with the Turkish prisoner on the voyage to Suez; and his reaction to another game of whist with Fogg. Not only did Ustinov managed to be funny, but also give Fix's character with a great deal of depth not found in other versions of the story.
I do have to say something about the supporting characters. One, I really enjoyed Robert Morely and Roddy McDowall as the Bank of England official and his assistant. Morely was a lot more amusing and fun in this miniseries than he was as the more stoic bank official in the 1956 version. And McDowall supported him beautifully. I also enjoyed the performances of Christopher Lee, Patrick Macnee and Simon Ward as the three Reform Club members who made the bet with Fogg. I especially enjoyed Lee's performance as the one member who especially found Fogg's precision and rigid habits rather annoying.
This version of "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS" lacked Victor Young's memorable score and Lionel Lindon's cinematography. But it does possess a pleasant and catchy score written by Billy Goldenberg. And I must admit that I found myself impressed by Emma Porteus' costume design, which captured the styles of the early 1870s more effectively than the 1956 movie.
In a nutshell, the three-part miniseries is simply too long. It has scenes and some clunky dialogue that could have easily been edited. But screenwriter John Gay also provided some wonderful and effective moments in the script. Frankly, I thought the cast was top-notch - especially the four main characters led by Pierce Brosnan. And although he is not well known, I thought that director Buzz Kulik did a solid job bringing it all together. The 1956 version may have won the awards, but in my book, this 1989 miniseries remains my favorite version of Jules Verne's novel.
Ever since Oceanic Flight 815 survivor Sayid Jarrah tried to murder young Ben Linus in (5.10) "He's Our You", and fellow survivor Jack Shephard refused to operate on the 14 year-old to save his life in (5.11) "Whatever Happened, Happened", I have heard comments that compared Ben to Adolf Hitler. I have also heard comments that compared Ben’s younger self to a "young Hitler". Many people have claimed that it was Ben who had ordered the deaths of the Dharma Initiative members on December 19, 1992. However, I have my doubts.
"WHO ORDERED THE PURGE OF THE DHARMA INITIATIVE?"
According to the series, Ben has offered contradicting facts on whether he had ordered the Purge of the Dharma Initiative or not. In (3.23) “Through the Looking Glass”, he had claimed to Jack that he was responsible for the Purge:
“Not so long ago, Jack. I made a decision that took the lives of over forty people in a single day"
Unfortunately, Ben contradicted this claim in the Season 4 episode (2.11) “Cabin Fever”, when he had the following conversation with another survivor of Oceanic Flight 815, Hugo “Hurley” Reyes:
HURLEY: So... This is where you shot Locke and left him for dead, huh?
BEN: Yes, Hugo, I was standing right where you are now when I pulled the trigger. Should have realized at the time that it was pointless, but... I really wasn't thinking clearly.
[Hurley steps back a little]
HURLEY: Is that why you killed all these people, too?
BEN: I didn't kill them.
HURLEY: Well, if the Others didn't wipe out the DHARMA Initiative--
BEN: They did wipe them out, Hugo, but it wasn't my decision.
HURLEY: Then whose was it?
BEN: Their leader's.
HURLEY: But I thought you were their leader.
BEN: Not always.
Interesting. He had admitted to trying to kill John Locke. But he denied being the one who had ordered the Purge. In the final flashback featured in another Season 3 episode called (3.21) “The Man Behind the Curtain”, viewers finally saw Ben’s experiences during the actual Purge. And most of his scenes featured his last moments with his abusive father, Roger Linus:
[Ben looks at his watch]
ROGER: Why do you keep looking at your watch? You got a date? [Pauses] Listen...if it makes you feel any better, I will do my best to remember your birthday next year.
BEN: I don't think that's going to happen, Dad. [starts to unzip bag]
ROGER: What do you mean?
BEN: You know, I've missed her too. Maybe as much as you have. But the difference is, for as long as I can remember, I've had to put up with you. And doing that required a tremendous amount of patience.
[Ben pulls out a gas mask]
BEN: Goodbye, Dad.
[Ben puts it on and then releases a gas canister]
ROGER: Ben?
[Roger struggles for breath, coughing and retching as blood spurts from his nose and mouth, clawing at Ben's mask]
[At the Barracks, Ben walks with gas mask on. He sees all the DHARMA employees lining the ground, all dead. He then notices Horace on a bench, and closes his eyes. Richard and the Hostiles arrive with masks on. Richard checks his watch, then removes his mask taking a deep breath. The rest of the team follow, as does Ben]
RICHARD: You want us to, um...go get his body?
BEN: No, leave him out there.
