Pop: A Tribute Through Cinema

I'm sure a lot of us have done it, us movie fans especially. That is likened relatives to movie stars we very much love and admire. I've had a habit of doing this since I was a little kid, when I was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Opa was Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: A New Hope. Today I want to utilise this old habit and tendency to pay tribute to my grandfather (Pop) who sadly passed away last November. 

Pop was a man of great psychical presence who a processed level of swagger and effortless confidence similar to Robert Mitchum. The way he would move without any degree of urgency to resting forward along a railing or fence bore a striking resemblance to the Hollywood heavyweight. His tall stature combined with his deep and foreboding yet comforting voice was a quality that never failed to make an impression. As a youngster I looked upon him as a gentle giant.

Humour is a big part of my family which I'm very thankful for. If you can't laugh at anything what's the point right? The countless remarks and observations Pop would make always resulted in hysterics. His sharp wit and often acid tongue rivalled that of one my all-time favourite actors, Walter Matthau. Both men could dish out an insult so outlandish that the recipient would be too awe struck to respond. You could always count on Pop for a good laugh no matter the circumstances. His sense of humour was undoubtedly one of his best qualities, one I greatly admired.

The legendary Henry Fonda was widely known for his wholesome family man image. Often playing the good guy with his moral compass fixed in the direction towards good and decency. Pop embodied this image like no other person I know. He was a loving father and grandfather who touched our lives profoundly with his endearing charm, warmth and compassion. 

I end my tribute with a line from Stephen King's IT. "To think what has looked forward must also look back, and each life makes its own imitation of immortality: a wheel." I will never forget my grandfather, whom I had the honour of being named after. He was a guiding light and a comforting reminder that life in this world is worth living. Today would have been his 81st birthday.