Re: Spies Like Us–Secret Agent Man

Now we move on to the Cold War era spy show with the dual identity. Known as “Danger Man” in the U.K., the show was re-titled “Secret Agent Man” when it came to the United States. The show also picked up a catchy new theme song of the same name by Johnny Rivers.

Patrick McGoohan plays the central character, agent John Drake, initially identified as working for NATO and then later on in the series for a British intelligence agency, M-9. Unlike “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” or the “The Avengers”, “Danger Man/Secret Agent Man” started out as and remained a serious spy thriller.

McGoohan refused to do the James Bond-guns-and-gals thing so Drake, while he knows how to shoot, doesn’t carry a gun and there is no smoochifying with the female leads. The result is realistic Cold War spy drama with Drake uncovering security leaks and helping agents escape from behind enemy lines. Unlike the other spy series of the times, “Secret Agent Man” stories don’t always have happy endings. In one episode, Drake successfully infiltrates a spy training facility behind the Iron Curtain, but is forced to leave behind an innocent British civilian who has become trapped there. In another episode, Drake clears his friend of being a double agent only to cause his friend’s marriage to break up.

Drake clashes with his superiors who view him and other agents as expendable and often don’t give him the whole story. He actively works to get time off, something that his contemporaries don’t do. At one point, Drake fakes a nervous breakdown–something he probably didn’t have to work very hard at–in order to get the down time that he’s been promised. Drake is the prototype of the idealistic, but compromised intelligence officer and the DNA of “Secret Agent Man” runs through more contemporary spy shows like “Burn Notice”.

McGoohan is probably better known for the surreal, science fiction drama, “The Prisoner”, in which he also plays an ex-spy and it’s interesting to see the seeds of “The Prisoner” in “Secret Agent Man”. In the Season 2 episode, “Colony 3”, a replica of a British town serves as spy training facility and in “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove”, the entire episode takes place in Drake’s mind.

The world of “Secret Agent Man” is very much a white man’s world, emphasis on the “white man” part. Although it doesn’t come off as obnoxiously sexist and racist as “Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, the fact that Drake can pass as a businessman or a journalist in different situations and flout the authorities is very much down to him being or representing himself as an upper middle class white guy. I’ve considered whether a woman or a man of color (or a woman of color) would be able to lead such a show and the answer is yes, but it would have to be a different kind of show. They simply couldn’t get away with as much as Drake does.

McGoohan is a very interior actor. Part of the fun of seeing him perform is watching the wheels turning inside his head. As John Drake, he has a lot of very dry humor which the other characters don’t always notice or appreciate.

Re: Spys Like Us–The Men from U.N.C.L.E.

So Cold War spy shows have been on my rotation lately and, for some reason, feel very appropo. One of my viewing pleasures has been “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” starring Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo and David McCallum as Ilya Kuryakin. Solo and Kuryakin work for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement under the command of Mr. Waverly (Leo G. Carroll) where they have James Bond-ish adventures while attempting to save the world from the evil machinations of T.H.R.U.S.H. Despite the end credits thanking U.N.C.L.E. for its cooperation, no such agency ever existed.

The episodes are still frothy and still entertaining, but the atttitudes about the proper place of women and minorities that come through the writing are off-putting for the modern viewer. What’s even more shocking, at least to me, was the version of manhood that is continually put forward.

If you ever wondered what are people were protesting about in the 1960s, you needn’t look any further than this show. Here’s a brief list:

