"OCTOPUSSY" (1983) Photo Gallery

Today - June 10 - marks the 25th anniversary of when the 1983 James Bond film, "OCTOPUSSY" was released in U.S. movie theaters. This 13th Bond adventure starred Roger Moore, Maud Adams and Louis Jordan. And for me, it is my second favorite Bond movie to star Moore:


"OCTOPUSSY" (1983) Photo Gallery

"Return With a Vengeance" [PG-13] - 9/18

"RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE"

CHAPTER 9

Olivia glanced at her wristwatch. It was eight minutes past eleven. After three hours, Darryl Morris still failed to show up for work. Captain McPherson had been ragging her all morning about her missing partner. She glanced at her watch, once more. What in the hell happened to him? As Olivia reached for the telephone on her desk, it rang. "Hello?"

"Olivia, this is Darryl. Darryl Morris," the voice on the other end of the receiver announced. Elation from hearing her partner soon became confusion. Was she imagining things, or was Darryl speaking with a foreign accent? "Olivia, are you there?"

The red-haired witch sighed. "Yeah, Darryl. I hear you." Then she burst out, "Where in the hell are you?"

A pause followed, before Darryl responded, "I'm on Washington. I wanted to make a few inquiries on that case we are working on."

Olivia opened her mouth, but hesitated. There was something about Darryl's reply that struck her as vague. And Darryl Morris had never seemed like the vague type. Nor so formal . . . as he did now.

"Olivia?" Darryl continued. "Did you hear me?"

She took a deep breath. "Did you find something new on the DiMatteo case?"

"I believe so. I will share my discoveries when I return to the office." He paused. "Around two o'clock."

"I'll see you then. Bye." Olivia slowly hung up. She stared at her desk, as she contemplated the recent telephone call. The DiMatteo case? Apparently, Darryl had forgotten that he took home the new file on the Pablo Alvarez murder. She shook her head and frowned. Something was wrong.

* * * *

"Everything is fine," the tall figure declared to the Crozats. "She believed me."

Edward stared uneasily at the sorcerer. "Well, that is good to hear," he said in a cautious manner. "I understand that the McNeill witch is notorious for possessing a suspicious mind. We don't have to worry about her. At least not yet."

"Are you sure?" a petulant Suzanne questioned. "She gave me quite a scare, last night. How do we know that she doesn't suspect a thing?"

The phony Darryl Morris glared at the only female in the room. "She is not suspicious. Do you doubt my word?"

Suzanne literally shrank under the sorcerer's imposing stare. "No . . . no, I . . . I don't. Of course you're right." She sent an anxious glance toward Edward's direction. The other warlock refused to meet her gaze.

"Good." Dako/Morris nodded approvingly. "Now, whom do I kill first?"

Edward heaved an inward sigh. He did not dare tell the Hoodoo sorcerer that Olivia McNeill had been first on their list to eliminate. Aside from being the first witch who would be in contact with the mortal, Suzanne's description of what happened at Belthazor's apartment last night convinced him that of all the witches, she might prove to be the greatest danger. She struck Edward as being just a little too clever for his own comfort. Along with her father, John McNeill. If only Dako had not insisted upon a long meditation session following his possession of Darryl Morris' body. And if only the sorcerer had completed his meditation before it was too late to go after the McNeill witch. Especially if she has reached the crowded anonymity of the police station.

"Well," he began, "since it's too late to go after the McNeill woman, let's try someone more vulnerable. Like the youngest Charmed One. She is half-whitelighter and the most inexperienced of them. Also, you can go after the youngest McNeill. His only power is telepathy. Neither should be any problem."

Dako frowned. "Charmed One? I've heard of the story from a European who once visited my homeland, long ago. Aren't they supposed to be the most powerful witches among the British pagans?"

Edward nodded. "Yes, Your Excellency."

A cruel smile curved Dako/Morris' lips. "Too bad, because their powers will have no affect upon me. Of course, I could use the additional powers, as you had promised. Where can I find this little witch?"

"According to my nephew, she lives with her sisters at this manor on Prescott Street. She should be alone, since the other two have jobs and are probably not at home. The address is 1329 Prescott Street."

Dako/Morris gave Edward a condescending frown. "Later. This McNeill witch sounds interesting. I shall go after her, first." He shimmered away before Edward could protest that he did know the McNeill woman's whereabouts.

Another sigh left Edward's mouth. Suzanne glared at him. "That . . . thing," she hissed, "might prove to be a problem, once we accomplish our goals. How do we get rid of him?"

Edward walked over to the desk, inside the Crozats' library. He removed an envelope from inside the drawer. "With this," he said, waving the envelope. "It came with the urn. A spell to vanquish Dako."

"Well, that's a relief."

"I would not get too relaxed if I were you, Cousin," Edward warned. "There is still the matter of Belthazor."

Suzanne scowled. "I thought you understood what happened, last night. If it weren't for that McNeill woman spilling the potion . . ."

Anxiety turned Edward's stomach. "So you do believe that she suspects you?"

"I . . . I don't know. But the next time I'm with Belthazor, I'll make sure that we won't be disturbed." Suzanne paused. "There's another problem."

Edward walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a drink. "What?"

"The oldest Charmed One. Didn't that report we had received, state that she was pregnant with some powerful being?"

Edward allowed himself a smile. He loved surprises - especially when they came from him. Giving Suzanne a thoughtful stare, he replied, "How would you feel about being pregnant for the next several months?"

