Issur Danielovitch Demsky was born on December 9th, 1915. Eventually, he became Kirk Douglas, and embarked on one of the most quietly impressive (and longest) Hollywood adventures ever.
I hadn't even realized he was still alive until I heard it mentioned on the radio this morning, so in honor of the joyous occasion, I think we should all watch The Man From Snowy River again.
It's not the best thing he ever did (since I'd probably give that distinction to one of his Kubrick roles, if push came to shove), and I'm not even sure it's my favorite (because my Disney nostalgia and my obsession with Westerns tend to cloud my vision). But the last half hour or so is about as much fun as you can have with a film, in my opinion (as evidenced by the fact that I recommended it two years ago, almost exactly), and its soundtrack is without peer. Besides, it's got Double Douglas. What's not to love?
It's streaming on NETFLIX INSTANT:
After the death of his father, proud young Jim Craig sets out to become his own man. Taking a job with horse rancher Harrison, Craig is treated poorly by the more experienced cowboys, but wins the heart of the rancher's daughter, Jessica, when he helps her break a high-strung colt and later saves her life. When he's unfairly blamed for the loss of an expensive horse, Craig fights to restore his honor and prove that he's worthy of Jessica's hand.