• Women are expected to remain in their lane which is as handmaids (assistants, secretaries, switchboard operators, mothers, and wives). Women who attempt to break away from these limited roles are quickly put back in their place and told be content.
• If you want to rise through the ranks as an agent, you need to work for the opposition. The U.N.C.L.E. HQ in New York has a lot of comely support staff whom seem to merely be there as eye candy for Napoleon Solo. There is only one female U.N.C.L.E. agent that we meet–a courier–and she is quickly disposed. We also only ever meet one female department head and she appears to be in charge of Human Resources. T.H.R.U.S.H., by contrast, has a number of women field agents as well as women heading up sections and departments. We learn in the course of the series (“The Adriatic Express Affair”) that T.H.R.U.S.H. itself was founded by a woman. Of course, that’s all part of the “wrongness” of T.H.R.U.S.H.
• Women are juvenilized and either ignored or treated like idiots. Female characters are consistently portrayed as whiney adolescents who pout until they get their way and then fall apart when the going gets tough. Their (often legitimate) concerns are down-played and brushed off or treated as being of little consequence. There are a small number of female characters who break these stereotypes, but you can count them on the fingers of one hand and still have fingers left over.
• It’s a white man’s world. New York in the 1960s is a vibrant, multi-ethnic place, but you would never know it from this TV series. There are exactly two U.N.C.L.E. agents of color that appear in the series, both are minor characters and neither have speaking parts. U.N.C.L.E. is 99% white judging by what we see on screen.
• That’s not to say that people of color don’t appear on the series or don’t play agents. Frequently, they do, but it’s often as part of the “local color”. They play minor roles and, much like their white female counterparts, are merely there to serve as “helpers” to the main characters, Solo and Kuryakin.
• More serious are the blatant, insulting racial stereotypes that the production team indulges in. People of color are sly, barbaric, untrustworthy, simple-minded, and mysterious. The worst example–although by no means the only one–occurs in “The My Friend the Gorilla Affair” where the native Africans and gorillas are inferred to be on much the same level.

So how are Real Men supposed to conduct themselves according The Man from U.N.C.L.E.? The ideal man is embodied by Napoleon Solo. Solo is laidback and charming, everybody’s friend, but has no family or deep emotional attachments, is dedicated to his work, can handle himself in a fight, and, while clever and skilled, is not too intellectual. Kuryakin is more complex, in part because his character was something of a dark horse, raised from bit player to co-lead because the audience took a shine to him. [I can confirm that young David McCallum as Ilya is indeed, a hottie]. But Kuryakin also follows in the same footsteps as Solo–no deep emotional attachments, no family, dedicated to his work– with the exception of being very much an intellectual (his character has a Ph.D. in physics from the Sorbonne). Of course, as an Other, being smart is a foreign kind of thing to do.

Eggheads are not welcome in the Real Man fraternity. In ”The Waverly Ring Affair”, for example, we meet George, an affable technogeek who works in the gadgets section of U.N.C.L.E., but wants to be a field agent. George gets his chance, but even though he does a good job and successfully completes his mission, he is promptly (and very much a like a woman) dismissed out of hand and sent back to his regular work.

Repeatedly, throughout the series, we learn that strong emotional attachments are the kryptonite of a good agent and the downfall of many a villain. Although “Real Men avoid marriage” is a common theme throughout these series, Man from U.N.C.L.E. makes it explicit. In one episode, Mr. Waverly, the avuncular father figure of the New York section, comes straight out and says that he discourages his agents from matrimony. A Real Man, according to Waverly, finds marriage boring after the life-and-death excitement of intelligence work. The series conveniently overlooks the fact that Waverly himself is married with kids and grandkids.

So who can a Real Man bond with, given that spouses and kids and a life outside of the office are all off limits? Only his male combat buddies. If you wonder where although the Solo/Kuryakin slash fiction comes from, the homoerotic subtext is right there in the script. Interestingly enough, in “The Suburbia Affair”, while searching for a fugitive scientist, Ilya and Napoleon go undercover as new homeowners and buy a place in the suburbs. The real estate agent shows absolutely no surprise that two guys want to set up housekeeping together. Naturally, this episode is played for laughs–Real Men, after all, don’t do housework or cook except as a joke–but as I said, the homoerotic subtext is there.

Re: The Film Noir World of Perry Mason

Raymond Burr as Perry Mason

I wound up watching all nine season of the TV courtroom drama series starring Raymond Burr as the crusading lawyer, Perry Mason, and I have THOUGHTS. Which I’m now about to share with you. First, the good news. Story-wise, the series holds up very well. The plotting is solid and the mysteries keep you guessing up to the very end. As an audiovisual archivist, I was also excited to see old technology in action e.g. record stores! wax cylinders! reel to reel audiotapes! payphones!

