Fun with words…
A recent Merriam-Webster “word of the day” was “fugitive.” Being a “fugitive” implies actively fleeing something — as opposed to being a vagabond which implies “wandering” (as in aimless movement).
Then there is vagrancy – which implies “marginal” legal status at best. Laws against vagrancy used to common in the U.S. – I’m told many have been struck down because they were “unconstitutional” in some form.
“First Blood” came to mind – it has been a few years since I watched the movie, but as I recall it starts with John Rambo “wandering” and getting arrested for “vagrancy” by the “unethical Sherriff” of a small town (who maintains order in his tiny kingdom by “encouraging” vagrants to “move on”).
That concept of “arrest them because they are poor and MIGHT engage in criminal activity” certainly sounds “Unconstitutional.”
Kind of like the old if you have a lot of money and act weird, you are “eccentric” – but if you are poor and act weird, you are “crazy.” i.e. if you are visiting a town and have money to spend – you are a “tourist” – but if you are poor and visit a town you are a “vagrant.”
… and if you are a renegade (which implies active rejection of “polite society” as it were), well, you are probably in fear for your life from the longarm of the law
Pop culture
Of course stories of “wanderers” have (probably) been told for as long as folks have been telling stories.
In the Odyssey Homer tells the story of Odysseus’ 10 years of wandering trying to get home from the Trojan War. As an adventure story it holds up very well today. There aren’t any great versions I can recommend – but there are a lot of “not bad” versions. Modern audiences won’t automatically understand much of the underlying motivation for various characters, but the story itself isn’t overly complicated (college classes get taught on the subject – e.g. HarvardX is offering a class on the “Ancient Greek Hero” – I haven’t taken this particular class, I’m guessing you will get a lot on Achilles from the “Iliad” and then Odysseus free to “audit”).
I’ll point out that for MOST of human history being “banished” from the larger society wasn’t just “inconvenient” – it could amount to a death sentence. If nothing else “exile” meant (involuntary) picking up and moving somewhere new.
I suppose the “can’t go to Texas because all his ex-wives live there” is a (humorous) modern example of a “modern fugitive.” Maybe Mr. Shakespeare’s “King Lear” becomes a “fugitive” story at some level – but that is just the gratuitous “Shakespeare” example.
Certainly Les Misérables sets the pattern for the “modern fugitive story” – with similar plot elements in “The Fugitive” (tv show from 1963-1967) and then “The Incredible Hulk” (tv show 1977-1982) as well as many others (i.e. “accused of a crime they didn’t commit, pursued by the powers that be”).
(though didn’t Jean Val Jean steal bread to feed starving children or something – so he may have committed the crime, but the sentence was ridiculously harsh).
The “wanderer” story can also take on a much different form – rather than “fleeing persecution”, there is the “divine intervention” wanderer. “Mythological stories” abound – stories of “pagan gods” taking human form and/or interacting with humans in the form of a “old wanderer” cross the centuries.
In the western world, Knights going out “questing” always has that implication of “the hand of God” directing events. Here in the U.S. most “B westerns” or stories like “Hopalong Cassidy” and/or the “Lone Ranger” series also fit the “general” form with the major exception being that the “hero” is “wandering” with a side-kick/help in some form.
SO in the second form the hero isn’t a “fugitive” as much as “on a mission” (but “if you have a problem, no one else can help, and you can find them, maybe you can hire” …. and/or “The Equalizer” is on, what, its third incarnation?)
Anyway, there is still nothing new under the sun. Just for fun we can consider the book of “Genesis” – where we have fugitives and wanderers aplenty. Just a quick flyby – starting with that snake and apple, then Cain kills Abel and becomes a restless wanderer (4:12), Abram is told to “go” so he “went” (12:4), Jacob’s trials and tribulations rival Odysseus. Then the story of Joseph’s time as a “wanderer” finishes up the book.
Always fun to point out is that the most important “person” in the Bible makes an appearance in Genesis 37 – the chapter begins with “Joseph’s dreams” and ends with him being sold into slavery.
Notice in verses 14-18 that Joseph is sent to find his brothers. When he arrives at where he thought he would find his brothers, they have moved on. In verse 15, an unnamed man finds his “wandering in the fields” and tells Joseph where his brothers went.
SO (arguably, with tongue in cheek) the most important “person” in the Bible is that unnamed individual – BECAUSE he represents God intervening in human events. i.e. The story could easily be told without the brief interlude in Shechem, but the “unnamed stranger” giving guidance when needed (probably) illustrates how God chooses to work though human beings (most of the time).