Suzanne stared at him in shock.

* * * *

Without a partner to accompany her, Olivia decided to continue the investigation of Pablo Alvarez's death, on her own. She had nothing else better to do.

Alvarez's employers provided information on the janitor. Olivia learned that he had lived in the United States for the past fifteen years; was married with four children; lacked a police record of any kind; helped cleaned the Hopkins Building from four in the afternoon, until midnight; and always called his wife before returning home.

Olivia recorded all of this information in her notebook, before leaving the supervisor's office. Before she could reach the elevator, Olivia heard someone call her name. "Inspector McNeill?" Behind her, a middle-aged, pleasant-looking woman with coffee-colored skin rushed toward her. "You're the police inspector, right?" the latter asked in a breathless voice.

"May I help you, Mrs. . . .?" Olivia began.

The woman finished, "Mrs. Devore. Alberta Devore. I . . ." She broke off, looking abashed. Olivia's curiosity heightened.

"Is there something wrong?"

Mrs. Devore took a deep breath. "Is it true? About Pablo?"

"Yes ma'am," Olivia replied. "His body was found yesterday. We believe that he had been killed . . ."

The woman sadly added, ". . . the day before yesterday. Around seven-fifty, in the evening." Olivia gave her a startled look. "No, I didn't kill him. But I think I may have overheard him being killed."

"Here, in this building?" Olivia asked.

Mrs. Devore nodded. She told Olivia about hearing a cry the night before last. Like an animal being slaughtered. The older woman also admitted that she had been too scared to investigate the source of the noise. Or report to the police on what she had overheard. However, she did see someone leave the building shortly after Alverez's murder.

"Was this him?" Olivia handed Mrs. Devore, Cecile's sketch of the Crozat warlock.

The older woman shook her head. "No, his face was wider, I think. I remember, because he glanced up at the building. He was short, stocky and had brown hair. Didn't look that interesting. But he had a nice car. A silver Ford sedan."

Olivia asked, "Did you see the license plate?" She removed a notebook from her purse.

"It was a bit dark, but . . ." Mrs. Devore squeezed her eyes shut. "Okay, now I remember. It was 666MAL." Olivia scribbled the number in her notebook. "I'm sorry I didn't come to the police sooner."

The same thought flashed through Olivia's mind, but she kept it to herself. Instead, she gave the older woman a reassuring pat on the arm. "It's okay. At least you've finally told us. That's all that matters." After giving Mrs. Devore a smile, Olivia continued on to the elevator.

* * * *

Back at the station, Olivia ran a check on the license plate number, given by Mrs. Devore. It belonged to a silver Ford sedan, owned by one Benjamin G. Mallard of Berkeley. Olivia dialed the work number listed in Mr. Mallard's DMV record. The voice on the other end of the telephone answered. "U.S. Customs Office. May I help you?"

Olivia paused. Then, "This is Inspector McNeill of the San Francisco Police. May I speak with a Mr. Ben Mallard, please?"

Silence followed. Then a second voice said, "This is Agent Ben Mallard, U.S. Customs. May I help you?"

"Good afternoon, Agent Mallard. This is Inspector Olivia McNeill of the San Francisco PD. I would like to question you about your whereabouts. It seems that you were spotted at the Hopkins building, where a murder had occurred."

Another long pause filled Olivia's ear. Then, "I have no idea what you're talking about," the Customs agent replied smoothly. "I was no where near the Hopkins building on Tuesday night."

Bingo! The word rang triumphantly in Olivia's brain. She paused, before continuing in a sweet voice. "Agent Mallard, how did you know that the murder occurred on a Tuesday night? I never mentioned the date."

Mallard paused - which seemed to be occurring with great frequency over the past few minutes. "What are you talking about?" he replied in a nervous voice. "I clearly heard you say . . ."

"Sir, I never mentioned when the murder had occurred." Olivia paused. No sound came from the other end of the receiver. "Agent Mallard, are you there?"

"Yes, I . . ." He sighed.

Olivia continued, "Sir, I believe we should continue this conversation in person. Why don't I drop by your office . . . say, four-thirty, this afternoon?"

The Customs agent reluctantly replied, "I guess four-thirty will be fine."

"Good!" Olivia practically sang out the word. "I'll see you then. Good day!" She hung up.

A satisfied smile curved Olivia's lips, as she leaned back into her chair. Thank goodness something went right, today. She glanced at her watch. Eleven minutes after one. So far, Darryl has failed to appear. And she was growing hungry. Olivia wondered if Cole would be available for an afternoon lunch.

After a quick glance at her captain's office door, Olivia left the squad room. Quickly. She had no desire to face Captain McPherson and his questions about Darryl's absence. Once outside, she strode toward the precinct's parking lot and her car. Olivia glanced to her left and spotted a figure standing several feet away . . . staring at her. Was that . . .? Olivia's eyes narrowed. Yes, it was! Darryl!

Olivia immediately forgot about lunch and started toward her partner. In her rush to reach him, she dropped her purse. Olivia paused to bend down and retrieve the fallen object. When she stood up, Darryl had disappeared. What the . . .?

"Olivia?" A familiar voice called out her name. Cole. She spun around and found the half-daemon approaching. "Was that Darryl I just saw?"

Feeling confused, Olivia stared at the spot where Darryl last stood. "Yeah, it was," she murmured. "Where the . . .? Did you see where he go?"

"Sorry, but I was distracted for a moment." Cole peered at Olivia. "What's going on?"

