The impressible John le Carre gave us a host of spies in his famous novels. Always my favorite would be Alec Leamas from “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,” who said, “What do you think spies are: priests, saints and martyrs? They’re a squalid procession of vain fools, traitors, too, yes; pansies, sadists […]
J.P. Devine
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J.P. Devine: Face in the crowd
On TV, “extras” are those faces in crowds and at parties, cafes and street scenes, with no lines, who now have been upgraded with more dignified titles like “junior artists,” “atmospheres” and “background talent,” J.P. Devine writes.
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‘The Gilded Age’ was a great era
So here it is today on HBO, in our own era of social upheaval. No fan of costumed events, I reluctantly sat through every episode of Julian Fellowes’s, Michael Engler’s and Salli Richardson-Whitfields’s lavish and expensive production, in order to have a review for you this morning. I won’t run down each chapter because Fellowes’ […]
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J.P. Devine: Freedom’s song
Reflecting on his pet, Ms. Kramer, prompts J.P. Devine to ponder the larger question of what it means to be a caged bird.
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‘The Godfather’ restored, polished
Railroad Square Cinema to feature the first in the area, 4K re-release of the classic mob film
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J.P. Devine: Back from the dead
Dreaming of one more outing to the mall in South Portland, J.P. is whistling in the graveyard of memories.
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‘Infinite Storm’ a corrida in the snow
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288.2 feet, and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather, and the weather, this day, is soft and warm and sunny at its base. But like all mountains, it has a gorgeous […]
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J.P. Devine: Work it out, Vlad. Work it out.
As international pressure mounts on Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine, J.P. Devine imagines how some of those forces may be telling Russian President Vladimir Putin to “work it out.”
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‘The Quiet Man’ an Irish valentine
I know it’s old, and a sentimental piece, a 1952 valentine from the great John Ford, a Mainer by birth by the way, born John Martin Feeney in Cape Elizabeth and grew up in Portland. This piece of his was nominated in 1953 for best picture, losing to “The Greatest Show on Earth,” but Ford […]
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‘West Side Story’ sweet goodbye, end of Hollywood’s music magic
Here it is. For this reviewer and ex-New Yorker who saw the Broadway musical before it opened, walked his dog on the debris that became Lincoln Center, watched Jerome Robbins’ first dance sketches at the City Center Ballet and thanks to my life in all those places, I come with legitimate credentials and strong opinions. […]