Old Movies

photo credit: Aaron Springston

I love old movies! Not only is it fun to watch actors we have known all our lives, but it’s absolutely fascinating to see behavior which we thought of as acceptable and now seems horrid. I checked out a 6-DVD set of Jack Lemmon movies from our library. In watching Carol Lynley in Under the Yum Yum Tree, it was very apparent everyone was caught in limbo, not knowing if they were progressive, honest women or manipulative sex-kittens. And the men! My goodness! Most were womanizers who couldn’t relate to women without making blatant innuendoes — except for the few who were portrayed as dullards or buffoons. In many films, we witness the cruel racism which continues on the fringes in 2020. There are also many examples of environmental carelessness, animal cruelty, and smoking and drinking to excess. Is it more apparent to us now, looking back, because we have come so far in realizing civil, human, and animal rights? I certainly hope so. I love reading a section of the Christian Science Monitor entitled Points of Progress, wherein we can join in applauding people who are making a difference around the world. There are also websites which celebrate these things, in case you want to applaud the good news, too!

"The rights of man were vindicated in a single section and on the lowest plane of human life, when African slavery was abolished in our land. That was only prophetic of further steps towards the banishment of a world-wide slavery, found on higher planes of existence and under more subtle and depraving forms." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 225:31