Olivia threw her hands in the air in a frustrated gesture. "I have no idea! I haven't seen Darryl all day, until a minute ago."

A puzzled expression flitted across Cole's face. "Huh?"

"Never mind," Olivia said, shaking her head. She smiled at the newcomer. "Looks like you read my mind. I was going to drop by your office and ask you to buy me lunch."

Dark brows formed double arches. "Me, buy you lunch?"

"Well, lunch was on me, the last time."

Cole rolled his eyes. "We had lunch at your mother's restaurant. Which you didn't have to pay for."

Smiling, Olivia slipped her arm through her companion's. "Consider it money lost by the McNeill family. Besides," the pair strolled out of the parking lot and toward Cole's Porsche, "you once promised to treat me to an expensive lunch. The Laurel Court Restaurant, at the Fairmont is the perfect place. And don't worry. Mom knows the chef."

Realizing that he was about to lose a day's salary, Cole let out a groan.

* * * *

Paige orbed into the middle of the manor's foyer, lugging several shopping bags. At that moment, the telephone decided to ring, prompting a resounding oath from the young witch/whitelighter. The telephone rang for the second time. Torn between the telephone and the bags hanging from her arms, Paige orbed the latter to the kitchen table. A quick rush to the telephone left her breathless, as she answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Paige Halliwell?"

Slightly annoyed by the error in her name, Paige tartly replied, "This is Paige Matthews. May I help you?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" the voice at the other end of the receiver gushed. "I've been trying to get hold of you for the past two hours. Listen to me very carefully. You need to get out of the house, now!"

Paige frowned. "Say, who is this?"

"Cecile Dubois. A friend of Olivia McNeill. We met at Ostara's, this morning." A pause. "I'm the Vodoun priestess."

Now Paige remembered. "Oh yeah. Did you say something about getting . . .?"

Someone knocked on the door. Frustration welled inside Paige. This was becoming ridiculous! "Look, hold on for a minute, will you? There's someone at the door."

"No! Wait! Don't . . ."

Paige barely heard the woman. She abandoned the telephone and rushed toward the front door. Opening it, Paige found the family's close friend standing outside. "Darryl! Hey! What are you doing here?" Anxiety suddenly flared within her chest. "Is there something wrong with Piper or Phoebe?"

Darryl Morris stared at Paige, making her feel uneasy. He reminded her of a hunter who had successfully stalked its prey. Then he smiled. "No. Everything is fine. Are your sisters here?"

For a moment, Paige thought she had detected a hint of a foreign accent. She frowned. "Uh, no. No, I'm alone." Paige stared at the police inspector. "Darryl, are you okay? You sound . . . I don't know, strange." An odd glimmer lit up Darryl's dark eyes. Paige felt a stab of fear. "Darryl?" She did not get a chance to say anything further. He raised his hand in a threatening manner, and a bolt of lightening shot forward. Before it could hit Paige, she orbed out of its path and reappeared near the grandfather clock. "Darryl!"

"I'm afraid he cannot speak at this moment," her attacker declared, facing her. Then he disappeared, sending Paige into a state of panic.

She muttered uneasily, "Where in the hell is he?"

"Right here," a deep voice boomed behind Paige. Before she could turn around, a sharp pain engulfed her, sending Paige's body several feet away from the clock. Darryl, or the creature that now inhabited his body, slowly walked the young witch's inert figure. "Hmm, you're not as hard to kill as I was led to believe. Too bad. I had hoped to enjoy a little challenge." Malevolence brimmed in his eyes, as he extended his hand toward Paige.

'Get out of here,' her mind commanded. 'Get the hell out of . . .' Despite the pain within her body, Paige utilized every will power that she possessed and orbed before the fake Darryl could attack.

"Little witch? Where are you? You cannot hide from Dako forever!" Darryl's voice carried all the way into the kitchen, where Paige now huddled. "Little witch?"

With every nerve and muscle screaming in pain, Paige tried to concentrate on orbing out of the house. Perhaps she could go to P3. Piper would be there. Alone, or maybe the McNeill manor . . .

"Where are you, little witch? You might as well stop hiding! Where you disappear, I can follow!"

'Oh God! Oh God!' The litany repeated in Paige's mind, over and over again. 'Concentrate. Just con . . .'

A tall figure loomed before her. Smiling. "There you are, little witch." Never in her life did Paige imagine that Darryl Morris could look so sinister or intimidating. "If you will just stay still, we can finish this as quickly as possible." He raised his hand.

"Hello? Anyone home?" a voice from the living room cried out.

Darryl, Dako, or whatever his name was, seemed momentarily taken aback. Giving Paige the opportunity to orb out of the kitchen and into the Solarium. "Help." The word came out of her mouth like a whisper. She crawled toward the living room. A pair of shoes appeared before her haze-filled eyes. "Hel . . ." Before she could finish, darkness enveloped Paige.


END OF CHAPTER 9

The BETTE DAVIS Gallery (1932-1942)

Below are photos of Hollywood icon Bette Davis, during the heyday of her years as Warner Brothers Studio's "Queen of the Lot":


The BETTE DAVIS Gallery (1932-1942)

”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” (1936) Review

”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” (1936) Review

How is it that a movie about one of the most famous blunders in British military history could remain so entertaining after nearly 72 years? Can someone explain this? Warner Brothers’ take on the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, in which the Light Brigade of the British cavalry charged straight into the valley between the Fedyukhin Heights and the Causeway Heights during the Crimean War, is not what one would call historically accurate. Most of the movie took place in British occupied Northern India in the 1850s. Aside from the last twenty or thirty minutes, the movie really has nothing to do with the Crimean War. And yet . . . who cares? "THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE" is so damn entertaining that I found myself not even thinking about historical accuracy.

