Saw this movie yesterday called "The World's Fastest Indian" (2005) with Sir Anthony Hopkins. It's basically about this old guy Burt Munro from New Zealand (true story), whose life-long dream was to race his "Indian" (a small army motorcycle that he modified himself in over 20 years, turning it into a SUPER fast racing bike) in Utah's Bonneville track. In the 2-hour movie we witness Burt's determination and his never-ending obstacle-filled trip from Down Under, through Los Angeles and then onward to the Bonneville Salt Flats. Not so much a movie worth seeing, it's just a simple story about a man with determination and a clear goal all his life. What is interesting about this little-known historical figure (who broke the land-speed record multiple times), is that through his first trip to the USA, he managed to turn adversaries into allies time and time again. He seemed to touch people with his genuine and unwavered goal to reach Bonneville. Was he just lucky to return home in one piece? Or is that just how genuinely good people get respected and supported along the way where foes become friends and regular on-lookers become partners in crime?
It's funny, charming people, I mean... I don't see much of them in Hong Kong. I don't mean "phony" charm to get us into the hippest clubs or numbers for the hottest dude/chick... I mean genuine down-to-earth charm that makes everybody feel comfortable and at ease. Some HK folks I've met are too pretentious, shrewed, calculated, or maybe they're just shy, or cool, that their warmth or personality doesn't really come through (of course I wouldn't say that I'm not like that sometime). Is it because we have something to protect, that's why we don't reach out and touch others? Fearing they'll see the inner deepest parts of our soul? What I've learned, is that a simple gesture could make things alot simpler, and break down some of the frozen walls around us. As Burt Munro showed us (well, at least what the film makers did), a little charm could get us to ends of the world with friends cheering along your sides.
No comments:
Post a Comment