Morocco

Sometimes I wonder if I'm really gay. I can't wrap packages attractively. I've never owned a full-length mirror. And I've hardly seen any old movies, never mind bunches. I don't like musicals and I'm not even keen about Judy Garland. (Unless she's singing, "The Man That Got Away", of course; goes without saying.)

But once in a while I'll get sucked into an old movie. That happened last night when I watched Morocco, with Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper. This one's old -- 1930. It was so good!

It was far more sophisticated than I expected. The hollow sound typical of early 30s movies (I'm judging only by King Kong here) was jarring at first. I kept thinking Fay Wray was going to pop out -- and for all I know, she did. There's the maybe-not-gay thing again. I don't know actors and actresses. Sorry.

But I soon forgot the sound and fell under this movie's spell. The interplay between Dietrich and Cooper was so deft, so very, very cool. Dietrich was amazing. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I loved the way she wouldn't let herself have what she wanted. And the way she showed her conflicts in twisted, yes-no ways. She was ambivalence itself. And yeah, the bi thing played into it too. Cooper was the perfect foil, and wasn't half-bad either.

And of course the ending is not to be missed. Great movie. I'll watch it again.