The Awakening

By Kate Chopin

This was a pivotal novel for women and the feminist movement. First published in 1899 it was very unorthdox for the times and there was quite an uproar against the book and its young author.  The Awakening is the story of a young woman who decides that her conventional life isn't good enough for her anymore.

The story opens on Grand Isle, a vacation spot located off of the coast of Louisiana; the resort is popular with the prosperous Creole middle class.  Edna Pontellier is there with her husband Léonce and their two children. She quickly becomes fast friends with Robert Lebrun whose mother manages the resort.

Edna and Robert start developing feelings for each other and Edna begins to realize that her conventional life is not satisfying; she wants to be with Robert and be free to do whatever she wants rather than follow society's conventions.

Adéle Ratignolle is Edna's friend and the personification of the feminine ideal for the time.  She is sweet and kind and places the happiness of her husband and children over her own.  Adéle warns Robert not to play with Edna's feelings because she may well have serious emotions toward Robert.  Even though Robert is well known on the island for flirting outrageously with a married woman every summer he protests that he is serious about Edna. Adéle suspects that there is something between the two but says nothing.

"She was moved by a kind of commiseration for Madame Ratignolle- a pity for that colorless existence…in which she would never have the taste of life’s delirium."

But summer must end and with it goes Robert, overcome with his love for Edna and knowing that she is married and therefore unavailable by society's definition, he runs away to Mexico.  Edna must return to her home in New Orleans with her husband and children.

 “Robert’s going had some way taken the brightness, the color, the meaning out of everything… her whole existence was dulled..."

Edna's husband leaves for New York and her children visit their grandmother leaving Edna alone in a house filled with reminders of her husband and the world that she no longer wishes to live in. She meets Alcée Arobin, a young man who would gladly take Robert's place in Edna's affections.

Edna must soon make a decision about her life, especially when Robert returns and she discovers he still loves her...

This is a short novel, my version was 221 pages and the chapters are short. Throughout the first half of the story I was ambivalent about Edna but after she returns to New Orleans I decided I didn't like her. I felt like she placed her own happiness over common sense. I know that the point of her "awakening" is to learn to consider herself over giving everything up for someone who she may not even like, let alone love.

But, I felt like she could have acted in a way so that the story would not have ended the way it did.  Overall, I would recommend reading the book if just for a glimpse into the mindset of a woman frustrated with her lot.

A Race To Splendor
By Ciji Ware

It is 1906 and the dawning of a new century for women. Amelia Hunter Bradshaw is apprenticed to the first woman ever to be licensed and trained as an architect, Julia Morgan. Amelia has trained in Paris and returns to San Francisco to claim her inheritance: the grand Bay View Hotel. But upon Amelia's arrival she discovers that her drunkard of a father has lost the deed to the hotel in a poker match with J.D. Thayer, a well-known cardsharp. Amelia even takes Thayer to court to try and reclaim her hotel but she has been thoroughly swindled. She returns to her job at Julia Morgan's firm and tries to put all thoughts of the Bay View and its new owner out of her mind.  

But 1906 is also the year of the devastating earthquake that destroys the city.

"An Act of God brought this city to its knees..."

The Bay View has been destroyed and its new owner almost killed in the destruction. Amelia's father is also killed in the earthquake and Amelia finds herself feeling utterly alone. But J.D. Thayer doesn't give up easily, he hires Amelia to rebuild the Bay View.  Julia Morgan has also been employed to rebuild the Fairmont, a more lavish and elegant hotel only a few blocks away from the Bay View. Together, the two women plan to rebuild San Francisco and show the world that the city will rise again.

But it is the Gilded Age, a time known for corruption, rampant greed, and racial prejudices. Soon, Amelia finds herself racing Julia for the honor of rebuilding San Francisco's most prominent buildings. Many factors work against Amelia and J.D.: corrupt politicians and business partners, union control, a lack of funds, and of course their growing attraction for each other.

