DURING YOUR STAY IN AMERICA, TOM & STEFFI RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING FILMS WHICH WE FEEL PORTRAY AMERICAN ISSUES AND HAVE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CULTURE, POLITICS, AND ENTERTAINMENT. THE OLDER FILMS STILL HAVE AN IMPACT TODAY.
THE LINKS ARE FOR YOUR USE TO LOCATE THE FILM AND RENT IF YOU CHOOSE. THERE MAY BE OTHER SOURCES TO RENT THE FILM SUCH AS THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, YOU TUBE, iTUNES, AND AMAZON AS WELL AS NETFLIX.
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PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
7 DAYS IN MAY - 1964 -- A Military coup in America?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73rHOk0pUls
It happens with startling swiftness and violence. An armed cadre seizes state control. Fortunately, a coup d'etat can't happen here. Or can it? A classic of suspense directed by John Frankenheimer, Seven Days in May tautly explores that possibility. At odds are a popular general and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and an unpopular President with a pacifist agenda. At stake is the survival of the Republic. A vigilant colonel uncovers the scheme. But are the seven fateful days ahead enough time to derail a takeover? The clock is ticking.
13 DAYS – 2000 -- Cuban missile crisis of 1962
https://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Days-Infinifilm-Ernest-May/dp/B00005J760
For thirteen extraordinary days in October of 1962, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe. Across the globe, people anxiously awaited the outcome of a harrowing political, diplomatic and military confrontation that threatened to end in an apocalyptic nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union. The alarming escalation of events during those fateful days brought to the fore such public figures as Robert McNamara, Adlai Stevenson, Theodore Sorenson, Andrei Gromyko, Anatoly Dobrynin, McGeorge Bundy, Dean Acheson, Dean Rusk, and General Curtis LeMay. In addition many others -- politicians, diplomats and soldiers -- were on the front line of the showdown. In Thirteen Days, we see all of these people, -- and, above all -- President John F. Kennedy and his brother Bobby, through the eyes of a trusted presidential aide and confidante, Kenneth P. O'Donnell.
ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN – 1976 – “Watergate” scandal leading to President Nixon’s resignation
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/All-the-President-s-Men/243547
The film that launched a thousand journalism school students, All the President's Men chronicles how the work of reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) contributed to the public downfall of President Richard M. Nixon. The duo connected a Washington, D.C., hotel break-in with a Nixon "dirty tricks" team assigned to discredit Democratic rivals, launching a series of tense events that forced Nixon to resign.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS – 1951 – Musical (Gershwin) very famous!
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/An-American-in-Paris/251454?dsrc=ADW13
Once a struggling painter, opportunistic American artist Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) now lives in the City of Light, enjoying the patronage of a well-heeled, amorous American gallery owner (Nina Foch) -- and swiftly falling for a willowy French street urchin (Leslie Caron). Trouble is, the object of Mulligan's affection also happens to be engaged to a famous French singer (Georges Guétary). This tour de force movie musical nabbed seven Oscars.
CASABLANCA – 1942 – Famous American film with Humphrey Bogart
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Casablanca/354611?dsrc=ADW13
In this Oscar-winning classic, American expat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) plays host to gamblers, thieves and refugees at his Moroccan nightclub during World War II ... but he never expected Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) - the woman who broke his heart -- to walk through that door. Ilsa hopes that with Rick's help, she and her fugitive husband (Paul Henreid) can escape to America. But the spark that brought the lovers together still burns brightly.
CITIZEN KANE – 1941 – Famous film about Randolph Hearst newspaper mogul
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Citizen-Kane/60000605?dsrc=ADW13
Still considered one of the greatest films ever made, Orson Welles's complex and technically stunning film chronicles newspaper baron Charles Foster Kane's rise from poverty to become one of America's most influential men.
DANCES WITH WOLVES – 1990 – Depicting Native Americans (“Indians”) at the time following the Civil War
https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=pkWc4UrfyBc
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) tries to commit suicide -- and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe. This special edition of Costner's Oscar-winning directorial debut features an extended cut of the film, an audio commentary from Costner, a behind-the-scenes featurette and more.
DR. STRANGELOVE – 1964 – Film about WW 3 possibiity - comedy
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Dr-Strangelove/60020009?dsrc=ADW13
When a fanatical U.S. general launches an air strike against the Soviets, they raise the stakes by threatening to unleash a "doomsday device," setting the stage for Armageddon in this classic black comedy that brilliantly skewers the nuclear age.
