Intolerance

Movie: Intolerance (1916)
Director: D.W. Griffith
Starring: Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, Margery Wilson, Frank Bennett, Josephine Crowell, Alfred Paget, Howard Gaye
Rank: 49

"Your political views are different than mine, so I don't have any respect for you."

"I have different beliefs about the existence of a higher power than you do, so you must not be as smart as I am."

"My paycheck is much bigger than yours, and it must be because you're not as deserving as I am."

"You don't look as good as I do, so therefore I don't have to be nice to you."

"I don't understand your sexual orientation, so I don't think you should have access to the same things I do."

Yesterday morning, you went outside. You took a leisurely stroll down the street, enjoying the beautiful weather. While you were out, there was someone who judged you because of what you were wearing. Later in the afternoon, you got in your car and ran a few errands. As you drove down the street, someone tailgating you judged you because of your bumper sticker. That night, you went to dinner with a friend without realizing you had a stain on your shirt, and someone judged you because of it.

That sounds fair, right? I mean, isn't it easy to know who isn't our equal just by looking at them? It gets even easier when we find out little bits of information about them. It's safe to assume that anyone who is a Christian just isn't that bright, just like anyone who is an atheist is immoral. Illegal immigrants are the sole ones responsible for our current economic woes. The homosexuals are destroying the morals of the nation and are going to corrupt our children. Obese people, well, they're just too lazy to make a worthy contribution to society.

Sometimes, it feels as though we label each other because we are just too busy with life to be bothered to get to know who a person really is. We make judgments based on one past experience that we've exaggerated in our own minds or some out-dated stereotype that was never based in reality to begin with. Sometimes it seems like we fight so hard to eliminate anyone who is not like us. The world would be easy if we all shared the same ideas and beliefs, right?

Wrong.

Life has never been, nor will ever be, easy. (Personally, I think that's one of the things that makes life beautiful.) But if we were all the same, new ideas would never evolve. If we all agreed, if no one ever stood up and questioned why things are the way they are, we'd still be living in caves. If life were like that, it would be dull, and cease to exist.

I doubt if many of you have seen the film Intolerance. To be frank, I'm certain most of you never will. Sitting through a three-hour silent film about hate and injustice isn't many people's idea of a Sunday afternoon, but if there were any lesson I'd hope you would get out of my 100 Movies project, I hope it's from this film here. I'll be honest and say that I was both excited about seeing this film and dreading it at the same time. In cinema classes of years past, Intolerance always comes up as a point of discussion at one time or another, yet none of my film teachers ever showed it in class. Most likely, I'll never watch this film again, but it will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Intolerance follows four stories. All of the stories are long and involved, and moving, but I'm not going into plot synopsis. (If you really want the plot, you should look for it through Google or IMDb.) All four of the stories deal with intolerance, of looking down upon another human being because of a difference of opinion, class, culture, and religion. In all stories, love in blocked by injustice and bigotry, and in two of the stories the lover's die without ever being able to be with the one they desire. It is because of blind hate that love cannot bloom, because of judgments of trivial details rather than who a person really is.

Throughout the film, there is a shot of a woman rocking an empty cradle, and the words "Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking" appear on the screen. This is a reference to a poem by Walt Whitman, about a bird who loses his mate. The bird has an unyielding love for his mate, and when she disappears he searches for her, anxious to find her once again. But they cannot be together because of forces larger than themselves, and so the bird eventually gives up, and in a way, he dies. Much like this poem, the love that could've conquered the world is crushed by the evil of judgment in Intolerance.

The sad thing is, though, that even though this film is just six years shy of being a century old, the same thing still happens in the world today. We are constantly judged for the little details about ourselves. And whether or not we want to admit it, there has been a time when we ourselves have judged others for something on the surface. The beautiful thing about being human, though, is we have a choice about how we view people. You may not be able to help how people view you, but you can control how you choose to see others.

Do you want to know how things will change, seriously? What could possibly make the world a better place? Us!! We can change the world, really. We cannot change others, but we can change the things we do. There are so many forms of discrimination and prejudice out there, but it's not something that is built into human nature, it is something that is learned! Stop saying sexist jokes, stop using racial slurs, because even if you don't believe yourself to be prejudice you are still fueling the fire by keeping the stereotypes alive. You never know who may be taking you seriously, or who may be hearing what you are saying! People who judge others based on superficial trivia learned to do so from someone else. Don't let it spread! Hate ends here, if we want it to.

Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking


Movies to Go: 78

The Sound of Music

Title: The Sound of Music (1965)
Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Rank: 40

"If you have faith and persevere, you can follow every rainbow."
-Julie Andrews

Those are the words that introduce the Special Edition DVD of The Sound of Music, spoken by the star herself. Personally, I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for years, and never took the time to sit down at watch it. Now, I wish I would've watch it years ago, as it easy is now one of my favorite films.

There are so many reasons that The Sound of Music is on the list. First off, the production value is spectacular- beautiful sets, great script, and an excellent cast make this movie a joy to watch. Of course, the music is astounding! Add to that the worst kind of villians in history (the Nazis, which appear in several movies on the list, one of which being The Raiders of the Lost Ark) and a splendid story and it makes The Sound of Music easily one of the most memorable films of all times.