The story also touches on the large Chinese population in San Francisco and the prejudices they faced. Union workers refuse menial labor but then grow angry when Chinese are hired to do the job. Many Chinese women are kidnapped and sold into prostitution. We meet the very real Donaldina Cameron, a Presbyterian missionary who rescued Chinese girls and children from their imprisonments in brothels and opium dens. 

The story was very good. Amelia, while not quite as three dimensional a character as J.D. Thayer, is ambitious and determined and I wanted her to succeed in making a name for herself. J.D. is more complex, he is the prodigal son who strives for his father's approval but is determined to make his own way especially since he cannot respect his father. We learn about his real reason for coveting the Bay View and why he is so determined to surmount all odds and reopen the hotel. You can achieve an excellent grasp of the social situation in San Francisco during the time period, the book is rich in detail and historical fact.    

Ciji Ware has written several other historical fiction novels and some nonfiction books. You can find her at www.cijiware.com

Bad Teacher

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segal, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch

Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language, drug use

Score: 2.75/4

This is probably how some teachers wish they could act with their students, Cameron Diaz may get away with it but I doubt someone in the real world could.

We first meet Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) as she prepares to quit teaching forever because she's going to marry her wealthy fiancè. Unfortunately, the fiancè's mother sees Elizabeth for what she is: a gold digger.

So, Elizabeth is forced back into teaching but soon concocts a new plan. The new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Timberlake) happens to be filthy rich and cute. Elizabeth sets her sights on him hoping to buy her ticket out of teaching, her goal is to earn enough money for breast implants; she is convinced that is the only way to snag Scott. Unfortunately, Elizabeth has a rival. Amy Squirrel (Punch) is the overeager teacher across the hall from Elizabeth, she has her sighs set on Scott as well.  Russell Gettis (Segal) is the goofy gym teacher with a big crush on Elizabeth, unfortunately she only has eyes for Scott.

By far my favorite characters were Lynn Davies (Phyllis Smith), an awkward teacher, and Kirk (Eric Stonestreet), Elizabeth's oddball roommate. They both added the comedic one liners that really made the movie cute. Timberlake's dreamy Scott was also funny; at times goofy and at others distant you can't take him too seriously and neither are you meant to.

There are of course the raunchy jokes and sexual innuendos, along with a strange and fully clothed sex scene, expected in this kind of movie but I found myself laughing. All in all I enjoyed this a lot more than Bridesmaids.

The Mozart Conspiracy
By Scott Mariani

Despite what the title implies, the story is less about Mozart and more about a secret society trying to hide a conspiracy in the modern day.

Oliver Llewellyn was a concert pianist who played across Europe. One night while performing at a private party at a mansion in Austria Oliver walks into something he should never have seen and dies mysteriously; but not before sending his life's work to his sister, the famous opera singer Leigh Llewellyn.
After Oliver's funeral Leigh calls up a former love, ex-SAS agent Ben Hope. Despite their history they both sit down and examine Oliver's work and what they find is startling.
Oliver was researching Mozart and his possible involvement with an underground society called the Order of Ra. Unfortunately, the group still exists in Europe and they don't want outsiders investigating their secrets. Leigh and Ben find themselves in great danger and racing across Europe to escape the bad guys.

It sounds cheesy but it was actually very good. I expected it to be over the top with conspiracy theories and James Bond plots but it wasn't. The characters are likable, the book is focused more on the current day then a cheesy background, and the twist at the end will leave the reader shocked.

Breakout Kings


Breakout Kings is a T.V. series on A&E.  The series finale was Monday and even though it's not a book or movie I decided it was too good not to share.
The whole premise of the show is that a special task force of the U.S. Marshals works closely with incarcerated criminals to help catch other criminals that have broken out of jail. Each episode begins with the criminal escaping and progresses from there. Each member of the team has a special skill they contribute that is essential to catching the fugitive.

