Podcasts and More at InSession Film!

 

We've delved into some Alfred Hitchcock discourse recently at InSession Film, both in writing and on the new Women InSession Podcast with my fellow female critics Zita Short, Amy Thomasson, and Erica Richards! 😱

Hitchcock in the 1930s

Two Great, Two Ho-hum Hitchcock

Episode 7: Hitchcock in the 30s and 40s

Episode 8: Hitchock in the 1950s

Women InSession Ep9: @vampfamwriter, @Zita_Short and @athomasson11 discuss Alfred Hitchcock in the late 1950's and his films of the 1960's!

Listen now! --> https://t.co/gd11SLuDWc#PodNation #PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/Tztglc3irt

— InSession Film (@InSessionFilm) September 23, 2022

You can follow all my of work at InSession Film on my Author Page or listen to previous episodes of Women InSession! 

We're at InSession Film!

 

Tidings of health, hearth, and home from I Think, Therefore I Review! By Royal We of course, I mean me, and in the past few months in addition to I Think, Therefore I Review, I've also been doing some classic film analysis at InSession Film!

Feel free to explore some of the Old School Top Tens and More:

Top Ten: Gregory Peck Essentials

Harvey – Because We All Need a Pooka Right Now

Top Ten: Montgomery Clift Essentials

Top Ten: Charlton Heston Essentials

Top Ten: 'A Christmas Carol' Adaptations

Op-Ed: Seven Vincent Price Movies that Aren't Horror

Remember of course, you can find much more Horror commentary and Frightening Flix analysis exclusively at HorrorAddicts.net! Revisit the podcast season to hear our reviews and don't forget there are also a few Frightening Flix videos on Youtube alongside our Kbatz Kraft Holiday crafts and Dark Shadows inspired decorating:

I admit I've driven some of my editors a little crazy this year. At times I took on too many projects, bowed out of other opportunities, messaged people constantly over every little technical issue, but then took breaks from social media altogether. While chatting in some of those Kbatz Kraft videos, I've talked about rewatching a lot more comfort shows this year, both retreating into a rewatch happy place or going nothing to loose ambitious on artwork – each, of course, understandable for obvious reasons a.k.a 2020. So here's to getting back to a more regular reviewing schedule and the chance to share more Classic Film, Horror Movies, Retro TV, and Sweet Music in 2021!

Men's Movies List!

A Men’s Movie List

By Kristin Battestella

Although I’m not often a fan of the sappy, sometimes I swing in the completely opposite direction for some knock down, drag out, action heavy man pictures!  Here’s a quick compilation of movies for boys who play hard with their action, sport, war, and classics. 

Airport ‘77 – An all-star cast – including Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, Christopher Lee, James Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, and George Kennedy – adds even more nostalgia to this entry from the seventies transportation disaster franchise. Sure, it’s now typical of the early disaster flicks and we get plenty of those apocalyptic CGI blockbusters today. There isn’t a lot of character development either, and the equipment, mechanics, and ideology are out of date, too.  Nonetheless, there’s still a lot of fun here thanks to a unique mix of airline and aquatic dangers. The search and rescue half of the film feels more like a documentary or education short on the procedures and peril as one by one our stars have their moments. It’s strange to see some of these aged stars in their relative prime as well, but fans of the cast must see all the talent as they come out to play for this entertaining and often intense action yarn. 

Any Given Sunday – It took forever to get this one from Netflix, but I hadn’t seen this 1999 Oliver Stone football ode in a long time and wanted to watch the “Life’s this game of inches” heavy in all its glory.  Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quad, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, Ann-Margaret, Charlton Heston, Aaron Eckhart, and many, many more in this A-list cast are all on their game as the great music, script, speeches, and quotes both bad ass and poetic highlight the lowlights of pro sports. Drug use, cutthroat contracts and betrayal, sex, media, medical malpractice – if it’s corrupt, it is here. Stone films his scenes as though they were fond memories or hyperbole sports recollections. The camera is both hectic, dizzying, and in your face in-game action and yet edgy, slow motion artistic. The editing captures the violent beauty on the field and the football as religion state of mind.  The lingo and style might be dated now, but the design smartly stays away from specific trends and is still very cool. Though long at over two and a half hours, fans can watch the enjoyable, over the top entertainment out of season or have this on in the background to spruce up a post game party.

