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Lion Recruit and the Missing Brother

Monday: Fearless Fagan (1952)
       Floyd is a circus perfromer. He performs with a lion. The lion trusts him and does what he wants without using the usual whips used at that time. Floyd is drafted into the army. He has to enlist or risk going to prison. He doesn't know what to do about Fagan. Floyd doesn't want to sell Fagan and doesn't trust him with the other lion tamer. He decides to bring Fagan with him until he can decide what to do. Floyd keeps Fagan hidden in a truck in the woods until he can come to let him out each day. One day he is discovered by a woman named Abby. She is coming to perform for the troops. Understandably she is scared and reports Floyd to the captain. He convinces them to help him find a home for Floyd. Abby reluctantly gets involved and helps with the press. They find a temporary home but it doesn't work out. Floyd has to figured out what to do. I thought this movie was enjoyable. I liked that there was a lion in it.

Tuesday: Great Expectations (1946)
          Pip is an orphan living with his mean sister. One day he encounters an escaped prisoner in the cemetery. The prisoner forces Pip to get him a file to remove his chains. Pip gets the file and brings the prisoner food. The prisoner is found and captured. Later a wealthy and eccentric woman, Ms. Havisham, asks for Pip to come to his house and play. His sister thinks this could be a good opportunity for him. When he gets to the house he sees it is run down with spiderwebs everywhere. It was set up for a wedding that never happened decades ago. Pip meets Estella, who is the adopted daughter of Ms. Havisham. She is cruel to Pip at first. He falls for her. She shows some affection for him. Pip visits the house often. Then he comes of age and has to work with his brother-in-law as a blacksmith. Several years go by. Pip finds out that he has a benefactor who wants him to move to London and become a gentlemen. So that's what Pip does. He runs into Estella again but she still shows little interest. Pip runs into trouble when the identity of his benefactor is revealed. I liked this movie. For some reason I had it in my head that this classic tale was boring. But it was entertaining.

Wednesday: So Long at the Fair (1950)
       Victoria travels to Paris with her brother Johnny for the World's Fair. After they check into their hotel they go out. After returning to the hotel Victoria goes to bed. Johnny stays up a little and encounters a young man named George. The next day Victoria goes to meet her brother at his room. But his room is gone. The only room close by is a bathroom. She goes to ask the staff at the front desk. They tell her she checked in by herself. There was no one else. No matter who she asks they insist it was just her. She starts to go crazy. Victoria goes to the British embassy and to the police. They will only believe her if she has proof. She finds the connection with George and he helps her. I liked this movie. But I will say the twist is a little disappointing. Just not what I was expecting.

Saturday: The Good Liar (2019)
         Roy is a con man. Along with his other schemes he finds old rich woman and steals their money. His newest target is Betty. Soon it is clear she is not his typical target. She finds out about his past and who he really is. I can't really say much more without giving things away. It is somewhat simple until you get to the reveal. This movie is ok. I guess it's an interesting concept. It just didn't come together.

Sunday: Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
        This movie is about the rise and fall of a Jewish gang during the prohibition era. Noodles starts out working for another gangster as a teen. Then he meets Max. They decide to go out on their own. This doesn't go well and Noodles ends up in jail. When he is out it is at the height of prohibition. His gang is very successful. They do a good business for a time. But with the end of prohibition Max gets desperate. He wants to rob the federal reserve. Noodles knows this is a bad idea. He leaves town. Thirty years later he is called back to town. He doesn't know why but plans to find out. I thought this movie was ok. It is almost 4 hours long. Which is why I have been putting off watching it. I learned that the version released in American theaters cut out over and hour of the movie. The movie made not sense. The European version, which is what I watched, got better reviews. The Irishman is very similar to this movie. It is the rise and fall of a gangster. He has a dangerous partner. Robert De Niro is the star. And it is almost 4 hours long.

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