One day I'm old and I hope I'm still on the road

Michele 2022-03-23 09:01:57

The young man asked: "Mr. Straight, what's the worst thing you can do when you get old?"
Straight: "The worst thing is that you still remember when you were young."

From my own experience, the most enjoyable thing about watching a movie is to start watching it without expectation. , I gradually found that the abnormality was very appetizing, and then I couldn't help thinking: How good it would be if I didn't end this dream and let it go on forever. Director David Lynch's "Mr. Streeter's Story" is just that.

The protagonist of the film is a 73-year-old Alvin Street, a World War II veteran with poor eyesight, poor health and a stubborn personality. The old man has not been in contact with each other since ten years ago because of his fighting spirit with his brother. After hearing that his brother had suffered a stroke, Irwin drove a small 1966 tractor over 370 miles for seven weeks to visit his brother.

In the Great Plains of the Midwest of the United States, from Iowa to Wisconsin, an old man drove a tractor slowly and leisurely on the road, surrounded by endless wheat fields blown by the wind. Or sunset, or torrential rain, or village. The shot is full of golden sunlight, lining the stubborn silhouette of the old man and the tractor, walking on the road in the middle of the endless wheat fields. Along the way, he has experienced a pregnant girl who ran away from home, a young cyclist who participated in a race, a female driver who almost broke down in repentance after hitting a deer, a stranger who kindly helped to contact a car repairer, and the painful World War II in the bar. Veteran, panicked car-fixing twins, pastor at church, bartender at bar. He also shares his own experiences with others: how to grow up with his brother and quarrel together; how to be a World War II veteran but accidentally shoot his comrade in arms; how to love his daughter Rose.

At the end, the old man Alvin finally stopped in front of the dilapidated wooden house hidden in the woods, stood in front of the house, shouted his brother's name, the wind blew through the woods, only the sound of leaves rustling. Then there is the brother's response. The two old brothers just sat on the corridor in front of the jungle wooden house under the sunlight, silently caring for each other. The elder brother looked up at the tractor and asked, "Did you just drive that tractor all the way to see me?" "Yes."

As the protagonist Alvin said, the worst thing when you are old is that you still remember when you were young, you still remember the arrogant quarrel with your brother, you still remember that you accidentally killed a comrade-in-arms, and you still remember that your slightly retarded daughter lost her child. I'm finally getting old: I can't stand up straight, I have to walk on crutches, I can't stand up when I fall, I have emphysema, and I have indigestion. Finally, I have to face all the unease and guilt. Am I still willing: Am I still willing to give myself a chance to forgive myself and others? I am walking on this road, am I still willing to shake hands with myself to make peace?

The film's star, Richard Farnsworth, was 79 and suffering from bone and pancreatic cancer when he appeared in the film. Almost all of Erwin's struggles and pains in the film are performed in his true colors. A year after the film was released, the 80-year-old Richard Farnsworth could not bear the great pain and finally chose to commit suicide.

All the unease and guilt of RIP, after getting old and on the road, he was finally able to shake hands with himself to make peace.

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Extended Reading

The Straight Story quotes

  • Alvin Straight: I want to thank you for your kindness to a stranger.

    Danny Riordan, Clermont Resident: It's been a genuine pleasure having you here, Alvin. Write to us some time.

    Alvin Straight: I will.

  • Pete: He'll never make it past the Grotto.