Peck is one of those actors who's been revered so long and is such a part of the American fabric of cinema, his ability as actor is overshadowed by his legend.
As for "Brownsville Girl", it was first known as "New Danville Girl", which in itself was a play on the old folk song, "Danville Girl" that Woody Guthrie had recorded. "New Danville Girl" is not much different from "Brownsville Girl", but it's dissimilar enough to keep us Dylan fanatics combing through every word.
My favorite line in "Brownsville Girl" has always been, "Seems that people who suffer together have better connections than those who are most content." Not only the line itself, but like so many of Dylan's songs, it's the way he delivers it: half biting cynicism, half knowing, regretful sigh.
Great piece. I have to admit, I've never seen The Gunfighter. All I know is that it stars Gregory Peck...
Beautiful piece. - Like you, I was never a huge fan of Gregory Peck (his Ahab was particularly galling: “Have you seen the white whale?!” he calls to a passing ship, and then, when they tell him they have, his expression, so obviously, actorly ambivalent as he calls out, “Did you… KILL him?”) but my Mom loved him so I’ve always given him a pass.
For me it’s Burt Lancaster. Yes yes Sweet Smell of Success… I’ve just never gone for him. Maybe Dylan wrote a song about him?
Excellent! So true about Ahab—and we all know that Orson steals the movie. Bob never wrote a Burt song, but he’s still at it, so who knows what’s in store?
Peck is one of those actors who's been revered so long and is such a part of the American fabric of cinema, his ability as actor is overshadowed by his legend.
As for "Brownsville Girl", it was first known as "New Danville Girl", which in itself was a play on the old folk song, "Danville Girl" that Woody Guthrie had recorded. "New Danville Girl" is not much different from "Brownsville Girl", but it's dissimilar enough to keep us Dylan fanatics combing through every word.
https://youtu.be/tdNxP7w07NQ?si=uxUDC5mKs1iCc8LC
My favorite line in "Brownsville Girl" has always been, "Seems that people who suffer together have better connections than those who are most content." Not only the line itself, but like so many of Dylan's songs, it's the way he delivers it: half biting cynicism, half knowing, regretful sigh.
Great piece. I have to admit, I've never seen The Gunfighter. All I know is that it stars Gregory Peck...
Yes--great line you've quoted there. I've heard "Danville" from the Bootleg series but didn't know the Woody Guthrie foundation.
Beautiful piece. - Like you, I was never a huge fan of Gregory Peck (his Ahab was particularly galling: “Have you seen the white whale?!” he calls to a passing ship, and then, when they tell him they have, his expression, so obviously, actorly ambivalent as he calls out, “Did you… KILL him?”) but my Mom loved him so I’ve always given him a pass.
For me it’s Burt Lancaster. Yes yes Sweet Smell of Success… I’ve just never gone for him. Maybe Dylan wrote a song about him?
Excellent! So true about Ahab—and we all know that Orson steals the movie. Bob never wrote a Burt song, but he’s still at it, so who knows what’s in store?