FORREST GUMP – 1994 – Iconic film – very popular
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Forrest-Gump/60000724?dsrc=ADW13
Forrest Gump, a simpleminded man, finds himself in the middle of nearly every major event of the 1960s and '70s. Along the way, he makes friends, changes lives and yearns for his childhood sweetheart, Jenny.
GONE WITH THE WIND – 1939 – Iconic film about the old South before the Civil War
https://dvd.netflix.com/Search?v1=GONE%20WITH%20THE%20WIND
Director Victor Fleming's 1939 epic adaption of Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name stars Vivien Leigh as self-absorbed, headstrong Scarlett O'Hara, a Southern Belle who meets her match in Rhett Butler just as the Civil War breaks out.
GRAPES OF WRATH, THE – 1940 – about the “dust bowl” drought in Oklahoma based on Steinbeck’s novel
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-grapes-of-wrath/id987763583
John Ford won the Best Director Oscar® and Jane Darwell won for Best Actress in this masterful film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel that was nominated for seven Academy Awards® in all, including Best Picture. Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad, the father of a migrant family of farmers who leave the Oklahoma dust bowl for the promised land of California, only to face new and daunting challenges.
GUYS AND DOLLS – 1955 – Musical about the “gangster” types - famous
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Guys-and-Dolls/567113?dsrc=ADW13
A singing Marlon Brando stars as Sky Masterson opposite Frank Sinatra in this musical take on Damon Runyon's Manhattan short stories. One of the richest scores to spring from Broadway to Hollywood includes such classic songs as "Luck Be a Lady."
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER - 1967 – Issues about inter-racial relationships
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Guess-Who-s-Coming-to-Dinner/564122?dsrc=ADW13
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn star as wealthy Californians who consider themselves progressive until their only daughter (Katharine Houghton) brings home her African American fiancé (Sidney Poitier) in this snapshot of race relations in the late 1960s. The film earned two Academy Awards (for Hepburn's performance and William Rose's screenplay) and eight other nominations.
HIDDEN FIGURES – 2016 – about the role of 3 black women in the space program
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Hidden-Figures/80123775?dsrc=ADW13
In the race to space between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, three black female mathematicians play a key role in launching astronaut John Glenn into outer space, making him the first American to orbit Earth.
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT – 1967 – regarding race relations in the South
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/In-the-Heat-of-the-Night/60003605?dsrc=ADW13
Black Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs helps a redneck Southern sheriff solve a murder in this riveting study in racism that still strikes a chord. Rod Steiger won a Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the put-upon lawman who comes to respect Tibbs.
INHERIT THE WIND – 1960 – Iconic film about the Scopes trial (about teaching evolution in school)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Inherit-the-Wind/60010489?dsrc=ADW13
Spencer Tracy (in an Oscar-nominated role) and Fredric March square off as opposing attorneys Henry Drummond and Matthew Harrison Brady, respectively, in this blistering courtroom drama about the famed 1925 "Scopes Monkey Trial," in which a Tennessee teacher was taken to task for teaching Darwinism in the classroom. The film also earned Oscar nods for its editing, screenplay and cinematography. Gene Kelly co-stars as a newspaper reporter.
JOHN ADAMS - 2008 - enacted historical drama about President John Adams
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/John-Adams/70087091
Paul Giamatti stars in this sweeping Emmy and Golden Globe winner for Best Miniseries that chronicles the astonishing life of founding father John Adams: revolutionary leader, America's first ambassador to England, the first vice president and the second president. The iconic cast of characters includes Abigail Adams (Laura Linney), George Washington (David Morse), Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane), Benjamin Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) and many more.
This is a fascinating story which kept us wanting to see the next episode. On 3 DVD discs, this is the best depiction of the American Revolution that we've seen. The acting is superb and the sets are amazing. They even yellowed the teeth as the characters aged. This is not the usual glorified version of events. We HIGHLY recommend this excellent film which originally appeared on A&E network on television.
**NOTE: be sure to turn on the feature which pops up historical facts as you watch. We paused the video to read them and absorb the information. Excellent feature and well worth it.
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON – 1939 – Classic film about the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Mr-Smith-Goes-to-Washington/779080
When idealistic junior senator Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) arrives in Washington, D.C., he's full of plans and dazzled by his surroundings -- qualities he retains despite widespread corruption among his cynical colleagues. Jean Arthur puts in a sharp performance as Smith's streetwise secretary, who helps him navigate his way through Congress, in this Academy Award-winning classic from director Frank Capra.