Charlie Duchamp: Charlie is the U.S. Marshal in charge of the team. Formerly assigned to a desk he is using the team as a chance to prove himself in the field; because he has a heart problem he doesn't want to be stuck at a desk for the rest of his career. He is married and sometimes has a problem balancing family and work life.

Ray Zancanelli: Ray used to be a Marshal but was sent to a halfway house after stealing money from a crime scene in order to buy his daughter a car. Ray did not initially tell the cons that he is not a Marshal. Ray is divorced and doesn't get on well with his ex-wife but loves his daughter. Ray is tough; he doesn't take crap and isn't afraid to throw someone around if it means getting the information he needs.

Julianne Simms: Jules is a quiet but a whiz on the computer. She suffers from multiple psychological disorders such as social anxiety and panic disorder; because of these problems she was expelled from the Academy. Jules and Ray have a special relationship, they go way back and Ray was the one who helped Jules out after she was tossed. Ray especially requested her for the team.

Shea Daniels: Shea is a former gang banger who ran one of the largest "businesses" on the East Coast and at a very young age. He has a working knowledge of the inner world of crime and can use his street connections to help the team. This sometimes conflicts with his former life because if his associates found out that he was helping cops then Shea would be in danger. Shea has a girlfriend named Vanessa.

Erica Reed: Erica was a bounty hunter with her father. She was devoted to him and when he was killed she swore revenge against those that had killed him. She hunted down and killed every one of the men but it could never be proven, so she was sent to jail on weapons charges. Erica is devoted to her little girl; her whole purpose on the team is to be able to see her daughter again. Erica doesn't take crap from anyone but is invaluable in predicting fugitives' movements.  

Dr. Lloyd Lowry: Lloyd was a child prodigy, he graduated from school at an early age and is an expert on behavior. He provides a psychological breakdown of not only the fugitives, but everyone else on the team which gets on some nerves. By explaining the minds of the fugitives he can more readily predict the fugitive's next movement. Lloyd has a tendency to say awkward statements and has a less than healthy relationship with his mother.

Fans of Prision Break may enjoy this show. Lloyd is easily my favorite character but this is one of those rare shows where I like all of the characters and the way they work off of each other is golden. It's funny, gripping, realistic, and entertaining. I sincerely hope it is renewed for a second season.


Note: The show was cancelled by A&E after two seasons. Executive producer Nick Santora thanked fans for their support and explained how the show would have ended had it had more time to resolve the story line. So as not to give anything away the link to the story can be found here: http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/05/17/breakout-kings-cancelled/

Spotlight on an Author

Catherine Coulter

Well-known for her bestselling FBI thrillers, Catherine Coulter has also written historical romances which is how she became an author. I first discovered her through the book The Deception but soon became an avid fan of her suspense mysteries. The thrillers are unpredictable and riveting with just the right amount of romance- enough to keep you interested without overwhelming the plot. The Cove is the first book in her FBI series, but the books can be read out of order; I started with Whiplash. The main characters are a man and woman, the same characters pop up throughout the series but they are not always the main focus. The woman are strong and self-sufficient without being overbearing and the men are the same.
The historical romances are both accurate and engaging. The women are not the type to faint away at the sight of blood and yes, the men are stereotypically nefarious or blustery saying things like, "Damnation!" and being ruggedly handsome.

The Cove

Sally Brainerd is on the run; her high-profile father has been murdered and more than one person is after her. Her estranged husband wants to put her back into the mental institution she escaped from, the doctor who abused her in her incarceration wants control over her again, and Special Agent James Quinlan is undercover and in hot pursuit. Sally's father was into something dangerous and Sally may have the clues James needs to solve the case.
Sally escapes to the Cove, a tiny town that caters to tourists by selling their famous World's Greatest Ice Cream. The Cove is not just a small town full of the elderly and infirm however, something sinister lurks beneath the quaint exterior of charm; something dangerous...