Does this mean that Ben had ordered the deaths of the DHARMA Initiative? I do not know. The only order Ben gave in the above mentioned scene was to leave Roger’s body in the van. Following the flashback, Ben said the following to Locke:
[In real-time, Locke stands over a mass open grave full of skeletons, some still wearing their DHARMA jumpsuits]
BEN: This is where I came from, John. These are my people. The DHARMA Initiative. They came here seeking harmony, but they couldn't even coexist with the Island's original inhabitants. And when it became clear that one side had to go, one side had to be purged, I did what I had to do. I was one of the people that was smart enough to make sure that I didn't end up in that ditch.
That last passage interested me. What exactly was Ben trying to say? That he had ordered the Purge against the DHARMA Initiative? Or that he made sure that he, as a member of the Initiative, would survive the Purge? Thanks to the most recent episode of ”LOST” - ”Dead Is Dead” - viewers know that Charles Widmore was the leader of the Others in 1988. And in another Season Four episode called (4.09) “The Shape of Things to Come”, viewers learned in a flash forward that Ben had taken the leadership of the Others away from Widmore:
WIDMORE: I know who you are, boy. What you are. I know that everything you have you took from me. So... Once again I ask you: Why are you here?
BEN: I'm here, Charles, to tell you that I'm going to kill your daughter. Penelope, is it? And once she's gone... once she's dead... then you'll understand how I feel. And you'll wish you hadn't changed the rules.
[Widmore shifts in his bed.]
WIDMORE: You'll never find her.
[Ben turns to leave.]
WIDMORE: That island's mine, Benjamin. It always was. It will be again.
So, when did Ben Linus replace Charles Widmore as leader of the Others? Before December 19, 1992? Or after? The photograph below from ”The Man Behind the Curtain” hints that Ben was still a worker for the DHARMA Initiative during that period, despite the fact that he had been one of the Others since the 1980s:
But had Ben assumed leadership of the Others by then? If not, does that mean Charles Widmore was still leading the Others in December 1992? Both the LOSTPEDIA and the WIKIPEDIA sites claimed that Richard Alpert had led the Others in the Purge against the DHARMA Initiative. But neither site made it clear who had ordered the Purge. And ”Dead Is Dead” never gave a clear date about when Widmore was exiled off the island.
In the end, viewers know that Charles Widmore had been the leader of the Others in 1988-89, when Danielle Rosseau’s companions were killed and she gave birth to a daughter, Alex, before the latter was kidnapped by Ben Linus. Viewers also know that Richard Alpert led a group of Others in the Purge against the DHARMA Initiative on December 19, 1992. On that same date, Ben killed his father, Roger Linus, in a similar manner – toxic gas. And viewers know that Widmore was eventually replaced by Ben as the Others’ leader and exiled off the island. If we only knew when Widmore had been exiled, perhaps the mystery of who had ordered the DHARMA Initiative Purge will finally be cleared.
Below is another gallery featuring photos from one of my favorite movies of 2008. I am speaking of "SPEED RACER", which featured Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox:
Another "SPEED RACER" (2008) Photo Gallery
"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS"
Act III - Part 1
"Great party, last night," Paige declared, as she entered the Halliwell kitchen. "A big hit, as far as Livy and the others are concerned. They really loved the male stripper."
Piper commented, "And I bet you did, too." Paige wrinkled her nose. "Anyway," Piper continued, "I'm also satisfied. With the business P3 made last night. Plus, Mrs. McNeill . . . the Younger . . . had asked me to prepare some hors'derves for the wedding reception." She indicated the spread of food on the kitchen table. "I'm making Broccoli Quiche, Shrimp Canapes and Deviled Ham pinwheel sandwiches. And I need your help."
"Swell," Paige grumbled. "I come down for breakfast and end up being the kitchen help. I supposed you don't care that I'm one of the bridesmaids, today."
Removing a plastic bag filled with cooked shrimp from the refrigerator, Piper replied, "Nope, I don't. Besides, I only have to make the canapés. Phoebe went to the store to get some more mayonnaise and Swiss cheese."
The kitchen door swung open. "And Phoebe is here," the middle Charmed One announced breathlessly. She entered the kitchen and closed the door. Dumping her purchase on the table, she added, "Here's the Swiss cheese, Piper."
Paige sat in one of the chairs. "So, what are we having for breakfast?"
Piper shook her head. "Sorry, I haven't had time to make breakfast, yet."
"I could go to McDonald's," Phoebe volunteered. "Who's in the mood for an Egg McMuffin?"
Paige grimaced. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather have a Sunrise sandwich from Carl's Jr. With bacon?"
