The fact is I am quite happy in a movie, even a bad movie. Other people, so I have read, treasure memorable moments in their lives: the time one climbed the Parthenon at sunrise, the summer night one met a lonely girl in Central Park and achieved with her a sweet and natural relationship, as they say in books. I too once met a girl in Central Park, but it was not much to remember. What I remember is the time John Wayne killed three men with a carbine as he was falling to the dusty street in Stagecoach, and the time the kitten found Orson Wells in the doorway in the Third Man.
The author reflects on personal happiness derived from watching movies, regardless of their quality. Unlike others who cherish significant life moments, such as climbing the Parthenon or having meaningful encounters, he finds joy in cinematic experiences. He acknowledges the mundane aspects of his own life, contrasting them with the extraordinary events depicted in film.
For him, memorable cinematic moments resonate more profoundly than his real-life interactions. He vividly recalls iconic scenes with actors like John Wayne and Orson Welles, illustrating how movies can provide a sense of fulfillment and nostalgia that personal experiences often do not. This preference highlights the powerful impact of storytelling through film.