   The Deception

Evangeline de Beauchamps is part English and part French, she lives in France with her father during the Napoleonic era. One night her father is kidnapped by supporters of Napoleon who want to see the Emperor take back the Empire taken from him by the English.  Evangeline is chosen to become a spy to the Duke of Portsmouth because her cousin was once married to the Duke before she died. Evangeline has no choice, she must worm her way into the Duke's household so that she can pass information onto the French, if she refuses then her father will die.

Evangeline persuades the Duke to give her a position as governess to his young son Edward. But as time passes Evangeline's guilt grows along with her feelings towards the Duke and his son. Her position is made harder by the fact that the Duke's friend was murdered by French supporters and the Duke himself is vehemently anti-Napoleon.

I will admit the story is a little hokey, it's all melodrama and instant attraction but well the worth the read if you ever find yourself bored on a rainy afternoon.

Postcard Killers

By James Patterson and Liza Marklund

This story will make you think twice about meeting strangers while on vacation...
Europe is being plagued by serial killers; an unknown couple is murdering young honeymooners all over the continent. Before they do, they send a postcard to a local newspaper with a Shakespeare quote warning the world that another murder has been committed.
The killers meet unsuspecting honeymooners and persuade them to go back to their hotel, they then brutally murder the two and escape before anyone finds the bodies.

Jack Kanon is an American policeman and his daughter Kimmy was murdered in Rome with her new husband by the postcard killers. Hunting down the murdering couple becomes his obsessive goal and he follows them across Europe as they leave a trail of bodies in their wake. 

Dessie Larsson is a Swedish journalist who receives a mysterious postcard in the mail, she frantically realizes it's the calling card of the postcard killers. Jack catches up with her and together they work to find out who and where the postcard killers are and who they may be killing next...

It was a good thriller; twists and turns abound and it's exciting to delve deeper into the minds of the psycho killers, especially when it turns out that they are murdering in the name of art.

  

The Adjustment Bureau

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthonie Mackie, Terence Stamp, John Slattery

Rating: PG-13

Score: 3/4

Based on the short story Adjustment Team by Philip K. Dick, this is a story revolving around the concepts of fate, predestination, and free will.

David Norris is a popular New York politician running for the US Senate. Because of his rowdy ways, he does not win. On election night he goes to the bathroom to review his concession speech and meets Elise, a free-spirited dancer hiding from security because she crashed a wedding.
Only a few days later he meets Elise on a bus and they flirt back and forth realizing they are attracted to each other. She gives David her phone number. But David will have a hard time calling her because the adjustment team is on his tail.

The Adjustment Bureau is a secret organization that keeps everyone "on plan." The head of the bureau, the Chairman, has created a plan for every human on Earth and they have to stick to it. David's plan does not let him be together with Elise, he is meant to do great things but can't if he stays with her.  David doesn't like the idea of fate and decides to fight for free will by doing everything he can to find Elise.

There are obvious parallels between adjusters and angels, and the idea of the Chairman as God. It's a thought provoking story; are we here to fulfill a fate already planned for us or do we have the choice to do what we want with our lives?

It's not a confusing storyline to follow as some critics are saying, it's pretty straightforward and I would recommend it.

A Royal Likeness
By Christine Trent

Marguerite is a doll maker, she lives with her husband Nicholas in London and together they own a doll shop. But, this is during the Napoleonic Wars and even though Marguerite is a loyal British citizen, her name is enough to make a French-hating mob show up at her front door. They destroy the shop and kill her beloved Nicholas. Stricken with grief Marguerite retreats into seclusion at her friends' estate in the countryside.

In an effort to convince her to move on with her life, her friends apprentice her to Madame Tussaud, a French wax worker who has a traveling show. Marguerite agrees and travels to Edinburgh with Marie Toussaud and her young son. There, she meets the smarmy owner of the show traveling with Madame Tussaud's, Philip Philipsthal. Marie has some kind of mysterious obligation to Philip that she won't tell Marguerite, they stand in corners arguing in whispers and then refuse to tell Marguerite what is wrong.

