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The Rabbit Ears series of classic children's stories is superbly done. Narrated by some of the finest contemporary actors, the stories include The Elephant's Child read by Jack Nicholson, The Velveteen Rabbit, read by Meryl Streep, and Anansi the Spider, read by Denzel Washington.
The Muppet Movie All of the Muppet movies are fun, but their first full-length feature, an affectionate parody of the classic "breaking into show business" genre features cameo performances by Hollywood stars and sweet songs.
Shari Lewis The best thing about these delightful videos by long-time children's entertainer Shari Lewis is that they involve the children, with interesting activities that get little couch potatoes off the couch.
tom thumb The fairy tale about the boy no bigger than a thumb is brought to life with former gymnast Russ Tamblyn as the title character. Tom is as irresistibly charming as his "Very Own Song," one of many musical numbers. Fiendish villains Terry Thomas and Peter Sellers try to get the tiny boy to steal for them, but watching over tom is a good fairy. Watching over the good fairy is the handsome woodsman whose kiss can turn her into a mortal. Without giving anything away, it is fair to say they all live happily ever after, at least those who deserve to!
The Absent-Minded Professor Fred McMurray invents "flubber" (flying rubber) and sends the basketball team bouncing to the rafters and his Model T flying into the clouds in this lovably silly story. Sequel: Son of Flubber
Disney animation classics The older movies like Cinderella, Snow White, Pinocchio, , Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Peter Pan, hold up exceptionally well, with gorgeous pre-computer animation and excellent music. Some children may be frightened by the villains, but familiarity with the story ahead of time can help.
The Adventures of Robin Hood Errol Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood in this gloriously Technicolor example of the best of the big studio productions of the 1940's, one of the most thrillingly entertaining films of all time. A nobleman, Robin becomes an outlaw to fight corrupt Prince John and restore King Richard to the throne. He leads the Merry Men from a base in Sherwood Forest, robbing from the rich to give to the poor what has been stolen from them by Prince John and his followers. He wins the heart of the beautiful and brave Maid Marian and, after an archery competition, a near-hanging, an attempted assassination, and a sensational sword fight, brings the story to a resoundingly satisfying conclusion.
Captains Courageous A wealthy and spoiled young boy traveling on a luxurious ocean liner is washed overboard and rescued by a sailor on a fishing boat. Forced to stay on the boat until it returns to shore, he learns the importance of earning respect from others, and from himself. There is a very sad death, but the story is well-told, and it ends with the boy becoming close to his father for the first time. This movie features several of the shining lights of MGM's golden age, including Spencer Tracy (in an Oscar-winning erformance), Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, and Freddie Bartholomew.
Chariots of Fire This is the true story of two athletes who raced in the 1924 Olympics, one a privileged Jewish student at Cambridge, the other a missionary from Scotland. Wonderfully evocative of the time and place, with superb performances, the movie shows us the source of the runners' determination, a need to prove his worth to himself and the society that discriminates against him for one, a way of connecting to God for the other. Each must make difficult choices with a great deal of opposition (one defies the Prince of Wales, who wants him to race on the Sabbath). This movie deservedly won the Oscar for Best Picture.
The Day the Earth Stood Still A mysterious spaceship arrives in Washington in this cold war classic. A man and a robot are inside, bringing a message that humans must stop making nuclear weapons. They are befriended by a young boy whose father was killed in W.W.II, and by a scientist. But not everyone wants peace, and it is up to the heroes to save the world from itself.
Fantastic Voyage A team of scientists is shrunk to microscopic size in order to perform emergency surgery in this exciting adventure. They must battle everything from white blood cells (attacking them as though they were an infection) to an onboard traitor, to time itself, as they race to complete the operation and leave the body before the effects of the shrinking ray wear off and they return to normal size. Exciting and lots of fun, this movie also teaches a good deal about the inner workings of the body.
And some recommendations by category:
For 2-6 year olds
Ben and Me (1954)
Based on the book by Robert Lawson, this is the story of Benjamin Franklin as seen through the eyes of Amos the mouse, who claims credit for many of Franklin’s achievements. This charming story is a delightful introduction to the era, to one of America’s most endearing and colorful characters, and to the importance of creative thinking to solve problems.
For 6-12 year olds
Johnny Tremain (1957)
From the book by Esther Forbes, this is about a boy who gets caught up in the early days of the Revolutionary War. He meets Paul Revere, and participates in the Boston Tea Party and the skirmish at Lexington. While not strictly accurate, the movie does a good job of exploring the reasons for the rebellion, and, unlike many movies, makes it clear that no matter how just the cause, war is always a tragedy.
