Santa Fe
"Newsies" is one of my all-time favorite movies. In the film, a young Christian Bale plays Jack Kelly, leader of a group of New York City newsboys in 1899. When Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the distribution price one-tenth of a cent per paper, the newsboys organize a strike.
The resulting tale is chock full of spirit and bravery and singing-dancing boys. Jack, who goes by "Cowboy," tells everyone his parents are out West, building a home for him, when really he is an orphan. In a particularly gripping scene (aren't they all when people burst spontaneously into song?), Jack sings of the home he dreams of:
Santa Fe,
Are you there?
Do you swear you won't forget me?
If I found you would you let me come and stay?
I ain't gettin' any younger.
And before my dyin' day.
I want space, not just air.
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care.
Save a place. I'll be there.
In Santa Fe.
That song has been running through my mind incessantly since I arrived at the Glorieta Writers Conference yesterday. As you may have guessed, Glorieta is located near Santa Fe.
Tonight a group of us went into town and ate at the chic Coyote Cafe, which serves authentic Southwestern cuisine. (And where, I now realize, they have a celebrity chef.) The food was incredible (I had Salmon with a fancy salsa), and the company was even better. (Editors have very strange conversations involving semi-colons and modifiers.)
As I walked the streets of Santa Fe, gazing at the distinctive adobe buildings, I understood the attraction for a cowboy spirit like Jack Kelly. In fact, I really wanted to spontaneously burst into song. Instead, I asked the woman walking next to me if she had seen "Newsies." She hadn't. How I wish one of my fanatical sisters could have been walking next to me. Never mind. I had arrived.
I want space, not just air. Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care. Save a place. I'll be there — in Santa Fe.
P.S. I intended to write a blog about the conference but got a little distracted by my Christian Bale moment. I'll bring you more on Glorieta soon.
posted by Suzanne @ 9:43 PM
8 Comments:
I remember that movie! I was so excited because I thought musicals were making a comeback!
I know! That didn't really happen, but this was a fantastic stand-alone work for the genre. I listened to the soundtrack a lot (on tape!) in college.
I heart Christian Bale :)
Miss you Suz! It's been forever since I have seen you!
Okay, I've heard other good things about that movie in the past, but have never seen it. I'll have to watch it. Wonder if I can get Ted to watch it with me??? Maybe if I watch 3 or 4 war movies with him. :-)
Ashleigh, I think Ted would appreciate it since he's musical. The harmonies (6-part all-male) are really amazing, and it's based on a true story. Maybe that will reduce the war movie viewing to 1 or 2? ;)
christian bale was great in little women too! i love musicals too...
Deanna, I'm telling you...we are the same person! ;)
Ooh, I might have to try and find that film. Sounds like my style :).
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