"Carl's Jr. sounds fine with me," Piper said. She handed the bag of shrimp to Paige. "Sweetie, do me a favor, while Phoebe gets breakfast. Start peeling the shrimp for me?"
Phoebe added, "And I'll be heading for Carl's Jr. Besides a Sunrise sandwich with bacon, what do you guys want?"
Before Paige or Piper could answer, Leo burst into the kitchen. "Leo honey," Piper began, "Phoebe's getting breakfast from Carl's Jr. What do you want?"
"I'll have orange juice and toast," Leo replied absent-mindedly.
Paige frowned at him. "Toast? From Carl's Jr.? Don't you mean French Toast?"
Leo's blue eyes focused upon the youngest Charmed One and chilled slightly. "Never mind breakfast," he said. "I just want to know Paige - why did you tell Cole that I had recommended that ADA job to Paul?"
"Huh?" Paige stared at her brother-in-law with wide eyes. "Leo, what are you talking about?"
Grim-faced, Leo leaned against the kitchen counter. "Last night, I ended up in a fight with Cole . . ."
"Did he hurt you?" a concerned Phoebe asked.
Leo shook his head. "No, it was all words. But he told me that Paige," he coldly returned his gaze upon the youngest sister, "had told him how Paul found out about the ADA job opening. Through me. And now, Cole is convinced that I had done it to play matchmaker with Olivia and Paul."
"Well excuse me, Leo!" Paige retorted. "But it was Paul who told me at Nathalie Gleason's party, last week! And judging from that little dinner party you and Piper gave nearly a month ago, and your expression every time we saw him with Olivia . . . can you really blame Cole for suspecting that you're playing matchmaker?"
The other two sisters stared at the whitelighter. Piper asked, "Paige, are you suggesting that Leo helped Paul get a job out here, simply to . . . break up Cole and Olivia?"
"There is no Cole and Olivia to begin with!" Leo hotly insisted. "They weren't even dating!"
Paige spoke up, "But you did tell Paul about the job opening. Right? So that you could hook him up with Olivia?"
"I see nothing wrong with that," Piper commented. "Paul has a new job with a higher salary. He and Olivia seemed to get along." She shot her husband, an acidic look. "Of course, someone could have told us what he was up to."
Phoebe added, "And Olivia could do a lot worse than Paul. Say . . . my ex-husband?"
"Well that's great, Pheebs," Paige shot back, "except I don't see how Paul can be good for Livy, when she doesn't even love him. And besides . . . I think there's something a little off about our friendly neighborhood ADA. Like he's in dire need of a good psychotherapist!"
Leo protested, "What are you saying? That Paul's crazy? And as Olivia's whitelighter, I think I did the right thing by . . ."
"Interfering with Olivia's love life?" Paige suggested sarcastically. "Yeah, I'm sure you feel that way. Only . . . you haven't been her whitelighter in years!"
"Paige . . ."
The youngest Charmed One rounded on her whitelighter. "If you're worried about Cole knowing about your little scheme, Leo, don't bother. Because you might have a bigger problem on your hands. Like a pissed-off witch, if Olivia ever finds out."
Leo's face paled.
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Slowly, light poured into the darkness of Barbara's mind. When the darkness finally disappeared, the blond witch blinked her eyes several times, before opening them.
The room looked very unfamiliar with its wood-paneled walls and expensive Louis XV furnishings. Filled with panic at the unfamiliar surroundings, Barbara jerked into a sitting position. Where in the hell was she? The last thing she remembered was encountering the male stripper, who had transformed into a . . .
The door opened and in walked a tall, good-looking man who possessed dark hair and a slender, yet wiry physique. The same man who had once been a blond-haired stripper, last night. "Oh God! It's you!" Barbara sprung off the bed and back away, bumping into the night stand. "Stay away from me!"
The man smiled. "Do not worry, Signorina. I will not hurt you." His dark eyes grew threatening. "Unless you give me a reason."
"Who in the hell are you?" Barbara demanded. "And where am I?"
Bowing, the man continued, "My name is Alessandro. And you're at the home of Signorina Claudia Della Scalla."
Barbara grew cold at the mention of her hostess's name. "Della . . .?" she whispered. Then, "Oh my God! Della Scalla! Olivia was right!"
"There is someone who wishes to speak with you." Alessandro opened the door and stood aside, while a second figure entered the bedroom. Nick Marcano.
The Stregheria witch smiled broadly. "Barbara! It's good to see you!"
Barbara marched toward Nick and punched him in the jaw. Hard. He sprawled onto the floor. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Nick?"
Rubbing his jaw, the Streghone protested, "Me? This is not my doing!" He stood up. "I'm . . . Signorina Della Scalla had me sprung from jail. She thought I had killed her sister."