Directed by Michael Curtiz, and written by screenwriters Michael Jacoby and Rowland Leigh; the movie is an entertaining mixture about vengeance against the leader of a treacherous local tributary rajah in Northern India named Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon); and a love triangle between Geoffrey and Perry Vickers - two brothers who are British Army officers (Errol Flynn and Patric Knowles) who happened to be in love with the same woman – the daughter of a British general (Olivia DeHavilland) named Elsa Campbell. I might as well start with the love story.

On the surface, the love triangle in ”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” seemed pretty simple – one woman torn between two men. Instead of having two best friends in love with the same woman, we have two brothers. But even that is nothing unusual. What turned out to be so unusual about this particular love story – especially in an Errol Flynn movie – is that the leading lady is NOT in love with the leading man. Within fifteen minutes into the story, the movie revealed that the leading man – namely Flynn – lost the affections of the leading woman (and fiancée) – De Havilland – to the secondary male lead – namely Knowles.

At first, it boggled in the mind. What woman in her right mind would prefer Patric Knowles over Errol Flynn? The latter had a more flamboyant character and was obviously the movie’s main hero. However . . . Knowles was not exactly chopped liver. Knowles was just as handsome as Flynn in his own way and a competent actor to boot. And his character – although less flamboyant than Flynn’s – had a quiet charm of its own. I also got the feeling that Flynn’s character seemed more in love with his job as an Army officer during the British Raj than he was with dear Elsa. Geoffrey Vickers seemed to have it all . . . until his brother Perry and Elsa’s little romance pulled the rug from under his self-assured life. And yet, he seemed damn reluctant to admit that Elsa loved Perry more than him. Reluctant may have been a mild word. Geoffrey seemed downright delusional in his belief that Elsa loved him only . . . and that Perry was merely harboring an infatuation for his fiancée. What made matters worse was that everyone – including Elsa’s father (Donald Crisp) and diplomat Sir Charles Macefield (Henry Stephenson) – supported Geoffrey’s illusions. Only Lady Octavia Warrenton (Spring Byington), wife of British General Sir Benjamin Warrenton (Nigel Bruce) seemed aware of Elsa and Perry’s feelings for one another.

Before I discuss the movie in general, I want to focus upon the cast. Flynn, DeHavilland and Knowles were ably supported by a talented cast drawn from the British colony in 1930s Hollywood (with the exception of two). American-born Spring Byington and British actor Nigel Bruce were charmingly funny as the verbose busybody Lady Octavia Warrenton and her husband, the long-suffering Sir Benjamin. They made a surprisingly effective screen pair. Donald Crisp was his usual more than competent self as Elsa’s loving, but humorless father, Colonel Campbell – a by-the-book officer unwilling to accept that his daughter had switched her affections to the younger Vickers brother. Henry Stephenson gave an intelligent performance as the competent diplomat, Sir Charles Macefield, who is charged with not only keeping the peace, but maintaining British control in a certain province of Northern India. It was easy to see why Flynn’s character seemed to hold him in high regard. David Niven was charming, but not very memorable as Geoffrey Vicker’s best friend, James Randall. Only in one scene – in which Randall volunteers to leave the besieged Chukoti Fort in order to warn Sir Benjamin at Lohara of Surat Khan’s attack – did Niven give a hint of the talent that would eventually be revealed over the years. And of course, one cannot forget American actor C. Henry Gordon’s portrayal of the smooth-talking villain, Surat Khan. Gordon could have easily portrayed Khan as another ”Oriental villain” that had become typical by the 1930s. On one level, Gordon’s Khan was exactly that. On another . . . Gordon allowed moviegoers to see Khan’s frustration and anger at the British handling of his kingdom.

Olivia DeHavilland once again proved that even in a costumed swashbuckler, she could portray an interesting female character without sinking into the role of the commonplace damsel-in-distress. With the exception of the sequence featuring the Siege of Chokoti, her Elsa Campbell spent most of the movie being torn between the man she loved – Perry Vickers, the man she has remained fond of – Geoffrey Vickers, and her father’s determination that she marry Geoffrey. Elsa spent most of the movie as an emotionally conflicted woman and DeHavilland did an excellent job of portraying Elsa’s inner conflicts with a skill that only a few actresses can pull off. And DeHavilland was merely 20 years old at the time she shot this film.

I really enjoyed Patric Knowles’ performance in this movie. Truly. One, he managed to hold himself quite well against the powerhouse of both Flynn and DeHavilland. I should not have been surprised. His performance as a sleazy Southern planter in 1957’s ”BAND OF ANGELS” was one of the bright spots in an otherwise mediocre film. And two, his Perry Vickers was a character I found easy to root for in his pursuit of Elsa’s hand. I especially enjoyed two particular scenes – his desperate, yet charming attempt to be assigned to Chokoti (and near Elsa), despite Sir Charles’ disapproval; and his anger and frustration over Geoffrey’s unwillingness to face the fact that Elsa’s affections had switched to him.


