Memories Are Forever (1) (2.5)

[Styles Bitchley]

I've heard quite a few of you complain about Marta/Michelle not being attractive, which I find surprising as I find her astonishingly beautiful in an early '80s Robert Nagel kind of way. In other words, as a youth during that time I thought she was a total fox! Do you think the negativity towards her is because of Michelle's character or because you think she's really not that attractive?

For the record, I think she's rather beautiful. She's not really my type, but I think it's hard to say she isn't beautiful.

[N1095A]

Just my $0.02 worth here, but there were scenes where she was quite attractive, like the wedding scenes. However the big hair was a real turn-off for me then, and now. As for her character? Nothing beautiful there, quite the opposite. She was a user. She used TM whenever she needed him, and spit him out like an old piece of gum when she was through.

The "Thomas and Michelle" Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeMx6LQxPk

[MaiTaiMan]

Wow, this is strange. Someone just informed me that the whole scene with Magnum talking about "Little Eva" to Higgins is missing in the recently released "Best Of" DVD set! Instead it just fades to him taking photos.

Huh...did they resort to syndicated versions for the "Best Of" sets? Although I won't be buying the "Best Of" sets, as I already have the complete series DVD sets of "Magnum", "Miami Vice", "Knight Rider", etc..., that is really stupid and terrible if Universal chose to try and "cheat" us with old edited reruns. If that's what they did, that's an insult to our intelligence.

...and our wallets!

Exactly, Styles!

[Coops]

Just my $0.02 worth here, but there were scenes where she was quite attractive, like the wedding scenes. However the big hair was a real turn-off for me then, and now. As for her character? Nothing beautiful there, quite the opposite. She was a user. She used TM whenever she needed him, and spit him out like an old piece of gum when she was through.

The "Thomas and Michelle" Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeMx6LQxPk

Oh come on, "big hair" was the thing in the 80s! I still really dig it but then again I was a teen when MPI was in it's prime. But that's just me. I never really cared for "Michelle" for what she did to TM but I've always loved Marta's exotic looks.

[MaiTaiMan]

Just my $0.02 worth here, but there were scenes where she was quite attractive, like the wedding scenes. However the big hair was a real turn-off for me then, and now. As for her character? Nothing beautiful there, quite the opposite. She was a user. She used TM whenever she needed him, and spit him out like an old piece of gum when she was through.

The "Thomas and Michelle" Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeMx6LQxPk

Oh come on, "big hair" was the thing in the 80s! I still really dig it but then again I was a teen when MPI was in it's prime. But that's just me. I never really cared for "Michelle" for what she did to TM but I've always loved Marta's exotic looks.

I never cared for the character of Michelle, or the actress Marta Dubois...just not someone I find attractive, big hair or not. I also did not like the character as she always had to leave Magnum at the end of each episode, and appeared to use him whenever she needed.

[Styles Bitchley]

I never cared for the character of Michelle, or the actress Marta Dubois...just not someone I find attractive, big hair or not. I also did not like the character as she always had to leave Magnum at the end of each episode, and appeared to use him whenever she needed.

Based on this and your Luther comments, I'm guessing that honour is a bit thing for you in whether you can like a character.

[MaiTaiMan]

I never cared for the character of Michelle, or the actress Marta Dubois...just not someone I find attractive, big hair or not. I also did not like the character as she always had to leave Magnum at the end of each episode, and appeared to use him whenever she needed.

Based on this and your Luther comments, I'm guessing that honour is a bit thing for you in whether you can like a character.

Honor is something I like in a character...and I never viewed Luther as having much--even towards Blanche. Michelle probably had more honor than Gillis for sure...but even she seemed to only pop up when it suited her and "dangle" herself in front of Magnum to get what she wanted. I know some of it was supposedly for protection for her and Lilly-Catherine...but sometimes even that seemed to go a little over the top.

[Styles Bitchley]

just noticed my typo. Of course I meant "big."

[MaiTaiMan]

just noticed my typo. Of course I meant "big."

No prob!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Wow! What can I say? This is a Perfect episode as far as MPI goes. I've only seen episodes (not all of them) from the first 3 seasons and so far this one is the second best. Best of course is "Did You See the Sunrise?". And then the third best is the pilot - "Don't Eat the Snow in Hawaii". And you'll notice 2 things that these 3 episodes have in common - they're all 2-part/2-hour episodes and they all have a darker feel with an emotional hook for Magnum. As well as Vietnam flashbacks. And that's what really draws me in.

