Dowdy but sweet looking, this species used to be kept as pets. They were released for good reason: they can tax the patience of a saint. They seem frail, but become a force to contend with at feeders, where they cut ahead of younger birds who don’t know the ropes. Of course they do crash early. A mercy for other species who have to cope with their erratic, horrifying flying patterns. It may be rush hour for you, but it’s buffet time for them. Advice: move aside.
Jerimiah dithers over whether or not to tell Barnabas about Josette’s pass. After an exchange with a moony Barnabas, he can’t bring himself to do it.
Ben is dispatched with another toddy for Jerimiah, this one stirs amorous feelings towards Josette.
Josette goes off into the night seeking Jerimiah, who has had his toddy and is ready for love. They are seen by Josette’s meddling aunt, the Countess Dupree.
So called for its distinctive black and white plumage and its compulsive use of bird baths. It’s charming to see it cavort in your bath for the first hour or so - then its deep, plunging dive becomes disturbing. Will he be back tomorrow for another round? Is there any doubt?
The Plot: A plane carrying nine passengers crashes in the jungle among head hunters. Once the plane is patched up, only five of them can return.
The Exposition: We are s-l-o-w-l-y introduced to the main characters before they are stuffed into the ill-fated plane. They include: Rena, a hooker played by Anita Ekberg, a killer, played by Rod Steiger, and a little boy. Robert Ryan plays the booze soaked captain.
During a painful layover we get exposition from the characters. The killer offers a graphic description on how heads are shrunk. The little boy wanders about.
The Crash: More of a gentle sliding, really.
Survival: The women are given the task of cooking, while the men form “work groups,” chopping wood. Eventually, they begin to repair the plane, using “rudimentary”welding to fix a cracked cylinder. (Hey, that’s even better the professor’s work on Gilligan’s Island.)
Escape: As the drums of the headhunters draw closer, they pile on the plane. Unfortunately, it can’t get off the ground and they must sacrifice some of the passengers.
That’s the entire film really, if you don’t count the preposterous ending. This film is a limp template for modern disaster movies, but that doesn’t mean you have to torture yourself by watching it. I did it for you and it cost me a lot.
Humans live near strip malls and land developments because we need a place to get our coffee and floor lamps quickly and conveniently. The Habitat Encroachment moves into our turf, making a herculean effort to adapt to an area that just wasn’t meant for him. Dropping the rest of your giant pretzel on the ground only encourages this behavior. Our best bet against this brightly colored, songful intruder is maintaining our spaces as bleak, unwelcoming patches of concrete.
As Angelique’s plan unfolds we learn that her spell’s first effect will make Josette love Jerimiah, while he remains indifferent. This makes no sense of course. She’s evil, remember?
It is an ominous portent that Josette and Barnabas receive a skull with a bad wig as their first wedding gift. They evidently registered with the Johnson Smith catalogue.
Ben tries to tell them that Angelique is to blame, but is overtaken by an amateur dramatics bout of choking. He finds Angelique and waves his hands wildly in agreement when she suggests he obey her in the future.
Later that night, Josette humiliates herself by making a play for Jerimiah. He is bewildered by her sudden passion and sends her away.
Most birds sing in the morning and the evening. That is the natural order of things. Try telling that to the Crackpot, a bird who sings whenever he damn well pleases. It could be midnight, 3 AM or five minutes before your alarm is set to go off. The only thing dependable about this species is its earsplitting whistle. And yes, they are protected.
Angelique sends Ben on whimsical errands, like obtaining an unbroken spider’s web. Acting as her slave, he has no choice but to go out and get the daft thing.
“Delicate” cousin Millicent (Caroylin) arrives with a satchel of neuroses. Patriarch Joshua is insistent that Jerimiah marry her, even though she is massively annoying. He is further cool to the deal, since his heart beats only for Vicky.
Angelique has other ideas for Jerimiah: she plans to enchant him into believing that he loves Josette. She dispatches Ben to give him a “love” toddy, giving her time to further bind him to Josette. This can only end in tears.
In 1942’s Girls In Chains, gangster Johnny Moon is cleared of an unspecified charge by a jury. The judge chastises them harshly, taking away their jury privileges! No!
In a bewildering twist, Johnny’s sister-in-law, Miss Martin, takes a job teaching at a women’s correctional facility. Girls in chains! Well, not exactly. To be honest, there isn’t a single chained woman in this film. Just an assortment of shoplifters and “lady hobos” who are exhausted from doing too much laundry.
Miss Martin fights tirelessly for reform, not knowing that the screws are in Johnny Moon’s back pocket. It’s a tough break, and I’m very sorry to report that I spent over an hour of my life watching it slowly unfold. It’s hard to imagine anything more boring than this film. Do not watch if you are tired or value your will to live.
The Delaware Dandy is a vain bird, in a constant search for reflective surfaces. Occasionally, he will mistake his own reflection in a window for a rival Dandy and attack, giving himself a concussion. At this point, he becomes your problem. Since the only decent thing to do is nurse him back to health, you’ll be digging worms for the next six weeks or so. Advice? Hide your mirrors.
Dowdy but sweet looking, this species used to be kept as pets. They were released for good reason: they can tax the patience of a saint. They seem frail, but become a force to contend with at feeders, where they cut ahead of younger birds who don’t know the ropes. Of course they do crash early. A mercy for other species who have to cope with their erratic, horrifying flying patterns. It may be rush hour for you, but it’s buffet time for them. Advice: move aside.
