My Life in Argentina and Beyond

In honor of Chiquito, my dear dead aristocratic dog, I watched Umberto D, the 1952 Vittorio de Sica movie. Umberto D, is the story of a retired man with a little dog, who is thrown out of his boarding house by the mean, bleached blond patrona (also known as landlady). The little dog is the co-star of the film. Umberto D, begs and tries to sell a watch to pay the landlady what he owes her, but it is not enough. He loses his dog when he has to go to the hospital for a few days, but luckily recovers him. Umberto runs into people that he knows—a couple of men acquaintances. He tells them his sad story, but they play dumb in one instance and in the other, just won’t help him. When Umberto tries to commit suicide, the dog senses what is about to happen, and runs away. Umberto yells for him to come back, runs after the dog (he is so cute doing one of his dog tricks) and they reconcile. The last scene has them, old man and dog, running in the park. Then some school children appear after being let out of school.

The movie was very touching and very realistic. It tells a story in a good way, though to some American viewers, it might seem depressing. There is no resolution to the retiree’s problem—where will he and his dog live now? One thing is certain: They will be together until the end of their lives. I wished to know more about how Umberto D got Flicke, how he lived before he was retired.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008: Laura, the 1944 movie classic starring Gene Tierney, is all about class. The sets, the costumes, the acting are all superb. I particularly love the outfits worn by Gene Tierney, designed by Bonnie Cashin. They're stylish 1940s clothes, but they don't look outdated. They're timeless. The same is true for the furniture and the art direction. A perfect movie.

Saturday, April 26, 2008: I just reacquainted myself with the 1944 movie Double Indemnity. It has long been one of my favorite film noir movies of all time. The acting is superb, the writing, the black and white cinematography as well as the great music score. Double Indemnity also has memories for me. When my mother got sick on July 9, 1994, I stayed up all night watching it on AMC. This great movie kept me company and helped me be brave and strong.