Band of Brothers – I can’t say how many times I’ve seen this exceptionally photographed, multi layered, and award winning 2001 World War II mini series from HBO, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks.  The camerawork is both vivid, colorful, and intimate whilst also being grainy, old school, hectic, and epic. I’m sure there must be special effects, but the work is so seamless, it’s unnoticeable. Various story-telling concepts such as flashbacks and individual narrations are used to spotlight central characters per episode and this core helps focus the extensive topics surrounding Easy Company. Of course, everyone and his grandpa makes appears here, from main cast members Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Scott Grimes, Donnie Walhberg, Neal McDonough, and David Schwimmer to then unknowns such as James McAvoy, Simon Pegg, Colin Hanks, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, and more. Everyone is simply delightful and downright touching as we meet the cast’s real life counterparts throughout the series. “Bastogne,” “The Breaking Point,” and “The Last Patrol” are outstanding, as is “Why We Fight.” I don’t like to see Holocaust material, but you know this is heart-wrenching perfection. There’s some dramatic license, sure; and language, nudity, and plenty of war gruesome will keep this one out of the classroom. However, this is perhaps as near-complete a war diary as one can see, and is there any group more legendary than the 101^st? Wartime audiences might find a viewing difficult, but this show is delightful for military historians, as are the massive behind the scenes features and a dynamite blu ray transfer. Though I’d love to see a counter point series on a German regiment of note someday, the sentiment, action, and rah rah here is near impossible to beat. 

The Quiet Man – One never gets tired of this charming 1952 classic, and there’s no better time than St. Patrick’s Day to sit back with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara in director John Ford’s idyllic ode to Ireland. The stunning vintage Technicolor scenery, Maureen as Mary Kate and her flaming red hair bellowing in the wind, the quaint townsfolk and their old fashioned ways, a bonnet left behind, the courting via a matchmaker, the withheld dowry, and the brawl to end all brawls. You know you were picturing it all!  Excellent support from Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerarld, and Ward Bond add to the chemistry, tenderness, and spitfire delights here. Yes, the issues facing 1920 Ireland are never felt onscreen, but the drama is feel good nonetheless. For those who haven’t seen this one and think Ford and Wayne are nothing but dusty old cowboys, you better think again!  All the boys in the family young or old can watch this Irish nostalgia again and again.

Titus – Okay, this 1999 Shakespeare gone bizarre cinematic blend won’t be for everyone. Not only is the anachronistic approach and tone a bit confusing, but the serious amount of nudity, violence, and gore are not often found in period pieces. Traditional Shakespeare enthusiasts might be put off completely by the change-up, and that’s exactly why non-fans of The Bard can love the freaky transitions, apocalyptic cool, and twisted ensemble of Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lang, Alan Cummings, Harry Lennix, Laura Fraser, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The dialogue is powerful and largely line for line from its source, and all the ancient justice and vengeance is heavy, modern, and fresh. Even the score was lifted for 300! Rapacious foreshadowing, off screen disembowelments – some of what you don’t see in Titus is quite frightening.  In fact, Shakespeare dynamos may actually enjoy this stylized spin along with the edgy layman – its risqué, mature, and disturbing as needed. 

The Glenn Miller Story

The Glenn Miller Story is Just Dynamite!

By Kristin Battestella

                                                                                                                          

James Stewart stars as Glenn Miller, a poor musician courting Helen Burger (June Allyson) in this 1954 biopic. Miller pawns and borrows instruments as needed between gigs - which he’s usually tossed from thanks to his radical, jazzed up arrangements. When Glenn and piano man Chummy (Harry Morgan, Dragnet, MASH) finally get a steady tour with the band, success comes calling- only to be followed by more pawnshops.  After years of ups and downs, adoptions, and scrimping and saving; solid acclaim finally arrives thanks to ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and the ‘Glenn Miller Sound’.   When war breaks out, Captain Miller and his entire Orchestra enlist and embark on an overseas tour. The boys entertain the troops through the blitz- literally- before a pre-Christmas tragedy intervenes in 1944.

