Beholds Spirit Film of 1952
The Star
A Hollywood star’s career is winding down, but she hopes to get a part that can revive it. When that doesn’t work out, she has to face some big changes in her life. The loss of her career and the recognition that came with it is tough to bear. But the way it is presented makes this my favorite Hollywood film, and it shows the power for change and redemption in all of us.
Uplifting Movies: Brian’s 1952 Favorite Films
High Noon
One of the great westerns, High Noon celebrates the need to be self-reliant, that in a world where no one can be trusted, you only have yourself to defend.
It Grows on Trees
A housewife finds that the trees she planted in her backyard grow money. This is convenient because the family could sure use it. The lighthearted fantasy celebrates a world where the things we need come to us if we believe in them.
My Pal Gus
Gus’s parents are divorced but neither seem too concerned about their son. His mother is away and his father is consumed with his career. A romance with Gus’s teacher promises to help until Gus’s mother returns. Ultimately Gus’s father learns the power of being a parent and that nothing is more important to him.
Singing in the Rain
When change comes to the movie business in the form of talking pictures, everything is upset. A young aspiring actress gets her break in the transition, but not everyone is happy about it. Upbeat music, and a comedic look at how differently people handle major changes.
Something to Live For
An actress has a drinking problem and finds Alcoholics Anonymous. This is about as old-fashioned a studio movie melodrama as you can get, but I like the sympathetic way it portrays an alcoholic, showing her to be a good person at heart in spite of her drinking problem.