Chapter thirty-seven: Ironweed

Hello! It's been quite a week hasn't it? The election is over, and rightfully so. Church bells ring from Paris all the way to my household. It's a breath of fresh air for a new decade, and an overwhelming sense of safety and security for so many across the nation. That includes myself, and many of my friends and family members. I say this coming from a notoriously red state! Not to mention the fact that Kamala Harris has broken so many barriers and double standards partially overnight by becoming the first ever woman to hold the office of Vice President. Not to be outdone by the fact that she is of African American and Asian descent. Also, can we just take a minute to appreciate the fact that Joe Biden had a childhood stutter? As someone who currently does and empathizes with the struggle, that's very empowering for me. Even more recently, Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy!, has died as I write this entry for you, after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer at age eighty. His legacy goes unmatched. May he Rest In Peace. Enough news for you? Shall we begin?

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"Forgive me for I have sinned, if you must call then sins. I call them decisions. However, I am not a drunk, I'm not a whore, and I never let a man use me for money."

- Helen Archer

Ironweed is a movie based on a William Kennedy novel. He later wrote the movie's screenplay, which tells the heartbreaking, intertwined story of a homeless man who was once a famous baseball star, Francis Phelan, (Jack Nicholson) and his fellow wanderer, and spontaneous lover, Helen Archer (Meryl.) Together the two of them scrape their combined freelance earnings looking for a place to sleep, as well as food and clothing at a nearby church soup kitchen in Albany, New York during The Great Depression era.

Francis and Helen both have horrid pasts. Francis, for instance, dropped his then infant son while drunk and killed him. Thus, causing Francis to leave his family out of guilt, where he later ended up on the streets, sometimes seeing things, as of the present. Helen meanwhile, resmisses on her theatrical education and performance days - a career which she is no longer capable of due to a debilitating, cancerous sickness that has taken hold of her and is evident in the way she talks, and the submissive, feeble way she carries herself. Now, Helen spends her days reluctantly pleasuring men against her better judgement, but never forgets her artistic roots.

In a bar one evening, during what is arguably the saddest moment in the film, she sings a song that was popular at the time, He's me pal. Only, she's imagining that she can belt the notes while putting on this elaborate performance, when in reality, she can so much as squeak out a single one. It devastates me, because it just shows how good she once was and how low she has sunk. But, Francis still thinks she's a star.

At some point in the movie, Helen and Francis drift apart, or at least aren't seen together as much. I think it's to signify that Francis has started to pick himself back up again, with a clean look and stable, yet labor-intensive job, but Helen physically can't. Francis visits with his wife, Annie (Carroll Baker) who, unlike what many probably expect, including myself, is not a bitterly grieving woman towards her husband, but instead is humbly welcoming. It is here that Francis bonds with family members he hasn't seen in decades, some new ones too. Honestly, all Helen wants for herself is a life with Francis, which she partially gets. They can eventually afford a quaint little apartment for the time period, but before they can spend too much time in it together, Helen gives into her cancer with what I am to believe was the help of a drug overdose. Mind you, this occurs with ten minutes left in the film... Meryl couldn't hang on for ten more minutes! Aside from that, the movie does not really end concretely per se. I read online that this was done on purpose almost to give readers the feeling that Francis has moved back in with his wife. I agree with that.

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I feel like this review is one of my shorter ones, particularly considering that the movie is just under two and a half hours. But make no mistake, it's really good... and sad. It tells a story of subject matter that is often overlooked, or rather looked down upon, by everyday citizens - homelessness. I know that for me, this movie definitely put into perspective what a struggle living and managing a healthy lifestyle is for some people who are not as fortunate as me and my loved ones. Also, in my research today I learned that Ironweed is a sort of shrub flower, a puny flower if you will that may be unwelcome by some. Maybe that ties into the story somehow in the sense that homeless people aren't always welcome, but they have a pure spirit in them, or maybe I'm just thinking too hard. One last thing that I think is worth mentioning is the vintage set design; It deserves recognition.

• Fun fact: Jack Nicholson and Meryl also acted together in Nora Ephron's Heartburn in 1986. (One year before this movie.)

As always, thank you for the entertainment, Meryl.