“He’s not dead, he’s missing!” So says Bea Arthur as the Glenn Miller obsessed Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls.  When asked if she’s a fan in the fifth season episode ‘Dancing in the Dark’, Dorothy responds, “Are you kidding? I was in the search party!”  Today’s younger generation probably only knows ‘In the Mood’- if you’re lucky and they know Miller at all.  Although, I suppose I’m a bit of an over fan; my husband says people our age aren’t supposed to like Glenn Miller.  When I say put on a record, he chooses one from thirty years ago when I’m thinking 1930s!   Unfortunately, as of yet, I’ve been unable to find Miller’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery, though I have searched for it on a trip or two.  There’s simply so much more to this World War II MIA casualty than to be forgotten by contemporary audiences, and The Glenn Miller Story highlights the famed musician from his humble rise and big band heights to career success and his final military service. 

Naturally, The Glenn Miller Story is not quite a traditional fifties musical as we might expect, nor is it actually that accurate for a biography.  Embellishments on the stories behind Miller staples like ‘String of Pearls’, ‘Pennsylvania 65000’, and ‘Little Brown Jug’ are reaching just a bit towards the love story and over dramatization. Even so, frequent Stewart director Anthony Mann (Winchester ’73, Bend of the River), and writers Valentine Davies (Miracle on 34^th Street, It Happens Every Spring) and Oscar Brodney’s (Tammy and the Bachelor) Oscar nominated tale is still light hearted, toe tapping, and charming.  Though only ten years removed from his tragic crash, The Glenn Miller Story doesn’t capitalize, but rather celebrates an American rags to riches story with great people and awesome tunes.  Even with said liberties on the facts and the not a musical per se label, the innocent romance, musical scenes, and dynamite compositions are balanced together wonderfully.  We have concert sequences and stage performances to accent the human story, and as superior as the music is, it doesn’t replace the focus on the man and his dreams.  The Glenn Miller Story also breaks a few 1954 taboos and features black and white musicians playing together- even though there are segregated club scenes, too.  I can see some die-hard Miller enthusiasts actually being upset with The Glenn Miller Story; the entire presentation is actually pretty unrealistic. There are obvious errors, timeline confusions, musical anachronisms, and more embellishment than the real deal.  I wouldn’t recommend this for the formal classroom either. Here we have a film about one of the greatest composers of the 20^th century, and you hardly ever hear any musical terms!  So what if parts of The Glenn Miller Story are completely ridiculously, fifties faults, and marshmallow? This is still an endearing little encapsulation of great pre-war music and mid century sentiment, and it’s an absolute delight!

He’s Jimmy Stewart and he’s Glenn Miller. We instantly like golly gee Glenn because he certainly has a touch of George Bailey, doesn’t he? Stewart (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Harvey, Rear Window, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, I’ll stop…) is himself- the actor and veteran we know and love- and yet, he is also completely in the vein of Miller’s look, persona, and mannerisms.  Miller is a man often down on his luck and low on cash, but he never lets that interfere with his seemingly outrageous dreams. Yes, Stewart is obviously not playing diddily on that slide trombone, but so what? It sounds good; looks good, the man and the music come across perfectly and wonderfully embody an iconic American success story.  It’s just amazing how a little pair of glasses can make such a big difference! Of course, the June Allyson romance is a little too Wonderful Life as well, and Allyson doesn’t have much to do beyond being the sassy, good little woman doing all the Mrs. Miller inspiring behind the scenes. However, Allyson does have that button cute style and does sassy so well- heck, she practically made a career out of playing Stewart’s good little woman with Strategic Air Command and The Stratton Story. Unfortunately, there are a lots of great tunes that aren’t heard because room was made for laying the sappy on so thick, but The Glenn Miller Story is still a fine introduction for a younger casual big band fan or a trip down memory lane. This is how a rock bio should be! Who needs all that sex, drugs, and rock n roll thrust on us today when we can have music and stars like this?  Not to be outdone, surprise appearances by the likes of The Modernaires, Gene Krupa, and Louis Armstrong add more fun to The Glenn Miller Story.  In that regard, there is a lot of footage and musical history that you can’t get anywhere else.  