Searing the other witch with a furious glare, Barbara hissed, "And I bet you made sure that you told her what really happened. Didn't you?"
"I had no choice!"
Barbara shot back, "If that's true, why am I here?"
Nick hesitated. "Well . . ."
"Signor Marcano had provided much needed information to the Padronessa," the incubus explained smoothly. "And he is being rewarded for his troubles."
"Rewarded?" Barbara frowned. "How?" She turned to Nick. "What exactly did you tell her?" Recalling how Alessandro had captured her in the first place, a horrifying epiphany struck the blond witch. "Goddess! You told her everything about us, didn't you? About the wedding!"
Nick added, "Signorina Della Scalla needed the information to get close to Bruce. But don't worry. She won't kill him before the wedding. She's going to marry Bruce in your place . . . and then kill him. Eventually. As for us . . . well, how do you feel about becoming Mrs. Nicholas Marcano?" He stared at Barbara with hopeful eyes.
Barbara decided to give Nick an answer that best expressed her feelings. Her fist snaked out and smashed against Nick's jaw. For the second time. And for the second time, he went sprawling upon the floor. "Does that answer your question?" Barbara coldly replied.
The incubus helped Nick to his feet. "Signorina, I suggest that you refrain from such behavior, again. You should consider yourself lucky that the Padronessa has decided to spare your life. For Signor Marcano's sake. Meanwhile, you can shower and dress. There are some clothes in the closet. And a servant will bring you breakfast. Good day, Signorina Bowen." Alessandro left the room, dragging along a semi-conscious Nick.
Once the door closed behind the pair, Barbara rushed forward. She re-opened the door and tried to leave the bedroom. But she was unable to, thanks to a force-field blocking the doorway. In other words, she was trapped. And unless she could escape in time to warn her family and the McNeills, Bruce will end up dead by the time his honeymoon ended.
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The pounding on the door awaken Claudia from her deep slumber. She rolled over to her right side, heaved a sigh and tried to resume her sleep. The pounding resumed. Then the doorbell rang. "Barbara! Hello? Wake up!"
Barbara? Claudia blinked several times before her eyes flickered open. She sat up, glanced around the bedroom, and remembered. Oh yes. The bedroom belonged to the Streghone's little Wiccan witch. Claudia's eyes swept over the room. Very tastefully furnished. The succubus could not help but feel impressed by the witch's taste.
Ding-dong! The doorbell rang for the second time. Claudia waited for a servant to respond . . . until she remembered that the Bowen witch did not have servants. How barbaric. Heaving a sigh, she forced herself out of bed and started toward the apartment's living room. A quick glance at a mirror hanging near the door informed Claudia that she was not in disguise. She morphed herself into the image of the blond-haired witch and opened the door.
"Here comes the bride! Here comes the bride!" sang two women, as they entered the apartment. One of them, the Vodoun priestess, swept her eyes over Claudia. The latter's hand immediately flew to the small amulet hanging from her neck. "Damn Barbara! Are you just getting up? It's a quarter past ten!"
Claudia stared at the other two. "After ten? Get ready? Why should . . .?" Her mind immediately grasped the situation. "Oh! Yeah. The wedding. How long do I have?"
"Man, you have lost it this morning!" the redheaded witch declared. "I thought you would have been eating breakfast by now. Where's your wedding dress?" She swept past Claudia and into the bedroom.
Wedding dress? Several seconds passed before the succubus realized that she did not know where to find it. "I . . . uh . . ."
"I've got it!" the McNeill witch cried. She re-entered the living-room, carrying two plastic-covered garments. "I've got your going-away dress, as well. Why don't you take a shower and get dressed, so we can leave? We can get breakfast at my parents' house."
Claudia blinked. "Oh. Okay." She started to turn away.
"What's that?" The Vodoun priestess pointed at the amulet hanging from Claudia's neck. The same amulet that contained a spell to block any power from another telepath.
Being the quick-witted creature that she was, Claudia immediately came up with an answer. "Oh. That." She fingered the amulet. "It's a good luck piece. For the wedding."
The priestess, whose name Claudia recalled was Cecile, continued to stare at the amulet. "That's an interesting symbol for good luck. What language is it? Where did it come from?"
Panic quickly became relief when the other woman interrupted. "Hello? Ladies? We have a wedding to attend. We don't have much time."
Claudia used the warning to excuse herself and return to the bedroom. Once inside, she summoned her right-hand man, Leonardo. The incubus materialized after her third cry. "Yes Padronessa?" he responded with a bow.
Throwing off her robe in a theatrical manner, Claudia said, "One of the women in the other room - the black woman . . ."
