Happy Thursday!

*A Little Poetry

*Some Beloved Old Movies

*Beautiful Autumn Inspired Music Videos

Reflections

A mirror lies within 

Where the quiet waters rest unseen

The pond holds up a liquid glass

To catch the clouds that softly pass.

The morning weaves an amber thread

Across the ripples gently spread.

And as the daytime starts to fade,

A twilight tapestry is made

The soaring birds, the distant blue,

Are captured in a deeper hue,

Two worlds aligned in perfect grace

As heaven meets the earth's embrace.

-Anonymous-

This time of year as the darkness comes early and the nights feel more cozy, I find myself in the mood to visit some favorite old movies.  Like books, some movies can feel like old friends taking you back to the happy places of life.  Here are a few that I really love.  Maybe they will inspire you to make some popcorn and cover up in a soft throw blanket on the couch. :)

1.  "So Dear to My Heart" is a 1948 Disney movie about a little boy living with his Granny in the early 1900's on a farm in Missouri.  One evening the boy talks his Granny into saving a little black lamb.  He falls in love with it and through some very sweet and funny mis adventures, he manages to raise the lamb to take to the County Fair, with hopes of winning the blue ribbon.  My favorite character of the whole movie is the Granny played to perfection by Beulah Bondi. She is one of my most favorite actresses.  It is a delightful, feel-good movie, with  lot of real life wisdom sprinkled in.

2.  "The Man From Snowy River".  This 1982 movie made in Australia starring Tom Burlinson, is also a favorite.  I think most of us may remember having seen it at one time or another.  I have probably seen it a dozen times and it never gets old. It is has some of the most beautiful cinematic shots of wild horses I have ever seen.  Not to mention a wonderful cast of actors.

Now tell me ladies who of us didn't want to be her just for a moment? Don't worry, Tony knows and he is not jealous. :) 

I mean, he is Australian and a cowboy? It doesn't get better than that! 

I thought I was going to faint when I first saw him take his mountain horse over the cliff!

3.  This next recommendation is a 3 movie bundle that sadly most people have never heard of:  "Courtship",  "On Valentine's Day", "1918".  These three movies made back in the 1980's were originally part of a 9 part play series by one of my most favorite playwrights:  Horton Foote.  He also wrote the screenplays for several other, more notable movies and tv shows.  This story held a very personal dynamic for him as it was the story of his beloved grandparents. 

The first movie "Courtship" stars William Converse-Roberts and Hallie Foote as Horace and Elizabeth a young couple, dating against her parent's wishes in early 1900's Texas.

 

"On Valentine's Day" is about their wedding, first year of marriage and their reconciliation with her parents and family. 

"1918" is about how World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic affected them, their families and community and how everyone pulls together to survive.  

The movies also star a young Matthew Brodrick as the character 'Brother'.  He gives a very dramatic and nuanced performance.

Besides the tender romance of the story, the wide variety of characters and historical accuracy that was put into the production is truly amazing.  

Horton Foote set out capture all the subtleties of life back in the 1900's.  Down to the very details.  He showed how people talked slower, used different words and slang to express themselves, walked slower, and carried themselves differently due to the garments they wore.  It is a bit unsettling at first and makes you slow down in your own thoughts as you watch it. 

They also displayed a type of daily manners toward their neighbors, and a reverence for traditions very unlike anything we see today.  Also all of the homes, and the items in the back ground were also true antiques, not reproductions.  

It makes you feel like you have literally walked back in time, and heard the actual voices of the people in a way I have never felt with any other movies, especially is this so with "1918." 

Through the eyes of Horace and Elizabeth and their family we see how young and old people in the last century learned to adapt to living in a new world.  You walk away from the movies rethinking a few things about what you thought the past was like. 

I have shown these movies to my friends when they have come over to visit through the years, and all of them said that afterwards they felt uplifted and determined to bring some of what they learned into their own lives.  

The DVD's for the movies can still be found.  Amazon Prime used to have all of them on streaming service but I think that may have changed.  They are still out there, but you might have to search a little.  

* And now to end the post today, here is some beautiful Autumn inspired music to enjoy, while you work or rest!

Have a lovely Thursday!

With Love,

Delisa