Over-50

"The Last Duel" - Storyline for "Law & Order SVU," But Set in 14 Century

"The Last Duel" takes up the soul-wrenching decision of a woman, along with her husband, to disclose her rape by a powerful well-connected man. Here is a video excerpt. 

Yes, that storyline could be the plot line for an episode of "Law & Order SVU."

However, it's set in the 14th century. As often happens in  "SVU," one takeaway is if that the price of truth could be too high. So, think carefully about going out there to proclaim the "truth" of what you perceive your experience. Interestingly, the producer uses a Rashomon style screenplay. The audience is presented with different scenarios of what could have happened.

In asserting her claim of rape by squire Jacques Le Gris, Marguerite eventually is responsible for involving her husband Jean de Carrouges in a duel. A true story, that was the last official duel in France. If her husband doesn't win, the law has it that she will be stripped and burned to death. That process could take about 30 minutes of suffering before she died. Right before the duel she questions her decision. 

The husband does win. And Marguerite goes on to live a long happy life with her son. He might have been conceived during the rape. Before that during five years of marriage, she didn't become pregnant. Her husband, a skilled soldier, died a few years after the duel in the Crusades. 

Another meme in this film is that power and religion beliefs can derail justice. The duel wouldn't have had needed to have been if the legal systems hadn't been controlled by the existing power structure. Also, the orthodoxy had been that many legal verdicts  would be handed down by God. It had been religious dogma that if a woman contended rape and her husband couldn't prove that she would be burned alive. 

What the film neutralizes is the current rage over the current legal system. For instance, The Wall Street Journal exposed that many federal judges hadn't recused themselves from presiding over cases in which they had a financial interest. That is prohibited by federal law.

Jusstice was also highly flawed in the 14 century.

Religion complicated that.

English majors might remember The Pardoner in Chauer's "Canterbury Tales." He sold fake indulgences which he promised would erase all sins on one's soul and facilitate a straight trip to heaven. Another pilgrim had been the lawyer who feigned being hyper-busy. That could have attracted new clients with a kind of "false advertising."

In addition to the takeaways, another reason to pop for the movie ticket is that array of stars. They include Ben Affleck.

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Laughing at The Rules - We Never Grow Up Totally, Do We!

“'These men shoveled thousands and thousands of dollars of foreign money to U.S. politicians, laughing about how they were breaking the law along the way,' [Aline] Flodr [Assistant US Attorney] said in the prosecution’s opening statement in the trial [of Lev Parnas, et al. ]'"  - John Gerstein, Politico, October 15, 2021.

That hubris ethos mirrors the confident values of the members Sopranos tribe, especially as they enjoyed themselves at Bada Bing. 

And that could probably what irks the prosecution: scorn for the standard rules of law. Humor is one of the most cruel and effective weapons. That observation goes back to John's Milton epic "Paradise Lost." Satan heaped humor on righteous values. Ouch.

The trial is about Parnas' alleged filtering of $100,000 from Russian businessperson Andrey Muraviev to political candidates as a kind of bribe nudge. It's contended those funds were intended to grease the wheels for Muraviev to establish a cannabis enterprise in the U.S. Parnas is connected to Rudy Giuliani.

Parnas' lawyer is Joseph Bondy who argues that his client did not know the alleged stealth agenda. Of course, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

With "The Many Saints of Newark" in movie theatres, the fascination with the Sopranos hubris is back. That could hover as presence in the courtroom.

Few of us have outgrown our adolescent love of expressing scorn for the rules. And outwitting the system. Even supposedly fully grown up, we admire the bad guys.

It would be wise for Parnas not to smirk during the trial.

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"No Time To Die" - We Bought 36% of Tickets

The new James Bond film "No Time to Die" grossed $56 million in the U.S. during its debut weekend. And, 36% of the tickets had been purchased by us over-45.

That's not a surprise. After all the James Bond franchise is 60 years old. So we came of age with the various James Bonds. But what could be a surprise is our hunger for old-line values. 

This version of Bond, played by Daniel Craig, plays out traditional values of caring, loyalty, ingenuity, and sacrifice. Those used to be aggregated and labeled "character." 

We baby boomers recall filling out our applications to college in which what was required was a paragraph or two on character. Those were to be a key part of our personal essay. We had to provide a specific instance in which we exhibited character even if that had been a difficult situation. 

With the media outlets reporting on so much corruption, including in federal courts, it was uplifting to experience how character shaped Bond's decisions and behavior. 

It might be a useful idea for institutions of higher education to bring back character for the personal essay. Currently the focus is on how the applicant overcame adversity. 

Thank you all those in the loop for "No Time to Die." There still is a sense of goodness in the world. 