In Edinburgh, Marguerite also meets the taciturn Hastings, a Navy officer under the great Nelson. He doesn't smile, doesn't laugh, barely talks, but somehow he intrigues Marguerite and in turn finds himself intrigued by her. But soon, Margueurite will find herself caught between Hastings and his friend Brax, the polar opposite of Hastings. One of them is a traitor to the Crown and a danger to her life...

The story culminates with the Battle of Trafalgar...and somehow Marguerite is on a ship right in the middle of it!

The beginning of the book can be a little too sticky sweet, it took me until about the middle of the book to actually start liking Marguerite. The Battle of Trafalgar was my favorite part because she finally started acting sensibly. We meet many real people: Admiral Nelson, William Pitt, Charles Fox, and even Madame Tussaud herself. At 384 pages it's thick, but a very easy read. By the end, I found myself rooting for Marguerite and a certain someone, however, I did think the ending was a little melodramatic.  

Unknown

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones

Rating: PG-13

Score: 2.5/4

I expected this to be similar to Taken but it wasn't; yes, Liam Neeson is running around a European city searching for something, but, this time he's looking for himself and he's not a martial arts expert or a smooth talking ex-agent.

The movie opens with Martin Harris on a plane with his wife, they're flying to Berlin for a biotech summit. Once the couple arrives at the hotel Martin realizes he accidentally left his briefcase at the airport. He hops in a cab to go back, leaving his wife to check in. However, on his way to the airport the cab crashes and goes into the river.

Martin wakes up from a coma to find himself in the hospital, his memories are muddled and he just wants to get back to his loving wife. But, when he finds her back at the hotel she doesn't know him and there is another man named Martin Harris with her. Martin enlists the help of the cabbie who was in the car with him. Her name is Gina, she's an illegal alien from Bosnia trying to make enough money to get to America. With the help of an ex-Stasi agent (Bruno Ganz) Martin investigates his past life and the mysterious man who has taken his place.

The movie is gray, we are in Berlin in November and everything is slushy and frozen. The story starts off believeable, Martin is gentle and focused only on his wife. As the plot thickens it becomes more intriguing but also less believable; who would have thought botany was such a hot topic?

Just Watched...

The Sea Hawk

Starring: Errol Flynn, Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains, Flora Robson

Score: 2/4

Tensions are high between Spain and England and privateers are abundant in this 1940 film. Don Alvarez is a Spanish courtier on his way to the court of Elizabeth I, his mission is to pacify the Queen while the Spanish King builds his armada. Elizabeth is reluctant to spend the money to build her own fleet.   
However, as Alvarez is traveling to England, with his niece Dona Maria, his ship is captured by the privateer Geoffery Thorpe who is tongue-tied by the beautiful Maria. She despises him but after he shyly returns her stolen jewels, she begins to soften and realize he is good.
Once the Spanish courtiers arrive in England they travel to the palace. Maria becomes a lady-in-waiting for Elizabeth. Geoffery meets secretly with the Queen and proposes a daring plan; he wants to travel to the New World and take a Spanish load of gold and use it to fund England's activities. Elizabeth is dubious of the plan but grants him permission.
Maria must say a tearful farewell to Geoffery as he departs. The only hitch in the plan (unknown to the English) is that the Spanish know Geoffery is coming and they have a surpise for him...

As in the way of most old movies, the sword fights are daring, the women are useless and the costumes are splendid. Brenda Marhsall's Maria is not very interesting, she is the typical female. Of course, everyone has an English accent, even those from Spain. It's a movie for watching on a slow Saturday night

The Partner
By John Grisham

A burning car, an unidentifiable body, a grieving widow and daughter...90 million dollars missing...

