Life in Black and White

The Sting is a great movie if you like films such as Ocean’s Eleven or other crime type of movies like that. It was made in 1973 and stars the amazing actors, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. These two film legends only made two movies together with the other one being Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but despite this, together they make magic with their quick-witted chemistry and steely stares. This film is definitely up there with all the greats of American movie history.

The film takes place during the Great Depression in 1936 in Chicago. It follows Redford’s character of Johnny Hooker, a young grifter and beginning con artist and his education in how to pull off the perfect con under the tutelage of Newman’s Henry Gondorff. Together, and with the help of some of Gondorff’s fellow con men friends, they are able to pull off what they call the “big con” on a large and dangerous mob boss from New York named Lonnegan. The movie weaves through this elaborate and brilliant plan while also delivering some twists and turns to the plot and giving its viewers one or two heart-stopping moments.

I actually only saw this movie a few months ago but I absolutely love it! I think it just great and has a lot to offer for today’s audiences. To begin with, I think this movie, just like Ocean’s Eleven, appeals to the troublemaker in everyone. The idea of being able to pull one over not only on a big bad guy, but also to be able to pull one over on the law and anyone else on the outside looking in, is just really appealing. I think a lot of people, if not everyone, feels at least a little similar. Plus, it is all done against a backdrop with the style and gritty class of the 1930s. I think a lot of people, especially in the U.S., have a tendency to romanticize and make heroes out of the con men and scoundrels of this time and The Sting is no exception. I would highly recommend it so that you can see for yourself just what I’m talking about.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is probably the most iconic movie starring Audrey Hepburn, who is an American icon in her own right. The film, which was based on the novelette by Truman Capote, was released in 1961 and was nominated for several Academy Awards. Like I said, this movie stars Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly and features a cast of several well-known actors. It is probably my favorite of Audrey Hepburn’s films and I especially like the song “Moon River” that she sings in it.

This movie opens with Hepburn eating breakfast while strolling past Tiffany & Co. The plot follows Hepburn’s character Holly and her apartment neighbor Paul as they begin to become important in each other’s lives. Holly is a country girl turned New York socialite and Paul is a blocked writer who is experiencing some bad luck in getting published. Now, if you read about this movie on IMDB or some other website, it may seem like some old romantic comedy that doesn’t really have much depth to it but I think there is a serious undertone to the whole film and I think it is this undertone is what people today can relate to.

This seriousness that I am talking about can be seen through the character of Holly Golightly. On the surface, she seems to be a flighty and thoughtless socialite who has little care for the consequences of her actions. Even her name gives this impression. However, there is actually much more to her. To start, she has to essentially put on a mask in order to cover up her very humble beginnings as an unsophisticated country girl. On top of that, she has to basically kiss up to her wealthy “friends” and even consider marrying one in order to support herself. While not always this extreme, I think that everyone puts on different masks in order to hide parts of themselves. I know I do. People also have to sometimes do things that they don’t really want to in order support themselves or reach certain goals. It is because of this that I think that audiences from every generation can relate to this movie and it is also why I highly recommend it.

Considered to be one of the best films of all time by many movie critics, Gone With the Wind is an epic film and definitely worth watching. The film is based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel of the same name. It was released in 1939 and received ten Academy Awards. Now, usually I would give a brief synopsis of the film but because this is such a long and complex film, I am going to instead talk about the main character, Scarlett O’Hara, played by Vivien Leigh.

Just so you have a little background, the film takes place in the South during the Civil War and the period of Reconstruction that occurs after it. The plot follows the main character, Scarlett O’Hara, as well as her friends and family as they all must deal with the hectic, tragic, and joyful events of the time. I really like this film because you can see the war from a southern perspective. Being from Pennsylvania, I was taught about the war from more of a northern perspective so I find the way that the movie shows how drastically the south changed to be really intriguing. I also think that the character of Scarlett personifies this change.

In the beginning of the film, Scarlett is portrayed as an entitled and snooty southern belle but as the plot progresses and the war is shown to be taking a toll on her and her family, Scarlett begins to change. She adopts more of a mercenary view of the world and is determined not to let her family starve. She is willing to do just about anything in order to survive and I think it is her determination and strength that make her so human and so relateable. Everyone in society, whether in 1865 or 2015, has struggles and burdens to deal with. Everyone also has a choice as to how they choose to handle each situation that life hands them. I admire Scarlett’s fiery and passionate will that drives her life. That’s the thing about this movie: its about life. Each of the characters has small and large problems that they each must deal with and that is why I think it is easy to relate to. I would recommend this film to everyone. I will say that it is a bit of a time commitment, but I think it is definitely worth it!

The Bridge Over the River Kwai is a movie that was made in 1957 about a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp and the men in the camp who are involved in the construction of a bridge over the troublesome Kwai River in order for Japanese trains to transport troops and supplies. The film won several Academy Awards including the Oscar for Best Picture and stars Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Sessue Hayakawa.

The film mainly takes place at a Japanese prison camp in Thailand where the Commandant, Colonel Saito (Hayakawa), informs the British prisoners and their senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson (Guinness) that they will all be required to do manual labor. This causes a bit of a conflict with Nicholson who reminds Saito that according to the Geneva Convention, officers are exempt from manual labor. Meanwhile, U.S. Navy Commander Shears (Holden) manages to escape the camp successfully.

Back at the camp, Saito and Nicholson continue to disagree with Nicholson refusing to compromise and with the bridge construction falling behind schedule, Saito is forced to agree to the British officer’s wishes and the two men come to an uneasy agreement. Nicholson then goes about building a properly designed bridge, despite its value for the Japanese, in order to maintain the morale of his men. Construction then continues with the men more willing to work efficiently. Shears, who has been recovering at a British hospital in the Pacific, then agrees to go on a mission to blow up the bridge that Nicholson and his men are building. His team treks through the jungle towards the camp and lays cables to blow up the bridge.

I won’t ruin the ending for anyone but it is definitely worth it to watch the movie all the way through. This film is considered by a lot of critics to be one of the best in film history and I think its easy to see why. It is filled with great actors whose performances demonstrate just how chaotic and arbitrary war can be. Nicholson exemplifies the typical British officer. His concern in the camp is only for his men and keeping their spirits up. It is his concern for the men that leads him to help the enemy he is supposed to be fighting. Shears, on the other hand, is more concerned with his well-being. He shows more of human nature in its more basic form due to the the senselessness of war. These two characters act as foils to each other and together, they carry the main plot lines. This is such a great movie and I think that it is worth everyone’s time to watch.