MYSTIC RIVER: WHERE CLINT EASTWOOD ENDS
A Journey to the Birthplace of a Legend of American Cinema
Clint Eastwood, a few days after his last birthday (San Francisco, May 31, 1930, 5:35 PM), officially announced his retirement from work, at the fantastic age of 96!
I—like many, I believe—owe him a great deal. Like (perhaps) the best of world literature of all time, cinema, even before art in general and photography, has given me extraordinary input to process and reprocess.
In fact, I rewatch my all-time favorite films several times, almost every year: Umberto D., Bread and Chocolate, The Godfather I and II, Wild Strawberries, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Schindler’s List, Amarcord, and many others.
In recent years, I’ve tried to enjoy them in a different way: I turn off the sound, partly because I remember the lines by heart, and by not letting it distract me, I better appreciate the camera movements, the lenses chosen for each scene, the depth of field, the play of light and shadow…
Naturally, my personal list of the hundred best films in the history of cinema also includes his most shared masterpieces, and for me, the absolute top one is Mystic River (2003).
I think this film embodies a bit of his own personality, especially his roots, which are a predominantly Irish and Scottish mix, but also English and Dutch.
Even those with very little knowledge of cinema can distinguish the stigma of a film set in Boston from others that carry with them the humus of Hollywood (Steven Spielberg), New York (Stanley Kubrick), or the Middle West (the Coen brothers), regardless of their respective ethnic and cultural roots.
The Mystic River is truly, perhaps, the watershed that clearly separates a Boston of police officers from another Boston of commercial or criminal ties.
And the entire film could be a metaphor, a grand metaphor, of what the kids born there can become (the story is set in the 1960s), but also of what the director could have become had he not chosen to be a “sheriff”—in his own way—in so many successful films.
Being a sheriff, in fiction as in real life, would have fit him like a tailor-made suit, given that Mars in Aries and in the sixth house, but also on the fifth cusp, which, precisely, speaks to us of an “armed” job.
However, for a child born during the Great Depression and raised in the difficult years that followed, it would have been easy to fall to the other side of the barricade and become a man with a gun or a knife, but aligned with the opposite side (again, Mars in the sixth house).
This is especially true considering his nearly two-meter height (193 centimeters).
In that film, Eastwood almost leads us by the hand to see and feel the moods perceptible near that river that is a totem for the city, a watershed of a Boston that has given so many good citizens to the United States of America, and even a family of “presidents” who remain a legend to this day. But where a native sentiment is also deeply rooted, especially of Irish and Scottish origin.
This is perhaps my favorite Clint Eastwood feature film, also because in it I felt he was most candid, most sincere, most absolutely consistent with his Mars in Aries trine to dominant Neptune on the Midheaven: the altered states of consciousness, the uncompromising contrast between good and evil, without buffers of any kind.
And it’s also worth remembering that the bad guys in Mystic River are also “the righteous” and that the good guys are also “the bad guys,” always close to those waters where—I believe even today—many unspeakable secrets of the Suffolk County seat are buried.
A couple more observations on this living legend of American cinema.
Mars and Uranus in the fifth house tell us about his personal Magnum 44, which he fired many times and hit the mark: the actor-director-author fathered eight children with six different partners and—I believe—that, had he been born a woman and with the same sky, he would have had to have his tubes tied.
Finally, it’s very interesting, at least for me, to think about his relationship with money: with Mercury in Taurus and Venus, Jupiter, and Pluto in the eighth house, not only can we say that he had a strategic vision of the verb “getting rich,” but we can also affirm that this very important chapter of his life was approached according to a profoundly Scorpio logic, leaving nothing to chance.
It is estimated that he currently has a net worth exceeding four hundred million dollars, which is not a coincidence, but rather because, immediately after the success of Sergio Leone’s first spaghetti western films, he purchased a small Californian film company, Malpaso Productions, and immediately decided to share in the profits of his creations rather than demand very high fees for each film he starred in.
So how do we explain the terrible Saturn in the second house?
With considerable stinginess, as several biographies dedicated to the character inform us.
He tends to greatly reduce the number of takes when shooting and often settles for the first take, almost obsessively avoiding going over budget.
In any case, money or no money, many children and several (very expensive) divorce lawsuits, I am deeply grateful to him because he has given me extraordinary and unforgettable films.
I know a man who married a woman while his Saturn was in the 7th solar rotation,
and I’m sure it’s a beautiful and convenient relationship for him, not a deadly one, full of constant travel, relaxation, evenings, lunches, and dinners.
A relationship/marriage that’s absolutely above average.
If there were problems, he wouldn’t have the same standard of living he had even during his engagement. What do you think?
In my life, I’ve studied many unions that began with Saturn in the seventh house, either in transit or via Solar Return, and the relationship has lasted for many years. The stigma of Saturn in the seventh can be interpreted, in many cases, as the fact that the person wasn’t mentally prepared to enter into a steady relationship and began a relationship with a somewhat “dead heart.”