Intuitive guidance about your career. Drop your story line and open to extreme possibility. Sliding Scale Fees. Please make an appointment for a complimentary consultation at janegenova374@gmail.com.

Lost and Can't Be Found - Young Tony Soprano as Portrayed in "The Many Saints of Newark"

Maybe it was the tragic and premature death of James Gandolfini. That could have shortcircuited any infatuation with the power of the mob. In so many minds of the viewers of the HBO "The Sopranos" James was Tony Soprano. We sensed James fought some of the same demons Tony had struggled with.

Therefore, it's predictable that David Chase, creator of the "The Sopranos," would cast darkness on the background of how Tony came to be. His film "The Many Saints of Newark" doesn't romanticize gangsta life.

Pain is at the root of the behavior of the young Tony, portrayed by James' son Michael Gandolfini. His mother couldn't connect. His father is a lightweight criminal who winds up in prison for four years. Also, the young Tony himself leans out of social norms. Even in grade school he's in trouble for running a numbers racket. 

The young Tony's idol and mentor is his uncle Dickie Moltisanti, played by Alessandro Nivola. Dickie had been abused by his father and witnessed his mother also being treated so badly. The rage is palpable. It breaks out and Dickie murders that father and his mistress.

Also, sure there are the big dinners around the big table. But the aura of brotherhood isn't there. It is a fellow made man who offs Dickie. That's for laughing at him when he fell on steps. 

Meanwhile, the mob has to be as worried about competition as any orthodox Fortune 50 corporation. During that turbulent time young Tony is coming of age Blacks are becoming activists. Newark is on fire during the riots of 1967. One Black man who used to work for Dickie sets up his own racket. He also has sex with Dickie's mistress. When she confessed that to Dickie, he drowns her. He is never the same after that.

Rather than fascination with how power is acquired, protected, and grown, we probably experience this film with sadness. Social workers should see "The Many Saints of Newark" to understand how people get lost and maybe cannot be found. Psychotherapy didn't help the adult Tony. 

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"Cry Macho" - The One Takeaway

Not one of Clint Eastwood's best films, "Cry Macho" does offer a nice takeaway.

That's this: Aging brings the gift of realizing how little we know. Even up to late middle-age we thought we knew so much.

And it's a relief not to have to know so much. We can eve stop feeling compelled to give adivce. 

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Clint Eastwood, 91 - Role Model for Late Bloomers (yes, there is such a phenomenon)

Successful, yes. That had been the young and middle-aged Clint Eastwood. But in the entertainment world his brand was for B-film, action-packed with lots of bad guys and shootings.

Then, as he entered old age, he took the leap into serious filming. Among those artistic works have been "Unforgiven" and "Millon Dollar Baby." In his new works he often plays a role. No, he isn't timid about appearing on film with his wrinkles.

And, at age 91, he is still at it. His latest film is "Cry Matcho." The protagonist is a guy who is throwing in the towel on having to posture at being macho and concealing his aging. 

Clearly Eastwood provides inspiration for the rest of us over-65 who want some kind of fresh start. 

University of Chicago professor David Galenson researched the subject of late bloomers. In the arts he documented such as phenomenon. His book on that is "Old Masters and Young Geniuses." Here you can order it on Amazon.

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Baby Booomers from Jersey City, NJ - Maybe We Never Have Been Able to Shake the Ethos of the Frank Hague Political Machine

Earnest

Visionary

And, in terms of implementation through more than a dozen federal agencies, a test of the political and management skills of the Biden Administration.

That's the Executive Order on Competition, which you can read here. Its 72 initiatives cover everything from non-compete clauses imposed on low-wage workers to mergers. 

The platitude applied to sum up its ethos is to circle back to the priorities of "trustbuster" Teddy Roosevelt.

However, the more insightful way to capture what it is about is to resurrect the spirit and the messaging of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Essentially that 1939 film, directed by Frank Capra, celebrates the power of doing the right thing on behalf of Everyman (or what Joe Biden refers to as the "little guy). The movie's protagonist Jefferson Smith represents the ultimate whistleblower about what has gone so wrong in America. 

In the Capra world, those noble causes win out. Like now, back then it was a time of crisis. The background for "Mr. Smith" was The Great Depression. Now, the times are about the uncertainties of the Post-COVID economy (along with the return of COVID), surging inflation and hardened polarization.

Watching "Mr. Smith" this weekend can be uplifting. Downright inspiring. 

However, this weekend the little guy whom Biden is determined to help could be wondering what really will play out from the 72 initiatives. And how much will it improve the life of the little guy? 

Go to various "listening posts" around America, such as the check-out lines in Walmart (I take in what those I coach say), and it's likely that what will be picked up is the sense of powerlessness.

