A lifetime of Love! Personal connections throughout this movie.

Rating: 6/10 (18 January 2019)

For years I've lived with my second Wife and as time goes on I've truly learned the real hidden meaning of love . It's something you can't describe in words but the effects are there. As a youth my judgement was clouded with looks and lust. How much does love at first sight really work. I tried that once and was awestruck by this girl who worked in a store across the way. I wanted her in the worst way . There she was a vision of loveliness in tight jeans and those gorgeous eyes. I walked over to the store where she worked the counter. Each step closer was like an eternity as my legs felt like lead weights pushing forward. I reached the counter and there she was . I was so nervous and petrified. If she says yes what do i do? What if she says no? Anyway I boldly introduced myself and she was insensitive to my presence. I said some stupid things, "Do you work here? Alot of weather we're having lately." I was rambling out of nerves as she was getting perturb. I cut to the chase and said my peace. "Will you go out with me? A mediate response of no came out and I was crushed . My response was "Why?" I wouldn't take no for an answer. I started to panic as things went from bad to worse as I said, "I must have you and we are meant to be together." She said, "Get lost smuckie!" Over a three year period I tried many attempts to sway her. Each attempt ended in predictable failure. The movie the Notebook struck a cord for me in many ways and conjured up old memories of lost loves and Ill health. First the comparison to the part of lost loves. We start at a retirement facility where we see an elderly bespectacled distinguished man named Duke (James Garner) who asks the aid if it's a good day to read to this elderly woman (Gena Rowlands) . A picturesque sunny day is the setting as Duke sits down and opens his notebook as he reads the story of two young people in the late 1930's. We don't know the relationship between the two retirees at first. As Duke reads; the film flashes back in time. Noah (Ryan Gosling) a tall,lanky fellow who works the lumber mill in a sleepy seaside town somewhere in the Carolina's sees the vision of his dreams on the street. This vision is the young and lively Allie Calhoun (Rachel McAdams). Noah pursues her as he climbs the Ferris wheel at a carnival and wants to date her. Allie finally caves in and the two bond quickly. All is not right in the social corners as Allie comes from a wealthy family and Noah is just a poor lumber worker. Joan Allen plays the snobbish mother of Allie and explains that Noah can't possibly give her the life she's accustomed to. Periodically the movie shifts back to the present day on the nursing home lawn where the Gray haired woman wants to know more. Duke reads on as Ally and Noah break up over a war of words. Allie goes off to school in New York as Noah deep down wants to rekindle the relationship as he sets out to write one love letter a day for 365 straight without a response from Ally. A distraught Noah has bigger issues as fate would have it. Noah and World War II sidetrack our story. War ends and Allie meets another man who is wealthy. Noah has a significant widow for company but he still has Allie on his mind. Noah purchases a dilapidated old mansion and fixes it up sparkling new. This house renovation brings the two lovers back together again. The scene on the lake with the ducks reminds me of the night I proposed marriage to my wife. Now the connection on ill health. We learn that the gray haired woman has the beginning s of Dementia, Alzheimer disease and has sporadic memory issues . Some heart wrenching scenes with Garner and Rowlands as her memory comes back but fades quickly. I remember the old days of a young dashing confident James Garner playing the gambler Bret Maverick on my old black and white TV. Nothing stopped in his way but today we see an older version of Garner popping pills and telling his friends "I keep trying to die but they won't let me." But in this film we see a caring, sensitive, vulnerable man in the autumn of his years reading the love story of yesteryear from his notebook to his Woman. I think back to my own personal experiences with my Mother-In-Law and her mental deterioration. From the initial phone calls from her office as to why she isn't doing her paper work to wetting herself or opening a car door while in motion. Then lashing out violently hitting my cousin and smacking my daughter for no apparent reason. Then finally lost, not knowing what to do next. The success and following of this film touched many viewers. From Love at first sight to the realities of mortality. But sustainable love between two people and a life time of affection for each other is the real hook in this romantic journey. After films end I'm wiping the tears from my face.