Eric Arthur Blair

This popped up on my FB page yesterday...is it a cult film? Up for debate but one thing that's not debateable is its brilliance. The third adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's novel is widely regarded as the first "film noir". The first two, TMF (1931) and Satan Met a Lady (1936) both deviated from the novel by having a happy ending and it was this which drove John Huston, in his directorial debut, to make a version true to the book. Outstanding performances by Bogart, Astor, Lorre and Greenstreet (in his film debut), a wee uncredited cameo by John's father Walter and a seven minute long single take capturing the scene between Spade and Gutman. Apparently it wasn't shown on US TV for over 20 years because of the implications that O'Shaughnessy was promiscuous and Cairo was a homosexual! Superb from start to finish, if you've never seen it treat yourself and give it a go.

Blade Runner...and you use blades to fabricate industrial injury

The Conversation is a film towards which I'm ambivalent. Gene Hackman is brilliant (he learned to pay the saxophone for this role) and the slow pace entirely suits the subject matter but it's quite deceitful. The dialogue of Cindy Williams (Shirley of "Laverne and Shirley) and Coppola favourite Frederic Forrest changes from when it's first heard to the later version which gives the plot its twist....a bit naughty.

Funny but I was Ernie to your Eric.

I watched Dog Day Afternoon again recently. The storyline is so crazy that it would be laughed at by every screenwriter except it's based on a true story. Al Pacino and John Cazale rob a downtown bank in order to pay for Pacino's boyfriend's (Chris Sarandon) sex-change operation. The 'Attica! Attica!' scene is electrifying and improvised by Pacino, so much so that Charles Dunning (who is also superb in this) has a genuinely shocked look on his face. The 2nd-last of Cazales amazing 5 movie oeuvre, and Lance Henriksen and Dominic Chianese have small roles.

Oh no no no no no. It's hilarious that there are Morton fans who are old enough to be grandparents but aren't old enough to have seen them play in the top division. Long may that continue.

He did. http://www.stmirrenprogrammes.co.uk/StMirren/STM_Match_Details.php?Season=1982&GameID=198303120 We signed him later that year. As I said earlier, he scored for us in a 3-0 win v Rangers (1872). http://www.stmirrenprogrammes.co.uk/StMirren/STM_Match_Details.php?Season=1983&GameID=198310290

Saints signed him from Airdrie.