Thursday, February 11, 2010

A Sociological Masterpiece


Series Two-Disk One of Hamish MacBeth has an episode entitled "A Pefectly Simple Explanation": 
This story has the grace of awesome natural beauty and in it a taste of culture in microcosm.  It could be Anytown Anywhere with types reminiscent of Canterbury Tales (of which William Blake said 'everyone belongs to one of Chaucer's types').
      It deals with a variety of sexual types but never purient and a variety of religious failings-- but kindly. At a critical moment a rabid type of preacher lapses into tongues, aweing his congregation and frightening the generality of Plain Joes.
      Three of them ask TV John for his help against the curse.  He spins them a cockaminy yarn worthy of the saltiest WWII GI Joe: they are to strip naked on the ridge at High Moon, wave "palm fronds" in the air, and beat one another with them-which they immediately do, much to the amusement of John and one of his brighter friends.
     That's just a sample of the ridiculous  scenes unfolded in this flic with several others that lead to a 'must see' for viewers with a taste for scenic beauty and the foibles of humanity.

4 comments:

Paul said...

Coincidence! I watched this episode last week. The developments and ending were a surprise.

Larry Clayton said...

glad you're still with me Paul.

The other day I met a man in the hospital who was 102. Seemed like an honor. He was all there, sitting in a chair like it was a throne; fully alert, his faculties and very responses to my comments.

There's my role model, Paul.

Unclimber said...

I had to say hello! I recently got a comment on my nearly defunct blog and that led me to looking at some older posts and I found your link.
I see the scripture study is down to just two team members.
Hope you are well!

Larry Clayton said...

Indeed, Marjorie; nice to hear from you. Ellie and I have a common blog now called William Blake: Religion and Psycology. We work pretty assiduously at it:
ramhornd.blogspot.com