Wednesday, November 20, 2002
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Wednesday, November 20, 2002 |
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Holiday dinner and a movie . . . By BILLY MURPHY As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us take part in the familial tradition of "visiting." Visiting, as I see it, is sitting around with people you have known longer than anyone in your life, but you have the least in common with. Maybe this isn't really true, but just feels that way when you travel vast distances, see each other so infrequently, then wind up talking about Aunt Myrtle's goiter problems. One great tradition during the holiday season for families (in addition to me sitting at a card table during turkey dinner with three 11-year-olds) is watching Christmas movies together. Not that you even need to plan on a movie and rent it, but that during the long, dead hours together a family needs something to stare at as they sit there in silence. There are really only two classic movies to recommend for such occasions and they are all about family. The first is "It's a Wonderful Life." The second is "A Christmas Story." "It's a Wonderful Life" is about what can happen for a family that struggles together and loves through it all. "A Christmas Story" is what really happens. "It's a Wonderful Life" holds a special place in my heart as it is the first movie I ever cried while watching. I must've been only 9 and I just remember being confused as to why my eyes were tearing up without getting spanked. The closest you could get to tears watching "A Christmas Story" is watching it while peeling onions and having dental surgery. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" are opposites in almost every way. In "It's a Wonderful Life" George Bailey is the eternal pessimist, yet the movie is infinitely hopeful. In "A Christmas Story," Ralph "Ralphie" Parker is the eternal optimist yet the movie is hilariously cruel. Both guys are bullied, but Ralphie reacts by pummeling his antagonist and assaulting him with obscenities that would make Madonna blush. George Bailey cowers until the eleventh hour. George is helped along by a fallen angel seeking his wings. Ralphie is discouraged by a disoriented Santa Claus and a witch-like teacher. "A Christmas Story" has not the hope of tinkling, heavenly bells. "It's a Wonderful Life" has no frozen flagpole. The movies are a lot alike though, too. Both George and Ralphie have seemingly retarded brothers (using the un-PC word retarded, as "mentally challenged" had not been in invented in 1946 nor 1983, when the movies were released). The true emotions and heart of each movie come through in the women. George Bailey's wife is long-suffering, caring and endlessly romantic. Ralphie's mom is patient, firm and forever merciful in smashing his dad's Italian Leg Lamp ("It's from Fra-gil-e!") Nevertheless, families can be comforted in watching either movie, or better still, both. Because, even if we do live in a world where we have Chinese food for holiday dinners and a dad so cheap he will barter over a Christmas tree, we can all still dream of friends and family that like us and love us no matter how self-centered and grumpy we are. [Visit Billy Murphy on the Internet at http://ebilly.net.]
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