Beholds Spirit Film of 1961
Pocketful of Miracles
A New York City beggar learns that her daughter is planning to visit with her aristocratic boyfriend. Wonderful news, except that the beggar has been pretending to the daughter to be a wealthy socialite herself. She gets others (including the mob) involved to try to continue the illusion. This deception somehow brings out the good in many people, and shows us we should not judge people by their appearance, past experiences or social affiliations.
Brian’s Favorite Uplifting Films of 1961
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
A young society girl and a man being supported by an older woman meet while both trying to live a carefree high style existence in New York society. The film celebrates the kind of life while subtlety showing the down side. More fanciful than the book it is based on, this still manages to inspire by exploring the fantasy part in all of us.
The Children’s Hour
Two women run a school for girls that faces problems when a student accuses the two women of having a lesbian affair. The women try to sue for libel to save the now failing school. The truth is as heartbreaking as the prejudice and fears of the parents.
Judgment at Nuremberg
A military trial of four Nazi judges who had sentenced many innocent people to death. The film shows how people deal with moral dilemmas, and how many are able to persuade themselves to go against what they know is right to serve other more personal reasons.
A Raisin in the Sun
The patriarch of a struggling African American family dies, leaving a substantial insurance policy. The family struggles to agree on whether to use the money to buy a home or start a business.
West Side Story
The contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet, set in the Puerto Rican community of New York City. Amazing visuals and dancing set off the social conditions and expectations for this community in the 1950s.