However, the series’ attitude to women and people of color as well as its unwillingness to engage with the issues of its day are what I, as a modern viewer, found jarring.

Let’s start by talking about Perry Mason, the grandfather of all other courtroom dramas. The title character, Perry Mason (Raymond Burr), is a successful defense attorney working in 1950s-60s Los Angeles. He is aided by his confidential secretary, Della Street (Barbara Hale ), and private investigator, Paul Drake (William Hopper). Perry’s principal antagonists are the prosecuting team of the chief police investigator, usually Lt. Tragg (Ray Collins), but also played by other guest stars, and the prosecutor, Hamilton Berger (William Talman). One of the delightful parts of this series is the amount of snark leveled at Perry by both Berger and Tragg whenever they get a chance.

The Los Angeles of the 1950s-60s had thriving African-American, Hispanic, and Asian populations. However, if you based your knowledge of the city by what was shown in the series, you could be forgiven for thinking that L.A. was as white as Wonder Bread. In the entire nine season run, Perry only had only client of color–a young Japanese woman–that he defended. Actors of color appear occasionally, but the cast is overwhelming white. It is rare to see an actor of color even among the extras. When you hear reactionaries yammer on about the good old days, this is the version of the 1950s they’re talking about.

LGBTQ people don’t exist at all in Perry Mason’ s L.A. While I didn’t expect a show shot over 50 years ago to actually acknowledge gay people, I was surprised that it was never even hinted at, especially considering the prominence of blackmail as a plot device.

The casual acceptance of sexual harassment and violence against women also set me back in my chair. Female characters are routinely harassed by office “wolves” whom they are expected to “handle” and if they can’t or won’t, well, that’s considered to be a failing on their part. The police are not sympathetic to domestic violence complaints. In one episode, a woman is in the midst of an ugly custody battle with her psychopathic ex-husband and after she tells Lt. Drumm (Richard Anderson) about her ex’s crazed behavior, Drum says “so he was hard on you. So what?”

Women are almost always seen in subservient positions. Occasionally, we see female business owners and, interestingly enough, the odd female private investigator. A female judge appears several times, in a minor role. We only meet one female lawyer, Constant Doyle played by the great Bette Davis. Constant is a corporate lawyer who practiced with her husband. After her husband’s death, however, Constant’s firm loses business because her clients think that a woman “wouldn’t be tough enough.” In the episode, Constant is drawn into defending a young man accused of killing a company executive and naturally kicks butt.

The shadow of the war (World War II usually, but the Korean War also gets a shout out) hangs over the series. A number of the characters, including Perry himself, are veterans. Perry was former naval officer who served in the Pacific. Oddly enough, however, the Cold War with Russia is not alluded to at all while Red China is occasionally featured in the storylines.

Apart from Paul Drake, who has an active social life, neither Perry nor Della has a life outside of the office. The only hobby Perry has is fishing and his fishing trips are often interrupted by clients that need his help.

You might think that the white-washed version of L.A. that the series gives us is some kind of white Utopia. However, the state and the law are generally depicted as dangerous, a trap for the naive, the innocent, and the unwise. Whiteness is no protection against unprincipled companions or foolish behavior. Often Perry’s clients are guilty of lesser crimes, usually committed as a way to protect themselves or a loved one. As a result, Perry and his team often find themselves working against the machinery of the state which gives the series its film noir vibe.

Re: The Pink Nosed Dog Has Left the Building

Trigger Warning: The following post is about the death of a pet. If you are feeling overwhelmed or in any way vulnerable–and which of us isn’t in these pandemic times?–then don’t read any further.

In July of 2019, I had my 13-year-old golden retriever mix, Jasmine, put down. She had a bladder tumor that was inoperable and eventually proved too much for her. She went very peacefully at the vet’s office with me beside her. I found it hard to write about her loss, at first because I was missing her and then because of everything else–state budget cuts, the pandemic, etc.–that was happening.

