Our Classic Cinema with the Sage Sisters installment this week.
It’s 1967 in the small Mississippi town of Sparta. The murder of an important man who is going to build a factory, is discovered. The first suspect is, of course, the black man waiting for a train. But the local police find out he’s a police officer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And he’s a homicide expert. They don’t want him, but they need him to solve the murder.
This is an iconic Sidney Poitier film, also starring Rod Steiger who won the Academy Award for best actor. The film also won best picture, along with three other awards. This movie is also on the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress and in the Criterion Collection. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you do since much of what happens is still happening today.
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Fran Hawthorne has been writing novels since she was four years old, although she was sidetracked for several decades by journalism. During that award-winning career, she wrote eight nonfiction books, mainly about consumer activism, the drug industry, and the financial world, and was also an editor or regular contributor for The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune, and many other publications.
But Fran never abandoned her true love: Her first two novels, The Heirs and I Meant to Tell You, were published in 2018 and 2022 and together won or were named a finalist for nine awards, including the Eric Hoffer Book Awards and the Sarton Award. HER DAUGHTER, Fran’s third novel, will be published in January 2026 by Black Rose Writing.
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Story-Power on Patreon I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.
Prolific Writers Life
My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.
They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.
Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters
Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.
Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.
Guy Morris has led an extraordinary life. After escaping an abusive childhood at age 13 to become a homeless runaway, Guy worked alongside migrant workers before he earned three degrees by age 25, including acceptance to Harvard MBA and a scholarship from University of Arizona. Recognized for his innovations in building a macro-economic that out-performed the Federal Reserve and change how economic are still built.
After working with IBM and Burroughs in main frame computer manufacturing, his career led him to international Occidental Petroleum where he pioneered adoption of early-stage AI systems and supported business deals worth billions. He can also speak to leadership roles at IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft, as well as start-ups he either founded or joined.
A talented musician and composer, Guy has recorded multiple CDs and wrote songs published by Disney Records. His adventures led him from receiving cartel death threats in Latin America to shark diving in Moorea – from boardroom politics impacting early climate change studies to living on a 50-foot sailing yacht with a charter captain’s license.
Now, a multiple award winning author of thrillers, most often compared to Dan Brown, every one of his stories and characters pull from a rich life of diverse experiences grounded with deep, deep research.
Every story is based on true events, history, technologies, or personal experiences. For example, both SWARM and The Last Ark feature the true story of a program that escaped NSA spy labs and confirmed by an FBI visit to his home.
Guy strives to write books that thrill, educate, and inspire thoughtful dialogue on genuine issues facing humanity.
Books, Swarm, The Last Ark, The Image, The Curse of Cortez
Cracks on the Web, Award winning Webisode
Oracle
Microsoft
Henry Morgan, 17th Century Pirate
Max Tedmark, MIT physics professor and AI researcher
Jack Ryan
Jack Reacher
James Bond, Q
Mission Impossible series
DARPA, The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
ChatGPT
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PodMatch A dating service for podcasters
This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to Guy Morris, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.
Want to be Guest on Story-Power? Send Lucinda Sage-Midgorden a message on PodMatch Click Here.
Prolific Writers Life
My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.
They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.
Story-Power on Patreon
I’m so passionate about stories that I created the Story-Power Patreon Community so I’d have an excuse to talk story with other story lovers. Patreon is $5 a month for content not found on the Story-Power podcast, or on my Sage Woman Blog. They have recently instituted a free tier so you can try it out before you buy. If you’re passionate about stories, and want to talk about what you’ve learned from your favorites, come join me at patreon.com/StoryPower. Let’s share what we’ve learned from the stories we love.
Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters
Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.
Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.
If ever we needed a visual example of the methods used to manipulate how people think, this movie, Gaslight (1944) is the perfect example. That’s why Celeste and I chose it to end our series about mental and emotional health.
In the movie, a young woman, played by Ingrid Bergman, finds her beloved and famous aunt murdered in 1870s London. Ten years later she falls in love and marries a man, played by Charles Boyer, who slowly tries to drive her insane so he can take possession of the house that contains something he desperately wants. It also holds a dark secret to his past.
This is an important movie that shows the exact tactics used to make people question their memory and even their sanity. Boyer’s character, Gregory is kind and loving one minute then cruel and critical the next. He hides items from the house or that he gave to Paula, then tries to convince her she lost them. He hires a young maid, played by Angela Lansbury, who takes his side in everything reinforcing the erosion of Paula’s confidence. Fortunately for Bergman’s character Paula meets an admirer of her aunt’s singing career, who is now a young Scotland Yard Detective. Once he sees Paula, who is almost the spitting image of her aunt, he decides to investigate the unsolved cold case. Along the way he discovers strange goings on within the Anton household. Joseph Cotton plays the detective. As always, he does an amazing job of acting.