Patrick Lannigan is a young partner for a firm in Biloxi. One day he dies in a horrific car accident and everyone mourns his death. But then $90 million goes missing and everyone begins to suspect the late Lannigan.  After all, the body was too burned to identify, he was acting strange the last few weeks of his life, and the money that was stolen jumped from bank to bank before disappearing.

Now everyone is trying to find him; the FBI, the businessman who's money was stolen, and they will stop at nothing to recover the money. Every chapter brings a new twist and turn and you can't help but hope that Patrick manages to escape the death penalty. 

But there are so many questions; why did Patrick run away, how is he connected to the gorgeous Eva Miranda, why did he steal the money, who is the poor soul who burned in his car, and most important of all: where is the money now?

An Addicting Mini-series

Downton Abbey


Starring: Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern


Scoring: 4/4


Airing: Sundays, 9pm


Length: 5 episodes, each is 90 minutes


A Masterpiece Classic hit! When I first heard about this I thought it was going to be a slow period piece; I would love it of course but all the same I would still look at the clock thinking, 'It's been a long time..." Instead, I find myself looking at the clock thinking 'No! There are only a few minutes left!'


Downton Abbey follows both the family above stairs and the people below stairs.  I can't describe the servants as a family because of all the backbiting and plotting that seems to occur on a daily basis.  The series begins with a tragedy, the Titanic has just sunk taking with it the heir to Downton Abbey and his son.  The heir was a cousin of Lord Grantham; because all of Lord Grantham's children are daughters, none of them can inherit the estate.  So, the new heir is a third cousin named Matthew, a lawyer (shocking!) in Manchester who neither wants nor appreciates Downton until some time has passed and he comes to appreciate its beauty.
Lord Grantham is the lord of the manor, his wife Cora is the lady and they have three daughters: Mary, Edith, and Sybil. There is a tense rivalry between Mary and Edith while Sybil is interested in politics and the changing world around her. 

This is so addicting! I was swept up in the first few minutes and quickly came to have my favorite characters.  There is a second season in production.  

I Say, A Devilishly Good Movie!

The King's Speech

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Rating: R for profanity

Score: 4/4

This was one of the most beautiful movies I've seen. The score was of course gorgeous, the acting phenomenal and the storyline was charming.

Lionel Logue is the speech therapist that is going to help Bertie use his voice. Bertie never thought he was going to be King, but once David abdicates he is next in line and must step forward to lead his country. The only problem is, Bertie has a bad stutter and public speaking is a nightmare. Supported by his wife Elizabeth (the wonderful Carter) Bertie reluctantly agrees to meet with one more doctor. Lionel is different, his unorthodox methods slowly draw the King out of his repressive shell.  We soon find that Bertie is afraid; from childhood he has been made fun of and looked down upon because he has a defect.  But he must learn to use his own voice and step up to the crown at a time when his country desperately needs a leader with a voice.

Lionel Logue is a charming character and Geoffrey Rush plays him magnificently; he is affable and empathetic without being condescending or letting Bertie use his old excuses to escape his pain. Colin Firth definitely deserves his Oscar Nomination and it'll be exciting to see if he wins.
Helena Bonham Carter is a no nonsense, practical and supportive Queen Mum and we even get a glimpse of the adolescent Elizabeth II.

A Good Cliché

Burlesque

Starring: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet

Rating: PG-13

Score: 3/4

Original it may not be but the flashy dance numbers make up for it.  I thoroughly enjoyed the sassy sashays and hair flips accompanied by vaudeville music and strobe lighting.

Ali is a small town girl looking to make it big in L.A. She stumbles across the club Burlesque (after walking around L.A. all day in ridiculously high heels looking for a job). After watching the mesmerizing show she begs for a job but doesn't get a part on stage...rather she becomes Burlesque's newest waitress.
But with the help of the friendly and cute bartender Jack and the determination that seems to characterize her, Ali perseveres in her dream while dealing with the jealous lead dancer Nikki and slippery businessman Marcus, who happens to be Nikki's former paramour.
Meanwhile, we find out that the club owner Tess, played by the incomparable Cher, is facing her own woes because her club is failing financially. Marcus wants to buy her out and develop a condo where the club stands but Tess doesn't want to give up her dream.