There are four movie performances by Errol Flynn that have impressed me very much. Three of those performances were Geoffrey Thorpe in ”THE SEA HAWK” (1940), James J. Corbett in ”GENTLEMAN JIM” (1942) and Soames Forsyte in ”THAT FORSYTE WOMAN” (1949). The fourth happens to be his performance as Captain/Major Geoffrey Vickers in ”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE”. Not many film critics or fans have ever paid attention to his performance in this film, which is a pity. I suspect they were so flabbergasted by the idea of him losing Olivia DeHavilland to Patric Knowles that they had failed to pay any real attention to his performance as the complex and slightly arrogant Geoffrey Vickers. Superficially, Flynn’s Vickers is a charming, witty and very competent military officer. He seemed so perfect at the beginning of the film that it left me wondering if there were in cracks in his characters. Sure enough, there were. Thanks to a well written character and Flynn’s skillful performance, the movie’s Geoffrey Vickers became a complex, yet arrogant man who discovers that he is not very good at letting go at things that seem important to him, whether it was Elsa’s love or a desire for revenge against the villain. In the end, Geoffrey’s flaws became the instrument of his destruction. The amazing thing about Flynn’s performance as Geoffrey Vickers was that it was his second leading role. And the fact that he managed to portray such a complex character, considering his limited screen experience at the time, still amazes me.


As I had stated before, the movie’s historical account of the Crimean War and the infamous charge hardly bore any resemblance to what actually happened. The movie seemed to be about the British’s interactions with a Northern Indian minor rajah named Surat Khan. The British, led by diplomat Sir Charles Macefield, struggle to maintain a “friendly” relationship with Khan, while his men harass British troops in the area and he develops a friendship with a visiting Russian Army officer Count Igor Volonoff (Robert Barrat). The phony friendship and minor hostilities culminated in an attack by Khan against one of the British forts in his province – Chukoti, which is under the command of Colonel Campbell. The battle for Chukoti eventually turned into a massacre that only Geoffrey and Elsa survived. But more interesting, it seemed like a reenactment of an actual siege and massacre that happened at a place called Cawnpore, during the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857-58 . . . three to four years after the setting of this movie. For a movie that is supposed to be about the Light Brigade Charge and the Crimean War, it was turning out to be more of a fictional account of British history in India during the 1850s.

But the movie eventually touched upon the Crimean War. After the Chukoti Massacre, Surat Khan ended up in hot water with the British government in India. Due to his friendship with Volonoff, he found refugee with the Russians. And he ended up as a guest of the Russian Army during the Crimean War. Following her father’s death, Elsa finally convinced Geoffrey that she is in love with Perry. And the regiment of both brothers – the 27th Lancers – is also sent to Crimea. According to Sir Charles, their posting to the Crimea would give them an opportunity for revenge against Khan. But when the 27th Lancers finally received an opportunity to get their revenge against Khan, Sir Charles denied it. And so . . . Geoffrey took matters in his own hands and ordered the Light Brigade – which included his regiment – and the Heavy Brigade to attack the artillery on the heights above the Balaklava Valley. This is so far from what actually happened . . . but who cares? I enjoyed watching Flynn express Geoffrey’s struggles to contain his thirst for revenge and eventual failure.

And then the charge happened. My God! Every time I think about that sequence, I cannot believe my eyes. Part of me is horrified not only by the blunder caused by Geoffrey’s desire for revenge . . . but by the fact that 200 horses and a stuntman were killed during the shooting of that scene. Flynn had been so outraged by the deaths of the horses that he openly supported the ASPCA’s ban on using trip wire for horses for any reason. At the same time, I cannot help but marvel at the brutal spectacle of that scene. No wonder Jack Sullivan won the Academy Award for Best Assistant Director for his work on this particular scene.

On the whole, ”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” is a very entertaining and well-paced spectacle. Frankly, I think that it was one of the best movies to be released during the 1930s and certainly one of Errol Flynn’s finest films. For those who honestly believed that the Australian actor could not act . . . well, they are entitled to their opinions. But I would certainly disagree with them. On the surface, Flynn seemed like his usual charming and flamboyant self. However, I was very impressed at his portrayal of the self-assured and slightly arrogant Geoffrey Vickers, who found his private life slowly falling apart. Olivia DeHavilland, Patric Knowles, Donald Crisp, C. Henry Gordon and Spring Byington gave him excellent support. Thanks to Jacoby and Leigh’s script, along with Michael Curtiz’s tight direction, ”THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” turned out to be a first-class movie with an interesting love story with a twist, political intrigue, well-paced action and a final sequence featuring the charge that remains mind blowing, even after 71 years.

"Altered Lives" [PG-13] - Chapter One

"ALTERED LIVES"

CHAPTER ONE

19BBY - AMARATH, DALLIK

"General Puri, a platoon of droid troops has been spotted surrounding a Separatist bunker, forty kilometers east of your position. Sensors tell us that it might be the droids' shield generator for this system." The clone trooper's voice crackled over the two Jedi Knights' comlinks.

Both Romulus Wort and Wo-Chen Puri exchanged hopeful looks. The destruction of the droid army's shield generator could spell victory for the Republic's army here on Dallik. It could also mean the capture of former Republic Senator Perdito Vedlik, now one of the Separatist leaders in this sector. The Jedi Master responded, "Hold your position, Sergeant Minos. Colonel Wort will soon link up with you to initiate an assault on the generator station."

"Roger that, General Puri."

Wo-Chen turned to his former apprentice. "Romulus, I'm sure that you know what to do. As soon as you and Telos knock out the shield generator, contact me. I will move in to arrest Vedlik at the City Administration building."

