Happy Veterans Day, 2023 -- Ernest Borgnine -- November 11, 2023

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Actor Ernest Borgnine Happy Veterans Day, everyone.

Actor Ernest Borgnine enlisted in the US Navy in 1935 and was honorably discharged in October, 1941. After Pearl Harbor, he reenlisted. He served on antisubmarine patrols until he was discharged again in 1945. I couldn't find a photo taken while he was in the Navy, but I did find one from his time portraying Captain Quintin McHale.

In interviews, he always sounded like a wonderful grandfather or uncle. In movies, he often played murderous villains. I first remember seeing him in reruns of McHale's Navy. Then I saw him in Emperor of the North Pole. Then The Dirty Dozen, then Marty, then The Wild Bunch, then Bad Day at Black Rock. I was confused about him, but I always knew he was a good actor, who wasn't afraid to open the throttle.

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I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang -- November 11, 2020

 

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Happy Veterans Day, everyone. In I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang, Paul Muni played James Allen, who was an NCO in the AEF during World War One. When he returned to his civilian life, he was unhappy with his dull office job. He wanted to become an engineer, but wound up taking jobs as an unskilled laborer. An acquaintance forced James to take part in a robbery, and James was sentenced to prison for it. He escapes from the chain gang, but is betrayed and tricked into surrendering himself. he winds up back on the chain gang. He escapes again.

If you have never seen the movie, be sure to watch until the end. 

The film was based on an autobiographical book by Robert Elliot Burns. Paul Muni consulted with Burns while preparing to play the part, 

The Big Parade -- November 11, 2018

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100 years ago today, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice went into effect and the fighting stopped. The day was known for many years as Armistice Day.

In 1925, M-G-M release King Vidor's The Big Parade, which turned out to be a big hit.  John Gilbert plays Jim, a boy from a rich family.  He doesn't want to enlist, but friends persuade him to change his mind.  Adorable Renée Adorée is Melisande, a French peasant.

Back in 2014, I wrote about an excellent DVD release:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/02/dvd-big-parade-february-10-2014.html