Will Ali achieve fame as a dancer? Will Tess be able to keep her club? Will Nikki get her act together? Will Jack and Ali find love?
Duh.

If It Ain't Baroque, Don't Fix It

The Angel's Game
By Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Translated from Spanish in 2009, this book is a prequel to The Shadow of the Wind which I did not know until researching this title. If the prequel is any indication then the bestselling Shadow should be wonderful.

David Martín is a young writer in Barcelona in the 1920s and 1930s. He writes sensationalist baroque novels but feels like he is not being true to his soul. David is approached several times by a mysterious man named Andreas Corelli who wants David to write a book with the power to change people.

Corelli wants a book about religion and he will do anything to persuade David, even release him from his contract with the publishers of his sensation novels in a mysterious and gruesome way. But David's demons do not always let him rest and focus on his work.

Soon David finds that there is something wrong with enigmatic Andreas Corelli. He also begins to investigate the former resident of his tower house who died under questionable circumstances and left a bloody trail of broken lives behind him...and may have been working for Corelli. But, while David investigates he himself is being investigated because everybody he comes in contact with meets a gruesome death...

This book is haunting and engaging and I had a hard time putting it down. The entire time I was thinking, 'If the right director got hold of this, the movie would be dark and magnificent and frightening.' You root for David while he battles his own thoughts and the dark house he lives in that holds many secrets. The plot takes unseen twists and turns and I loved every minute of it.  

Just Watched... (Another Western!)

 Stagecoach

Starring: John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell

Rating: None, it's 1939 after all


Score: 3/4


A fun western in the true vein of westerns; we have: a rugged outlaw, bandanna and all, a beautiful woman who finds it hard to open up about her feelings, a wisecracking drunk, and the constant threat of an Indian attack. It's 1880 and a group of diverse passengers board a stagecoach bound to Lordsburg, NM from Tonto, Arizona.
Dallas is the main girl; she is a prostitute being driven out of town. She has had a hard life and is now hoping to start over.
Doc Boone is the drunk, he can perform medical offices rather well but has a terrible propensity for whiskey.
Lucy Mallory is a lady, she is pregnant and traveling to meet her husband, a cavalry officer.
Samuel Peacock is a salesman, a whiskey salesman to be exact.
Buck is the dopey driver.
Curly Wilcox is a Marshal, he is searching for fugitive Ringo Kid.
Ringo Kid is the main man; a fugitive, he is looking for revenge for the murders of his father and brother. Both of them were killed by Luke Plummer.


Before the stagecoach departs the passengers are warned that Geronimo and his Apache warriors are on the warpath. Because of this, Southern gentleman Hatfield joins the party in order to protect the gentle lady, Mrs. Mallory. Henry Gatewood, that pompous old man, decides to join the party as well. No one is polite to Dallas; something about her tips them all off to the fact that she is not a decent lady. But she tries, she offers assistance and advice but no one heeds her. Along the way, the group picks up the sought after Ringo Kid. His horse is lame and he needs a ride so that he can get to Lordsburg and fight the Plummers.


Of course the group have their trials and tribulations, Mrs. Mallory even goes into labor. Throughout it all we see Dallas and Ringo's burgeoning relationship. She begs him to give up his idea of revenge. The group's biggest challenge is the ever present threat of an Indian attack, how will certain passengers step up? How will others fail in their duty to protect? Who will die?


It was a fun watch, there was of course much less actual violence than a modern western (like True Grit) but it was thrilling none the less. The only aspect I found unrealistic was the instant feelings between Dallas and Ringo; but of course they don't have that much time to get to know each other. I will say this, Ringo of course survives all and makes it to Lordsburg for his shootout with the Plummers.