NETWORK – 1976 – The business end of how the network news gets out of control
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Network/70044752?dsrc=ADW13
When a network news anchor loses his mind on the air, his outrageous rants reach viewers at home, boost the ratings and intrigue a pair of cutthroat network executives in this Oscar-winning masterpiece that predicted today's rash of trash television.
OF MICE AND MEN – 1992 (Based on John Steinbeck’s novel)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Of-Mice-and-Men/818634?dsrc=ADW13
All that George (Burgess Meredith) and Lennie (Lon Chaney Jr.) want is a home of their own, where they can work for themselves and keep a pen of rabbits. But for the unlikely roommates, reality is to live a vagabond life, swinging from job to job and boss to boss. Just when it seems their dreams could come true, Lennie's simpleminded strength works against him -- and smashes George's hopes. Based on John Steinbeck's classic novel.
OKLAHOMA! -- 1955 -- famous musical with dancing
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Oklahoma-/820796?dsrc=ADW13
During Oklahoma's freewheeling territorial days, coquettish Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones) falls for good-natured cowboy Curly McLain (Gordon MacRae). Unfortunately, she also provokes the unwanted affections of brooding hired hand Jud Fry (Rod Steiger). Classic Rodgers and Hammerstein songs abound in this Academy Award-winning musical from director Fred Zinnemann that was adapted for the big screen after a successful Broadway run.
POST, THE -- 2017 – about the Washington Post newspaper and the legal battle about the famous “Pentagon Papers” scandal under President Nixon
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Post/80192932?dsrc=ADW13
When the "Washington Post" agrees to publish the leaked Pentagon Papers -- which point to a secret escalation of the Vietnam War -- the Nixon administration tries to block publication, setting off an epic legal and political battle.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN – 1952 -- famous song and dance film (Gershwin)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Singin-in-the-Rain/967758?dsrc=ADW13
Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor combine their talents in one of the greatest big-screen musicals ever made, a two-time Oscar nominee that includes the songs "Good Morning," "Make 'Em Laugh" and the iconic title tune. When Hollywood attempts the transition from silent films to talkies, a matinee idol (Kelly) hopes to make the cut. But he's hampered by a silent-movie queen (Jean Hagen) with a voice like fingernails on a blackboard.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD -- 1962 - deals with American justice and race
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird/1051852?dsrc=ADW13
Southern comforts abound in this big-screen adaptation of Harper Lee's novel as lawyer Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck, in an Oscar-winning role) defends an innocent black man (Brock Peters) against rape charges but ends up in a maelstrom of hate and prejudice. Meanwhile, with help from a friend (John Megna), Finch's children, Jem (Phillip Alford) and Scout (Mary Badham), set their sights on making contact with a reclusive neighbor (Robert Duvall).
TRUMBO – 2015 - depicts the life of Dalton Trumbo and the 1950's "witch hunt" hearings in Congress
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Trumbo-2015-/80057100?dsrc=ADW13
Bryan Cranston stars as famed 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose refusal to testify before the congressional House Un-American Activities Committee resulted in a prison sentence and being blacklisted as a communist.
WEST SIDE STORY – 1961 - very famous musical with dance (Leonard Berstein wrote the musical score)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/West-Side-Story/1111583?dsrc=ADW13
Winner of 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, this classic musical set among the tenements of New York City finds star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony caught in the midst of a turf war between rival street gangs.
WIZARD OF OZ, THE - 1939 -- very famous film with music and dance. The first film to have color.
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Wizard-of-Oz-1939-/70039535?dsrc=ADW13
There's no place like home for young Dorothy (Judy Garland), who's been swept away from her farm in Kansas to a wonderland of munchkins, flying monkeys and different-colored horses. She must follow the Yellow Brick Road to the all-knowing Wizard of Oz to find her way home. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley) and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who help her fend off the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY – 1942 -- the story about George M. Cohan -- great dancing and singing
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/yankee-doodle-dandy/id387792380
James Cagney ("White Heat," "Angels With Dirty Faces") danced and sang his way to a well-deserved Academy Award for his outstanding portrayal of vaudeville composer and performer George M. Cohan in this Oscar-nominated biography. Recently selected as one of the top American films of all time by the prestigious American Film Institute and directed by Academy Award-winner Michael Curtiz ("Casablanca"), this joyous musical tribute to one of America's most popular entertainers was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Writing and won for Best Score and Best Sound. Oscar-winner Walter Huston ("The Treasure of the Sierra Madre") received his third Oscar-nomination as Cohan's show business father. Contains some of Cohan's finest songs, including, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Over There," and "Give My Regards to Broadway". A "must-see" American classic, Leonard Maltin awards it four stars. Inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
7 DAYS IN MAY - 1964 -- A Military coup in America?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73rHOk0pUls
It happens with startling swiftness and violence. An armed cadre seizes state control. Fortunately, a coup d'etat can't happen here. Or can it? A classic of suspense directed by John Frankenheimer, Seven Days in May tautly explores that possibility. At odds are a popular general and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and an unpopular President with a pacifist agenda. At stake is the survival of the Republic. A vigilant colonel uncovers the scheme. But are the seven fateful days ahead enough time to derail a takeover? The clock is ticking.