Gaslight was accepted to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress in 2019. Ingrid Bergman won the Academy Award for best actress. Charles Boyer was nominated for best actor, and in her first film appearance, Angela Lansbury was nominated for best supporting actress. She was only eighteen years old at the time.
If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend you watch it so you can recognize those manipulators in your own life. You can probably check out the DVD from your local library, or rent it at Amazon Prime Video, or Apple. It will be $3.99 well spent.
And check out the new thumbnail artwork created by my husband, Barry. There is a new one for each Classic Cinema episode. I think they’re beautiful. Come join our channel and tell us what you think of them and make a comment on our Gaslight episode. Maybe you can relate to Paula. In any case, being aware of the subtle ways people try to manipulate us is extremely important.
When reality isn’t enough, you build your universe. That’s precisely what J.F. Monroe did with the Legacy of the Four trilogy, creating a world where ancient powers walk among us and destiny can be rewritten by the courage of the human heart.
A lifelong devotee of fantasy fiction, Monroe crafts stories that blend epic adventure with deeply personal journeys. Her writing draws inspiration from the character-driven narratives of “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter,” the high stakes of “The Hunger Games,” and the intricate plotting of Christopher Nolan’s films. These influences combine in her work to create stories where even the most extraordinary characters feel remarkably real.
At the heart of Monroe’s storytelling philosophy lies a simple truth: the most powerful magic comes from human connection. Her characters—whether they’re vessels for ancient powers or loyal companions with four legs—face struggles that resonate with readers long after they turn the last page. She crafts protagonists who aren’t just extraordinary in their abilities but also in their capacity for growth, love, and sacrifice.
When not weaving tales of legendary guardians and supernatural realms, Monroe can be found immersed in the stories that fuel her imagination—curled up with a good book and a steaming cup of coffee, embarking on movie marathons, or exploring virtual worlds through video games. These moments of escape and adventure inspire new stories and new worlds for readers to discover.
Her books: The Legendary Guardians Reunion,Descent Into the Voidheart
Sarah J. Maas, Author
Brandon Sanderson, Author
C. S. Lewis, Author
J. R. R. Tolkien, Author
James Michener, Author
Taylor Caldwell, Author
Thinking Maps
Fiverr, Freelance platform
Lucinda’s book: The Space Between Time Soon to be published: Time’s Echo
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Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters, YouTube channel with Lucinda’s sister, Celeste
Prolific Writers Life
Terry Pratchett, Author
Debrah Strait, Author and Lucinda’s friend
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PodMatch
This episode is brought to you by PodMatch, the dating service for podcasters. They introduced me to J. F. (Jenna) Monroe, and I’m so glad they did. I hope you’ve enjoyed our conversation and remember that if you have a podcast or something to share with the world, check out PodMatch at my affiliate link at PodMatch and tell them Lucinda sent you.
Prolific Writers Life
My husband, Barry and I are members and experts at Prolific Writers Life, which offers members a variety of free online work sessions and discounts on coaching with industry experts. They offer opportunities to hone your writing skills, develop your author brand, and connect with a supportive community in live events. You can participate in group chats or send private messages to members through Prolific Writers Chat. If you’ve got a writing project, or are an expert who can help members finish their books, come join the community.
They also offer fun events like Films for Writers, which is free for anyone who wants to attend. It’s like a film club. We watch the movies about writers often with tidbits about their writing life, and then come together on the last Friday evening of every month to discuss the movie. You can check out Prolific Writers Life with a free 14 day trial to see if this the community you have been looking for.
Classic Cinema With the Sage Sisters
Stories are a huge part of the way humans communicate with each other. Celeste and I think all stories are allegories where we can learn all kinds of important things, not the least of which is how to understand ourselves and others better. The best stories can be told over and over from one generation to the next and still teach great lessons. Emotional Intelligence and critical thinking are two of those lessons. Celeste and I think there are many classic movies that show us the progression of where humanity is today and we want to share them with you.
Shakespeare was right, “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players.” The stories we tell and consume are us trying to figure out who we are, why we’re here, and the kind of world we want to live in.
Come join the conversation on YouTube and our Facebook group.
Sage Woman Chronicles 