1776 (1972)
At least once a year, every American should watch this musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, preferably on July 4. The characters and the issues are vividly and frankly portrayed, and we see the founding father’s faults as well as their virtues. The courage, the strategy, the dream of freedom, and even the tragic compromise on slavery are all there. If we didn’t know how it all turned out, the suspense would be unbearable.
For 10 and up Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) Henry Fonda in the first and Raymond Massey in the second both portray beautifully this icon of American history. The first movie shows his early law practice and his tragic romance with Ann Rutledge. The second covers thirty years of his career, from shopkeeper to lawyer, through the debates with Stephen Douglas, and ending with his election to the Presidency.
Glory (1989) The Civil War was fought over freeing the slaves, but that did not mean that there was any notion of racial equality, even in the Union. Black Americans were thought to be unsuited for fighting. This is the true story of the all-black 54th Regiment during the Civil War, of their white commanding officers, and of the way both learned about the brutalities of war and of racism. The courage and discipline of this regiment, in the face of certain death, was a turning point in the war, and a lasting legacy of extraordinary courage and commitment. Denzel Washington won an Oscar(TM) for his performance as a runaway slave who insists on better treatment. (R-rated for graphic battle scenes)
All the King's Men (1949) This Oscar(TM)-winning story of the rise and fall of a populist politician is based on the career of Louisiana’s Hughy Long. It shows how someone with ideals is corrupted by the poltical process, first by the compromises necessary to get power and then by the power itself. (Mature themes) Other good movies about political campaigns include “Alias Nick Beal,” "The Best Man," “The Candidate,” and “The Great McGinty.”
All the President's Men (1976) Two Washington Post reporters “followed the money” to trace a small-time burglery back to Richard Nixon’s campaign for re-election and finally to the Oval Office itself. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in this part detective story, part thriller. If it hadn’t actually happened, no one would believe it. (Strong language)
Inherit the Wind (1960) There is no better way to determine how Americans see ourselves than to examine the fights over what we teach our children. In the “Scopes trial,” the two finest lawyers of the day went to court to argue about whether a high school science teacher should have the right to teach his students about evolution. Spencer Tracy (as the character based on Clarence Darrow) and Frederic March (as the character based on William Jennings Bryan) are both brilliant as they debate faith vs. proof. In the climactic scene, Tracy puts March on the stand to cross-examine him: “How do you know God didn’t speak to Charles Darwin?”
For 10 and up
Gentlemen's Agreement (1947) A reporter writing about anti-Semitism decides to investigate it from the inside by “being” Jewish -- or at least telling people that he is, in this Oscar(TM) -winner for best picture, director, and supporting actress. It is something of an artifact by today’s standards; we are a little less naive about the prospect of eliminating prejudice, and if the film-makers were really as unbiased as they ask us to be, wouldn’t he marry the other girl? But the performances are still moving (especially Gregory Peck as the reporter, John Garfield as his friend, and Anne Revere as his mother), and the insights on the nature of prejudice in even well-meaning people are still valid.
The Defiant Ones (1958) Shackled together, two escaping prisoners must overcome their prejudices to cooperate with each other. Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier are outstanding.
The Long Walk Home (1990) This is the story of the Montgomery bus boycott, seen through the eyes of a white child, as she watches her privileged suburban mother (Miriam Thompson, played by Sissy Spacek) struggle to reconcile the clash between the comfort of her conscience and the comfort of her home life. At first, Miriam gives the housekeeper (played by Whoopi Goldberg) a ride to work because it is the only way she can get there to do the housework. But Miriam comes to understand that she has to drive her, and to help the other boycotters, because segregation is not right, and she must do so publicly, no matter the cost to her way of life. There are a few stories about this era from the perspective of the black community (mostly made for TV instead of theatrical release) , and there need to be more. But this movie’s depiction of the struggle with racism (and, in subtext, feminism) in the white community is also a part of the story that deserves to be told.
A Raisin in the Sun (1961) Lorraine Hansbury’s classic play, its title taken from a poem by Langston Hughes (“What happens to a dream deferred?...Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?”) is the story of a black family’s debates about what to do with $10,000 in insurance money. The mother (Claudia McNeil) wants to use it to buy a house in a “good” (and all-white) neighborhood, and send her daughter to medical school. The grown son (Sidney Poitier) wants to use it to buy a liquor store. Despite setbacks, including the neighborhood “improvement association’s” offer to buy them out, the family resolves do whatever is necessary to move into their new home.