"The Vodoun mami, Dubois," Leonard added.
Claudia continued, "I want you to find someone to keep an eye on her. Get Giancarlo. She has developed an interest in my amulet. And I'm not sure that it is blocking her power, completely."
Leonardo said, "I will summoned him, right away."
Nodding Claudia added, "Bueno. Now all I want him to do is observe her. But if she becomes a problem . . . have Giancarlo kill her. If necessary."
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The solid redwood door swung open and Cole, along with his companion, found themselves facing a surprised-looking major-domo. "Mr. Turner," Davies greeted, staring at the woman clutching the half-daemon's arm, "welcome back. Come in."
The pair entered the McNeills' house. Veronica Altman glanced around the foyer with admiring eyes. Cole noticed that her lips had puckered for a whistle. Fortunately, not a sound came out. Especially since Gweneth McNeill chose that moment to enter the foyer.
"Cole!" The middle-aged redhead embraced her new visitor. Then she pecked his cheek. "Darling, I'm so glad that you're here. Jack needs help supervising the set-up for the ceremony in the garden. Harry is upstairs, babysitting the groom." Her green eyes fell upon Veronica. "Oh. Who is this?"
Cole responded with a slight cough. "Uh Gwen, this is Veronica Altman. She's a fellow attorney at my firm. Veronica, this is Gweneth . . ."
"Gweneth McNeill." Veronica eagerly shook the chef's hands. "I'm a big fan of yours. In fact, I even have two of your cookbooks."
Flattery lit up Gweneth's eyes. "Really? How lovely! Which two books do you have?"
An excited Veronica continued, "Well, I have the one on British cooking and the Fifty Simple Recipes cookbook. They're great!"
It took all of Cole's efforts not to wince at Veronica's adulation. Or kick her in the shin and tell her to ease up on the celebrity worship. But since the other attorney was doing him a favor, Cole remained silent. A few minutes later, the subject of cookbooks finally ended. "I would really love to chat a little longer, Ms. Altman," Gweneth said, "but I have a wedding to organize. Would you excuse . . .?"
The front door swung open and three women entered the house - Cecile, Barbara, and Olivia. "We're here!" the latter declared loudly. "Mom, Cecile and I finally got Barbara . . ." She stopped short at the sight of Cole and Veronica standing next to each other. "Oh. Cole." A tinge of jealousy crept into her voice - much to Cole's satisfaction. "Who's your friend? She looks familiar."
Suppressing a smile, Cole replied, "You remember Veronica Altman from my firm, don't you? I believe you two had once met at some office party."
"Actually, we've met twice," Veronica said, offering her hand to Olivia, who coolly regarded it. "At the Christmas office party and at the firm's charity benefit, last February. Nice to see you, again, Olivia. It is Olivia, right?"
A cool smile touched Olivia's lips. She finally shook Veronica's hand. "Oh yes. I remember you. From the charity benefit."
Cole turned Veronica's attention to the other women. "By the way, this is Cecile Dubois. She's a friend of Olivia's. And so is Barbara," he said, indicating the blond-haired woman. "Who happens to be the bride."
Veronica shook Cecile's hands and smiled at Barbara. "Congratulations on the wedding. I hope you'll be happy."
The bride-to-be responded with a wan smile. "Thanks." To Cole's surprise, he felt a familiar tingle at the nape of his neck. The last time he had felt such a sensation . . .
"I hope that you'll enjoy the wedding, Ms. Altman," Gweneth said, interrupting Cole's thoughts. "I believe it will be quite different from what you're used to."
Veronica's smoky gray eyes widened. "Oh?"
"Our family and Barbara's family are into what is known as New Age religion. It's a new kind of religion based on some old Celtic Pagan one."
Nodding, Veronica said, "That should be no problem. I mean, this is San Francisco. New Age religion has been around for the past 30 or 40 years in this town. At the last wedding I had attended, the bride and groom were married in a some kind of old Romanian ceremony." She turned to Cole. "Remember Cole? It was at Stefan Schroeder's wedding, nearly two weeks ago."
Cole became aware of eyes staring at him. "That's strange," Olivia said thoughtfully. "You never mentioned anything about attending a wedding to me."
Despite the intensity radiating from Olivia's green eyes, Cole maintained his composure. "You weren't available that day. I believe you and Paul had taken a trip to Napa Valley."
Olivia's eyes flickered. "Oh."
Tension surrounded the six people like a heavy fog. Mercifully, Gweneth broke the silence. "Well, I'm sure we would all love to stand around and talk, but I have a wedding to supervise. Jack is waiting for Cole, and I'm sure that you girls need to get ready."
