To thine own self be true

Certainly an interesting ‘companion piece’ to Anthony Hopkins in The Father. Both actors are at the top of their game late in life and their careers.

Elizabeth Is Missing is a ‘different’ murder-mystery novel by Emma Healy that has been adapted by Andrea Gibb and directed by Aisling Walsh.

Maud (Jackson) has Alzheimer’s and becomes concerned when her friend Elizabeth goes missing suddenly. Tied in with this are her confused memories of the disappearance of her older sister decades before–a mystery which she helps to solve before this movie’s ending.

Jackson’s performance is the main reason to view this film; she gives a rich, realistic, nuanced interpretation of an old woman dealing with Alzheimer’s while coping with daily changing facts and illusions.

If you are a Glenda Jackson fan of olde and/or want to see one of the strongest, most convincing portraits of someone dealing with this debilitating condition, then this movie will challenge and stretch your understandings thereof.

The other actors don’t have the depth-role of Jackson, but give reasonable performances as the minor characters. Beyond Jackson’s acting, the last part denouement is both somewhat undramatic and anticlimactic, though the two mysteries get solved.

Recommended mainly for Jackson’s strong performance.

Infrastructure, and A.I.:
Like humans, they will break down, stop working, and need replacing eventually.
Lightbulbs burning out, batteries dying, Edmonton LRT pillars cracking before trains even run, and HAL trying to abort the mission in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This is a core truism about our so-called ‘brave new world’.

Juxtaposition

has pressed the RCMP to investigate the stupid, corrupt Danielle Smith for ethics allegations. Smith’s insincere, incredibly late apology will not cut it. If it wasn’t for Rachel Notley, we would have no accountability for the corrupt UCPs.

Many Canadian hospitals shall shut down when the next pandemic comes because of because of governments’ indifference and unresponsiveness to the growing health care crisis and long-term budget cuts and understaffing going back to the 1990s. Lack of government caring and political will shall fuel the shutdowns.

People of all ages, including children and disabled persons, shall die alone on the steps of closed hospitals, in empty emergency departments, at home, and in the streets.

with my son and grandsons.

“I have measured out my life in coffee spoons.” (“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”)

R. D. Davies:
“I have measured out my life in myriad short stories, novels, plays, essays, poems/songs taught in 30 years as an senior high English teacher.
To say nothing of the myriad works from the above genres read and studied in a 39 year period from gr. 11 to 2005. Or the many literary selections chosen for 25 textbooks from 1980 to 2005.”

“Author, Author!”

a previous life–writing senior high ELA textbooks, over a 30 year period (1980-2010)–during which I wrote and edited 25 textbooks, 24 teacher’s guides and 4 unpublished textbooks that publishers initiated, but later bailed on. So, over 50 books all together.

Most of these were authorized in many provinces. Some books had several authorizations. Amazingly, some of these books are still used today hither and yon, some 23 years old. In all, a total of over 1 million books had been sold by the early 2000s.

In contrast to the U.S.’s 330+ million population.

An incredible career in film and onstage (1970-2023).

Winner of 2 Oscars, 2 Emmys, 1 BAFA, 1 BATA, 3 Golden Globes, 1 Tony.

Personal favs:

Elizabeth R
Hedda (Ibsen’s Hedda Gabbler)
Women in Love (with Bates and Reed)
The Maids (with Suzannah York)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (with Peter Finch)
Stevie (based on poet Stevie Smith) *there is a UK LP of her reading Smith’s poems BTW.
The Romantic Englishwoman (with Caine)
Elizabeth Is Missing 2019 (acclaimed tv mystery drama about an Alzheimer’s victim investigating her sister’s disappearance long ago)

King Lear (2019 stage performance)
The Great Escaper (her last film, 2023’s reunion with Caine)

To say nothing of 23 years of political service and activism.

Maybe the greatest actress of her/my generation.
I figure she went out on top when she returned to acting.