Beholds Spirit Film of 1956
The Catered Affair
A young girl with working class parents gets engaged, and her mother really wants her to have a nice wedding. As things tend to do with weddings, it gets out of control. But the bride and groom want to keep it simple. Emotional family dynamics and money problems are ultimately no match for what is really important. This film asks us all to look at our lives and see where our true happiness lies.
Brian’s Favorite Uplifting Films of 1956
Carousel
Based on my favorite Rogers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel is a realistic exploration of how being economically and socially unstable affects every part of life. Economic struggles, marriage problems, violence. I find it an interesting study of threatened masculinity: the main character hits his wife and child (offscreen), and ends up in a knife fight. The songs are beautiful and the dancing is lovely, and both add to the story rather than compete. A rare musical that explores the parts of life that are not black and white.
Giant
A Texas cattle rancher marries an aristocratic young woman from Virginia, and the heart of the film concerns their domestic lives over a span of years. James Dean also has a role as a ranch hand who improbably becomes an oil tycoon. The film explores themes of racism, inequality and female empowerment.
The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
A study of post-war middle class life focusing on a WWII veteran trying to earn a living to support his family while dealing with his wartime experiences.
The Red Balloon (Le ballon rouge)
On his way to school one day in post-war Paris, a young boy finds a bright red helium balloon. The balloon follows the boy everywhere, and seems to be a protective force for him. A very poetically beautiful film that contrasts the grimy postwar city with the joys of living and hope for the future. Interesting to watch how different people interact with the balloon.
Tea and Sympathy
A story about a teen boy who is not interested in typically masculine activities like sports and who prefers the arts. He finds himself completley out of the mainstream of the boarding school he attends, and is helped only by the housemaster’s wife. A 1950s exploration of homosexuality but really a larger look at people who do not fit into a culture that expects everyone to be the same.