Just in the nick of time …
Of course it is just good story telling to “start with the conflict” in some form – so first we find out that the poor widow is gonna lose her farm because someone lost/stole the deed THEN Hopalong Cassidy rides into town (for some contrived reason), sorts things out and then has to leave again (for some equally contrived reason – remember if Hoppy marries the poor widow woman, settles down and raises a family it is harder for him to run around having adventures – hey, sometimes they are just stories with no deeper meaning – maybe entertaining, but no hidden meaning 😉 )
Samurai Jack (cable tv show, originally 2001-2004) is another great example of the “wanderer as divine agent” – umm, of course the start of out each show reminds viewers that the Samurai is fighting a great evil, so they weren’t being subtle – but if you are writing episodic programming, you can’t assume the audience knows the backstory. Telling them the backstory in the intro is usually a good idea
ANWAY Samurai Jack (episode 27 season 3 maybe – I had to check) was on during my “exercise time.” Ok, time travelling Samurai, no problem. “shape-shifting Master of Darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil”, got it. Then Jack gets turned into a chicken by a disgruntled wandering wizard – still, ok. BUT I found myself wondering what happened to Jack’s sword/clothes when he was changed into a chicken. At the end of the episode they reappear when Jack is restored to human form – I mean c’mon man 😉
No, that wasn’t the first episode of Samurai Jack I’d seen – but it did indirectly lead me to this rant …
Woody Allen/Citizen Kane/Arthur/MOVIES
I listened to the “Woody Allen” stand-up years recording – worth pointing out that “Woody Allen” human being isn’t the same as “Woody Allen” writer/entertainer. Most of the material was directed at his personal foibles – at the time his style was “new” but it has become a standard “stand-up” approach.
Mr. Allen admits that he never intended to do stand-up for a long time. He didn’t like the long hours and travelling – so he (probably) ended his stand-up “career” as soon as possible.
His time doing stand-up certainly made him a better writer, but he just didn’t enjoy the “process of stand-up.” Obviously there are comedians that love performing in front of a crowd, love the life style etc., and do it for years and years. So his career is another good example of “know yourself”
It is the 80th anniversary of “Citizen Kane” – the powers that be are giving it one of those “special release limited engagement” showings in movie theaters near the end of September – I think it is a Sunday, I might go – deciding factor will be what NFL games are on 😉
I don’t think Citizen Kane is one of those “must see on the big screen” movies – but I’ve never seen it on the big screen. I’ve watched it on the ‘small screen’ multiple times. Once you get past the hoopla generated by English majors and film critiques that think it is the greatest movie ever made – it is a very good movie.
yes, it is a roman a clef of sorts about William Randolph Hearst (who was a extremely wealthy newspaper/businessman/politician – world famous at the time) – but after 80 years the scandal aspect might finally be of “minimal importance.”
I ended up watching “Arthur” (1981) for the first time in “forever” (certainly the first time this millennium – so maybe 25-30 years between viewings). The movie is still “cute” – a great example of 1980’s movie making.
For the record: I did notice some different aspects of the movie – John Gielgud’s performance is even better than I remember (he won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as Hobson). The theme song also won an Oscar – and yes, that song has been in my “music library” forever.
What jumped out at me watching it this time is how much “Arthur” and “Linda” work together. Yes it is in the script, but it comes across as Arthur is always looking for people to “play along” with him, and no one does – UNTIL he meets Linda (well, Hobson ‘plays along’ as well but very much in a parent/child kind of way).
fwiw: We can compare/contrast Citizen Kane and Arthur – Charles Foster Kane inherits a huge fortune and tries to use it to force other people into roles/situations those people don’t really want, while Arthur Bach has been manipulated into a position where he has to do something he doesn’t really want to inherit a fortune.
MEANWHILE – both characters are motivated by loneliness. It is MUCH easier to like Arthur Bach than Charles Kane, but they both end up as sympathetic characters (and “Rosebud” is his sled – representing his “lost childhood” or something)
Since I’ve been doing a little ‘study of movie comedy’ I’ll also point out that ‘Arthur’ borrows from Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers in spirit if not directly stealing material. It is hard to imagine another actor playing Arthur Bach. Dudley Moore received a “Best Actor” Oscar Nomination – it is VERY rare for a comedian to get nominated for Best Actor – Henry Fonda won for “On Golden Pond.”
I didn’t see the 2011 remake – so I won’t voice any opinion on that movie. The 1981 original was #53 on the AFI’s 100 years 100 laughs list (which is 10+ years old in 2021).
My personal list of “favorite comedies” (no particular order) would have a lot of Mel Brooks movies – Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Producers (1967). Steve Martin – The Jerk, Roxanne, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. Coen Brothers movies – Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, Hail Ceasar, and then Airplane! (1980) and (after watching it again) Arthur …