The tone and content mirror the resignation of those who endured the Frank Hague political machine in the mid 20th century. What resonates in my consciouness is the mantra: You can't fight City Hall. The residents of Hudson County, New Jersey, such as my immigrant family, accepted their powerlessness. Everything from jobs to getting your mother in a nursing home had been determined by the Machine.

Does the Biden Administration have the little people behind this EO? Do the people believe things can change?  Or will the loudest voice in the corridors of power be those of entrenched interests? The lobbyists reportedly are already busy conjuring up counterstrategies.

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It's About The Money - Barb Stout, RVer Working At Amazon, Is On The Money

The "Camperforce" documentary - which you can view here - features RVer Barb Stout and her husband Chuck Stout. After the couple lost their nest egg in the 2008 global economic crash, they pivoted into the RV lifestyle.

Increasingly that includes finding and doing seasonable or temporary jobs while on the road. Some RVers have down cold who will be hiring, where and when. For example, some show up every spring to do jobs in national parks. 

No slouch when it comes to trends, Amazon looped into that. It created a whole recruitment program called "CamperForce." Primarily it's geared to older workers such as the Stout couple. Amazon posts information about the program it on its website.

The Stout couple applied at the CamperForce program and were hired for the $11-an-hour gigs. They were "pickers" in an Amazon warehouse. That is, they scouted up the goods for fulfilling orders.

Yes, the jobs are demanding. At night, after using a scanner all day, Barb's hand can go numb. Chuck got hit in the head with a falling box. 

Liberals may balk at what seems to be exploitation of the vulnerable aging who deal with sustained financial challenges. There is a lot to be said about that.

However, what Amazon provides is work. It pays. And Barb is pragmatic. She presents her take on why Amazon recruits the aging. She hammers that Amazon knows older workers are there not to learn, not to get ahead. It's about the money. End of story. They do the job and that's that.

In coaching, that's exactly the mindset I recommend to those who are post-career. The new game for them is to earn income. And as much as possible. They are no longer pursuing macro goals such as upward mobility, personal branding or building wealth. 

That perspective allows those in their 60s, 70s and 80s to shake off all the "oughts" of the careerist. They only have to go to work, do the job and be alert for opportunities that offer more, including increased income.

All generations, not only the aging, have to continually search for work. The iconic job guide "What Color Is Your Parachute?" documents that trend. The most important skill in the current economy is the know-how to be hired. Both jobs and project assignments have shorter and shorter shelf lives. 

Here, free to download, is my guide on landing, holding and moving on to better work, no matter your age Download Outwitting ageism.

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Documentary "Camperforce" Depicts New Version of Migrant Workers - RVing Elderly

The RVing craze is not just a result of wanderlust. At least not for a growing number of elderly. 

It's become, the documentary "Camperforce" captures, both their only affordable habitat and their transportation to seasonal gigs.

One such  assignment is at Amazon. The tasks Barb and Chuck Stout do can actually cause them pain. The couple lost their nest egg during the 2008 global recession. And they have evolved into the RV generation of migrant workers. 

The Amazon website provides details about its Camperforce work program. It is positioned and packaged as a great deal. However, as with many jobs at Amazon, it's controversial in what it actually demands. 

Those Amazon jobs are also featured in the hit film "Nomadland." 

For the aging, the world of RVing seems to be binary. There are those retirees who are enjoying the good life on the road on their terms in a full-service vehicle. And there are those who have embraced that lifestyle as the only way they can afford to make ends meet. 

This article in Moviemaker provides a link to that documentary "Camperforce."

Here is the free guide for how to land, hold and move on to better work, no matter your age Download Outwitting ageism.

Small changes can trigger big success in your career and your business communications. Swing by for a complimentary consultation (janegenova374@gmail.com)

COVID Troubles - Do We Really Give a Damn about Woody Allen and Mia Farrow?

With a pile-on of investigative reporting, HBO is taking a fresh look at the infamous legal and media battles between one-time lovers and professional colleagues Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. The documentary is "Allen v Farrow."

Some may be still interested in finding out new information about a family feud. Others may just roll their eyes.

What is surprising in that legal and media clash of the titans is that there hadn't been a murder. Or a murder suicide. We are well-schooled by pop culture television true-crime presentations to anticipate that strong passions in a souring romantic relationship frequently trigger those high-profile homicides or worse. 

Had things gotten to that kind of actual physical violence in the Allen and Farrow saga, this story could have been featured on "Dateline." It is there generations of fans for that series learned the spouse usually did it. And despite everything appearing rosy, there had been signs of the eventual unraveling.

Currently, HBO is promoting the documentary. But only time will tell if there remains interest in that melodrama. We all have so many of our own troubles during COVID times.

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