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  • Salinger: amalgam of prizefighter and mystic...

    From HenHanna@21:1/5 to All on Thu Mar 7 19:44:36 2024
    XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage

    i think i've read most of this book.


    >>> I wish to God I had some idea what will happen to you
    as an actor. You're a born one, certainly. Even our Bessie knows that.
    And surely you and Franny are the only beauties in the family. But where
    will you act? Have you thought about it? The movies?

    If so, I'm scared stiff that if ever you gain any weight you'll be as victimized as the next young actor into contributing to the reliable
    Hollywood amalgam of prizefighter and mystic, gunman and underprivileged
    child, cowhand and Man's Conscience, and the rest.
    Will you be content with that standard box-office schmalz?

    ------ J. D Salinger, Franny and Zooey p. 60



    --------- victimized ------- by Howard Hughes


    mystic... like T.E.Lawrence?

    gunman ... Gary Cooper, Fonda, ...


    Man's Conscience -- makes me think of

    Henry Fonda in [The Grapes of Wrath] and


    Jimmy Stewart in [Mr. Smith Goes to Washington]
    and that other Capra film.

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  • From HenHanna@21:1/5 to All on Sat Mar 9 22:14:28 2024
    XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage

    i think i've read most of this book.


    >>> I wish to God I had some idea what will happen to you
    as an actor. You're a born one, certainly. Even our Bessie knows that.
    And surely you and Franny are the only beauties in the family. But where
    will you act? Have you thought about it? The movies?

    If so, I'm scared stiff that if ever you gain any weight you'll be as victimized as the next young actor into contributing to the reliable Hollywood amalgam of prizefighter and mystic, gunman and underprivileged child, cowhand and Man's Conscience, and the rest.
    Will you be content with that standard box-office schmalz?

    ------ J. D Salinger, Franny and Zooey p. 60



    --------- victimized ------- by Howard Hughes


    mystic... like T.E.Lawrence?

    gunman ... Gary Cooper, Fonda, ...


    Man's Conscience -- makes me think of

    Henry Fonda in [The Grapes of Wrath] and


    Jimmy Stewart in [Mr. Smith Goes to Washington]
    and that other Capra film.



    My point is... a good reader at the time KNEW exactly what cultural references were being made.



    Hollywood amalgam of prizefighter and mystic,

    --------- makes me think of Hemingway movies...
    i just recently watched [The Snows of Kilimanjaro]





    Cultural References:

    The Western Hero: The lone cowboy facing down injustice is a classic archetype. Think characters like John Wayne in westerns like "Stagecoach" (1939) or "The Searchers" (1956).
    Salinger might argue these portrayals are simplistic and lack depth.


    The Tough Guy with a Heart of Gold: The gruff exterior masking a surprising sensitivity is another common trope. Think Humphrey Bogart in "Casablanca" (1942) or James Cagney in "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938).


    Movie References (films of that era):

    Film Noir: This genre, popular in the 1940s and 50s, often featured morally ambiguous characters and bleak storylines. However, some noir films could fall into schmaltz territory with overly dramatic plots. Films like "Double Indemnity"
    (1944) or "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) might be referenced here.


    Boxing Films: Boxing movies were (and still are) a Hollywood staple. While some explored deeper themes, many relied on predictable storylines of overcoming adversity. Films like "Rocky" (1976) or earlier ones like "The Champ" (1931) could be
    seen as examples.


    It's important to remember this passage is from "Franny and Zooey," published in 1955.
    So, Salinger would likely be referencing films from the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s.

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  • From HenHanna@21:1/5 to All on Sun Mar 10 22:04:32 2024
    XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage

    i think i've read most of this book.


    >>> I wish to God I had some idea what will happen to you
    as an actor. You're a born one, certainly. Even our Bessie knows that.
    And surely you and Franny are the only beauties in the family. But where
    will you act? Have you thought about it? The movies?

    　　　　　If so, I'm scared stiff that if ever you gain any weight you'll be as
    victimized as the next young actor into contributing to the reliable
    Hollywood amalgam of prizefighter and mystic, gunman and underprivileged
    child, cowhand and Man's Conscience, and the rest.
    Will you be content with that standard box-office schmalz?


    ------ J. D Salinger, Franny and Zooey p. 60 　　　　　
    　　　　　
    Another thing that interests me... is...

    this boy sounds a lot like the boy in [The Catcher in the Rye]

    What's the difference between this boy and Holden Caulfield?




    _________________________________________________


    The trope of the underprivileged child finding a home and purpose on a ranch alongside gruff but kind-hearted cowboys was a common theme in American Westerns of the 1950s and before. These films often portrayed a romanticized view of the Wild West, but
    they did tap into a sense of adventure and the possibility of a better life for those down on their luck.


    Here are some examples of this trope:

    Shane (1953): This classic Western tells the story of Shane (Alan Ladd), a mysterious drifter who rides into a homesteader community threatened by a ruthless cattle baron. Shane befriends a young boy named Joey (Brandon de Wilde) and becomes a
    father figure to him.


    The Lone Ranger (1930s serials and later): The masked hero The Lone Ranger is often accompanied by his nephew, Tonto's nephew kemo Sabe (originally played by Jay Silverheels). While not exactly underprivileged, Kemo Sabe is a young boy who learns
    the ways of the West from the Lone Ranger.


    Hopalong Cassidy (1930s-1940s serials): Another popular singing cowboy series, Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd) often encountered young boys or teenagers who would become his temporary sidekicks.

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  • From Anton Shepelev@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 11 00:31:29 2024
    XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage

    HenHanna (no space):

    My point is... a good reader at the time KNEW exactly
    what cultural references were being made.

    So, even the 50s literature is largely lost on the average
    modern reader? And if they do supply annotations, who is
    going to heed them?

    The Western Hero: The lone cowboy facing
    down injustice is a classic archetype. Think characters
    like John Wayne in westerns like "Stagecoach" (1939) or
    "The Searchers" (1956).

    High Noon (1952)?

    The Tough Guy with a Heart of Gold: The gruff exterior
    masking a surprising sensitivity is another common trope.
    Think Humphrey Bogart in "Casablanca" (1942) or James
    Cagney in "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938).

    Johnny O'Clock (1947)?
    Night and the City (1950)?

    Boxing Films: Boxing movies were (and still are) a
    Hollywood staple. While some explored deeper themes, many
    relied on predictable storylines of overcoming adversity.
    Films like "Rocky" (1976) or earlier ones like "The Champ"
    (1931) could be seen as examples.

    World In My Corner (1956)?

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