Romulus responded with a sharp nod. "Right. I should be able to contact, as soon as possible." He turned to face the clone officer nearby. "Captain, bring three platoons and follow me."

Captain Telos crisply replied, "Yes sir." The clone officer turned away to bark orders to his subordinates.

As Romulus prepared to depart, Wo-Chen spoke up. "By the way, Romulus . . ." the young Jedi Knight stared at the older man. "No mad rushes to overwhelm to the enemy. I do not want a repeat of what happened on Koorivar." Romulus' face turned hot. He knew that Master Puri spoke of an impetuous charge he had led against a company of Corporate Alliance troopers in the midst of one of the planet's lush rainforests. He had barely survived.

"I promise to be careful, Master," Romulus replied.

Wo-Chen smiled affectionately. "Good. I would hate for the Order to lose such a promising knight, such as yourself."

The comment drew a surprised stare from the young Jedi. "I never realized that you consider me promising, Wo-Chen."

The Jedi Master responded with a warm smile. "Of course I have. Yes, you can be slightly impatient, but that is only indicative of your age. With time and more experience, you can become one of the Order's most highly regarded knights. Now, enough of this. You need to take out that shield generator."

For one long moment, Romulus stared at Master Puri. A disturbing thought came to him that he and his former master might soon be permanently separated. Which seemed ridiculous, as he gave a second thought to the idea. After all, he should have no problem knocking out that shield generator. And Wo-Chen will only be forty kilometers away. Romulus flashed a bright smile at the older man and replied, "Yes, Master." Then he followed Captain Telos and the other clone troopers away from the city's administration building.

The half-ruined streets and avenues of Amarath's main business district provided a maze for Romulus and his command. They eventually found Sergeant Minos and a squad of clonetroopers gathered in a small passageway between two buildings along Avenue Caldik. The wide avenue overlooked a once spacious park now slightly damaged by combat. At the park's northwest edge stood a low bunker surrounded by trees and Trade Federation droids.

At first, Romulus wondered how he could take the droids by surprise. Then an idea came to him. He ordered one of the lieutenants from Captain Telos' company to lead a squad back into the city's streets and make their way toward Boulevard Trilak, which bordered the park's northern side. "Lieutenant, you and your squad are to make your way to the hotel over. Once you position yourself, place a few snipers on the roof and take out those droids guarding the bunker." The clone lieutenant acknowledged Romulus' orders and disappeared from view with a squad of troops.

To Romulus' relief, everything went according to plan. Lieutenant Bellon and his squad managed to position themselves at the hotel/casino on Boulevard Trilak. Minutes later, the Jedi Knight used his macrobinoculars to observe the blaster fire that eliminated the bunker's guards. Once the bunker was left vulnerable, more droid troops poured out of its left side. Romulus ordered Telos to lead the remaining company in an all out attack. During the middle of the firefight, the doors to the bunker's main entrance slid open. More droid troops appeared. Romulus lit up his lightsaber. Then he turned to his remaining men and ordered them to follow him.

Romulus took a deep breath and rushed forward. The clone troopers followed. Blaster fire exploded to the left and right of the Jedi Knight. Using his lightsaber, he deflected the droids' blaster fire and sliced several of them in half. Finally, he and Captain Telos met near the bunker's entrance. "All right, Captain," Romulus said, "I want you to prevent the droids out here from following me, while I'll take a squad inside."

"Yes sir," Telos replied with a sharp nod.

With his lightsaber still lit up, Romulus led his contingent deep inside the bunker. There, they found a handful of droid troops and a Neimodian officer, standing in front of generator, armed with blasters. The enemy fired and Romulus deflected most of the shots with his lightsaber. One of his troops ended up struck down. The Neimodian aimed his blaster at Romulus and fired. The Jedi Knight easily deflected the blasts and killed the officer. It did not take long for his command to destroy the rest of the droid troops.

"Sergeant," Romulus began, "have your men place the charges around the generator. Give yourself time to clear out."

The sergeant nodded. "Yes sir." While Romulus strode out of the generator room, Minos barked orders to the remaining troops.

Once outside of the bunker, Romulus contacted Wo-Chen. "Master, we have assumed control of the shield generator. It should be destroyed . . ." He paused, as Sergeant Minos and the other clone troopers rushed out of the bunker. Several explosions consumed the structure.

An anxious-sounding Wo-Chen cried out, "Romulus? What happened?"

From the corner of his eye, Romulus saw the remaining fighting droids come to a standstill. "My troops and I have destroyed the shield generator, Wo-Chen."

"Yes, I see," the Jedi Master commented drily. "Good job. Make sure that all other Separatist troops have been captured."

"Yes, Master."

While flames continued to engulf the bunker, Romulus strode toward Captain Telos. He had not taken five steps, when he dropped his commlink. As he bent over to pick it up, blaster fire zipped over his head. Stunned, Romulus glanced up and saw none other than Captain Telos aiming a blaster rifle . . . at him! What in the blazes? Romulus quickly straighten up and grabbed his lightsaber hilt. And just in time. He lit up his blade and managed to deflect more shots from Telos and the other clone troopers. One of the blasts he had deflected, struck the officer's chest.

More blaster fire came from troopers behind the Jedi Knight. Thankfully, the blasts missed. Romulus tossed them back, using his telekinesis. It finally occurred to the Jedi Knight that Wo-Chen might also be in danger. Using accelerated speed, he zoomed away from the burning bunker and toward the city's center.

