For understanding U.S. history since WWII, there is no better book than David Talbot’s The Devil’s Chessboard. From Talbot at thekennedybeacon.substack.com:
In the final season of the big-budget Jack Ryan, a Prime Video series that ended its four-season run last month, our hero fights the evil convergence of bioweapons-wielding terrorists and global drug pushers and a corrupt U.S. senator in league with this dark web. Ryan and his team only prevail—saving our country from mass slaughter—by resorting to torture, murder, civilian-endangering firefights, and the wanton use of advanced military weaponry, which is lovingly depicted. (Happiness is a warm gun, if you’re a self-confident CIA rogue.)
Yes, “we broke protocol” and employed “any force necessary” to stop the threat of annihilation, Ryan proudly tells the crooked senator, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Throughout the series, Ryan defies the committee’s oversight, and at the end he’s shown to be right. Ryan exposes the senator’s treason and treachery! The spy was right all along!
American democracy is seen as weak and broken in drama after drama. Only the lawless Jack Ryans can save it.
Jack Ryan is played by a white actor—John Krasinski, who for me never overcomes the wisecracking geniality of his role on The Office. (That all-American persona makes him even more disturbing as a CIA action hero.) But season four also features a Latino man as president (Jordi Mollá), a black woman as CIA director (Betty Gabriel), a black man as her deputy (Wendell Pierce), and a Latino man as Ryan’s hitman sidekick (Michael Peña).
Marlon Brandon is a favorite and he warned of the Sauds (wink) owning Hollywood long ago.
Plus he survived the noticing!
Where Eagles Dare, The Ennio/Sergio Westerns, 007 up to Skyfall, The Hurt Locker, Mad Max I-III, Platoon, FMJ, Matrix I, V for Vendetta…these are some of my favorites of the past 60 years.