Apparently, the movie called "The Straight Story" (1999) with Sissey Spacek is a true story about an old man (Alvin Straight) who buys a '66 model John Deere tractor lawn mower and drives from Lorens, Iowa to Mnt Zion, Wisconsin to see his estranged, ailing brother. The original journey was in 1994. According to the movie, I saw last night, it took him 5 or 6 weeks to make the trip and he started in September. Burr, the evenings would be getting quite nippy in that kneck of the woods. The old guy had poor eye sight and needed two canes to walk. This was the reason for the lawn mower instead of a car, since he could not drive legally. From what I could gather from watching the movie these two brothers had some kind of squabble after the return home from WW-2 and barely spoke. In the movie when they finally met up, there was little dialoque as well. Just alot of star gazing and memories of the past. Its quite an adventure and worth a watch. Any of you folks out that way heard of this story?
It was all over the news here in Iowa when the guy was driving across Iowa. I just got the soundtrack for the movie today from Amazon. I like the music. Although I've never seen the movie.
Kind of like the Terry Fox marithon for Cancer research 8)
Well, not quite, but I bet the old fart thought so by the time he stepped off that lawn mower in Wisconson. :D
I've watched it. Pretty good show too bad he didn't ride an IHC Cub Cadet. Then it would have been a really good movie ;D
Corley:
He never would have made it on a Cadet, poor guy. :D ;D ;)
On an IHC Cadet he would have but not on an MTD one ;D
:D :D :D :D :D OKaaaaaaaay ;)
I saw part of that movie a while back and liked it but didn't know its name. Thanks for posting it.
Mark