His Masterpiece?

Letty --

Thanks for posting the link to the story, which I had never read. It was funny to note how little Greenwich Village has changed since O. Henry wrote the story.

Can good deeds be masterpieces? I don't know, but in any event it was an awfully nice thing for him to do.

P.S. Sorry about your hibiscus bush.

How nice to see "flibbertigibbet" in print!

Great story. Thanks. I liked how the dialect for Mr. Behrman was written.

I have BTW a small hibiscus that is dying the slow death on my kitchen counter. I'd be happy to send it to you Letty as I can't get it to regain the will to live. (Maybe a leaf drawn on the wall???)

I'm thinking of putting it outside but I know they're tender.

Hey, Piffka and Bree.

My Hibiscus shrub has a pretty good root system, so I'll cut it back (was informed by someone who knows) and hope that it re-emerges in the warm weather.

O Henry is one of my favorite short story writers. He is known as the master of irony, because most of his literature has that unexpected twist at the end. "The Last Leaf" just makes me realize that many people are involved with art for art's sake, but are willing to bend for a cause that seems in keeping with the creative mind. In this case, it was a cause for which Behrman was willing to risk all, even his beliefs about the style of painting that he had so tenaciously clung to.

If it's still available, try and find the old black and white movie, "O'Henry's Full House". Four of his best stories are dramatized including "The Ransom of Red Chief."

In that the story implies that his painting of the leaf was sufficiently convincing, and in that he transcended his inward considerations, i think that O'Henry would have said, yes, it was his masterpiece. There was a 50's television version of that story done, and done quite well. It was done with The Gift of the Magi, and both were quite well presented.

Oh, and, by the by, i once saw a full color version of The Ransom of Red Chief done years ago in the Soviet Union. Despite the subtitles, it was the most hirlariously rendered film version of the story i've ever seen. The director and screen writer translated it well to Russian culture, and upped the comedic ante thereby.

Definitely his masterpiece. I wonder how badly young Johnsy felt, to know he died for her? I'd like to point out that there were two nice men in the story which seems refreshing, somehow.

These two film recommendations leave me anxious to see them, meanwhile I'll try to find and read The Ransom of Red Chief.

Hey, Setanta,

Did I hear you say a Russian version? My word! Can't remember the other two stories on "Full House"--Oh,Yes. " Gift of the Magi" and the one about Jimmy Valentine.