Solar revolution not rotation* sorry
Thanks
Dear Maestro, I hope this message finds you well.
I’m re-listening to your “pills” on YouTube about Pluto in the houses. I think the examples you provide are excellent. In particular, the long digression on your father’s Pluto in the 2nd house. I found so many insights into that position, which is important, for other things, even in my own birth chart.
I’ll get straight to the question: it’s a LR. I was born on 27/5/1979, in Mantua, 10:05 AM.
Objective: ALR ascendant in the 7th house, Jupiter and Venus in the 6th house.
Weather forecast:
– Bilbao (Spain), 15/6/26, 1:05 AM.
– Zerain (Spain), 15/6/26, 1:05 AM.
Bilbao would have all the makings of a good fit for my goals, but, unfortunately, I have Mercury in the 5th house of ALR, just 1.23 degrees from the cusp of the 6th. A 6th house RL stellium, consisting of Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus, even with benefic planets, would violate its well-known rules. Bilbao would be more comfortable with the distance of the Asd of ALR in the 7th from the cusp of the 8th, as well as Saturn in the 2nd.
I’ve been doing ASR and several ALR for a few years, so I have a certain degree of certainty about my birth time: Zerain has everything “in order,” but the narrow tolerance, just a few tenths of a degree wider than the 2.5 degrees distance from the cusps of Saturn, Asd of ALR, and Mercury in the 5th of ALR, makes me nervous.
What’s your opinion on these two goals? Thank you, as always. Best regards, Luca.
Luca, your ALR will be up and running in a few hours, this evening, and how do you want to plan it?
At this point, accept the stellium in the sixth House instead of the one between the twelfth and first Houses.
Best wishes.
Dear Maestro, the two locations are an hour’s drive from each other. And I’m already here, of course. Perhaps I phrased the question incorrectly, as I don’t see any values between the first and twelfth house.
The question, more simply, is this: if in an ALR we place Jupiter and Venus in the sixth and Mercury in the fifth but 1.5 degrees from the sixth, will a stellium still result in the sixth house? Or in this case, do we consider Mercury to be in the fifth, and the stellium doesn’t form? In fact, Zerain’s solution respects the 34 rules, but with very narrow tolerance orbs. Thank you very much for an answer, and thak you for you attention.
Luca
Dear Luca,
We can summarize your question in these lines:
– The question, more simply, is this: if in an ALR we place Jupiter and Venus in the sixth house and Mercury in the fifth, but 1.5 degrees from the sixth, will a stellium still form in the sixth house?
Yes, Luca, my reading system is strictly based on mathematical calculations, and we cannot say that “Mercury is just a tiny bit beyond the safety limit…”
We can only have a 1 or a 0, in binary logic.
Best wishes.
Thanks for your reply. Good evening, I used MyAstral a while ago and it gave me solar return destinations with Saturn in the 10th. So can this position be used or not? I don’t understand. Thanks.
It’s simple, Sarah: you won’t find other positions like Uranus in the Twelfth House or Uranus in the First House that aren’t blocked in MyAstral searches, but then—when you go and read the specific chapter on these positions in my book “Transits and Solar Return”—you’ll find that, even if that isn’t a serious violation of the 34 rules, it’s highly inadvisable.
Is it inadvisable even if in a solar return with Saturn in the 10th you would have excellent planets in the sectors you are interested in?
A poor solar return with Saturn in the 8th and Mars in the 11th , is better than Saturn in the 10th?
Thanks
Yes, it is inadvisable.
> A poor solar return with Saturn in the 8th and Mars in the 11th, is it better than Saturn in the 10th?
Yes, it’s better.
Dear Ciro i’m marcello arcangeli born in rimini italy 13/10/1956 hour 04.00 .i would like to know my good place for my next revolution to protect my health. Thanks for your reply
Good morning, Marcello.
This space is geared towards exercises to facilitate the learning of Active Astrology.
You tell us where you’re thinking of going, and I’ll let you know if it’s suitable or recommend another location.
dear Ciro I thought that for my birthday in October Viedma in Argentina would be ideal what do you think regards Marcello arcangeli 13 ottobre 1056 nato Rimini ore 04.00
No, Marcello, I’d say this choice isn’t a good one at all: Saturn should never be placed in the 10th House, nor should Uranus be conjunct the Ascendant.
I recommend Jabiru, in northern Australia.
Best wishes.
and If i want to foster a good romantic relationship this year, in my solar return is it better to leave in Saturn in the 7th or the 8th? thanks
In the Eighth House.
Good morning, Maestro,
My Solar Return is approaching. Let me remind you of my birth details: I was born in Modena on August 28, 1977, at 00:57 (this time has never been officially verified, so I need to allow for a margin of about 15 minutes).