Her words did the trick. Gweneth exchanged a few more words with Veronica and left. Olivia, along with Cecile and Barbara started upstairs. As they climbed the staircase, Olivia shot a quick glare at Cole and Veronica.
"Looks like your plan is working," Veronica commented, after the three other women disappeared upstairs. "Did you see the look your friend gave us?"
Cole sighed. "Oh yeah. I saw." Only now, he began to wonder if he had gone too far with this jealousy scheme.
END OF ACT III - Part 1
Since the 70th anniversary of original release of the 1939 version of "THE FOUR FEATHERS" is coming up this month, I decided to write a review of the film:
”THE FOUR FEATHERS” (1939) Review
There have been seven versions of A.E.W. Mason’s 1902 novel, ”The Four Feathers”. At least three of them were silent films. In 1939, British producer Alexander Korda released the first sound adaptation of the novel. This version was also the first one to be filmed in color. Directed by Korda’s brother, Zoltan Korda, ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” starred John Clements, June Duprez, Ralph Richardson and C. Aubrey Smith.
Not only was this version of ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” the first to feature both sound and color, it is regarded by many as the best adaptation of Mason’s novel. Fifteen years has passed since I last saw this movie. When I first saw it back in the mid-1990s, I was very impressed by this film. After seeing it fifteen years later (or more), I am still impressed. Somewhat. Granted, my admiration for the movie has dimmed slightly, but I still believe that it is a first-class movie.
Unlike Mason’s novel or the recent 2002 version, this version of ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” is not set right after General Charles Gordon’s death in 1885. Instead, the movie is set in 1895. Harry Faversham is an officer in the British Army and his regiment has been ordered to the Sudan to avenge the death of “Chinese” Gordon from ten years ago. On the eve of its departure, British officer Harry Faversham (Clements) resigns his commission. As a result, his three friends and fellow officers, Captain John Durrance (Richardson) and Lieutenants Burroughs (Donald Grey) and Willoughby (Jack Allen), express their contempt of his supposed cowardice by each sending him a white feather attached to a calling card. When his fiancée, Ethne Burroughs (Duprez), says nothing in his defense, he bitterly demands one more from her. She refuses, but he plucks one from her fan and leaves. While the officers go off to war, he admits to his old acquaintance Dr. Sutton (Frederick Culley) that he is a coward and must make amends. He departs for Egypt. There, he adopts the disguise of a native with the help of Dr. Harraz (Henry Oscar), choosing to play a despised mute Sangali to hide his lack of knowledge of the language.
What can I saw about ”THE FOUR FEATHERS”? For one, it is a beautiful looking film. I understand that it had been filmed in both Great Britain and in Sudan. And photographers Georges Périnal and Osmond Borradaile did a beautiful job in capturing the scope and color (via Technicolor) of both countries. It was not surprising for me to learn that the film had received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography. I also found Miklos Rozsa’s score, Vincent Korda’s uncredited production design, W. Percy Day’s matte paintings, along with Godfrey Brennan and René Hubert’s costume designs impressive, as well.
But I am merely procrastinating. I have not discussed the meat of the movie – namely the story and the acting. Well, I might as well start with the first. R.C. Sherriff, Lajos Biro and Arthur Wimperis created a solid adaptation of Mason’s novel. They made a few changes. As I had stated before, they set the movie in the 1890s, enabling them to incorporate the British victory at the Battle of Omdurman in September 1898 into the plot. The novel was set around the mid 1880s. The character of Abou Fatma (featured in both the novel and in other versions, including the 2002 movie) is not this film. But these changes did not hurt the plot. ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” still turned out to be a rousing action-adventure film. When I first saw the movie back in the early 1990s, the patriotic jingoism surrounding the British Empire did not bother me at all. Fifteen years later, it did. Somewhat. I have seen plenty of old films from the 1930s and 1940s that painted the British Empire in a positive light. Unfortunately, this version of ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” did so at a level that sometimes came off as a little too heavy-handed for my taste. I suspect that the reason behind the three screenwriters’ decision to set the movie in the mid-to-late 1890s in order to allow the movie to feature an actual British imperialist victory – Omdurman - and a chance to wave the flag. The movie did question the idea of what constituted bravery or cowardice. But once Harry arrived in the Sudan, the topic never reared its ugly head again. Hmmm. Too bad.
