Those of you who have followed me for a while, or who have delved into the archives (please do, there’s a treasure trove there), will know that I frequently look to the past for inspiration. It seems that there was more emphasis on decorum then, less of a laissez-faire attitude than I see today. At least in the way the past has been presented to me.
Which is why today’s suggestion should come as little surprise when I recommend watching American movies produced during the years of and just after the Depression and WWII.
The movies, particularly the screwball comedies, of the Depression years were meant to do one thing: cheer us up. And if ever we needed cheering up as we did then, it’s now. I recommend “The Thin Man” series, “Bringing Up Baby”, “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”, and “
WWII movies brought us hope and added to our National legend, showing us how we banded together under a common purpose. At least some of them. Thinking about a world at war, prolonged separation and great trials and tribulation, helps me put things in perspective. The Brits survived the Blitz! Pearl Harbor wasn’t the beginning of the end of the USA! Try “The Battle of Britain”, “Casablanca”, “The Bridge Over the River Kwai”, and “Empire of the Sun.”
Mrs. E. and I used to watch a lot of old movies, we had three huge books of DVDs, shelves of VHS tapes and even a free TCM channel at one point. These days we tend to watch a lot of spy thrillers, Network shows that get good reviews, Netflix specials and the odd rom-com (they’re few and far between I’ve noticed. At least the good ones.) Fun, exhilarating and suspenseful, they are the roller coaster rides of the small screen. I wonder where the long, meandering scenic rides have gone, the toy train rides and monorail safaris that let our overheated selves cool off and enjoy the show?
Am I succumbing to nostalgia? Maybe I just need a good saga to revive the spirits.