Back in 2008, I went into the local animal shelter looking for a new dog. In the reception room, a two-year-old Jasmine cuddled up under my arm and I knew at that moment that this was the dog I was taking home. That was the beginning of our eleven years together.

For the first three days, she stayed curled up behind my chair, but she got over her shyness and ruled the roost from there on out.  All the chairs belonged to her, especially the sofa. She and Mother Method had a running feud over who got to sit on the sofa. During the day, Mom would evict Jasmine from the couch. At night, as soon as Mom had gone to bed, Jasmine would make herself comfortable on the sofa, bailing out in the morning before Mom got up.

Jasmine was universally loved by everyone who met her and she loved most everyone, particularly people who had food on them. Neighbors would bring her treats. The neighbor kids would stick their fingers through the fence for her to lick. She was a very delicate eater and would even take mouthfuls of kibble out of her dish and then eat it piece by piece from the floor.

The following are a few pictures of my late pup.

Jasmine’s nose. The first thing you were likely to see when you met her.

Jasmine in an arm chair. She liked the chair, but preferred the sofa.

Jasmine was considered a Golden Retriever mix–about 99% Golden Retriever and 1% something else. What that something else was was never determined. Guesses ranged from “husky”–a safe bet in these parts–to spaniel (unlikely but anything’s possible). Genetically a Golden, Jasmine was very much a Non-Retriever. At one point, early in our relationship, she tired of my efforts to throw a ball for her. She jumped up, took the ball from my hand, and promptly dropped it in a nearby bush.

In the summer, she was white blond. In the winter, more of a honey color.

Jasmine was a white Golden which meant that she was a combination of ivory and tan. Surprisingly enough, she didn’t care to be brushed–a few strokes and she would take the brush away from you. Her coat was downy soft and inclined to mat if she ran into any kind of moisture.

The dreaded pillow slide claims another victim.

Like many Goldens, Jasmine was extremely good natured even if she was having something painful or unpleasant don–getting a shot or having her ears cleaned which she absolutely disliked. As a floppy eared dog, she was prone to ear infections. Whenever I would approach with the ear swabs, she would curl up into a ball. I could get one ear and then had to coax her until I could get at the other one.

Peek-a-boo. I see you.

Jasmine was deceptively fast. You wouldn’t think to look at her, but she could move like a comet and the moment the yard gate was open, she would be off like a shot. She enjoyed riding in the car and often the only way I could get her back once she was loose was to drive around, looking for her, and then once I found her, open the car door and wait for her to jump in. One time she dug her way under the back fence like a veritable Houndini and made her way over to a cab company about three streets away. The taxi driver said that she trotted into the office, drank some water, and lay down on the floor. He found my number on her ID tag and brought her home in a cab.

Farewell, my sweet girl. You are gone, but not forgotten.

Re: Autumn Holiday Advice

As Hobbitonians recover from Halloween and move into Thanksgiving, I thought we might all enjoy a few wise words from some seasonal creatures. Halloween at the Method household was well-received with 27 trick-or-treaters this year. I was able to find some ceramic pumpkins at the local Fred Meyers and I think the extra lighting made all the difference in attracting visitors to our otherwise dark and sparse end of the street.

We are now barrelling down the holidays towards Christmas and New Year’s. And just because both Halloween and Thanksgiving are winter holidays in my part of the world, I thought we would close with some words of advice from the noble nanook or polar bear.

Re: As Seen on the Streets of Hobbiton

As I was driving in to work this morning, I saw a middle aged man dressed as an Old West sheriff (cowboy hat, boots, vest, tin star) jaywalking across a (mostly empty) four lane highway. Has the Golden Days festival gotten an early start this year? Has Westworld decided to shoot a third season in Arnor? Is it a dream or is it surreality …..

Re: Padmaavat

I came across the Bollywood historical epic, Padmaavat, via its music videos on YouTube and have become obsessed with it. If you are unfamiliar with Bollywood movie conventions, think old Hollywood–actors tend to play the same type of character from movie to movie (e.g. the leading man, the heavy, etc.) and the characters tend to burst into song and/or highly choreographed group numbers at the drop of a hat.

