Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Are we being watched over? Many have said there is no other explanation for my survival and success.

How many times have you watched a movie that seemed to be a slice of your life? Many of you, I’ll bet. It happened to me a few times with some of the old biker movies in the sixties and seventies, and then The Bike Riders was released last year.

 In 1989, Steven Spielberg directed Always, with Richard Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter. It’s about the aerial firefighting business; no one had ever made a movie in that setting before.

When it came out, I was already working for American Airlines, but a few years before I had been in that line of work. My book, The Lucky One, included some stories from those days.

There were many things that struck a chord with me. Mostly it brought back memories of people I had known who lost their lives doing a job. Also, the bravery of all the pilots who continue to fly those airplanes into dangerous situations day after day to protect people and property.

Always

 There are some great shots of old airplane starting in the very first scene. With Richard Dreyfuss, there is naturally comedy, but also romance, action, drama, and dealing with heartbreak and loss. Who among us has not had to deal with that in our lives?

Of course, the death part is yet to come, but this movie leaves a light at the end of the tunnel if you wish to believe in it.

An uplifting scene from Always

I have played with that subject in my latest book; reluctant guardian angels.

Are we being watched over? Many have said there is no other explanation for my survival and success. Who knows, but it is fun to watch in the movie. There is a special appearance by Audrey Hepburn in her last ever performance. She plays an angel.

In a pinnacle scene the two stars dance to a favorite song of mine, the classic Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, by the Platters. The perfect theme for this movie.

Always is a remake of the 1943 World War II film, A Guy Named Joe, starring Spencer Tracy and the beautiful Irene Dunne.

The characters’ names are the same, only the setting is war in the Pacific.

Good old days

If you like my books, you’ll love these movies, they are both well worth the time. Your guardian angel will enjoy it, too.

Me back in 1981. There was never a dull moment in the aerial firefighting business