Olivia still can't subtract quickly in her head but, like Nero fiddling while Rome was burning, I have decided to follow Ty Burr's advice in his book The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together. Sick of all the bland Disney fare, endless sequels and all the merchandising in present day children's films he sat down with his two daughters and watched all sorts of old movies with no Coke cans held just so, no 4th retread of the same story, no market survey endings. The results were that his daughters love film in the way he did. The book contains lists of old films according to genre and age group appropriateness. Since we should have started at age 4 we are a bit behind, but the Gentes Girls are always up for a challenge! We started easy with Singin' In the Rain but apparently we'll be watching Now Voyager in no time at all. We will be watching one every Sunday night. And if Liv can make it through How Green Was My Valley without years of subsequent therapy she's made of sterner stuff than me! Who needs to subtract in their head?
2 comments:
I remember when you wrote in a letter that you cried surreptitiously into a pillow while watching "How Green Is My Valley with your Dad.(c. 1989)
Love your blog, by the way.
Jeffrey Toubin, M.D.
Dallas, TX
Jeffrey---That's so funny you remember that since I didn't remember it even. My daughter is more of a Singing in the Rain type of girl---not a How Green Was My Valley type. I don't think she gets the idea of a 'good cry'yet.
You're my first comment btw! No one ever sends me comments. Thanks!
G
Post a Comment