Beating Summer Movie Blues
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
So, you have the summertime movie blues? Here's a suggestion.
Robert Altman, one of America's great independent filmmakers has turned his attention to Garrison Keillor and Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion."
In the movie version, the great radio show is not on National Public Radio, but on a commercial station, and as the station is sold, you can probably guess the fate of the folks on the radio.
Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin are brilliant as singing sisters who never quite made it past the local radio show and Kevin Kline is hilarious as Guy Noir, Keillor's alter-ego private detective cum security guard.
Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly play slightly blue singing cowboys who test the Midwest sensibilities of the program director.
An angel comes to visit the show and there is hope of deliverance from the inevitable, but no song or commercial for powdered milk biscuits can stall progress, can it? The only thing missing is the news from Lake Wobegon, that would have made it perfect.
Harry's daily commentary can be heard on manyCBS Radio News affiliates across the country.
By Harry Smith