For Mature Teenagers
In the Heat of the Night (1967) Sidney Poitier plays a Pennsylvania police detective on his way home from a small Southern town. He is picked up by bigoted local cops when a wealthy man is murdered. Quickly cleared, he must then work to find the real murderer, with the racist, unsophisticated, but essentially honest chief of police, played by Rod Steiger in an Oscar(TM) -winning performance. Their investigation leads them into many of the town’s secrets, and into an exploration of prejudice and its impact. (Not rated, but mature themes)
It Happens Every Spring (1949) This is a delightful fantasy about a mild-mannered professor who loves baseball. He makes all of his dreams come true when he invents a chemical that repells wood. By rubbing it on the baseball before he throws it, he becomes a pitcher who throws balls that can’t be hit by a bat. (These were the days when bats were all made of wood.)
Pride of the Yankees (1942) Gary Cooper plays baseball great Lou Gehrig, the Yankee first baseman whose “Iron Man” record of consecutive games played was not topped until 1995. Real life players, including Babe Ruth, appear in this beautifully told story of Gehrig’s two loves, baseball and his wife, Eleanor (played by Theresa Wright).
For teenagers
Hoop Dreams (1994) This documentary about the high school careers of two inner-city basketball players begins when they are both recruited by a mostly-white prep school, the alma mater of NBA star Isiah Thomas. One stays in the school, but the other is let go when his performance on the team (and his height) are not what the coach had expected. The boys grow up with basketball as their only dream for being more than what they see around them. This is one of the best movies ever made about sports, about families, and about American cultural divides. (Rated PG-13 for strong language and mature themes)
Field of Dreams (1989) The themes of this movie are dreams, family, and baseball. Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) plows under his corn crop to build a baseball field so that Shoeless Joe Jackson, barred from baseball since 1919 and dead for years, can play on it. Ray and his wife (Amy Madigan) know this is a crazy thing to do, but they do it. And "Shoeless"Joe Jackson does show up, with his teamates. Jackson had been the hero of Ray's father, a former minor leaguer, with whom Ray had never been able to connect. (See “Eight Men Out” for the story of Jackson’s team.) Ray then helps a doctor (Burt Lancaster) get his chance at bat and an embittered author (James Earl Jones) get to tell another story. And then Ray gets to do what he refused to do as a teenager, play catch with his father. (Some strong language and a reference to drug use)
Eight Men Out (1988) In 1919, members of the Chicago White Sox agreed to throw the World Series. This is the story of how it happened, of the ignorant players (Jackson could not even write his name), and of the gangsters and the managers who exploited them. It is a sensitive movie with a sense of the period and of the people, a love for the early days of baseball, and a feel for the loss of its innocence. Other good movies about baseball’s history are “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings” about the all-black league, and “A League of Their Own” about the WWII-era women’s teams.
Body and Soul (1947) Along with “Golden Boy” and “Champion,” one of the great trilogy of boxing movies, this one stars John Garfield as a once-idealistic fighter who gets caught up in corruption and dissolution, and is ultimately redeemed by the love of his girlfriend (Lili Palmer) and his mother (Ann Revere), and by the values that still matter to him. This movie also has a rare early portrayal of a strong and capable (though tragic) black man, played by Canada Lee.
Rudy (1993) In this true story of determination and courage, a young man from a blue collar family wants to play football for Notre Dame, despite the fact that he has neither the athletic nor the academic skills. His determination and commitment endear him to the team, and he is finally permitted to play for seven seconds of his last game, assuring him a place in the record books as having made it on the Fighting Irish. (Some profanity)
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) The long-running Broadway musical about the lives of Jewish families in 19th century rural Russia is lovingly adapted, with all of the wit and poignance of the Sholom Alechim stories that inspired it, and the songs that have become standards. Each of Tevye’s daughters presents him with a new challenge as he struggles to reconcile his commitment to tradition with the changing environment around them.
I Remember Mama (1948) This affectionate portrait of a family of Norweigan immigrants living in San Francisco is based on the real-life memoirs of author Kathryn Forbes. Mama (played by Irene Dunne) is well worth remembering, beautiful, wise, compassionate, and loyal. She finds a way to solve all of her family’s problems, trading recipes for a critique of Katrin’s strories from a famous writer, helping her shy sister get married, disguising herself as a scrub woman to get in to see her daughter in the hospital, even (accidentally) curing a sick cat.
Cheaper By the Dozen (1950) Based on the children’s classic about the real-life pioneers of “motion study” (efficiency and ergonomics) and their 12 children, this movie shows how Frank Gilbreth (Clifton Webb) and his wife Lillian Moller Gilbreth (Myrna Loy) apply the principles of “motion study” they develop for factories and offices to their home and family. Through a variety of inventive games and projects, they teach the children everything from multiplication of large numbers to the Morse Code. Frank has even developed an efficient technique for taking a bath -- in just the amount of time it takes to hear one side of the language records he insists that the children listen to while they are “unavoidably delayed.” A sequel, Belles on Their Toes, covering the years after Frank’s death, is almost as good.