13 DAYS – 2000 -- Cuban missile crisis of 1962
https://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Days-Infinifilm-Ernest-May/dp/B00005J760
For thirteen extraordinary days in October of 1962, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe. Across the globe, people anxiously awaited the outcome of a harrowing political, diplomatic and military confrontation that threatened to end in an apocalyptic nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union. The alarming escalation of events during those fateful days brought to the fore such public figures as Robert McNamara, Adlai Stevenson, Theodore Sorenson, Andrei Gromyko, Anatoly Dobrynin, McGeorge Bundy, Dean Acheson, Dean Rusk, and General Curtis LeMay. In addition many others -- politicians, diplomats and soldiers -- were on the front line of the showdown. In Thirteen Days, we see all of these people, -- and, above all -- President John F. Kennedy and his brother Bobby, through the eyes of a trusted presidential aide and confidante, Kenneth P. O'Donnell.
ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN – 1976 – “Watergate” scandal leading to President Nixon’s resignation
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/All-the-President-s-Men/243547
The film that launched a thousand journalism school students, All the President's Men chronicles how the work of reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) contributed to the public downfall of President Richard M. Nixon. The duo connected a Washington, D.C., hotel break-in with a Nixon "dirty tricks" team assigned to discredit Democratic rivals, launching a series of tense events that forced Nixon to resign.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS – 1951 – Musical (Gershwin) very famous!
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/An-American-in-Paris/251454?dsrc=ADW13
Once a struggling painter, opportunistic American artist Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) now lives in the City of Light, enjoying the patronage of a well-heeled, amorous American gallery owner (Nina Foch) -- and swiftly falling for a willowy French street urchin (Leslie Caron). Trouble is, the object of Mulligan's affection also happens to be engaged to a famous French singer (Georges Guétary). This tour de force movie musical nabbed seven Oscars.
CASABLANCA – 1942 – Famous American film with Humphrey Bogart
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Casablanca/354611?dsrc=ADW13
In this Oscar-winning classic, American expat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) plays host to gamblers, thieves and refugees at his Moroccan nightclub during World War II ... but he never expected Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) - the woman who broke his heart -- to walk through that door. Ilsa hopes that with Rick's help, she and her fugitive husband (Paul Henreid) can escape to America. But the spark that brought the lovers together still burns brightly.
CITIZEN KANE – 1941 – Famous film about Randolph Hearst newspaper mogul
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Citizen-Kane/60000605?dsrc=ADW13
Still considered one of the greatest films ever made, Orson Welles's complex and technically stunning film chronicles newspaper baron Charles Foster Kane's rise from poverty to become one of America's most influential men.
DANCES WITH WOLVES – 1990 – Depicting Native Americans (“Indians”) at the time following the Civil War
https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=pkWc4UrfyBc
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) tries to commit suicide -- and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe. This special edition of Costner's Oscar-winning directorial debut features an extended cut of the film, an audio commentary from Costner, a behind-the-scenes featurette and more.
DR. STRANGELOVE – 1964 – Film about WW 3 possibiity - comedy
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Dr-Strangelove/60020009?dsrc=ADW13
When a fanatical U.S. general launches an air strike against the Soviets, they raise the stakes by threatening to unleash a "doomsday device," setting the stage for Armageddon in this classic black comedy that brilliantly skewers the nuclear age.
FORREST GUMP – 1994 – Iconic film – very popular
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Forrest-Gump/60000724?dsrc=ADW13
Forrest Gump, a simpleminded man, finds himself in the middle of nearly every major event of the 1960s and '70s. Along the way, he makes friends, changes lives and yearns for his childhood sweetheart, Jenny.