But what I particularly like about The Sound of Music are the bits of inspiration it has to offer. The character of Maria is so full of spirit. She has strength, courage, and a genuine lust for the beauty of life. When she enters into the Von Trapp household, she changes them. Bringing back music to their house is not just bringing back and art form, but bringing back the intimacy the family shared before their mother passed away. There is something truly magical about music, something that has the power to bring people together. My family shares a connection with music: each time we have a family reunion, we spend time singing old American folk songs together- TV off, cell phones silenced, and a couple of uncles playing the guitar as the rest of us sing along. To many people, this may seem a bit corny, but some of my fondest memories with that part of the family is when we're sitting around singing "Grandfather's Clock" or "Grandma's Feather Bed," songs that are all much older than I am. We may not be quite as musically inclined as the Von Trapp family, nor do we ever break out in synchronized dances while we sing those old songs, but the connection is the same. As The Sound of Music illustrates time and time again, family is of the utmost importance. The children all band together each time a new governess comes into the house, the family looks out for each other throughout their daily activities, and eventually Maria becomes a part of the family (literally- she married Captain Von Trapp). The most important time the family bond comes into play is when they are fleeing from the Nazis, heading towards an uncertain future in the hopes of keeping their safety and freedom. They know that no matter what they face, as long as they face it together, they can conquer even the hardest of situations.

Through Maria, we see that just as important as family is the tendency to be true to oneself. Life is too short to live it as someone the world expects you to be, and far greater things can be accomplished when we just be ourselves and stop worrying so much about "presentation." Maria starts the film as a nun, but realizes that this is not the path for her. There's nothing wrong about being a nun, but there's also nothing wrong with being Maria. Some of us may feel out of place, sometimes even a bit odd, but who isn't? And as Sister Margaretta says "After all, the wool from the black sheep is just as warm." Be yourself, no one else can do you as well you can.


Movies to Go: 80

Sullivan's Travels

Title: Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake
Rank: 61

It's amazing the things a person can learn just from observing others. "Take a walk in another man's shoes" is a common phrase, but not something commonly practiced these days. Sullivan's Travels is about a director, John Sullivan, who wants to make a dramatic film about the lives of poor people. His investors, however, think this is a terrible idea: What does wealthy Sullivan know about the life of the poor and hobos?

Wanting to make an exceptional movie, Sullivan goes in disguise as a hobo to try to gain insight for his film. His first attempts to blend in are frivolous, and don't yield much understanding for Sullivan. He does, through a case of mistaken identity, end up living life as a hobo in chains for three years. When he is finally returned to his luscious life in Hollywood, he has a new appreciation for life, a genuine understanding of the hardships of a life on the street, and a realization that he doesn't want to make a drama about the hobo life. Instead, he wants to make a comedy: while on the streets, he observed first hand how laughter takes away the stressfulness of any situation, and knows that he wants to make a comedy to lighten the spirits of the less-fortunate as a sign of gratitude for all they taught him.

Laughter is, indeed, the best medicine. Scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase mood, and is even heart-healthy! (Source: Laughter is the Best Medicine) Sullivan learned through his experiences that when a person is in a discouraging situation, it is better to make them lighten up with humor rather than reaffirm their sorrowful circumstances. The film even opens with a dedication to humorous people:
To the memory of those who made us laugh: the motley mountebanks, the clowns, the buffoons, in all times and in all nations, whose efforts have lightened our burden a little, this picture is affectionately dedicated.

But more importantly than just learning the value of laughter, Sullivan learns what life is like through the eyes of another. All of us have our hardships in life, and all of us have the good points about life, too. Whatever the situation is, there's always someone who has a situation we would consider worse than our own. It takes a great deal of intelligence to learn through the observation of others rather than continuously making our own mistakes, and this holds true with learning about sorrow. Life is beautiful, but has complications. Life isn't easy (and if it was, it would certainly be boring and uneventful), but we can learn to appreciate the positive things in our lives rather than dwelling on the negative.

Sullivan's Travels touches on the benefits of showing charity and kindness to others. While Sullivan spends time as a tramp, people show him mercy at times. Some people give him food, sometimes it's as simple as just not turning him into the cops or letting him sleep in a place for the night. When he returns to his normal life, he pays the favors forward, giving $5 (which was a lot more back then than it is today) to all the hobos on the street. He even gives $100 to a man who gave him food when Sullivan had no way to pay for it. A gift of kindness, given without anything expected in return, is the purest form of love. Just remember this: even simple gestures of help can make a big difference. Giving to others is one of the most satisfying things a person can do. If the tables were turned, wouldn't you hope there would be someone out there willing to look past your situation and give you a little bit of a break?


Movies to Go: 81

The Wizard of Oz

Title: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Director: Victor Fleming
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley
Rank: 10

A Brain. Heart. Courage. A place to call home. These are the things coveted by the four yellow-brick-road-trekkers in The Wizard of Oz. Being smart, being a good person, having courage, and having people who love us are common human desires that most of us have. What we often don't realize, like the four characters, is that we already possess these traits inside of us, waiting to flourish.