As the movie opens, Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), the princess of Singhal (modern day Sri Lanka) is hunting deer in the forest when she accidentally shoots the visiting head of state, King Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor), with one of her arrows thus giving a new meaning to the term “meet cute”. For his part, Ratan discovers that archery skills are what he most wants in queen and, during his recovery, the two fall in love. Ratan takes her home to Chittor in Mewar (Rajasthan), upsetting his first wife, Nagmati, who was expecting a pearl necklace, not a new interloper. Ratan and Padmavati’s domestic bliss is disturbed by the arrival of the ambitious Muslim Sultan, Aluddin Khaliji, who has been told about Padmavati’s beauty and, fancying himself as both a collector of beautiful objects and as a second Alexander the Great, beseiges the Chittor Fort in hopes of destroying the Rajputs and carrying Padmavati off to his harem.

The costumes, music, songs, and cinematography of this movie are truly beautiful. The storyline, however, leaves much to be desired. The characters are portrayed in strictly black and white terms–no grey areas. Aluddin checks off all the boxes on the “wicked sultan” list (e.g. evil laugh, check, sniggering henchman, check, etc.) while Ratan is noble to the point of imbecility.

As happens in Western movies (but not generally in Indian ones), the villain becomes the most interesting character. A round of well-deserved applause to Ranveer Singh who really threw himself into this part. The result is that Aluddin is one of the few characters to have a full range of emotions while the others tend to be one note baddies or good guys. Interestingly enough, it’s the negative characters (Nagmati and Aluddin) who are the voice of common sense and reason while the good guys are unduly optimistic.

On a more sinister note, religious and ethnic tensions between Indian Muslims and Hindus are definitely on the rise so I have to question the filmmaker’s motives in turning out such a blatant piece of Hindu propaganda. It’s one thing to have Aluddin be the antagonist, but the film openly portrays Muslims as barbaric savages.  And, in fact, the film shoot and opening were plagued by various extremist protests.

The historical Aluddin was a warrior-king who did besiege and capture the Chittor fortress, but it wasn’t because he was obsessed with a woman. Instead this seems to have been part of his larger campaign to expand the Delhi sultanate in between fending off various Mongol armies.

The real villain of this film–and one that is never questioned–is the patriarchal social system which limits options of Padmavati and the other women. Despite her archery skills, Padmavati is not encouraged to act as or even considered as a warrior. Her only option when faced with defeat by Khaliji’s army is not to die in battle, but to commit jaukar (mass self immolation) along with the other women. It’s tempting to put this down to the social customs of the time, but, in fact, Northern India is replete with stories of women (usually noble women) taking to the battlefield to defend their families, land, and position.

 

Re: Khalibali

 

When I saw this video, my first reaction was “I didn’t know Thorin Oakenshield made a musical”. But no, friends, this is not a lost song-and-dance number from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (although, how cool would that be?), this is actually from the Indian historical epic, Padmaavat.  In this video, Sultan Alauddin Khaligi (Ranveer Singh) is celebrating because he thinks that he will soon possess the beautiful Rajputi queen, Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), whom he has lured to Delhi by taking her husband, Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor) hostage. Despite the martial quality of the dance, the song is actually about love. Alauddin sings that his heart is aloof from the world and his eyes are clouded by dreams [because he is in love with Padmavati]. Here’s an English translation of the song lyrics of “Khalibali”:

Habibi Habibi Habibi
Beloved! Beloved! Beloved!

