R.I.P. Robert Duvall. This year we say goodbye to this monumental actor like we said goodbye to his friend and fellow thespian giant Gene Hackman early last year. Most tributes will cover Duvall’s roles in his many, many films whose titles are household words. This being Balladeer’s Blog I’ll instead look at some of his overlooked gems.
TOMORROW (1972) – Robert Duvall – who called this one of his favorite performances – plays poverty-stricken farmer and sawmill operator Jackson Fentry of Mississippi. One cold December evening he comes across the pregnant Sarah Eubanks, a poor woman whose abusive husband has abandoned her because he wants nothing to do with raising their child.
The lonely Fentry nurses Sarah back to health and supports her through her baby’s birth. He promises to raise the child as his own and keeps his word even when his and Sarah’s relationship is cut short by her poor health. Fentry’s fundamental decency rubs off on the boy, who shows signs of being as compassionate as Jackson himself.
SPOILERS: Unfortunately, Sarah’s violent brothers eventually learn that “Jackson Jr.” (Johnny Mask) is their sister’s child and take him from Fentry by force. From then on, the boy grows into the same kind of violent criminal that his uncles are. Ultimately, the young man is murdered, and his killer is let off because the jury views the slaying as a public benefit given what a depraved criminal the late Jackson Jr. was.
Horton Foote (who adapted the screenplay for To Kill a Mockingbird in which Duvall played Boo Radley) expanded one of William Faulkner’s short stories about lawyer Gavin Stevens into this film’s screenplay. A shorter version was first performed on tv’s Playhouse 90.
The film drags, but Robert performs brilliantly as a downtrodden man whose dignity and character shine through despite the deficient vocabulary his lack of education has left him with. Continue reading
THE LUNARIAN PROFESSOR AND HIS REMARKABLE REVELATIONS CONCERNING THE EARTH, THE MOON AND MARS TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRUISE OF THE SALLY ANN (1909) – Written by James B Alexander back in the glory days of titles so long they might not fit in a 140 character limit. 
ULYSSES S. GRANT 
NUMBER ONE ROLLS – The nation’s top ranked RICHLAND COLLEGE THUNDERDUCKS took it on the road against the DALLAS COLLEGE AT CEDAR VALLEY SUNS. By Halftime the Thunderducks had compiled a 39-24 advantage and after the break maintained distance from the Suns for an 80-65 win. Jase Tarver led Richland College with his Double Double of 24 points and 12 rebounds. 
CENTURY CLUB – Teams scoring 100 or more points in Regulation: The (2) SALEM (NJ) COLLEGE MIGHTY OAKS downed the visiting SUSSEX COUNTY COLLEGE SKYLANDERS 104-69 ### Meanwhile, the OWENS COLLEGE EXPRESS won 110-86 at the HOCKING COLLEGE HAWKS ### And the ONONDAGA COLLEGE LAZERS defeated the CAYUGA COLLEGE SPARTANS 102-73. 
TEEN TITANS Vol 1 #44 (Nov 1976) 
1. GEORGE WASHINGTON 
DOES LOVE DIE WITH YOU? (2025) – This is the first novel from 
FRANKLIN PIERCE 
General Pierce saw further action in battles at Contreras, Churubusco, Molina del Ray, Chapultepec and Mexico City itself. Pierce had an unfortunate tendency toward undignified injuries, and an early bashing of his testicles caused complications which surfaced again and again throughout the war. 
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