INSIGHT

INSIGHT…

For the past several days, we have had the privilege of living near and watching the making of a movie, a real honest-to-gosh movie with real stars and jillions of crew persons and a dozen or so big trucks – I didn’t count ‘em…and generators and specialized vehicles and lights and uniforms and I don’t know what all.
We have been told that the whole ensemble is comprised of at least 80 or even some hundreds of people, depending on whom you talk to.
They ‘company’ has its own electric power; food tent; security; exotic and interesting forms of dress, language, mannerisms, and routines.
In short, they are a world unto themselves, working to make something that will be of use to others, the movie, and to thereby make themselves a future, that is, an income and for some of them, I hope for many of them, the satisfaction of a job well done.
I walk our English bulldog among all of these goings on, several times a day.
I talk to security; to movie staff persons wearing utility belts from which hang all sorts of intriguing instruments.
They are fascinating folks. They talk our language, but they are from all over North American. One is even from New Zealand. And so they talk our language with a difference.
And they are pleasant. Most of them go out of their way to get along with us ‘natives’ of the Up North camping type.
A night or two ago I was struck with what I will call an insight: as I was walking with Sophie Matilda, our bullie, it occurred to me that these folks, in a very slight but real way, were to us denizens of our community what the friendly invasion of Yanks in the England of WW2 were to the English people of the War Years.
I know there are differences.
But there are similarities.
Same language but with differences.
Places of origin often far, far away.
People on a mission, to help themselves to a better future, and to help the host folks to some good in the future.
In the case of WW2, of course, to help to guarantee freedom and peace. In the case of our movie folks, to provide momentary pleasure. But in a larger sense, to preserve an industry devoted to that end.
Anyway, I have always felt that it must have been a thrill to have been English, to have been in England in the early 1940’s and to have witnessed the friendly invasion of the Yanks.
And I am sure it must have been at times intimidating. And frustrating.
I know that the costs were horrendous, the suffering great.
But there was more to the War than even those regrettable realities. To deny this is to deny reality.
It is exciting to witness a well oiled, complex organization come upon the scene and carry out a difficult and important job.
Energy and youth and dedication flows out of every observation.
There is no doubt that all obstacles can be overcome.
Nineteen hour days are as nothing. The filming starts at 9:00AM and goes to 1:30AM the next morning.
And it will be completed on time.
Victory will be won.

Very thrilling. Very exciting.

England in the early 1940’s must have been quite the place to set up shop.

I feel I have had a tiny glimpse of what it was like.

I have a good imagination.