It isn't blurry, you are just drunk!
Week 7 then, in the new Thursday night slot which may become the regular WWWSI night of choice now that the pubs are reopen, giving me as it does the chance to recover from Tuesday night drinks with friends, but gives me chance to sober up before the big Saturday BRAPA (British Real Ale Pub Adventure) trip.
Still afflicted by the same ‘starting much later than I planned’ issue (7:30pm when I got settled down for this one though I had worked late to sort a problem cos I'm proper diligent), I was at least relieved to roll a ‘2’ in the Wotsits stakes, after last week’s ridiculous 6 (six) bags.
This week’s wine was Aluado, an Alicante Bouschet grape which is French originally but doing well in Portugal these days, which is where this is from. Aluado, I read, means ‘loony’ as the man who made it, Jose, was called a loony for making a single grape varietal in Portugal. You can’t say ‘loony’ in these P.C. mental health times, so the bottle reckons it means ‘moonstruck’ or ‘crazy’. Maybe my extensive Portuguese readership could confirm?
Despite the rave reviews, I found it a bit lacking (MUST be single varietal issue!) offering a bit of a short finish and perhaps a bit too much sweetness for me. Still, it was drinkable and enjoyable for the most part, and I had it with some mint & lamb kebabs, cos my Red Wine bible said so, I’d probably jump off a cliff if this book told me. A bit of bread, mozzarella and posh tomatoes took the edge off nicely, but not sure I ate enough in truth as head was swimming despite not finishing the bottle. Only 13% too, less than usual.
Onto the film then, and this week we had Sergeant Rutledge, from 1960, ranked 58th in my top 100 but with an approval rating suggesting top 30 easy. I really enjoyed this one. It had aged really well despite being the joint oldest I’d seen to date, the subject matter and picture quality definitely helping on that score.
It started with a rip roaring theme tune, but we were soon in a court room, with this black soldier accused of murder, rape, all sorts really, everyone in the town thought he was an evil brute and wanted him to hang. We then got flashbacks to the night in question from the woman’s perspective who defended him, and the defending lawyer had served with him for many years which kinda helped.
One of the gossiping women in court commented very early on “I had some wine last night so am feeling it a bit today” which I couldn’t help feel was a nod towards me signing on to my work laptop at 8am tomorrow! She’d been a witch in Wizard of Oz if that explains anything.
All the women and stereotypical Wetherspoons style old men at the back of the court got ejected, so we could have ‘ORDER!’ and everything went dark just before a flashback was about to begin. The jury were an effing shambles. Kept playing cards and swigging whiskey, very unprofessional.
A point off for not having a bar scene (FOR THE THIRD WEEK IN A ROW), but we got a bit of ‘train stopping at local station but needing to stick to the the timetable so not being able to wait to see if the woman got home safely’ action which am sure would appeal to one of my readers, Thomas Irvin.
After a great deal of effort, it was finally established Sergeant Rutledge was a hero and had actually saved most of those who came to arrest him from American Indians, not that the courtroom wanted to believe it.
John Ford film anyway, so was always likely to be a good one, and eventually, a local old white bloke who’d tried to pin it on his own son just before, broke down and admitted he’d done it. Rutledge was not guilty, the film finished, and that was that.
NEXT WEEK
I’ve rolled a ‘higher’ 29 to keep this strange run of doing films in either the 20’s or the 50’s. This takes us back up to #26, which will be McCabe and Mrs Miller, whoever they are. Perhaps we’ll find out next Thursday. The wine has arrived from Canada (of all places), Wotists are ready too, see you then!
Si