Life With Father (1947) Another story of a real-life unforgettable parent, this is the story of the family of writer Clarence Day, and especially of his bombastic father (William Powell) and gentle mother (Irene Dunne). Their genuine affection and regard for each other overcome smaller struggles over household accounts and ecclesiastical matters. A breathtakingly lovely young Elizabeth Taylor appears as Clarence, Jr.’s first romantic interest.
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) This episodic story of the Smith family in the St. Louis of 1903 is based on the memoirs of author Sally Benson. Its pleasures are in the period detail, the glorious songs (including standards “The Trolly Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” sung by Judy Garland) and the loving and nostalgic look at a time of innocence and optimism, where a long-distance call was almost as thrilling as having the World’s Fair come to your very own city. We see the family over the course of a year, celebrating Halloween and Christmas, riding the ice truck in the summer and building snowmen in the winter. They face the prospect of having to leave St. Louis so that the Mr. Smith can accept a promotion. They wonder whether the older girl’s two boyfriends will propose. They treat each other with great loyalty and affectionate tolerance. And then they live happily ever after.
You Can't Take It With You (1938) Based on the classic play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, this is the story of the Sycamore family, a group of loving and loveable eccentrics, presided over by Grandpa (Lionel Barrymore). His daughter Penny (Spring Byington) writes lurid plays while her husband Paul (Samuel S. Hinds) makes fireworks in the basement with Mr. DePinna (Halliwell Hobbes), the iceman who came by to deliver ice nine years before and just stayed on. The Sycamores have two daughters. Essie (Ann Miller) loves to dance, and her husband Ed (Dub Taylor) plays the xylophone. They sell candy to make a little money. The other daughter, Alice (Jean Arthur), is the only one in the family with a job. She works for a banking firm, and has fallen in love with the boss’ son, Tony Kirby (James Stewart). A man from the IRS arrives, to find out why Grandpa has never paid any taxes. The neighbors are all being evicted, because the land is being sold to developers who intend to build a factory. And Tony’s very elegant and snobbish parents arrive for dinner on the wrong night, descending upon the Sycamore family just as Ed is arrested for enclosing seditious statements in the candy boxes and all of the fireworks blow up. Various crises of finance and embarassment and romance and misunderstanding ensue, but all are straightened out, and everyone lives happily ever after. Children will enjoy the way that everyone in the family joyfully pursues his or her own dreams and muse, and the way they all respect and support each other.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) Anyone who has ever tried to preside over renovations will appreciate the experience of the Blandings family (led by Cary Grant and Myrna Loy) after they find their “dream house” (which must then be torn down and rebuilt). Very funny (and if you add a couple of zeroes on to the quoted figures, still very accurate). (Warning--affectionate but sterotypical portrayal of the black housekeeper, as usual for that era.)
Charlotte's Web (1973) E.B. White’s farmyard story of the pig befriended by a spider named Charlotte is brought to life in this animated version, with the voices of Hnery Gibson, Debbie Reynolds, and Paul Lynde.
“Heidi” There are several good versions of the story of the girl who goes to live with her hermit-like grandfather in the Alps, and is then taken away from him to live with a wealthy crippled girl. The best are Heidi with Shirley Temple (1937) and Heidi with Maximelian Schell and Jean Simmons.
National Velvet (1944) Elizabeth Taylor, already heartbreakingly beautiful at age 12, plays Velvet Brown, who dreams of winning the Grand National with her horse, the Pi. Anne Revere won an Oscar as one of the kindest and wisest mothers in the history of the movies, who tells Velvet that "I too believe that everyone should have a chance at a breathtaking piece of folly once in his life." Mickey Rooney has one of his quietest and most thoughtful performances as Mi Taylor, who helps Velvet train and race her horse. There are many themes worth exploring in this film, about faith, and dreams, and what happens after the dream comes true.
Old Yeller (1957) A teenager in 19th century Texas (Tommy Kirk) must learn to deal with loss when his brave and clever dog must be shot, after Yeller contracts rabies saving him. Fess Parker and Dorothy McGuire are his kind and understanding parents.
