The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962)

Why it's here: 
Highly recommended by a friend who brought his son and some snacks over to watch with us! We certainly can't go wrong with that.

Specs: 
2 hours; black and white

Our rating on a scale of 1 - 10: 
8.13

More about the film and our reaction to it:
The film did not disappoint. Remarkable for the onscreen pairing of James Stewart and John Wayne whose talents suit each other remarkably well, this film is yet another of John Ford's successful Westerns and probably one of the best Westerns we've seen. It kept reminding me of the other wonderfully different Westerns in our festival: Stagecoach and High Noon. All three share a similar calm, intellectual story - rather than a high energy "shoot em up" approach.

The film may be best suited for tweens and up -- not because it is gory or violent -- but because it might seem dull or slow for those who don't get in to the underlying personal and political tensions. There are a few graphic and unsettling moments including, I guess I don't give anything away here that the title hasn't already suggested -- a man shot in a gun battle. The interesting piece is not so much that this man was shot but by whom and why and we don't really learn that until we put it all together at the end.

We would recommend the film highly.


Iconic Image:

Mister Roberts (1955)

Why it's here:
Henry Fonda, William Powell, James Cagney (who we've seen and enjoyed separately) and a chance to introduce the kids to Jack Lemmon. What an impressive cast!

Specs:
About 2 hours, black and white. Available on dvd.

Our family's average rating:
8.13

More about the film and our reaction to it:
My family's reaction to the film was that this wasn't exactly full-on comedy, nor was it really war drama, but it was a perfect mix of the two. We laughed a lot throughout, but the film is much deeper than it is silly. We gained incredible insight into the emotions and conditions of men on a boat in WWII.

The film resonated a good deal with us because the boys' grandfather had been at Pearl Harbor and must have lived the experiences of the navy in the era as portrayed in this film.

The performances by all the leads are incredible. As always, we adore William Powell. He is my favorite character here as a dignified, clever, but basically warm-hearted doctor. James Cagney is wonderful as the horrible (and still hilarious) captain Morton. Henry Fonda has to be at the very top of the list of all the actors we've seen during our festival in terms of sheer acting skill. We saw this film weeks ago, and as I sit writing this, I still feel attached to the man he played here. Fonda makes Mr. Roberts incredibly real.

Finally, this was our introduction to Jack Lemmon and a great one at that. Lemmon plays a slightly inept, but extremely energetic and randy young man.  A parent's note: a few of the scenes, especially those involving Lemmon's character, are a bit risque in theme. One scene in the beginning has the sailors using binoculars to watch when they discover that a nurses barracks and shower is viewable from where they are anchored. Although that scene may make the film objectionable for some families, the sexuality doesn't get any more involved than that. There is a fair amount of suggestive innuendo about Lemmon's pursuit of a particular nurse, but overall, this makes a small part of the film, is not too lascivious, and simply adds to the light humor.

The film is exceptionally well-made and does a magnificent job of setting a mood and creating memorable characters. We absolutely loved it.

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The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Why it's included:
We wanted to see Henry Fonda at various stages of his long career. The Grapes of Wrath -- a wonderful adaptation of a poignant novel -- was a perfect choice. My only concern was weather the kids could handle the pain of the Great Depression and the power of the movie's themes. The answer was 'yes'.

Specs:
Just over 2 hours, black and white. We watched on a dvd from the local library.
The film is set during the Dust Bowl

Our family's average rating on a scale of 1-10:
8.33

More about the film and our reaction to it:
This is an extremely powerful and well made movie about an important and very real topic in American history. Although it is probably better suited to the 12+ crowd, for its themes, my 10 year old got a lot out of it too.

For any one who doesn't know, the film, based on the John Steinbeck novel of the same name,  opens with Tom Joad (Fonda) getting out of prison and returning home to find his family and neighbors in the throes of the dust bowl in Oklahoma. Sharecroppers, they are forced off their land by wealthier landowners attempting to put more acreage under mechanized farming. The Joads move west toward what they hope will be greener pastures, in response to advertising pamphlets that have overstated the land of opportunity that is California. The story chronicles their difficult journey west and the conditions of life they meet and endure once there.

This is beautifully acted, directed and photographed. The landscapes are so starkly gorgeous, they are highly evocative. The performances of Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell, as Tom's mother are simply phenomenal and director John Ford, has a clear knack for how to just back off and tell a story. This makes for an exceedingly heart-wrenching and moving tale that will give your kids a powerful understanding of what was going on in our country at this time. We highly recommend it -- but only for those who can handle these themes.
The film ultimately has an uplifting message of hope and fighting injustice (with Henry Fonda's famous "I'll be there" speech to his mother at the end), but there's no getting around the idea that the movie is a serious downer.

Iconic shot:

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.

Iconic shot:

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