The movie featured a solid, first-rate cast. John Clements gave an excellent performance as Harry Faversham, who is emotionally torn between his aversion to the idea of serving as a British officer and continuing his family’s military tradition. My only quibble with his performance was that I found his . . . ’portrayal’ of a mute Sangali exaggerated. The other first-rate performance featured in this movie came from Ralph Richardson, who portrayed Faversham’s best friend and romantic rival, Jack Durrance. I was especially impressed by how Richardson conveyed Jack’s desperation to hide his blindness from his command and his hopeless infatuation with Harry’s fiancée, Ethne Burroughs. Who, by the way, was portrayed by June Duprez. Ms. Duprez gave a charming performance. But aside from two scenes – one that featured her discovery of Harry’s resignation from the Army and her regret for pushing him away – Miss Duprez’s Ethne seemed to lack depth. Well known British character actor, C. Aubrey Smith gave a sprightly and funny performance as Ethne’s father, the irascible General Burroughs who continues to live in the past glories of his service during the Crimean War. In fact, the movie’s running joke turned out to be the General’s embellishments of his favorite war story – the Battle of Balaclava.
When one comes down to it, the 1939 version of ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” is a rousing and entertaining tale about a disgraced British Army officer who finds redemption through his private heroic acts to protect his former colleagues and friends during the last year of the Mahdist War. My main quibble with the movie centered around the script written by R.C. Sherriff, Lajos Biro and Arthur Wimperis. Granted, they did a first-rate job of adapting Mason’s novel. But aside from the first third of the movie in which the script briefly questioned society’s idea of bravery, the story seemed lack depth and in the end, came off as a propaganda film for the British Empire. However, Georges Périnal and Osmond Borradaile’s Technicolor photography of both England and the Sudan are absolutely breathtaking and deserving of an Oscar nomination. The movie featured a solid cast that included excellent performances by John Clements and Ralph Richardson. And Zoltan Korda kept it all together with his skillful direction that featured some excellent dramatic moments and great action.
I realize that many consider Korda’s version of ”THE FOUR FEATHERS” to be the best of the seven already made. This is an opinion that I cannot honestly share. It is also an opinion I have not harbored in the past decade. It is a little too jingoistic for my taste. And aside from the Harry Faversham and Jack Durrance characters, most of the other characters do not strike me as possessing enough depth. But it is a first-rate action-adventure film. And it is easy to see why so many fans still love it after seventy years.
"CROSSROADS OF THE FORCE"
EPILOGUE
CORUSCANTDarth Rasche laid flat on his bed, inside the Emperor Palpatine Surgical Reconstruction Center, staring at the ceiling. When his eyes became weary at that particular sight, he tried to direct his gaze elsewhere . . . anywhere other than his hands. Or what used to be his hands. He did not know what to call them. Cybernetic implants? Freaks of nature?
Upon his arrival on Coruscant, the Sith Lord had been rushed to the medical facility to be fitted with new robotic hands. The droids – on the Emperor’s orders – kept him conscious during the entire operation. Rasche still recalled how the pain fueled his anger at being put in such a situation. Within three days, his body had rejected the new parts and Rasche nearly died from a serious infection. In the end, he survived, thanks to the Force and the medical droids. They fitted him with another pair of cybernetic hands . . . only this time, with more success.
Another sigh left the Sith Lord’s mouth. Rasche finally lowered his gaze and focused it upon his new artificial hands that now rested upon his lap. The gold-plated robotic fingers reminded him of those belonging to a protocol droid. Anger and a sense of loss welled inside him. He had not felt this desire to cry out in rage and lash at the universe for putting him in such a position, since that day he had first became a Sith Lord. Instead, he continued to stare at his new hands.
The sound of a door sliding open filled Rasche’s ears. He glanced up and saw his master enter the room. “Master, what are . . .?”
“How do you feel, Lord Rasche?” the wizened Sith Lord gently asked.
Rasche remained silent, as the older man’s question - for some reason - had fueled his anger. He muttered in a dark tone, “Fine.”
“Yes. I can see,” Lord Sidious replied caustically. “I thought you would like to know that our suspicions regarding Senator Dahlma had been correct. The liaison on Ord Mantell, Kalen Tom, managed to learn that she has become involved in this some new rebellion against the Empire. It seemed that she and a group of others were attending some kind of conference at Worlport. Tom managed to learn that the former Senator Yeb of Andalia had also attended. Unfortunately, he had failed to identify the others, due to the abysmal security on that planet. But do not worry, my young friend. One day, I shall learn their identities . . . and destroy them.”
Good luck. The thought bitterly rang in Rasche’s head. Solipo Yeb and a few others have managed to evade arrest for the past ten years. He remained silent and returned his gaze to the ceiling.
“You seem unusually quiet, Lord Rasche,” Palpatine continued. “In fact, I sense a great deal of unhappiness and anger within you.”