 And let’s talk some more about that charming music, because it just needs a paragraph all its own! From the opening bars of ‘Moonlight Serenade’ sweeping in with the credits to the tear jerking ‘Little Brown Jug’ finale, Joseph Gershenson (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Henry Mancini’s (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) Oscar nominated adaptation and scoring of Miller’s tunes are like a character unto themselves in The Glenn Miller Story. Even with such a heartwarming story, this is an incredible film just to listen to- for the budding forties music fan or those unfortunately unaware, it is simply amazing to hear so many great songs and realize, well, that these are great songs! Though it can be frustrating that all the songs aren’t named onscreen, there are so many recognizable hits and melodies both lingering in the underscore or being played to the hilt with full orchestra arrangements.  I simply adore the totally feigned serendipitous appearance of ‘I Know Why and So do You’ and there’s a great dance routine to accompany ‘Tuxedo Junction’. ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘At Last’ are here as originally envisioned without Judy Garland and Etta James, and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ arrives just in time to rally the troops. Damn this show gets me every time! I want to cry, I want to get up and dance, gosh darnnit I can’t help myself. If you don’t want the sappy embellished story, you can always pick up this hit soundtrack. Though obviously the compositions here are rerecords and some original Glenn Miller Orchestra names and musicians are entirely missing from The Glenn Miller Story, these tunes are still ten times better than the quivering pop drivel of today.

To accent all the solid sounds, The Glenn Miller Story also has fun fifties scenery, great club locales, and sweet, classic décor. Oh, the cars, the hats, the candlestick phones! Men in dinner jackets and fedoras, gloves, flashy showgirls, and cool color slides.  Yes indeed, it is a little more fifties than some of the earlier decades supposedly portrayed, but it all still looks just golden. Those turntables and newspaper montages, sigh. That house, sweet Jesus and those great old-fashioned microphones!  The wartime styles, real military footage, and a forties Christmas…If this film doesn’t put a smile on your face, bring a tear to your eye, or have you tapping your toe, nothing will.

Again, The Glenn Miller Story will be too dated or picture perfect rather than true biography for many.  For nostalgia lovers, music fans, budding big band connoisseurs, and classic film aficionados, however, this little ditty is tough to beat.  Relive that Glenn Miller sound anytime of year with The Glenn Miller Story.Remember, after all, “He’s not dead, he’s missing!”

More Family Friendly Science Fiction and Fantasy

More Family Friendly Science Fiction and Fantasy.

By Kristin Battestella

Who wants to go out and enjoy the nice Spring weather when there’s great, fanciful film fanfare to be had indoors? Save these science fiction and fantasy tales both old and new for a rainy family friendly day together. After all, it’s cheaper than Chucky Cheese. 

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Okay, maybe this 2000 stylized kung fu drama directed by Ang Lee isn’t really fantasy per se, but it has the best fantastical flying kung fu I’ve ever seen. Yes, it can be a little slow, serious, and long winded- some youth will certainly have a tough time with the essential subtitles, too. However, there are lovely performances, fine story, exceptional scenery, and sweet choreography to awe teens. This one proves not all kung fu movies were low budget seventies clunkers where the voices don’t match the mouth movements-and its dynamite on blu-ray.

Edward Scissorhands – This 1990 tale of a lonely, incomplete man with scissors for hands is a little more mature and dark then some of my other suggestions. However, this early, spooky, and yet heartwarming collaboration from director Tim Burton and star Johnny Depp has all the whimsy and freakiness needed without getting too comical, bizarre, or just weird. Fine performances from a lovely ensemble cast including Winona Ryder, Kathy Baker, Dianne Wiest, and Vincent Price blend humor, love, and innocence into one charming little tale young and old can enjoy.

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial – Sometimes I fear that due to some serious eighties styles, younger audiences might not tune in for this wonderfully personal 1982 film from Steven Spielberg. Reintroduce Reece’s Pieces and ‘E.T. phone home’ to the next generation ASAP. No matter how old you get, who can’t relate to this one- it’s got divorce, evil governments, and loveable aliens to rescue. Some super young viewers might be a little afraid of E.T., but the joy of sharing this one is worth the effort.

Frequency – This 1999 tearjerker starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel is a little melodramatic and has us taking a considerable leap of faith, but it does have a lovely and relatable premise that will touch your heart: What if you could talk to your deceased father again thanks to ham radio and aurora borealis? What if you could change the past and have one more moment to be face to face with your dead father, hug him, and introduce your child to him? Sappy, yes, but there’s also enough mystery, action, and suspense here for your own guys night in.

Harvey – My nieces may not remember the title or the wit of this 1950 classic, but they do remember ‘that old movie about the guy with the invisible rabbit’. James Stewart is wonderful as Elwood P. Dowd, and though the black and white photography might make it tough for the youngins’ to pay attention, you can’t take your eyes off the charm and subtle tricks onscreen. Josephine Hull is delightfully fanatical as the sister trying to commit Elwood and his six-foot Pooka- it’s all just a case of misunderstanding, really, but the bemusing and somehow mellow hysteria hasn’t gotten old yet. If you don’t believe me, do believe the American Film Institute’s Top Ten Fantasy List-Harvey is number seven.

