August 17, 2003 - 790305 - The Fall Of Gentryville

[vgarci]

This week's program is presented for your review by BVA18

For those who do not have the program, you can download it (with or without a Streamload account) at: www.streamload.com/vgarci (http://www.streamload.com/vgarci)

[brian1984_2001]

This one is one of the best!

Stephen King visited this type of strange little town so many times so effectively. Sam Dann is just as effective.

Oddly enough, it is believable. It is amazing how seemingly incorruptable people can be corrupted by money. Dann explores the essence of human nature and found it wanting.

For those of you who have not yet listened, Get to it. This one's great!

[Texas]

WOW.

I downloaded this program last year and never listened to it.

I won't preach here. All I'll note is:

- E.G. says at the beginning another little known proverb: "There's no bigger insult to the devil than a virtuous woman." I don't know where this saying came from, but what American network program would ever open a program like this today?

- The reporter at one point refers to a book "which should be the cornerstone for every one of us - the Bible."

The morality of this entire series, even with its flaws, could be stunning. It makes me long for the day when we can hear something like this once again on American air waves. The question is: Will we (the people) be receptive to messages like this as we were from 1974-82? Could a program like the RMT last that long in today's culture? Or will it be as well-received as the reporter's story was to "Gomez" in his newsroom?

My gut feeling is: "if not today, someday it will."

Thanks for this selection.

[dnagle]

Wow, what a grabber. I gave this show a high 4 for the overall show but certain aspects of this show are unprecedented in my listening, most of all the sheer human anguish Jenny goes through at the end. Initially I didn't buy the notion of the town just sinking because of a geographic phenomenon. But then I remembered, that was the premise the show opened with -- that many people confuse the limit of their perspective with the limit of all reality. There have been many instances in history of people and governments coming up with much more improbable explanations for things they refuse to acknowledge (I was just reading about the assassination of JFK the other day ...). Thanks for another excellent choice for a SOTW.

[vgarci]

Great program! I hadn't heard this play before so this was a pleasant surprise. The acting was terrific, though Jenny's voice sounded a bit "chipmunkish", and I enjoyed the fact that this story was presented as the labors of a freelance writer. I noted that the Devil was a real world traveler because he used one salutation in French (Au Revoir) and another in Italtian (Caio) - nice touch! I gave this program a 5.

[Texas]

Vince,

I think he also said to say (in German) "Auf wiedersehen". Nice touch by the scriptwriter.

I also wondered if the woman's name, instead of "Jenny" was "Ginny", as in short for "Virginia", which is another element describing what Satan was so interested in.

[dnagle]

Yep, he did say auf Wiedersehen ... good catch!

[vgarci]

Tex,
You're absolutely right. And the "Virginia" comment took me about three reads before it sunk in! Great observation!!!!!

[Kurt Wayne]

Sorry to bring up an SOTW from four years ago, but I just learned of this passage from the Bible, Numbers 16:30-34 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Num/Num016.html#30), that for those who've heard it I believe "The fall of Gentryville" is partially based around. (And, like the CBSRMT show, you've got to read/see the whole context of "the fall" to realize why it occurred.)