All I know I learned at the movies
One of the results of this Covid was Pat and I have watched a lot more movies here at home than normal. One would think when you glance background that I would have seen all the movies that I should. My tenure at Stonewall Schools (1944-1952) and before that my fellowships at Centrahoma should have been enough. But I must reluctantly admit most of what I know today I learned in the Main Theatre at Stonewall. Covid and the coldest winter ever gave me some chance to work on my “Master’s Degree” in movie watching.
What did I learn? A lot. I learned early on that if one has to shoot another guy, you should shoot him in the hand. Contrary to what you may think, shooting a bad guy in the hand only stings a bit and makes the guy drop his gun and want to be a better person. I learned to be honest and always do the right thing. Returning stolen money and other “ill gotten” gains to the oppressed and being nice to girls. It was alright to sing to a pretty girl. If you wanted to be a good guy you needed to wear a white hat and to keep it on as you fight with your fists or drag a bad guy off his horse. There was so much to learn but there were so many movies.
Frank Capra, for instance, was a socialist and is said to have been a registered communist. But I didn’t know that. He made a classic movie called “It’s a Wonderful life” starring James Stewart as George Bailey (1946). I learned from this movie that you don’t always get what you want from life. George was a “good guy” who mainly wanted to flee Bedford Falls and travel the world. But George was doomed by circumstances. The operation of the poorly performing family savings and loan business was where George worked for years helping poor working people afford decent homes and improve their banking habits. The bad guy (Lionel Barrymore playing Henry Potter) plotted ways to enslave the hapless residents of Bedford Falls with his slum houses and high interest bank. George falls onto very hard times when his incompetent (but lovable) Uncle Billy loses the bank deposit and throws the firm into instant bankruptcy driving the ever-frustrated George to contemplate suicide. George, by now a very unhappy man, wishes he had never been born.
The movie also teaches the value of prayer. George’s friends and family started praying for him. Consequently, a somewhat defunct angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) is assigned to rescue Gorge and decides to grant his wish (that he had never been born). Clarence escorts George on a trip through town where he finds that Bedford Falls is now named Potterville and is an awful place of slums, alcoholics, prostitutes, saloons, casinos, pawnshops and flophouses. No one remembers George as it is revealed to him the impact he had indeed made in his life. The movie shows that good prevails and everything we do has an impact—one way or another.
In the movie Groundhog Day, TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every Groundhog Day every year to do a show. He hates it and in general hates his life and everyone else except Rita, his pretty coworker. In Punxsutawney he finds time frozen: Every morning he wakes up and it’s still February 2. He tries everything to escape this “eternal curse” doing all sort of bazaar and entertaining things such as suicide and finally even kidnaps the groundhog, steals a pickup and drives himself over a high cliff but as usual wakes up in bed—and it’s still February 2.
Phil and the viewers finally learn in this movie to make use of the specialness of any day and turn it into positive gain—even though his motives aren’t pure. He still wants Rita. To modify her feelings toward him he learns to be an accomplished sculptor, piano player and develops a feeling for the downtrodden. He totally changed himself into what appears to be an ideal man who finally wins over Rita. At this point Phil wakes up and it’s February 3. His long nightmare is over—and he still has Rita. What did we learn from this movie? That we are given a new day every 24 hours to improve ourselves and minimize our negative features. I learned that we, just like Phil, have to confront our fears and realities if we really want to be better people. Phil got Rita. What do you want?
None of the great movies I have seen were rated “R” and never would be. Be sure and go to church Sunday. More lessons on life to be learned there. Guaranteed. Wayne Bullard, DPh