GONE WITH THE WIND – 1939 – Iconic film about the old South before the Civil War
https://dvd.netflix.com/Search?v1=GONE%20WITH%20THE%20WIND
Director Victor Fleming's 1939 epic adaption of Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name stars Vivien Leigh as self-absorbed, headstrong Scarlett O'Hara, a Southern Belle who meets her match in Rhett Butler just as the Civil War breaks out.
GRAPES OF WRATH, THE – 1940 – about the “dust bowl” drought in Oklahoma based on Steinbeck’s novel
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-grapes-of-wrath/id987763583
John Ford won the Best Director Oscar® and Jane Darwell won for Best Actress in this masterful film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel that was nominated for seven Academy Awards® in all, including Best Picture. Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad, the father of a migrant family of farmers who leave the Oklahoma dust bowl for the promised land of California, only to face new and daunting challenges.
GUYS AND DOLLS – 1955 – Musical about the “gangster” types - famous
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Guys-and-Dolls/567113?dsrc=ADW13
A singing Marlon Brando stars as Sky Masterson opposite Frank Sinatra in this musical take on Damon Runyon's Manhattan short stories. One of the richest scores to spring from Broadway to Hollywood includes such classic songs as "Luck Be a Lady."
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER - 1967 – Issues about inter-racial relationships
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Guess-Who-s-Coming-to-Dinner/564122?dsrc=ADW13
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn star as wealthy Californians who consider themselves progressive until their only daughter (Katharine Houghton) brings home her African American fiancé (Sidney Poitier) in this snapshot of race relations in the late 1960s. The film earned two Academy Awards (for Hepburn's performance and William Rose's screenplay) and eight other nominations.
HIDDEN FIGURES – 2016 – about the role of 3 black women in the space program
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Hidden-Figures/80123775?dsrc=ADW13
In the race to space between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, three black female mathematicians play a key role in launching astronaut John Glenn into outer space, making him the first American to orbit Earth.
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT – 1967 – regarding race relations in the South
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/In-the-Heat-of-the-Night/60003605?dsrc=ADW13
Black Philadelphia detective Virgil Tibbs helps a redneck Southern sheriff solve a murder in this riveting study in racism that still strikes a chord. Rod Steiger won a Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the put-upon lawman who comes to respect Tibbs.
INHERIT THE WIND – 1960 – Iconic film about the Scopes trial (about teaching evolution in school)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Inherit-the-Wind/60010489?dsrc=ADW13
Spencer Tracy (in an Oscar-nominated role) and Fredric March square off as opposing attorneys Henry Drummond and Matthew Harrison Brady, respectively, in this blistering courtroom drama about the famed 1925 "Scopes Monkey Trial," in which a Tennessee teacher was taken to task for teaching Darwinism in the classroom. The film also earned Oscar nods for its editing, screenplay and cinematography. Gene Kelly co-stars as a newspaper reporter.
JOHN ADAMS - 2008 - enacted historical drama about President John Adams
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/John-Adams/70087091
Paul Giamatti stars in this sweeping Emmy and Golden Globe winner for Best Miniseries that chronicles the astonishing life of founding father John Adams: revolutionary leader, America's first ambassador to England, the first vice president and the second president. The iconic cast of characters includes Abigail Adams (Laura Linney), George Washington (David Morse), Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane), Benjamin Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) and many more.
This is a fascinating story which kept us wanting to see the next episode. On 3 DVD discs, this is the best depiction of the American Revolution that we've seen. The acting is superb and the sets are amazing. They even yellowed the teeth as the characters aged. This is not the usual glorified version of events. We HIGHLY recommend this excellent film which originally appeared on A&E network on television.
**NOTE: be sure to turn on the feature which pops up historical facts as you watch. We paused the video to read them and absorb the information. Excellent feature and well worth it.
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON – 1939 – Classic film about the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Mr-Smith-Goes-to-Washington/779080
When idealistic junior senator Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) arrives in Washington, D.C., he's full of plans and dazzled by his surroundings -- qualities he retains despite widespread corruption among his cynical colleagues. Jean Arthur puts in a sharp performance as Smith's streetwise secretary, who helps him navigate his way through Congress, in this Academy Award-winning classic from director Frank Capra.
NETWORK – 1976 – The business end of how the network news gets out of control
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Network/70044752?dsrc=ADW13
When a network news anchor loses his mind on the air, his outrageous rants reach viewers at home, boost the ratings and intrigue a pair of cutthroat network executives in this Oscar-winning masterpiece that predicted today's rash of trash television.