I have tried every possible solution, but in order not to violate any of the 34 rules, I keep ending up with Saturn in the 12th house and Neptune in the 1st house, and I know very well what you think about that. However, for Johannesburg, I would be able to place Venus on the cusp between the 6th and 7th houses and have a nice Jupiter in the 4th house, in addition to the Sun in the 5th house, which I would not mind at all, as it could help revitalize my social life, which has been rather poor this year.
As an alternative solution, in case I have last-minute difficulties traveling, I have considered Athens, although I would be cutting it very close with a possible stellium spanning the 12th and 1st houses.
Thank you very much for your advice on this matter.
Elisant *
Elisant * Let me tell you that your two choices are truly unfortunate: why go for an ASR if you then voluntarily place Saturn and Neptune in the twelfth House and with Saturn conjunct the Ascendant? In a situation like this, it’s best not to go…
Why have you never attempted to correct your birth time?
At this point, I advise you to take courage and face the situation. You are—at least theoretically—halfway through your life, and if I were in your place, I would dare.
Go to Hailar in Mondoli (a special status region of China) and position Jupiter at 0° from the Ascendant.
There, you’ll have what I call “the gap,” meaning that Mars is above the 11th/12th cusp, but not touching it, and the Sun is below the 1st/2nd cusp, but not touching it. It goes without saying that there’s a risk that you were born 5-10 minutes early or late, and you’ll likely cause a “mess.” But you’ll do so with Jupiter very close to your Ascendant, and under conditions that, by studying the other cusps of this ASR, you can begin to follow a first lead to correcting your true birth time.
Otherwise, you could spend the rest of your life searching for the right time, causing yourself a lot of damage with every birthday.
Best wishes.
Good evening Mr. Discepolo. I have just watched your short Astrology video on YouTube where you talk about Peter van Wood. In the video, you mention that van Wood followed British astrologers and adopted the natal chart drawing style typical of the British school (‘planets inside the houses and a ball corresponding to each house’). I didn’t quite understand what this ‘British style’ of natal chart drawing actually consists of. Could you tell me where I can find an example of such a drawing? Thank you in advance.
Good afternoon, Mattia. As for the series, an example is worth a thousand words. If you like, take a look at the entry “National Chart” on page 96 of my “New Dictionary of Astrology,” where I report Bill Clinton’s birth chart, drawn in the English/American style, with the stars inside a circle, and drawn in the European style (Barbault, Volguine, Ebertin, Discepolo, etc.). You’ll see that the difference is spectacular and needs no further explanation.
Thanks you, Mr Discepolo
Dear master
Here I am after the lunar of May to test my time of birth. I am born 17.12.64 in Rimini. The birth certificate says at 17 .00 but already in Sant’Agata we achieved the conclusion that I should have born almost 20 minutes before ( 16.42/3). My lunar return of May was in Marseille and it was a good test as I had neptun in 8 but saturn in 9 very bear to the cuspis of 8 and good to test the time of birth. During the month I had several discussion with my partners of my company on how to share the profits. There were up an downs but finally they gave me what I wanted. However they gave it to me in a bitter way. Substatially telling me thatI obtained what I did not deserved. Even with the above bitterness however the result was the highest dividends since I work. Do you confirm that saturn should not have been in 8? My solar was in Namcy nera to Yakutsk. Thanks for your help.
Dear Vipsania,
I think this is further confirmation that your birth time is very close to 4:43 PM, which I’m fairly certain of.
In fact, aside from Neptune in the eighth House, which only represents “ghosts” and not facts, the harsh impact you’ve had on your finances can only come from Saturn in the eighth House.
You’ve prevailed—I believe—especially because of Venus and Jupiter in the eleventh House, but the struggle can only be explained by Saturn in the eighth House.
Naturally, even if not publicly, try to check out other possible meanings as well, given this month was grayer than the others in terms of sex.
Best wishes.
dear Master
thanks! your view it is always insightfull!
best regards
vipsania
Dear Ciro,
would you risk a plastic surgery (facelift) while having a Saturn transit in the second house and Pluto, Mercury and maybe also the Sun and Mars in the second house of the SR?
Thanks and kind regards, Corinne
No, Corinne, I would choose better stars.
DearCiro, I am studying my next SR and I found Kuwait City with Jupiter in Gauquelin zone, Tbilisi and yet Kazan ( moon is not in the 12 strictly asc.) what u can suggest me? Angelo born in Turin 3 january 1959 hour 12.45 pm . Thanks for your reply
Angelo, I would definitely choose Tbilisi with Jupiter at 0° from the Midheaven.
Ok ! thanks very much for your precious advise!!!
Good morning Master,
regarding the 2.5 rule of cusps, when dealing with the Sun in the natal chart, can we say that a person that has the Sun on a cusp of two houses, will have the libido of both houses?
Thank you in advance,
Antonio
Yes, of course: that’s exactly how it is.