Jabse Pehna Hai Maine Yeh Ishq-E-Sehra
Ever since I have worn that crown of love
Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I’ve let it go. I have no longer care in my heart /My heart has become detached
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go /
My heart has become detached from the world (and I’ve let go of it all)
Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I’ve let it go. I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go
Jabse Pehna Hai Maine Yeh Ishq-E-Sehra
Ever since I have worn that crown of love
Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I’ve let it go. I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go

(A line in an unrecognizable language)

Taar Vaar Dil Ke Sab Toot Se Gaye
My heart is now in tatters
(All the strings of my heart have broken)
Neendon Waale Jugnu Rooth Raaton Se Gaye
The fireflies of sleep have now become upset with the nights
Taar Vaar Dil Ke Sab Toot Se Gaye
My heart is now in tatters
Neendon Waale Jugnu Rooth Raaton Se Gaye
The fireflies of sleep have now become upset with the nights
(My sleep is lost)
Taar Vaar Dil Ke Sab Toot Se Gaye
My heart is now in tatters
Neendon Waale Jugnu Rooth Raaton Se Gaye
The fireflies of sleep have now become upset with the nights
Lag Sa Gaya Hai Khwabon Ka Aankhon Mein Dera
The dreams have made a home in my eyes
(There are dreams in my eyes all the time)

Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go
Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go

Saara Jahaan Ghoom Ke Hum
I travelled across the world
Tujhpe Aake Ruk Gaye
But I stopped when I found you
Tere Jaise Aasmaan Bhi
Before you, even the skies
Tere Aage Aake Jhuk Gaye
Have come and bowed down

Padh Loon Kalmah Teri Chaahat Ka
Let me read the holy verse of your love
(Kalma is actually the name given to verses written in the Holy book of Quran, that is sacred to Muslims)
Kehta Hai Ishq Ka Yehi Mazhab
It is said that this is the religion of love
Dil Pe Lagaa Hai Ab Mere Tera Pehra
Now you have become the owner/protector of my heart

Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go
Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
I have no longer care in my heart
Duniya Se Mera Khalibali Ho Gaya Hai Dil
My care for the world is gone. I’ve let it go

Habibi Habibi Habibi
Beloved! Beloved! Beloved!

At end of the video, Alauddin collapses to the floor, shot with arrows, due to an assassination attempt by his nephew.  If you want to see the dance in context, Padmaavat is available on Amazon Prime.

Re: Seen on the Streets of Hobbiton

In spring, a young man or young woman’s thoughts lightly turn to those of love and how better to express those thoughts than to inscribe them on the early spring dust and grime covering one’s vehicle? Ahead of me at the stoplight, I saw a burgundy Suburban with the name “Deimein” plus a heart on the back and at a second stoplight, just a heart drawn on the tailgate. Truly spring is in the air ….

Re: The Terror

As Halloween approaches and the days grow dark and foggy, I’d like to recommend AMC’s The Terror for a top flight dose of Gothic horror.  In 1845, Sir John Franklin sought to cap off his naval career by leading one last expedition to the high Arctic in an effort to find Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. His ships, the Erebus and the Terror, were the two most technologically advanced ships of their day: his men, the astronauts of their time. The 124 man expedition was lost with all hands and their ultimate fate not discovered until recently.

As the series opens, the expedition is ill-omened from the start. Sir John (Ciaran Hinds) ignores the advice of his more cautious and more experienced second in command, Capt. Frances Crozier (Jared Harris), to winter over at King William Island and pushes ahead. The ships become frozen in and the crew can only wait for the coming of spring. But spring comes and the ice does not melt. Facing hypothermia and starvation, the crew’s fate is well and truly sealed when they accidentally kill an Inuit shaman, unleashing the spirit creature he controls, the Tuunbaq, which begins to stalk and kill the remaining men.

As the story unfolds, however, it becomes clear that the monster is less of a threat to the expedition than Victorian hubris, race prejudice, lead poisoning, and the mental strain such difficult conditions placed on the men. The expedition, in short, carries the seeds of its own destruction with it and those destructive tendencies play out over the course of the show.

Television series and movies set in the Arctic often suffer from a lack of realism. Not so The Terror. The level of care and detail in re-creating the ships, the clothing, the landscapes, and the weather is so high that you’ll have a hard time believing that most of the series was shot on sets in Czechoslovakia. Kudos to the producers and the technical crew.

Final verdict: one part Gothic horror story, one part gripping historical drama, The Terror is well worth your time.