Progress and a Movie Recommendation

First of all, I’m happy to say that the book revision is going in leaps and bounds right now. At 49,000 words and climbing. The whole thing is around 67,000 words total at this point, so not much left–though the climax scenes will likely have to be retooled a fair bit, it’s nothing compared to what I did at the beginning.

Second, I have a challenge to you all. We’re going to play a game of Have You Seen It? This is a game I just thought up, and mainly it’s here to give me a chance to highlight movies that you really ought to go see, and that I’m betting no one out there has seen. It’s me vs. the rest of you. Every time I put a movie out on this challenge, if someone has seen it, please post. If any of you readers has seen it, then you all get a point. If no one has seen it, then I get a point. Sound fun? Sure. Why not. First group to 5 points wins . . . the undying adoration of the masses. Or of me. Which is pretty much even better, I know.

This round’s movie is . . . Hot Millions, starring Peter Ustinov. Really a delightful movie. Have any of you seen it? If you haven’t, you ought to. Ustinov does a fantastic job, playing the part of an embezzler who’s been exposed by computer security (this is back in 1968, so “computer security” is a mite bit different than it is now). He decides to prove to himself that he can outdo that new-fangled computer, and he cons himself into a job to do just that. On the way, he meets Minerva McGonagall–uh, I mean, Maggie Smith, who ended up getting old and playing McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies much later on–and they develop a relationship. The movie also has Bob Newhart in a supporting role, and a cameo by Cesar Romero. The film is well acted and written, and I was never entirely sure what was going to happen next. Three and a half stars from me. I love finding movies I thoroughly enjoy this much, especially when they’re such a surprise.