By the time Romulus reached the city's Administration Hall, he found his former master battling clone troopers on the building's wide steps. Separatist leader, Perdito Vedlik laid dead beside Wo-Chen. The young Jedi Knight stepped forward to aid his former master, when three clone troopers emerged from the building's entrance and fired upon the Jedi Master. The latter fell forward - dead.

"Wo-Cheeeen!" Rage overwhelmed Romulus, as he lit up his lightsaber. The clone troopers spotted him and began to fire. Romulus deflected their fire with ease, killing several troopers in the process. Eventually, some semblance of common sense broke through his anger and he realized that he could not single-handedly defend himself against an entire battalion. He immediately snapped off his lightsaber and once again, fled from certain death.


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MUSTAFAR

Red-hot sparks upward, while two men in Jedi tunics swung back and forth from cables that hung from a metal collector tower that flowed along a river of lava. Despite their situation, the pair managed to continue a deadly lightsaber duel that had begun not long ago on more solid ground.

Anakin Skywalker, now the Sith Lord, Darth Vader, had been sent by his new master to permanently deal with the Separatist leadership. He had arrived on the fiery planet of Mustafar, met with the surviving Separatist leaders and slain every last one of them - including the troublesome Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation. Once he had completed his task, he had been surprised to learn that his very pregnant wife, Senator Padme Amidala, had followed him to Mustafar in order to confront him about what really happened at the Jedi Temple back on Coruscant. And he had his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi to thank. Surprise, however, soon turned to shock and anger when the hated Kenobi appeared on the ramp of Padme's skiff - confirming Anakin's suspicions that Padme and Obi-Wan had betrayed him.

Anakin's anger had led to his attack upon Padme. Obi-Wan stopped him before he had the chance to kill her. But that did not stop the young Sith Lord from demanding that Obi-Wan pledge allegiance to the new Emperor. When his former master refused, a fight ensued.

The brutal duel, which had begun just meters away from the Nabooan skiff, now continued on the metal tower collector, as it floated on the lava river. Anakin felt oblivious to his tenuous situation. His attention remained focused upon the bearded man, who seemed determined to end this duel with a fatal blow, as much as he did. Then a loud snap caught the young Sith Lord's attention. He glanced up. The collector's metal had begun to break apart. More snaps followed, along with a few loud groans. Not only was the contraption in danger of breaking apart, it seemed to be heading straight toward a lava fall. Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan. Apparently, the latter had also noticed the danger. The older man did a double-back flip and landed squarely on a platform floating along the river.

Panic briefly struck Anakin. He realized that not only lack a structure to land safely upon, he was in danger of sinking into the lava river, along with this tower. Then he spotted a solution to his problem. Construction droids. Anakin took a deep breath and swung back to the tower's main column. Then he climbed up the tower, made a running leap and landed on top of a chattering construction droid.

Without pressure from the two men's combined weight, the giant collector tower moved swifter along the lava's current, until it eventually disappeared over the falls. Meanwhile, both Anakin's droid and Obi-Wan's platform floated toward the lava river's bank. The moment Anakin's droid reached the platform, the young Sith Lord and the Jedi Master resumed their duel.

Balanced precariously on the droid and the platform, the two men battled away with fury. But their situation made it impossible to deliver any meaningful blows. To Anakin's surprise, Obi-Wan paused and stared at him with eyes that illuminated with disappointment and regret. "I have failed you, Anakin! I was never able to teach you to think."

The Jedi Master's words inflamed Anakin's rage. "I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!" he cried.

"From the Sith! Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!"

"From the Jedi point of view!" Anakin retorted. "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"

Disbelief now shone in Obi-Wan's eyes. "Well, then you are lost!"

But Anakin did not hear his former master's last words. Instead, he declared, "This is the end for you, my Master. I wish it were otherwise." He flipped onto Obi-Wan's platform and the fighting resumed.

As the platform eased closer toward the riverbank, Obi-Wan surprised Anakin for the second time and jumped to the safety of the lava bank's black sand. "It's over, Anakin! I have the high ground!"

Anakin's eyes scanned the lava bank. Sure enough, Obi-Wan stood on a high bank that sloped upward from the river of lava. But the younger man refused to give up. He felt certain that he could overcome his former master's advantage. "You underestimate my power!" he growled.

Obi-Wan shot back, "Don't try it!"

Before he could spring off the platform, disturbing images filled Anakin's mind. He saw himself leap from the platform in order to attack Obi-Wan. He saw the latter cut off his legs at the knees and his left arm. More disturbing images followed - his torso engulfed in flames, his body encased in a monstrous black suit, him strangling Padme with the Force and her dead body being carried throughout the streets of Theed. Anakin blinked several times. Memories of his past deeds and what laid in store for him filled him with horror. The red haze that had gripped his mind, slowly disappeared.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan cried out.

The young Sith Lord's gaze fell downward. He saw that the platform was in danger of melting into the lava. Using the Force, Anakin levitated toward the sandy bank, opposite Obi-Wan. He turned off his lightsaber. "You're right, Obi-Wan. It's over." He sighed and shook his head. "What have I done?" he muttered to himself. Feeling a sense of failure and utter despair, Anakin turned away.

Again, Obi-Wan cried out, "Anakin!"

"You've won, my Master. Let it go."