No longer able to hold back his resentment, Rasche lashed out. “How would you feel if you had been humiliated and your hands had been castrated?”
A flash of sympathy briefly appeared in the older Sith Lord’s yellow eyes. “Very angry. But you are no longer helpless. I have given you new hands. More powerful hands. With them, you will be able to . . .”
“Don’t you understand? Skywalker had defeated me! He helped Senator Dahlma escape and chopped off my hands! Why did you bother to save me? Why not simply find another apprentice?”
Palpatine regarded Rasche with a cryptic expression. “And why would I do that?”
Rasche glared at his master. “Why not? After all, you had recruited Feris Olin to kill me, several years ago.”
To the younger man’s satisfaction, surprise briefly flickered in Palpatine’s eyes. “How did you . . .?”
“Find out?” Rasche finished. “I am a Sith, my master. The Force was strong with me.”
An amused smile curled the Emperor’s mouth. “Yes. I should have realized that you might have learned about Master Olin.”
Rasche continued, “By the way, Senator Dahlma was not the only one who appeared on Ord Mantell. I also saw Olin. Along with three other people. One of them was a spacer I have heard of before. A Voranda Sen. She . . .”
“She was killed in the Moorja System,” Palpatine coolly finished. “Yes, I know about her. According to a spy, she had been attempting to recruit pilots for this new rebellion. I had wanted her captured alive, but the captain of the Invader ended up destroying her, instead. Very clumsy of him.”
But Rasche was not finished. “This Captain Sen may not be the only one who is dead.” He paused to ascertain the Emperor’s reaction. “I saw a stormtrooper shoot Olin, during my duel with Skywalker.”
Palpatine inhaled sharply. Then he quickly recovered with a barely sympathetic cluck. “Hmmm. Poor fellow. At least we have one less Jedi to worry about. And if I must be frank, Master Olin has not been a concern of mine for years. Not since he had failed to contact me, several years ago.”
The older man’s words sparked another surge of anger within Rasche. “So, you did conspire with Olin to kill me. Why? I no longer surved your purpose?”
“Of course not!” the Sith Master retorted with derision. “Master Olin had merely been a spy . . . and a tool. A test for you. How long has it been since you last a Jedi or any other Force user, before Ord Mantell? Judging from your failure to kill Skywalker, I would say it has been far too long, my young apprentice.” Rasche’s face grew hot with embarrassment, as Palpatine continued. “Unfortunately, Master Olin had abandoned my service before he could provide the test.”
His anger once again rising, Rasche shot back, “Then you should have abandoned me! Instead of giving me these . . . these . . . things!” He raised his new hands.
Palpatine’s yellow eyes acquired an intensity that Rasche had not seen in years. “I have no intention of letting you go my Lord Rasche. I need a strong apprentice, such as yourself, to help me continue the Sith’s presence in this galaxy!” Rasche opened his mouth to protest, but the Sith master continued. “You do not understand, do you? Skywalker had surrendered the chance to kill you, due to some misplaced compassion he had failed to rid himself of. A Lieutenant Nance had informed me of what had occurred inside that hangar. It took Skywalker quite a while to defeat you. Much longer than it would have taken him, ten years ago. This only tells me that he has grown weaker with the Force.” The Sith Lord spit out his last sentence with great contempt. “Perhaps you are not ready to face Skywalker, yet. But one day, my young friend . . .” Palpatine graced Rasche with a smile that radiated self-assurance. “One day, you will.”
Silence engulfed the room, punctuated by beeps from the medical droid. Rasche stared at his mentor, wondering if the latter had foreseen Skywalker’s death. Then again, Sidious could merely be trying to bolster his self-esteem. “I . . . could you . . .?”
“Enough questions, my friend. You need your rest.” The Emperor’s voice oozed with sympathy. “Once you are well, we shall see about returning to business, which includes dealing with this new rebel threat.”
Rasche nodded. “What about . . . Skywalker? Now that we know the name of his starship, shouldn’t we set about finding him?”
Palpatine sighed. “Ah yes. The former Darth Vader.” A cold smile curved his lips. “You should not concern yourself with him,” he replied. “At least not yet. Like I said before, one day . . . Skywalker will see us out. And when that day arrives, you will deal with him. Permanently. Rest well, my Lord Rasche.” Palpatine nodded imperiously and left the room.
The Sith apprentice laid back on his bed and contemplated his master’s words. A memory from the past month came back to him. A memory that featured Anakin Skywalker’s haunted expression, when the latter hesitated to strike him down. Rasche looked forward to the day when he would reunite with his predecessor and destroy the man. But he hoped to accomplish something else – to learn why Skywalker had refrained from killing him.
THE END