Independence Day – There was a time not so long ago when one could find this aptly named 1996 sci-fi thriller on any given channel every July 4^th. In light of more recent visual effects spectacles, I think young audiences might have forgotten about this touching yet funny popcorn and kick-ass disaster movie. Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin’s not so little movie still looks good and makes us laugh just as much as it binds us together for the big moments from Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Barbecue is not required with a viewing.

Sleepy Hollow – Here’s another less bizarre and family fun spookfest from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. This 1999 period piece also starring Christina Ricci isn’t as dark and decrepit as a film about Ichabod Crane could be, but its hint of goth and turn of the century humor is perfect for a scary night in for families growing beyond Hocus Pocus. The suspense, ensemble cast, and surprisingly disturbing performance from Christopher Walken as the Headless Horsemen keep this one worthy as the successor to The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Who doesn’t love that one?

Stardust – I was very pleasantly surprised with this 2007 fantasy based on Neil Gaiman’s illustrated novel. Though familiar with Gaiman from his Death: The High Cost of Living comics, Stardust is not as dark or heavy. There’s plenty of mature whimsy harkening back to Victorian ideologies and fantasy for Claire Danes and Michelle Pfiefer with which to have fun. Some of the picture is a little uneven, and Robert DeNiro seems completely miscast as a latently fruity pirate, but all in all this was an exciting and enjoyable little film. Teens growing out of Potter will love this one.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? – I have to confess, every time this 1988 Robert Zemeckis spectacle is on cable, I can’t help but watch. Despite all our CGI advances, this mix of live cast and animated favorites still looks wonderful. Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, and Joanna Cassidy all look great in forties fashion; and the blend of humor, music, and mystery holds up. If nothing else, it amazes me that we can see Disney and Warner toons together! There’s delightful fun for the kids and some old fashioned innuendo for the adults- what’s not to love?

Bell Book and Candle

Bell Book and Candle is still Great, Witchy Fun

By Kristin Battestella

We may think all the young adult fantasy books, Potter-esque films, and shows like Charmed have cornered the magic market onscreen, but classics like 1958’s Bell Book and Candle have kept the kooky comedy and witchy situations innocent and fun all along.

Over Christmas, good natured New York witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) grows a little tired of her witchy ways and Aunt Queenie’s (Elsa Lanchester) magical games. When Gil falls in love with publisher and upstairs neighbor Shep Henderson (James Stewart), she uses her cat Pyewacket to cast a spell. Shep must fall in love with Gil and thus not marry her former rival and college classmate Merle Kittridge (Janice Rule, 3 Women). While all the love blossoms, Gil’s warlock brother Nicky (Jack Lemmon) assists writer Sidney Redlitch (Ernie Kovacs) in his new book ‘Magic in Manhattan’. Will Shep’s publication of the book expose the Holroyds’ witchy ways and ruin Gil’s romance with Shep?

Based upon the play by John Van Druten (Gaslight, Cabaret), director Richard Quine (Sunny Side of the Street) and screenwriter Daniel Taradash (From Here to Eternity) craft a charming look at the power and hijinks of magic and love. We often allude to love being like a bewitching spell in lyrics and poetry. Even though a spell is cast in Bell Book and Candle, we’re never quite sure where the magic ends and the true love begins. The fanciful and fun take on possible love from socially at odds groups-humans and witches-is lighthearted and still enjoyable today. We can make all the modern and hefty allusions we want about mixed romances or stereotypes about practitioners of witchcraft, but it’s nice to just take in a sweet movie with none of those pretenses. There are a few lighting effects, camera tricks, and the proverbial smoke and mirrors, but more than anything Bell Book and Candle allows its players the time and space to show the magical fun.