OF MICE AND MEN – 1992 (Based on John Steinbeck’s novel)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Of-Mice-and-Men/818634?dsrc=ADW13
All that George (Burgess Meredith) and Lennie (Lon Chaney Jr.) want is a home of their own, where they can work for themselves and keep a pen of rabbits. But for the unlikely roommates, reality is to live a vagabond life, swinging from job to job and boss to boss. Just when it seems their dreams could come true, Lennie's simpleminded strength works against him -- and smashes George's hopes. Based on John Steinbeck's classic novel.
OKLAHOMA! -- 1955 -- famous musical with dancing
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Oklahoma-/820796?dsrc=ADW13
During Oklahoma's freewheeling territorial days, coquettish Laurey Williams (Shirley Jones) falls for good-natured cowboy Curly McLain (Gordon MacRae). Unfortunately, she also provokes the unwanted affections of brooding hired hand Jud Fry (Rod Steiger). Classic Rodgers and Hammerstein songs abound in this Academy Award-winning musical from director Fred Zinnemann that was adapted for the big screen after a successful Broadway run.
POST, THE -- 2017 – about the Washington Post newspaper and the legal battle about the famous “Pentagon Papers” scandal under President Nixon
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Post/80192932?dsrc=ADW13
When the "Washington Post" agrees to publish the leaked Pentagon Papers -- which point to a secret escalation of the Vietnam War -- the Nixon administration tries to block publication, setting off an epic legal and political battle.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN – 1952 -- famous song and dance film (Gershwin)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Singin-in-the-Rain/967758?dsrc=ADW13
Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor combine their talents in one of the greatest big-screen musicals ever made, a two-time Oscar nominee that includes the songs "Good Morning," "Make 'Em Laugh" and the iconic title tune. When Hollywood attempts the transition from silent films to talkies, a matinee idol (Kelly) hopes to make the cut. But he's hampered by a silent-movie queen (Jean Hagen) with a voice like fingernails on a blackboard.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD -- 1962 - deals with American justice and race
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird/1051852?dsrc=ADW13
Southern comforts abound in this big-screen adaptation of Harper Lee's novel as lawyer Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck, in an Oscar-winning role) defends an innocent black man (Brock Peters) against rape charges but ends up in a maelstrom of hate and prejudice. Meanwhile, with help from a friend (John Megna), Finch's children, Jem (Phillip Alford) and Scout (Mary Badham), set their sights on making contact with a reclusive neighbor (Robert Duvall).
TRUMBO – 2015 - depicts the life of Dalton Trumbo and the 1950's "witch hunt" hearings in Congress
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Trumbo-2015-/80057100?dsrc=ADW13
Bryan Cranston stars as famed 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose refusal to testify before the congressional House Un-American Activities Committee resulted in a prison sentence and being blacklisted as a communist.
WEST SIDE STORY – 1961 - very famous musical with dance (Leonard Berstein wrote the musical score)
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/West-Side-Story/1111583?dsrc=ADW13
Winner of 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, this classic musical set among the tenements of New York City finds star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony caught in the midst of a turf war between rival street gangs.
WIZARD OF OZ, THE - 1939 -- very famous film with music and dance. The first film to have color.
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Wizard-of-Oz-1939-/70039535?dsrc=ADW13
There's no place like home for young Dorothy (Judy Garland), who's been swept away from her farm in Kansas to a wonderland of munchkins, flying monkeys and different-colored horses. She must follow the Yellow Brick Road to the all-knowing Wizard of Oz to find her way home. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley) and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who help her fend off the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY – 1942 -- the story about George M. Cohan -- great dancing and singing
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/yankee-doodle-dandy/id387792380
James Cagney ("White Heat," "Angels With Dirty Faces") danced and sang his way to a well-deserved Academy Award for his outstanding portrayal of vaudeville composer and performer George M. Cohan in this Oscar-nominated biography. Recently selected as one of the top American films of all time by the prestigious American Film Institute and directed by Academy Award-winner Michael Curtiz ("Casablanca"), this joyous musical tribute to one of America's most popular entertainers was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Writing and won for Best Score and Best Sound. Oscar-winner Walter Huston ("The Treasure of the Sierra Madre") received his third Oscar-nomination as Cohan's show business father. Contains some of Cohan's finest songs, including, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Over There," and "Give My Regards to Broadway". A "must-see" American classic, Leonard Maltin awards it four stars. Inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
