In my old neighborhood in the East Bronx, there was a definite hierarchy in the movie houses, Loew's and RKO were the reigning movie giants and they showed all the new and latest Hollywood triumphs. From a start at the luxurious and starlit Loew's Paradise on the Grand Concourse, the cinemas wended their way down to the "Last Run Theaters." Among these was the Vogue on Tremont Avenue to the Dover on Boston Road. After completing this circuit the films were relegated to oblivion and were impossible to view. There were no CDs, DVDs or Blockbusters until much later in the 20th century.

Recently, I read about a documentary movie and the review whetted my appetite. However, I was too busy to view it at the Roslyn Theater and I just missed it at the Malverne Theater and its short, short run at the Huntington Arts Cinema.

Last Monday I dragged Lorraine to North Shore Towers and I finally caught the film that was eluding me. Seeing a film at North Shore Towers has some very good viewing pluses: 1) It is never crowded. 2) The elderly crowd is very well behaved. 3) A minimum of popcorn guzzlers. 4) The price is equivalent to Senior Citizen rates everywhere. 5) No loud coming attractions. 6) No commercials.

And now the negatives: 1) You must enter through a gateman. 2) Films do not always start at the exact time recorded in Newsday. 3) There must be at least six people in the audience for the film to be shown (sometimes you have to eke out that sixth person).

When Lorraine and I snuggled into our seats and the movie began 15 minutes late, I was deliriously happy. It was equivalent to seeing Gone With the Wind or Sergeant York at the Dover Theater. The movie was definitely worth waiting for.

If you wish to know the name of this film, I can be reached at shgreenbug@aol.com. on the Internet and/or Stanley Greenberg, c/o Syosset Jericho Tribune, 132 East Second Street, Mineola NY 11501.