Pollyanna (1960) Pollyanna (Hayley Mills) comes to live with her wealthy aunt, Polly Harrington (Jane Wyman), after the death of her missionary parents, and transforms the life of the town with her cheerfulness and the way she expects the best from everyone she meets. This is Disney at its finest, a lavish and gorgeous fantasy of an idyllic American past. Using first-rate actors (including two former Oscar(TM) -winners) and sumptuous period detail, this movie is a delight for the eyes as well as the spirit.
The Swiss Family Robinson (1960) When the Robinsons (Dorothy McGuire and John Mills) and their three boys are shipwrecked, they make the best of it by using what remains from the ship to build a treehouse with “everything we need right at your fingertips.” But the island turns out to be a hideout for pirates. The Robinsons rescue a young girl and together they fight off the pirates with a series of booby-traps. When the girl’s grandfather arrives with his ship, one of the boys returns with him to England, but the girl and the oldest brother stay on to help establish the island as a new colony.
The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story of the “sour” young girl and the hysterical invalid boy redeemed when they find a locked up garden on the moors of Yorkshire has been beautifully filmed three times, in 1949, 1987 (for television), and 1993. In the 1949 version, featuring Margaret O’Brian and Dean Stockwell, only the scenes in the garden are filmed in color.
Oliver Twist (1948) and Oliver! (1968) These are the two best of the at least eight versions of the Charles Dickens story of the orphan boy who becomes a pickpocket and is then taken in by a wealthy man, only to be recaptured by the thieves. The 1948 version, directed by David Lean, was once considered too controversial to be shown in America because Alec Guiness’ portrayal of the Jewish Fagin, who teaches the boys to steal, and was not shown uncut in the US until 1970. The 1968 version is a gorgeously filmed production of the long-running Broadway musical, which won an Oscar(TM) as Best Picture. Younger children will enjoy Disney’s “Oliver & Company” (1988), an animated version featuring dogs as most of the main characters and a tuneful score by Billy Joel.
For 12 and up
Jane Eyre (1944) Joan Fontaine plays the shy young governess who falls in love with her charge’s mysterious guardian (Orson Welles as Mr. Rochester) in this adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte classic. Watch for a very young Elizabeth Taylor as Jane’s only friend at school in the early scenes.
Pride and Prejudice (1940) Aldous Huxley (who also worked on the screenplay for “Jane Eyre”) helped to adapt Jane Austen’s novel of the second of five sisters (Greer Garson as Elizabeth Bennett) and her suitor (Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy). Like the book, the movie is filled with deliciously foolish characters, including the pompous Mr. Collins and his overbearing patroness, Lady Catherine. Both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are able to overcome pride and prejudice to find happiness together.
The Great Race (1965) This movie both spoofs and embodies all of the conventions of the classic old silent movies (it is dedicated to "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy"), as Our Hero (Tony Curtis, as "The Great Leslie," always in white, with eyes and teeth that literally sparkle) competes with The Villain (Jack Lemmon as the evil Professor Fate) in a car race from New York to Paris. Complicating the picture is Natalie Wood, covering the race for a newspaper in an endless series of exquisite ensembles. The cartoonishly hilarious stunts Fate devises to stop Leslie are reminiscent of Road Runner cartoons, as the race takes them through the very wild west, on a sinking ice floe in the North Pacific Ocean, to a country in Europe where the king looks exactly like Fate, leading to "Prisoner of Zenda"-style intrigue--and the biggest pie fight in the history of the movies. Romance, adventure, slapstick, music, wonderful antique cars and the irresistable stars make this a sheer delight.
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) Every comedian in Hollywood -- plus Spencer Tracy -- appears in this story of a “mad” dash to buried treasure by an assortment of people becoming increasingly “mad” with greed. The result is deliriously chaotic and wildly funny.
The General (1927) In this silent classic, based on a real incident of the Civil War, Confederate engineer Buster Keaton must rescue both his train and his girlfriend when they are captured by Union soldiers. Breathtaking split-second timing of both the gags and the action leave you concluding that sound in movies is just superfluous.
Bringing Up Baby (1938) Madcap heiress Katherine Hepburn falls for shy paleontologist Cary Grant and does everything she can think of to keep him from marrying his straight-laced fiance. This includes insisting that he help her to deliver a pet leopard named Baby to the wilds of Connecticut. In the meantime, her dog George buries the rare dinosaur bone Grant had just received. This classic of the “screwball comedy” genre has been often imitated, but never surpassed.
Duck Soup (1933) The Marx Brothers bring their sublime anarchy to politics. Groucho is the Prime Minister of Freedonia, and declares war on neighboring Sylvania. But it is just an excuse for a lot of wisecracks and sight gags, including the famous mirror scene, which Harpo later re-enacted with Lucille Ball on her TV show.
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