Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Black & White Movies

Yesterday my daughter stayed home from school because she was still recovering from a virus. I went to work for awhile, and then brought some work home and watched a movie with her.

We watched My Man Godfrey from 1936. Really. It's one of my favorite movies of all time!
(I was going to suggest that you go out and rent it immediately, but I guess you can watch it online for free!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6936786870782321920 )

It didn't take long for her to say, "Mom, doesn't this movie have any color?" I had to explain that most movies were filmed in black and white back then because the technology for color was new and expensive (and not very good).

I also had to stop and update her every now and then because it was hard for her to keep up with the dialog. She's an intelligent kid, but people talked a little differently seventy years ago. Also, I don't think people these days are used to having to really listen to dialog in TV and movies. I often say that I think most filmmakers today assume their audience are all idiots.

One thing she understood clearly--early in the movie she asked, "Mom, does he like her?"

Later in the afternoon she decided she was determined to go to school the next day (she did). I laughed and quipped that she'd better go to school or I'd make her watch Bringing Up Baby! When I explained to my husband and son that I'd made her watch a "horrible" old black & white movie that day, she looked at me seriously and said, "It wasn't horrible. I liked it!"

Score one for the Old B&W Movie Lover!

Of course, later when American Idol came on and I expressed excitement at the "Rat-Pack" theme, and knew all the songs, she said, "Mom, you're old!"

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