Movie Monday: Cinema Americana

Day 46

As a movie fan I like to watch holiday-themed movies (such as Christmas movies) or movies that can be affiliated with a holiday (such as the movie Groundhog Day for…well, Groundhog Day!)

Anyway, the big holiday this month was my birthday…just kidding! Actually, what I meant was the 4th of July, and on the 4th I watched a few favorite movies that I felt connected with America, patriotism, freedom and all that “stars and stripes” stuff.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

* The title pretty much shouts “America” and patriotism and the subject is one of the great Americans who truly loved America. His name: George M. Cohan, known for composing fantastic songs such as “Over There”, “You’re A Grand Ol’ Flag” and “The Yankee Doodle Boy”. George M. Cohan is portrayed by James Cagney, who gives a vibrant, energetic Oscar-winning performance. He dances and he sings! This film is full of patriotism and love of America, which is fitting since George M. Cohan was born on the 4th of July! There are scenes full of American flags, emblems and symbols that fill your heart with love for this country! Combined with patriotic tunes this is a movie that reminds me of how grateful I am to live in America!

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)

* Another title that immediately brings “America” to mind, this is a wonderful movie that reminds the viewer of the values that this great country was built upon, and how quickly these values can be forgotten or destroyed by greed, power and corruption. James Stewart gives one of his greatest performances as Jefferson Smith, a newly elected senator who comes to Washington D.C. to be sworn in at congress. Smith is passionately patriotic and totally thrilled to be in our nation’s capitol and he is determined to propose a valuable, beneficial bill in congress. But he faces humiliation and betrayal at the hands of the people he once admired. This movie contains a powerful scene in which Smith enacts a “filibuster” while addressing congress in order to clear his name and expose the corruption around him. This is a movie that makes me proud to be an American!

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

* Those who have seen this movie may wonder why I consider it a “4th of July” movie, because it is completely different from Yankee Doodle Dandy and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. This is a political thriller, a movie full of deceptions and intrigues. But I find that there is a definite “American” theme with this movie. The main plot deals with a Congressional Medal of Honor winner named Raymond Shaw who returns from serving in the Korean War. Also returning is a member of Shaw’s team, Major Bennett Marco (played by Frank Sinatra) who is plagued with horrendous, realistic dreams of being captured, tortured and brainwashed (along with Raymond) in Manchuria. Meanwhile Raymond Shaw’s stepfather is a senator who idolizes Abraham Lincoln and begins to spew ridiculous reports of Communists in congress. Soon it is revealed that there is a connection between Marco’s dreams, Raymond’s stepfather and Raymond’s controlling, domineering, power-hungry mother, brilliantly played by Angela Lansbury (she’s definitely not Jessica Fletcher in this movie!) Throughout this movie there are references made about freedom, capitalism and democracy, and there are reminders of the influences in the world that attempt to destroy these virtues. This movie makes me realize how valuable and precious America is.

P.S. One movie I forgot to mention but I believe should be on the list of 4th of July movies is…Independence Day (1996) - based on the title this should be the definitive movie for this holiday!