Yes, Jimmy Stewart (Harvey, It’s A Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Rear Window, Anatomy of a Murder, need I go on?) is a little too old to be a leading man here against Kim Novak, but he’s still delightful as the straight man publisher caught in the magical mix of spells and romance. We believe a charming witch could get Shep all flustered, confused, and tongue-tied due to Stewart’s loveable slip-ups. His mix of enchantment and clueless nonsense when confronted with the world of witchcraft must have been great fun then-as it still is now to the modern viewer. Stewart’s old, and perhaps his performance is a bit Capra-esque old fashioned, but it’s a fun turn nonetheless. As wonderfully fooled as Shep is, Jack Lemmon’s Nicky is wickedly slick. His magic is all in good fun, too, but he can’t resist the spotlight. Nicky’s ill-attempted exposé writing collaborations mix the crazy ambition with the sardonic blend of wit and drama contemporary audiences expect from the late star of Grumpy Old Men and The Odd Couple. In a way, there is a touch of passing the torch between the graying Stewart and energetic Lemmon. Both men handled the romance, seriousness, and comedy of their roles before and after Bell Book and Candle with a style and class not often found in today’s young acting crowd.

Though not as famous as her male counterparts, its fun to see Kim Novak paired with Jimmy Stewart again after Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense filled Vertigo the same year. Novak’s good witch longing for love does take some getting used to after her deceptive dame in Vertigo, but her husky voice and dynamite eyes adhere to the femme and witchy vibe we expect. Her costumes are hip, with mostly spooky black or eye-catching reds- but what’s with the high, almost white hair? There’s not many close ups of Novak for some reason, but the ones we’re given are breathtaking. Fun effects and cat motifs add to Gil’s already enchanting ways, too. We believe her when she says she has the power to get things done, yet we feel for her wishes for normalcy. Likewise, Elsa Lanchester’s (The Private Life of Henry VIII, Bride of Frankenstein, Witness for the Prosecution) Aunt Queenie is great fun as the elder, kooky and mischievous sprite helping with some good natured interference and match making. Comedy maven Ernie Kovacs (Our Man in Havana, North to Alaska) is also a delight as author Sidney Redlitch – an ‘expert’ of modern witches among us who fails to see the warlocks right under his nose.

Part of Bell Book and Candle’s charm is its fun fifties color and style: the cigarettes, quirky music, Oscar nominated high-end fashion and nonchalant, cute effects. The high life of mid century New York is a delightful time capsule, and the pillow talk approach to witchcraft is in a way modern but no less sweet. However, part of this charm also irrevocably dates the portrayal. It’s 1958- the innocence of the post war years would soon be lost. Some of the whirlwind two-week romance is a little too innocent with no innuendo before the quick marriage talk, and even the colorful styles and titled fedoras would be on the fashion outs in a few years’ time. It’s as if the onscreen attitudes and styles are a final fifties hurrah before the turmoil and realizations of the sixties.

Now I’m sorry to say that I don’t know anything about current Wiccan and religious practices; but naturally modern pagans and witches looking for some seriousness and accuracy won’t find it in Bell Book and Candle. While not deliberately offensive, the clean cut fifties stylings goes for the traditional broomstick stereotypes. It’s great if you like films with some witchy fun, but there’s no realistic portrayal here. Classic film fans, however, can also enjoy the similar I Married A Witch (1942) starring Veronica Lake- both films are often attributed as the inspiration for the beloved television series Bewitched. Modern romantic fans tired of the same inane plots over and over will be charmed, too. Youthful audiences who still enjoy enchanting tales like Bewitched or Hocus Pocus can take in Bell Book and Candle at Halloween, Christmas, or any time of year.

Shenandoah

Shenandoah Still Sad, Tragic

By Kristin Battestella

Despite my recent DVD proclivity for Sean Bean, my VHS collection offers a serious helping of classic stars like John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, and James Stewart. Everyone knows at least one Jimmy Stewart picture-and it isn’t necessarily It’s A Wonderful Life. My tween nieces may not remember the name of Harvey, but they can tell you about ‘that guy with the invisible rabbit’. Even my sister came over one day claiming she saw an unknown Jimmy Stewart movie on television. She recounted the entire plot before my dad and I could interrupt with, ‘it’s Winchester 73!’ Along with all Stewart’s other fine films, Shenandoah is a quiet, touching tale with fine performances and reflections.

