I don't think any of these films really try to shoot for a moral message, but they are great entertainment. That being said, is it a waste of our time if there isn't some sort of moral lesson to be learned? Or is the lesson simply to take time to enjoy life and make people smile? Harpo's harp performances, Chico's piano performances, and Groucho's intelligent wit are all commendable talents and worthy pursuits.
Leaving it at that the one's we've seen recently and really enjoyed are the following:
Animal Crackers (by far the funniest, particularly Groucho's Strange Interludes)
This movie could be summed up quite well in one statement: "War is Hell". I haven't seen too many anti-war films, and though I believe war is necessary in some instances (almost never in provoking, but primarily in defending) this film did a very good job of portraying the terrors of war. Having never been in the military, I can't imagine how terrifying and desensitizing it can be on the war front, but can relate to the false concepts of power that seem to spread amongst those not directly involved.
The movie is set in Germany during WWI. When Paul, a young German soldier, is allowed leave to visit his family he visits with his father and some of his father's friends who seem to have the war all worked out to be won by Germany. They assumed that everyone fighting had a deep passion for the success of Germany and desire to dominate its enemies. The reality was that a lot of the young kids that got fired up about the war really had no clue what they were fighting for or who they were fighting against and ended up regretting even being there. They even began to see their enemies as human beings, not just political rivals.
One of the things I gleaned from the film is that we can't afford to be afraid of the truth. We need to be willing to search out and listen to the whole truth from the mouth of those who have first-hand experience. For instance, there are positive first-hand stories from the U.S. presence in Iraq and other places in the middle east that the mainstream media tends to ignore and instead panders to the political left by publishing nothing but horror stories of the over seas wars we are waging distorting the truth.
I also appreciated the depiction of the need for God in such dire circumstances. Faith in God is what can ultimately bring us out of the darkest trenches of our lives and give us hope in Christ and courage to live righteously in this immoral and amoral world.
This was an excellent movie! My parents told us how much they enjoyed it and that sparked our interests. It's a Frank Capra film, so I expected it to be as good as his other films (It's a Wonderful Life, Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, etc.). It was better! Maybe only because this was the first time I've seen it and I've seen all the others a dozen times, but it is definitely a world-shaker in my books.
The film displays the importance that family and friends are over one's career. It stresses that money can never buy happiness, and that happiness comes from doing what you enjoy. We should be happy with what we're doing, if we're not, something needs to change (unless you're an odd ball that likes being unhappy).
The importance of strong familial relationships (particularly father/son) is depicted. We see how humility can help strengthen or reforge those bonds if they've been damaged by pride and selfishness.
There was a bit of a similarity to The Bucket List when Mr. Kirby's ruthlessness to his customers ended him up in jail (Nicholson's character was similarly ruthless and he ended up, though coincidentally, a patient in his own poorly accommodating hospital.)
I'm not sure what the whole IRS situation had to do with anything, if anyone has any insights, I welcome them...
I was waiting for several moments in the film to turn "corny" or laughable, but every scene was genuinely entertaining and endearing. You'll miss out on a lot if you pass this one by. Carr
Rating: 5, World Shaker
Wow! This movie was absolutely amazing! It is now my all-time, number one, favorite movie ever! Not only does it have an uplifting and valuable message, but it achieves it through good, clean humor. My favorite character is the grandpa who could seem a little bit crazy at first, but proves to be the most sane person of them all. While kind and good to everyone, he proves his humanness when he breaks down and chews out the selfish and greedy Mr. Kirby. Instead of being inhumanly patient, he gives the man what he really deserves: a severe chastisement. (Who doesn't need a good lecture now and again?) Not without apologizing after, of course. It was this tongue lashing that made a difference in Mr. Kirby's life. MILD SPOILER: Of all the names he was called, the one that really gets to him is that he was a bad father. Of all the rotten things he had done, hurting his son was what hurt him the most.
The son (Tony Kirby) is also a great character because he is not interested in making money and being high up in the business world. He respects his father (Mr. Kirby) and desires to please him, but luckily his heart is still young and pure. In him we can see hope for the father, perhaps that he was once young and innocent before his corruption set in. The son falls in love with the daughter of a carefree family who always does just exactly as they please. Since Tony is from a rich family, the girl (Alice) is naturally nervous and knows that she will not easily please his family, particularly since her family can be a bit peculiar. She wants to put on a show to really impress his parents, but Tony just wants his parents to know the girl that he loves, all appearances aside. He could care less that they are somewhat strange or poor, he enjoys their company and he loves her. It makes him kind of a hero. Except that it is this honest desire that creates major problems...but there wouldn't be a movie without the problems, right? :)
It has several valuable messages, but basically it's what the title says. You can spend your whole life trying to make money and it won't make much difference in the end because when you die, you can't take it with you. But even more than that, each day of our life is important and having good friends makes us rich, no matter how poor we are materially. We should spend our time building lasting relationships through kindness, service, and humor instead of cutting people down on our climb to the top. This movie makes the point that life is to be enjoyed. Why go to work every day at a job you don't really like? Find something that makes you want to get up in the morning and brings a smile to your face. Most importantly it emphasizes the importance of family. When consumed by greed and a desire to be number one in the corporate world, family relationships can suffer. In the end, what's more important? What can you take with you when you die?
I love that the movie ends up well, but by taking a different path than expected. It keeps it unpredictable. I recommend it to everyone of all ages. It's totally clean and fabulous; no filter needed. It will definitely be a family classic in our home!
