2002-12-24 - 2:04 a.m.

Um, when I said Andy Rooney, I meant Mickey Rooney, and he played Homer, not Ulysses. I couldn't remember wich was which. Mickey Rooney was actually good in it, as was everyone else, including Robert Mitchum--of "Night of the Hunter"--in a very small role. There was one more "NOTH" association (which is really wierd, since the two movies couldn't be more different in almost every other way): a train car full of soliders headed to battle sings "Leaning" to the eldest McCauley's accordion accompaniment. Robert Mitchum sings that song as the murderous preacher in the other movie, giving it a terrifyingly creepy edge: "Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning, leaning, leaning in the everlasting arms."

Man, I love that movie. I want to watch it right now. "The Human Comedy" was good too, steeped, as was the book, in sentimentality, but a well-deserved sentimentality. The scene where Homer delivers the telegram informing the mexican mother of her son's death in the war is just as heartbreaking as it is in the book.

So tired. Christmas eve. Presents. Tired.

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