Charlie Anderson (Stewart) works his Virginia farm and struggles to make it to church on time with his six sons, daughter, and daughter-in-law. When the Confederacy comes to enlist the boys, Anderson staunchly declares he will take no part in the war. Eldest son Jacob (Glenn Corbett) objects, but his brother James (Patrick Wayne) and his wife Ann (Katharine Ross) look forward to the birth of their daughter. Only when the youngest Anderson Boy (Philip Alford) is mistaken for a ‘Johnny Reb’ and captured by Yankees soldiers does the Anderson family take matters into their own hands. Papa Charlie, his remaining sons, and disguised daughter Jennie (Rosemary Forsyth) cross enemy lines in hopes of rescuing the boy from a disastrous war and lost Southern cause.

Shenandoah’s story may seem somewhat familiar. One can’t help but think of it along with the 1956 Oscar nominated Gary Cooper classic Friendly Persuasion. Where Friendly Persuasion serves up lovely Quakers Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Perkins- Shenandoah is largely a sad solo vehicle for stalwart Stewart. Though not quite in tune with its 1965 contemporaries, writer James Lee Barrett (In The Heat of the Night, The Undefeated) and director Andrew V. McLaglen (Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel) serve up a much darker and tragic picture than Persuasion. We begin with a Widower and are served up more sadness as we go along. It’s bittersweet and sentimental, but Shenandoah is a beautiful picture. You may even get a tear or two. In Friendly Persuasion the carriage races to Sunday services are played for laughs-but not here. From the Andersons’ late arrival and hogging of two whole front pews to…well, I can’t in good conscious give away the ending! Let’s just say, that after a viewing of Shenandoah, you won’t ever confuse it with Friendly Persuasion again.

The aging Stewart and that touch of Friendly Persuasion unfortunately give Shenandoah an over the hill look and style. It’s tragic and reflecting on the passing of the fifties western heyday just as much as its gives Civil War-an indirectly Vietnam-commentary. The homestead sets, ladies’ hairstyles and dress, and the bright yellow facings on the Confederate garb look more like 1955 Cavalry pictures. There’s also only one brief and beautiful reference to slavery and freedom. Such a topic would make a statement in 1965 but was nearly untouched in earlier, usually racist westerns. We also don’t get much affection between our young married couples. They don’t even kiss-except for one brief exchange adhering to that good old fashioned ‘three second kiss rule’. Shenandoah is a little imperfect and obvious in some points, but I think its goodness was overlooked at a time when films were becoming much more heavy and scandalous. We’re only four years away from Sam Peckinpah’s X-rated western last hurrah The Wild Bunch. I imagine Charlie Anderson might object to the language, nudity, and blood in that one!

If you can possibly find one less-than-stellar Jimmy Stewart picture, I’ll give you ten exceptional ones. Perhaps he’s past his prime here, but Stewart brings a timeless old school refinery to Shenandoah. We absolutely believe Charlie Anderson is a man about his morals and his family; and despite his anti-war stance, you know he will do anything to keep his home together. Even if we didn’t agree with Anderson’s wholesome values, Stewart makes the stern father lovable and wise. He does the right thing by all his children, so it’s even sadder when Anderson can’t make the war go according to his plans.

From eldest son Glenn Corbett (Big Jake) to married son Patrick Wayne (The Searchers) and teenaged Philip Alford (To Kill A Mockingbird), Shenandoah makes sure the Civil War comes calling to each of the Anderson children. We delight in the wedding of lone daughter Rosemary Forsyth (Santa Barbara) and confederate soldier Sam (Doug McClure, The Virginian)-only to have his service come all too soon. Likewise, daughter-in-law Katharine Ross (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) gives a wise and maternal performance amid her debut film’s unhappy times. Sons Charles Robinson (The Sand Pebbles), Jim McMullan (Dallas), and Tim McIntire (Kung Fu) are little more than filler, but the bittersweet talent from the rest of the family makes up for any stock players.

Shenandoah is a simple little film making some not so quiet anti-war statements. It’s an old-fashioned picture, but somehow progressive; has western and war action, but also heavy drama. Jimmy Stewart fans and classic film lovers should know and love it; and teachers reading or viewing Friendly Persuasion should definitely consider Shenandoah as a compatriot pacifist tale. Like most older films, there’s nothing naughty to deter young viewers. Blessedly, Shenandoah is available on DVD-featureless, but affordable. So gather the family, the popcorn, and the tissues for a night with Shenandoah. You’ll be hugging each other afterwards.

Christmas Essential Viewing

Christmas Viewing Essentials

By Kristin Battestella

 

I know Christmas is fast approaching, so instead of meandering about charming holiday music and films, I’m going to give it to you short and sweet. Need to keep the kids still during winter break? Want to unwind from the chaotic shopping sessions? Here’s the holiday films you need to survive-in no magical order.