The Scarecrow wants a brain. There are not very many people in the world who wouldn't want to be smarter. More often than not, it is a matter of applying oneself. If we didn't have brains, we wouldn't be breathing. Like any muscle, the brain needs exercise or it becomes flabby and weak. The more we use our minds, the stronger it becomes.

The Tin Man wants a heart. Deep down, I believe people want to be good. We all want to make a difference in the world, and leave something positive that future generations will remember us by. A good example of this is the situation in Haiti right now- there are people in need, and because of the dire situation, there are thousands of people who are reaching out to help those less fortunate than them. Whether it is by donating time, money, or blood, each little bit helps. (I myself tried to donate blood, but the Red Cross had to deny my donation due to the cancer and chemotherapy I had as a child. I was able to donate a little bit financially, though.) We all want to help others when they are in need, we all have a heart.

The Lion wanted courage. Life isn't easy, and often we have to do things that seem uncertain, and it takes a bit of courage to get by sometimes. People who are brave have the admiration and respect of others, two things that everyone would love to have. Being a valiant person doesn't mean looking for trouble, but facing it strongly when it comes.

Dorothy wanted a way home. What she is really looking for is familial love. No matter how far we may travel or how successful we may become, we still want the love of family and friends and the comfort of a place to call home.

What the four characters don't realize is that they had the things they wanted from the beginning, all it took was a little encouragement from the wizard for them to see that they were who they wanted to be. There is amazing potential in all of us, we just have to learn to tap in to it. So much easier to say than to do, but still entirely possible. People are astonishing creatures. As cliché as this may sound, we are all special. Each of us is a unique individual, and we all have our own interests, passions, and talents. People often don't realize how much potential they truly have, all it takes is a little belief in oneself.

When you put your mind to it, there isn't anything that you cannot do. We all have brains, heart, courage, and loved ones who support us. I firmly believe that the only limits we have are the ones we give ourselves.

Just because I think they are so pretty, I'm sharing with you a picture of the Ruby Slippers.


Movies to Go: 93

Rocky

Title: Rocky (1976)
Director: John G. Avildsen
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith
Rank: 57

Tonight's film was a treat for me, because this was the first time I had ever seen Rocky. Of course, I have seen the shot where Rocky is on the top of the steps in Philadelphia, raising his arms, jumping around, with Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" playing, along with many of the spoofs of it there are out there. (Take a peek at the film version here.)

It is not hard to guess why Rocky made it on to AFI's "100 Years 100 Movies" list. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, this film is about inspiration. Rocky comes from nowhere- he is no one special, living nowhere special, doing nothing special. As luck would have it, he is picked to fight in the championship fight against heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. (Creed only picked Rocky to fight because he liked the name the "Italian Stallion.") This is a dream come true for Rocky, and he wants nothing more than to go all the way in the fight.

Even though he doesn't win, Rocky does succeed. He lasts through the entire fight, the winner determined by points instead of a knockout. Rocky is ecstatic about the fact that he gets this opportunity, and completely satisfied with the outcome. The story of it is what everyone hopes for- we all have that "Mount Everest" that we want to achieve, whether it is becoming a record-setting athlete, discovering the cure to a disease, raising kids, becoming a world famous actor, or getting a chance to fight the champion. Most people have a dream, something they want to accomplish in their life, the one thing they want to be remembered for above everything else. It doesn't have to be something has big as becoming the CEO to a worldwide company, but it is something that will define us for who we are. Rocky was the underdog- no one expected him to make it, but he did, defeating the odds. We all believe ourselves to be the underdog at some point or another, and when those times come we have the choice to either let it break us or put in all we've got to overpower it. The only limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves.

The amazing thing about dreams is that it is never too late to have a dream, nor is it ever too late to pursue a dream. Rocky is thirty years old when he is given the chance to fight Apollo, having spent more than half his life thinking about this dream but never doing anything about it. When the opportunity presents itself, he takes it and trains as hard as he can, letting the fight take over his life and consume his every thought. He conquers his "Mount Everest" in the fact that he was able to withstand the entire fight and go the distance. To Rocky, winning wasn't the objective, it was withstanding the battle.

Rocky, however, had luck on his side. It was by pure coincidence (and that catchy name) that he was chosen to be the contender in the big fight. Not all of us will have that luck, and we often have to make our own opportunities. In most cases, there is no luck- it is all about persistence. Like the Japanese proverb says "Fall down seven times, get up eight." Any dream takes hard work and perseverance to be welded into a reality, and there will be times when you fall. It may feel like a failure, but as long as you stand back up then it is only a bump in the road. Besides, if you learn something from it, then it really isn't a failure at all.

We all have a dream or two, and nothing is impossible. (Walt Disney once said "If you can dream it, you can do it.") Dreams take work, though, but they are worth all the blood, sweat, tears, and time that go into them. It is never too late to make YOUR dream come true. We only have one life to live, and as Mickey Goodmill said: "You ain't gonna get a second chance."

Movies to Go: 98