High Noon (1952)

Why it's here:
Lets see: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, classic Western. Yep. That's plenty of reason.

Specs:
About an hour and a half, black and white. We watched on dvd
I'm not sure they ever make clear what the year is, but it's probably in the late 1800s

Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
7.38

More about the film and our reaction to it:
The film is not your typical Western. It is slow, thoughtful, introspective and psychological. For me, it seemed to follow the legacy of "Stagecoach" in that the whole film is tense on nothing more than the theory of waiting for something you know is going to happen. This film takes that drama to whole new planes. It is beautifully filmed. The camera seems to know just how to milk every shot for silence, tension, calm and stress. The basic selling point of the film is character. Who behaves how and why? And because the film is so well done, this is enough to make riveting cinema. The theme song "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin'" playing throughout the film, adds a haunting and emotional touch. Just thinking of the song now, evokes all the emotional tensions of this movie.

My husband was frustrated with it seeming to be a movie full of cliches. But the funny thing is, many of the cliche's were probably created by this movie itself. It is so iconic, so well-known, whether you know it or not. My son asked whether the whole idea of "the showdown at noon" preceded or followed this film? I truly have no idea.

The film is remarkable not just for the unusual slow and psychological approach but for the incredible female roles. Grace Kelly is so much more than eye candy. She is the moral center -- a Quaker who is absolutely opposed to violence. She makes several hard choices based on her own conscience and character. More amazing still, an Hispanic woman of strength and character, (a respected business woman no less) is played by a Mexican actress (Helen Ramirez) in a powerful performance. This just blows me away.

Beyond the movie's plot, you can also enjoy the film as allegory for what was going on in Hollywood at this time (blacklisting/Red scare politics). The issues of character -- of standing up and doing the right thing can be a great jumping off point for a chance to learn about these dark times in Hollywood.

All politics aside, we've now enjoyed seeing Gary Cooper at several stages in his career: as a very young actor in "Wings"; as a man at the height of his powers in "The Pride of the Yankees" and, here, as a mature man. Always an incredible screen presence.

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Stagecoach (1939)

Why it's here:
We needed to watch John Wayne. I'd heard a lot about this one as the first pairing of John Wayne with John Ford the famous director of Westerns -- and as the movie that made John Wayne a star.

Specs:
About an hour and a half long, black and white. Available on dvd.
The film is set in 1880.

Our family's average rating on a scale of 1-10:
8.0

More about the movie and our reaction to it:
It's always a good sign when immediately after watching a movie the kids get up and start playing. Whether its grabbing bows and arrows after Robin Hood, or climbing the walls (literally) after Buster Keaton, or pulling out the Nerf guns and having a shootout after tonights entry, it makes me smile a gratified smile.

The film is a top notch quality Western. Whether you love the genre or put up with it, Hollywood Westerns are a force of nature that should be sampled and you can't go wrong with this one. The film builds tension to a slow steady burn, creating a sense of drama though almost nothing "happens" through 2/3 of the movie. The last half hour, when Apache Indians (played to Ford's credit by Native actors) start to fire upon the stage is thrilling stuff.

So, yes, the movie does have some tough violent themes. It also has talk of prison and social ostracism and reference to the leading lady's character and repute (treated with a light brush, but treated). There is a good deal of drinking hard alcohol -- humorously, and by one character in particular. All these elements are present, but the overwhelming impression is just of a good, well-told story in a beautiful Western surrounding. (It was shot on location in Monument Valley).

The film draws on the natural dramatic tension that arises when a disparate group of folks are thrown together in some situation - here, riding together on a stagecoach through dangerous territory. All the lead performances are impressive and add greatly to the production. But John Wayne's performance is simply profound. He had an extensive body of work in B movies, but was not generally known before this film. Stagecoach is said to be the movie that made him a star and you can surely see why. He comes on screen with so much presence and charisma you can't look anywhere else.