But in another one of those rare moments, Anakin saw that even Obi-Wan had difficulty in letting go. "Let it go?" the Jedi Master exclaimed angrily. "You were the Chosen One! It was said that you who would bring balance to the Force! Not leave it in Darkness!"

Anakin opened his mouth to speak. But words failed to spill out. How could he deny Obi-Wan's accusations? Because of him, the Jedi Order no longer existed. He took a deep breath, silently shook his head and started to walk away.

Obi-Wan bellowed ominously, "Anakin! Where do you think you are going?"

The younger man murmured, "Honestly, I do not know. But definitely away from here."

"We are not finished . . ." Obi-Wan continued. But Anakin spotted a well-sized rock in the black sand. With the Force, he used it to strike Obi-Wan's left temple. The older man immediately fell to the ground, unconscious.

Anakin regarded his former master with pain and regret. Then he stared at the lightsaber in his hand and tossed it at Obi-Wan's prone body. He quickly made his way back to Padme's skiff, where he found Threepio and Artoo attempting to carry his unconscious body inside the vehicle. More waves of guilt washed over Anakin, as he again recalled his attack upon Padme.

"Threepio, I'll take her." Anakin stepped forward and the protocol droid placed Padme into his arms. He carried her aboard the ship, ignoring Threepio's chatter and Artoo's beeps. Once inside the skiff, Anakin gently placed his wife upon a narrow bunk. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Padme," he murmured in a wavering voice. "I've ruined everything. I can't . . . I can no longer be with you." He inhaled deeply. "I don't deserve to be with you. You and the baby will never be safe with me. You need to be strong, Padme. For you and the baby's future. But don't forget . . . I will always love you. Forever." Then he kissed her forehead again. "May the Force be with you."

Anakin strode down the skiff's ramp with Threepio close at his heels. "Master Anakin," the droid cried, "where are you going?"

"I'm leaving, Threepio." Anakin headed toward his fighter. "Don't worry, Master Kenobi should soon join you. Meanwhile, I need you to take care of the senator."

Threepio refused to be deterred. "But sir, what shall I tell Mistress Padme? Where are you going?"

The protocol droid's question led Anakin to pause beside his fighter. He heaved a loud sigh. "Tell her . . . tell her that I love her." Then he patted the droid's golden forearm. "Good-bye Threepio. Take care of your mistress and the baby."

Threepio merely stared, as Anakin began to climb into the cockpit. A series of whistles and beeps revealed Artoo rushing toward the starfighter. Anakin waved him away. "No, Artoo. You stay with Padme. She will need you a lot more than I will."

Low whistles emitted from Artoo, indicating the droid's displeasure. Anakin settled inside the cockpit. As he glanced down at the two druids, he realized with a pang that he might never see them or his beloved wife, again. Even worse, he would never have a chance to know his child - thanks to his blind arrogance and selfishness. Anakin closed his eyes and heaved one last sigh. After donning his headset, he closed the cockpit and started the engines. Before long, his old Jedi fighter finally zoomed out of Mustafar's smoky atmosphere and into deep space.

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An uncomfortable, burning sensation tingled the surface of Obi-Wan's right cheek. His eyes flickered open and he realized that he lay sprawled on the black, steaming sand. Then it all came back to him - stowing aboard Padme's ship, confronting Anakin, the duel and the sensation of pain striking his left temple. Anakin.

The Jedi Master struggled to his feet. He spotted his lightsaber on the ground and picked it up. Then he saw the other object - Anakin's lightsaber. Obi-Wan regarded it with a frown. His former padawan must have tossed it aside. But why? What had led Anakin to end the duel, let alone give up his weapon? An anxious thought came to the Jedi Master. Padme. Anakin may have taken both her and the droids away from Mustafar. Hopefully, not back Coruscant . . . and Sidious.

Fighting back a sense of panic, Obi-Wan picked up the other lightsaber and rushed back to Padme and her starship. To his relief, he found the Nabooan skiff still there, along with the Skywalkers' two droids.

"Master Kenobi!" Threepio's voice rang with relief. "Oh, I am so glad to see you!"

Obi-Wan nodded curtly. "Where is Anakin? Is he with the senator?"

Threepio replied, "Oh no, Master Kenobi. Master Anakin has left. But Miss Padme is aboard the ship. He had carried her aboard before leaving."

Anakin had left? Obi-Wan glanced to his right. Sure enough, the yellow Jedi fighter had disappeared. An unexpected pang struck the Jedi Master beneath his chest. He felt as if a part of his life had suddenly been erased. Obi-Wan had not experienced such a feeling since Qui-Gon Jinn's death.

With a sigh, he ordered Threepio and Artoo to board the skiff. After he followed the pair aboard, Obi-Wan ordered the protocol droid to take off. Meanwhile, he followed Artoo to one of the bunks, where he found a semi-conscious Padme mumbling incoherently.

The senator's dark eyes fluttered open. "Obi-Wan?" Breathing heavily, she added, "Is Anakin . . . all right?"

Obi-Wan began to answer, "Yes, he . . ." Then he found himself unable to speak.

"He spoke . . . to me," Padme continued to whisper. "But he's go . . ." She broke off and became unconscious.

A heavy sadness welled within Obi-Wan's heart, as he brushed tendrils of Padme's hair from her forehead. Poor thing. He left Artoo with the unconscious senator, while he joined Threepio in the cockpit.

The protocol droid asked, "Pardon me sir, but where are we going?"

Lacking an answer, Obi-Wan merely stared ahead in pensive silence.


END OF CHAPTER ONE