Act I

Old man’s easy tears —
from sappy Fifties romcoms
to rushed death-bed vows

Iconic Western
“Come back, Shane!” My ever-teen
heart succumbs again

Brando’s The Wild Ones
Asked what revs his rebellion
he purrs “Whad’ya got?”

Down Noir Alley
(where rats scuttle) love-sick broad
falls for Mr. Wrong

Subtitled Russian
paramours embrace their doom;
paired geese primp for flight

Teaching light to dance:
the frictionless canoodling
of Fred and Ginger

              Act II

What dreams are made of:
the off-screen consummation
of Bogey/Bacall

Bette Davis does
Bette Davis like no one
else: All About Eve

Young Mickey Rooney
“Hey, kids, let’s put on a show!”
(in clueless blackface)

Kaboom! Slapstick blown
up to epic scale: “It’s a
Mad Mad Mad Mad World”

Showdown! John Wayne’s gun-
slinging clones v. Mel Brooks’ beans-
scarfing gas-passers

In his Modern Times
throwback The Little Tramp gets
the last (silent) laugh.