So, I was rearranging the living room, and decided to move one of my DVD shelves. After breaking it in two, when I picked it up, many of the cases splattered across the floor. I noticed, as I repaired the shelves and returned the DVDs to their proper places, that several of them remained in their original shrink-wrap packaging.

My mission tonight is to watch all of those films that I bought (which of course I saw in the theater and said, “I have to have that!”). Some of them were gifts, and others were bought when I was too busy to watch them. Regardless, I never opened them.

Here’s the list:
Iron Man
Bourne Ultimatum
Master & Commander
Lady in the Water
3:10 to Yuma
Serenity

Maybe I won’t get through all of them, but I’m not going to watch any other movie before I get through these.

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Like many people of my generation, I was forced to watch “It’s A Wonderfull Life” every Christmas vacation. I didn’t always appreciate it for the wonderful film that it was. This was mostly due to the fact that it was the only movie on my parents “basic” cable during the holidays of my youth (now TNT plays “A Christmas Story” all day, which is also great, because of it’s honesty, etc but that’s another blog). Albeit, I most likely know every line to that film (i.e. “It’s A Wonderful Life”) because I have seen it so many times, and often when the name Mary is mentioned, I can’t help myself, I do a James Stewart impersonation “Mary, Mary I love yah,” and finish it off with a “ZuZu’s petal’s.”

While visiting my parents home, I came across the Turner Classic Movie station on their swanky new satellite.  I sat in awe for several hours as they (TCM) played “It Happened One Night” with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” with Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur and most the folks from “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and finally “You Can’t Take it With You” again with Stewart, Arthur et al.

I was mesmerized. Prior to this encounter, I felt that most black-and-white pre-WWII films paled in comparison to modern films, mostly because of their campy, ‘brush-all-realistic-issues-under-the-rug’ mentality (of course with the classic exception such as “Casa Blanca” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”). Not so with these films, they tackle such high-minded ideals as communism (and ‘isms of all kinds:) ), patriotism, and corruption in the government. Every bit as uplifting as “It’s A Wonderful Life,” these films remain a “must-see” for any aspiring film-buff.

The glamor of early Hollywood plays itself out in each of these films, “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” and “You Can’t Take it With You” are every bit as relevant today as the day Frank Capra made them, maybe even moreso. Not only was I enamored by the actresses, but the stories moved me emotionally… while watching “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington,” I became a devout American, and became imbued with the “American Spirit.” Likewise, while watching “You Can’t Take It With You,” I wished I knew “Grandpa,” played by the wonderful Lionel Barrymore (Drew Barrymore’s Great Uncle, AKA Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life”), and thoroughly enjoyed my time with his ideal, open-hearted, open-minded family.

Frank Capra is perhaps one of the greatest directors and storytellers of all time, if you have never seen these films, go and watch them (whether it be on TV or on DVD).

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