It’s A Wonderful Life- Yes, I love classics, but even the biggest black and white naysayer can take some Christmas meaning from Frank Capra’s holiday gem. ZuZu’s petals, Clarence, Bedford Falls, come on. You know it. Say it with me, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”

Scrooged- When people (i.e. me!) harp on you about the return to Dickensian Christmas charm and value, you don’t need Tiny Tim and Bah Humbug if you’ve got Scrooged. Bill Murray’s 1988 is A Christmas Carol meets Wall Street in only the way Bill Murray can amuse you.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation- Some of the fashion may be out of date and Chevy Chase is years past his comedic prime, but there’s still superior gags from Sparky and the gang. Find me a person who hasn’t had a family Christmas gone awry because of freaky family and blown up trees, only then will I withdraw my praise.

Miracle on 34^th Street- Stick with the 1947 classic, trust me. Kids will forget the black and white once they hear the problem: Santa on trial! Baby boomers will also feel warm and fuzzy when Natalie Wood pulls Edmund Gwenn’s beard. How can you not?

A Christmas Story- Did you triple dog dare me not to include A Christmas Story? Pick your favorite part for this family gem. Some like the sentimentality of an early mid century American Christmas; my mom still can’t get over the bunny suit. I ask you, do you have a leg lamp ornament on your tree? You don’t even need this one on DVD, it runs 24 hours a day!

The Bishop’s Wife / The Preacher’s Wife- Older folks adore Cary Grant’s timeless take as suave angel Dudley seeking to save Christmas for The Bishop and his pretty wife. One of the few times an update has been worthy, The Preacher’s Wife gives us an angelic Denzel Washington and enchanting vocals from Whitney Houston.

The Nativity Story- The best telling of the first Christmas, simply put. No kinky stuff about virgins or mysticism. Historical and religious, beat that.

We’re No Angels - Humphrey Bogart as a ne’er do well escaped con doing well on Christmas. Perfect comedic performances from talent such as Aldo Ray, Peter Ustinov, Joan Bennett, and Basil Rathbone keep this one charming for young and old.

Home Alone- Yes, yes, we know the ‘aaaahhhhh’, but when was the last time you sat down with the entire family and watched this one all the way through? A little dated now, but still a darling lesson.

Bad Santa- Enough about family friendly stuff for the kids. Check out the unrated version of Bad Santa for adult cynicism and perhaps truer reflections on how a lot of people probably feel at Christmas.

Elf- Will Ferrell in tights and yet James Caan keeps a straight face. Fine cast and genuine sentiment mixed with great physical comedy- Elf is probably the best newest addition to the genre.

Holiday Inn/White Christmas- For real old school folks, take the black and white Holiday Inn. Bing’s real version of White Christmas and Fred Astaire’s toe tapping was so unbeatable that they tried to do it again. In this new musical revival, take in White Christmas again-in widescreen- for all its Technicolor holiday splendor.

A Christmas Carol- Well of course I had to get a faithful adaptation of this staple in here. You can take your pick. The original 1938 is dated, but great background for a holiday party. The classic 1951 Alstair Sim version has to be seen at least once by all. Favor musicals? Try Albert Finney or Kelsey Grammar’s new tune. If you need Oscar weight, take George C. Scott’s 1984 carol. Then again, there’s always Mickey’s Christmas Carol. If you must know, I do prefer Patrick Stewart’s 1999 faithful, but that’s just me.

And for a bit of Hanukkah….

On a sad note, I don’t know of any good Hanukkah films. Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights is the choice by default. I love Chaim Potok’s novel The Chosen, but I’ve not seen the film version. I suppose you can’t go wrong with The Ten Commandments, but that is usually reserved for Passover. So, why not…

Exodus- This past June, I watched Exodus in honor of the 60^th Anniversary of the founding of Israel. Why not ring out 2008 with Paul Newman’s ode to the triumph of the Jewish spirit?

Unfortunately, it appears the new Kwanzaa documentary The Black Candle is not available on DVD. Narrated by Maya Angelou, this documentary sheds light on the celebration and the African-American triumph.

 

However you spend your December with your family and friends, remember you are blessed and that I love you, whoever you are wherever you are. Merry Christmas!