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Gone With the Wind (1939)

Why it's here:
I went back and forth on this a long time. GWTW is one of my favorites and I knew it intimately. I wasn't sure whether it would be too tense for the boys, too racist, too long, too romantic. . . I just wasn't sure. Ultimately, I thought, why not just put it in the player and see.

Specs:
4 hours long. We recommend watching over two nights. There is a perfect stopping point at intermission. Glorious Technicolor

The film is set in the Civil War era.

Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
8.75, making it our second favorite film in the festival.

More about the film and our reaction to it:
One of my favorite anecdotes to share with people about our film festival has to do with this film. After having watched over 30 years of film and about 40 titles, when we got to Gone With the Wind, we were all astounded by its quality. You just can't realize the full power of a film sometimes if you haven't placed it in the context of what comes before. GWTW is simply an amazing landmark film, so grand in scope and sweep, so extraordinarily beautiful to look at and with such a big story, that we could not help but be very impressed. Had I simply popped this in to the player back in May and asked my family to enjoy it "cold", I doubt whether they would have been able to.

As it is, we loved learning about the Civil War, the genteel South just before war hit, and the protracted period of Reconstruction after it. GWTW allows you to see the toll of war on people in a powerful way. Beloved characters die, people lose their land and struggle simply to eat. Characters make hard choices and undertake ruthless acts that they might not have ever done before the war. Babies are born, people struggle with love, and life goes on. We were all deeply moved by the drama. There is cruelty and kindness in relationships and some pretty tense, grown-up themes. But my kids loved the movie, because it is so brilliantly made.

The film is long, but I can't say that it is "too long", because the pacing is so good and so strong throughout that it ends up feeling just right. We couldn't wait to cue it back up the second night. The Technicolor is beyond breathtaking. This has to be one of the most beautiful films ever made. The costumes and landscapes are rich, but not too jarringly colorful. Scenes are muted, with wonderfully appropriate lighting. The film is stuffed with extras and deep acting as well as richly scored. It has massive spectacle value.

As for parent concerns: there are several scenes of violence - two of the most intense come when a soldier's leg is amputated and when Scarlett shoots a man in the face. There is a fair amount of implied sexuality - and allusions to a woman of ill-fame, though nothing overt is shown. And, there are multiple issues of racism. Obviously, the picture deals with the Civil War, there are issues of class, wealth, snobbery, and ruthlessness.  But none of these is necessarily as problematic for family viewing as the problem of unfamiliarity with slower-moving, lushly dramatic story telling. We got a lot of value out of GWTW, but another family without the backdrop of experience with classics might not.

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Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Why it's here:
An American government lesson wrapped inside a wonderful film.

Specs:
Just over two hours, black and white. Available on dvd.

Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
7.5

More about the film and our reaction to it:
The movie starts out funny, then graduates, slowly, to a story that is tense, a bit unsettling and very powerful. We liked all the phases of the film, especially the fantastic and earnest performance of Jimmy Stewart.

Stewart plays Smith, an innocent and idealistic youth-leader with a strong local following who, for odd reasons, ends up being called up by the governor of his state to replace the state senator who has died unexpectedly -- at a very sensitive time. A pork barrel measure regarding a dam, is about to go to ballot and the powers that be needed the deceased senator to get the measure through. Now, they are simply hoping that Smith will act as a puppet and not cause trouble.

But they weren't banking on Smith's deep commitment to the honor of the role and the integrity of the political process. Smith wants to do something important. Unfortunately, what he wants to do conflicts directly with what the powerful forces in his state expected of him. Luckily, Smith has the help of Saunders (played by Jean Arthur) a woman who despite living in a man's world, is a real politico who knows how to work the system.

The kids were fascinated with the political theater -- and the movie, knowing that it is providing a special glimpse into our government, plays that up to the hilt. We had a lot of great conversations about power and politics and techniques like filibusters. The film is beautifully filmed with a sense of love and respect for our Capital, even though the story is rooted in the harsh realities of politics.

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