While some of the light-hearted fare can be fun it's the more personal stories that really grab my attention. It's funny to find yourself yawning through "The Woman on the Beach" and "From Moscow to Maui" and then to be completely spell-bound with an episode like this. I guess that's part of the appeal of MPI - you never know what's coming. In the lighter episodes I tend to look towards the Magnum vs. Higgins scenes since the main story typically doesn't engage me all that much. But with episodes like these I'm so engrossed in the story that I completely forget about Higgins. Or the "lads". They're almost superfluous.

Anyway, fantastic episode and I personally can't imagine that season 2 has a finer episode to offer me. I guess I shall see.

Oh... and yes I found Miss DuBois quite attractive. Obviously not on the same level as Rebecca Holden (but then who is? ) but attractive nevertheless. But more than her looks it was her performance and her chemistry with Selleck that sold me on their romance. And speaking of Selleck, kudos to him for a true tour-de-force performance in this one. He hit it out of the park here!!!

[snp389]

Just watched these 2 great episodes.
I reckon 'Memories' is one of the best!
I am not 100%, but some of the intro shots of Vietnam look like they are taken from the movie 'The Deer Hunter'.

[Steve]

Watching Memories Are Forever on the Encore marathon I thought Ms. DuBois deserves a bump up to the first page.
I also stumbled upon this;
http://www.holywoodactingstudio.com/?page_id=1853
Seems Marta is an acting supervisor at the Holywood Acting Studio.I think she looks terrific for 61!

[marlboro]

I think she actually looks better now than she did in her last Magnum appearance.

[No need to know!]

Watching Memories Are Forever on the Encore marathon I thought Ms. DuBois deserves a bump up to the first page.
I also stumbled upon this;
http://www.holywoodactingstudio.com/?page_id=1853
Seems Marta is an acting supervisor at the Holywood Acting Studio.I think she looks terrific for 61!

She is still a fox!
Someone mentioned her big hair from this episode. I say it looks much better in "Memories..." compared with her hairstyle when she returns in the seventh season.

The most important thing though was the great chemistry between her and Selleck.

[Magnum T.]

While working on a routine divorce case Magnum glimpses a woman on a yacht.
She remarkably looks like his wife Michelle, married in Vietnam and died in a bombing attack.
He manages to take some pictures of her while the boat passes by but unfortunately her face is not clearly visible.
Magnum is sure the woman is his wife but Rick and T.C. are skeptical. Nonetheless they start a search in "Little Saigon", a Honolulu district.
Meanwhile we discover that the woman is the wife of a high-ranking NVA officer, General Hue.
He is in Hawaii with Colonel Ki, whose task is to find out who is the spy known as "The Tiger".
Ki informs the General that a man named Magnum is looking for his wife, but she states she doesn't know him.
Then she goes to a church...

The two-parts episode "Memories Are Forever" is without a doubt not only one of the best in the entire series but one of the most important.
"Pivotal" is the best word to describe it, I think.
It is very well written, directed and played.
The plot introduces new elements in the Magnuverse, the most significant being, of course, Michelle.
The screenplay is full of witty lines and the actors give great performances.
There are notable scenes, like the one in the darkroom (and the reprise at Magnum's place) where we can see that despite all the bickerings, Higgins cares for Magnum.

Plus: Marta DuBois. A very special lady, gourgeous and elegant (the two things don't always go along), her light strabismus of Venus, far from diminishing her beauty, enhances it instead.
After the four main actors, she is probably the best choice in terms of casting of the entire series.
Totally believable as a woman capable of making TM falling in love for good, she portraits her character brilliantly: sweet (the smile she gives to the young clumsy Magnum look-alike officer) but even strong (when she talks to the "priest" in the church). Too bad she isn't in more episodes (though I understand why it is so).
Minus: None, as far as I'm concerned.
Best Line:
Higgins: You're upsetting our relationship. Being nice makes me... quite uncomfortable.
Magnum: Does that mean you don't want anything for me using the darkroom this morning?
Higgins: Not that uncomfortable.

Notes:
- team ring on right
- included in "The Best of Magnum P.I" 2-DVD set (along with the pilot, "Mac's Back" and "Black on White")
- as said, Marta DuBois plays Michelle for the first time. She will return in 3 other episodes.
- Lance LeGault had already played Agent Newton in "Missing in Action" (1.9). His recurring character USMC Col. "Buck" Greene is seen here for the first time and will return in other 9 episodes. Curiously, he plays a similar character in "The A-Team" TV series.
- Honolulu born Clyde Kusatsu (Colonel Ki) appears in a total of 8 episodes playing 4 different characters, the most memorable being (imho) Detective Katsumoto.

Funny thing:
I am no military expert so this is a curiosity I've ever had and maybe somebody here can help: TM is a Navy Seal while Rick and T.C. are Marines.
Is it possible for them to be in the same unit in Vietnam?

Rate: 9.5