The Ten Commandments (1956)

Why it's here:
To sample something by the great director Cecil B De Mille.

Specs:
Over 3 1/2 hours long! (we watched over two nights). Color and available on dvd.
Set in biblical times; at the time of Moses.

Our family's average rating:
8.38

More about the film and our reaction to it:
Wow. Just wow. This has so much enormity and spectacle value that it is breathtaking to watch.

I can see why Cecil B. DeMille was such an icon. He knew how to make a BIG movie. He so clearly understood what details are important. He has assembled a magnificent and deep cast. His special effects are excellent and, even by today's standards, don't look cheesy but seamless and impressive. His locations (some in Egypt, some in California) are gorgeous and evocative.

Everything feels sweeping, grand and important -- including his choice to film this story.  He follows the life of Moses from the time he was set upon the Nile in a basket, to his status as an Egyptian leader, to his calling from God to lead his people out of slavery. The story is an incredible one and this an amazingly solid adaptation of it that stands up well today.

Iconic image:

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.

Iconic shot:

Becky Sharp (1935)

Why it's here:
There's only one reason for Becky Sharp to be on our list: it is the first major film release done in full Technicolor.

Specs:
Hour and a half, COLOR. Available on youtube.
The film is set in Victorian England.

Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
4.75

More about the film and our reaction to it:
Becky Sharp is the main character in William Thackery's "Vanity Fair." I've seen a more modern adaptation of the story and wouldn't have necessarily thought this was a great option for family viewing, but we chose it on the sole criterion of it's being the "first" color film (see note on "B&W to Color" for qualifiers). It is interesting to note that the transition in Hollywood from black and white to color was a much much slower one than the transition from silent to sound. Although Becky Sharp marks the first technicolor entry in our festival, the great bulk of films being made for the next 20 years will still be in black and white.

The color in Becky Sharp was not as vibrant or beautiful as in The Adventures of Robin Hood or Gone With the Wind, but it is still impressive as an achievement and fun to see after so many years of black and white. Unfortunately, we had to watch this on Youtube, as we couldn't find it elsewhere, and that presented a hurdle to our enjoyment -- the resolution was not great and did not showcase the Technicolor to its best advantage.  And since the Technicolor was the major selling point for us, it ended up being a bit of a flop. Although this is a landmark film, technically speaking, it has not become an enduring classic.

Becky Sharp is a pretty run of the mill period drama. The underlying story is a good one and tells the tale of a very scheming and ruthless woman who uses people (especially men) to get ahead in the world. She makes Scarlett O'Hara look kind and sympathetic by comparison. We didn't actually watch the whole film but maybe the first half, and then skimmed to the end. If you are a fan of period drama you might enjoy this, otherwise we would suggest you pass on it -- or just watch a bit to experience the technological wonder of three-strip Technicolor!

Iconic shot: