It was quiet movie to take in. Cheered for Mrs Watts blessing of success and jeering the daughter in law's selfishness and the son's weakness. But, loved the tender ending.
I have always loved movies, so I look forward to Film of the Week. I saw The Trip to Bountiful in the theater when it came out and a few times since, the latest being today, and it gets me every time. I appreciate that it has such meaning without falling into sentimentality. Today while hearing Mama talk about people leaving and going to the city reminded me a bit of Wendell Berry's Port Williams books
Debra, you wrote in one of your replies that as we get older we can more fully appreciate the subtleties of a movie like The Trip to Bountiful, and you are absolutely right. As I watched the story unfold, I was able to fully understand Carrie's feelings, and why she so desperately wanted to get back to her girlhood home. (Being in my 60's has everything to do with this!) That said, I don't know if it's better to be away from a beloved hometown for fifty years, and finally come back to witness all of the decay and change at once, or to live in the same place for all of those years and witness the change and decay on a year to year basis. I live where I was born, raised, and barring something unforeseen, will die. So much has changed, and not always for the better. The public school where I attended kindergarten is closed. My Catholic grade school is closed. The all girls Catholic high school I attended had to merge with the all boys Catholic high school, or be forced to close all-together. Our great neighborhood corner stores have vanished. The old neighborhoods (lower middle class) that were once cared for and whose homes were attended to now look disheveled and unloved. It has been sad to watch. Unlike Bountiful, my hometown hasn't disappeared, it's just that the town I knew in my girlhood has. This gets all wrapped-up with the family and friends that have disappeared too. The older generation dying here, the younger generation, for the most part, having moved away to bigger cities with more employment opportunity. For me, a reminder that, eventually, all things pass away is always only a car ride away.
"The Straight Story"--fearfully beautiful, sensitive, touching, and true-to-life. Alvin's story reminds me much of my dear father's. Both men traveled lonesome roads, alone with their memories of hard times and the war; in physical decline; estranged from their brothers and other family, but longing desperately for forgiveness and reconciliation. God bless and be with all who travel such roads.
I must share this with you. I watched this movie for the first time last night (because of this newsletter!) with my 84 year old widowed (stubborn) mother right after I gave her a lecture about how it was time for her to move in with one of us. This film softened the heart of her (stubborn) 53 year old son. So much beauty in this film. I especially love the singing of the old hymns and the bond we have with the places of our memories.
Poignant and beautiful film. I need to see it again. Now that I’m a bit older since I first saw it, I’m sure I will feel a certain affinity with Mrs. Watts.
I find that to be true about great literary art, too. You can benefit from reading great books over and over again, because your view of the world broadens as you grow older. Truth doesn't change, but we grow (one hopes!) better able to understand the subtleties of stories. We have "Trip to Bountiful" on our family "rewatch list" right now.
"Tender Mercies" is another beautiful Horton Foote film worth watching; Robert Duvall won the Best Actor Oscar. Interestingly, the producers of "Trip to Bountiful" ran out of money part way through filming and had to cease production until they could raise funds. It was worth the effort. John Heard's monologue at the end of the film is heartbreaking. I love Foote's writing!
"Tender Mercies" and "Trip to Bountiful" are two films from the era that make our top films list. That's interesting that "Bountiful" ran out of money in mid-production, and I'm very glad they finished it. I was saying to someone below that these two films (not to mention "To Kill a Mockingbird," a good book, which Foote turned into a masterpiece of a screenplay) manage to take on very difficult and honest and sad tales without falling into misery and despair. That's something!
I did see this one years ago, and remember liking it, though the details escape me. I saw the Straight Story too! That one was also good. It Happened One Night..... Jubilations!❣️
Often I enjoy a good book, or a worthwhile movie, even better the second time through. When I don't have to worry about the plot, I am better able to enjoy the scenery along the way.😉 Princess Bride, for example!❣️
Thanks for recommending another film, worthy of our attention. I hope to view it later today. As always, I'm thankful for your and Mrs. Esolen's reminders, as well as new information (at least for me, as in the case of Horton Foote), about an uplifting, shining part of our culture, which the dark age in which we now travel, attempts to shroud.
It's very encouraging for us to hear from folks who have embarked on this journey of reclamation with us, John. One thing I said when we began W&S was that we'd have no "shortage of inventory" for this project. The treasures, the treasures! And we all need constantly to recall to mind the good, as an antidote to what hits us every day.
This awfully touching, tender, in parts heartbreaking movie is a treasure. Mrs. Watts's story is that of many, who age and suffer grievous losses of people and places that shaped who they are. and gave their lives meaning. The young lady, whom she met in the bus station, and the sheriff in Harrison, might have been angels to help her on her journey home. We all need such help, from time to time, I think. In the end it seems even Ludie begins to realize that remembering those people and where one comes from is vitally important to one's sense of wholeness and belonging, lest aimless drift and isolation seize the soul in this often impersonal, materialistic, deterministic world. Our hearts and souls recognize and long for our ultimate, everlasting, Bountiful Home--of which the Bountifuls we know here are only a foretaste--fulfilled in, through, and with Christ, Who calls tenderly to you, to me, to all.
I thought about this movie last week and made a note to look for it so I could watch it again. I’ll take your post as confirmation and make finding it a priority. :)
This one is I think is one of a few movies from the 80's that are just true and good, and straightforward. You can definitely see the hand of Horton Foote in play, just as you could in Tender Mercies, from about the same era. These manage to be sad and real, without being grim and hopeless. We only got to give Trip to Bountiful a quick look last night, but Jessica hasn't seen it, so it needs to be on the family movie list for the summer!
It was quiet movie to take in. Cheered for Mrs Watts blessing of success and jeering the daughter in law's selfishness and the son's weakness. But, loved the tender ending.
I have always loved movies, so I look forward to Film of the Week. I saw The Trip to Bountiful in the theater when it came out and a few times since, the latest being today, and it gets me every time. I appreciate that it has such meaning without falling into sentimentality. Today while hearing Mama talk about people leaving and going to the city reminded me a bit of Wendell Berry's Port Williams books
Debra, you wrote in one of your replies that as we get older we can more fully appreciate the subtleties of a movie like The Trip to Bountiful, and you are absolutely right. As I watched the story unfold, I was able to fully understand Carrie's feelings, and why she so desperately wanted to get back to her girlhood home. (Being in my 60's has everything to do with this!) That said, I don't know if it's better to be away from a beloved hometown for fifty years, and finally come back to witness all of the decay and change at once, or to live in the same place for all of those years and witness the change and decay on a year to year basis. I live where I was born, raised, and barring something unforeseen, will die. So much has changed, and not always for the better. The public school where I attended kindergarten is closed. My Catholic grade school is closed. The all girls Catholic high school I attended had to merge with the all boys Catholic high school, or be forced to close all-together. Our great neighborhood corner stores have vanished. The old neighborhoods (lower middle class) that were once cared for and whose homes were attended to now look disheveled and unloved. It has been sad to watch. Unlike Bountiful, my hometown hasn't disappeared, it's just that the town I knew in my girlhood has. This gets all wrapped-up with the family and friends that have disappeared too. The older generation dying here, the younger generation, for the most part, having moved away to bigger cities with more employment opportunity. For me, a reminder that, eventually, all things pass away is always only a car ride away.
"The Straight Story"--fearfully beautiful, sensitive, touching, and true-to-life. Alvin's story reminds me much of my dear father's. Both men traveled lonesome roads, alone with their memories of hard times and the war; in physical decline; estranged from their brothers and other family, but longing desperately for forgiveness and reconciliation. God bless and be with all who travel such roads.
I must share this with you. I watched this movie for the first time last night (because of this newsletter!) with my 84 year old widowed (stubborn) mother right after I gave her a lecture about how it was time for her to move in with one of us. This film softened the heart of her (stubborn) 53 year old son. So much beauty in this film. I especially love the singing of the old hymns and the bond we have with the places of our memories.
Poignant and beautiful film. I need to see it again. Now that I’m a bit older since I first saw it, I’m sure I will feel a certain affinity with Mrs. Watts.
I find that to be true about great literary art, too. You can benefit from reading great books over and over again, because your view of the world broadens as you grow older. Truth doesn't change, but we grow (one hopes!) better able to understand the subtleties of stories. We have "Trip to Bountiful" on our family "rewatch list" right now.
"Tender Mercies" is another beautiful Horton Foote film worth watching; Robert Duvall won the Best Actor Oscar. Interestingly, the producers of "Trip to Bountiful" ran out of money part way through filming and had to cease production until they could raise funds. It was worth the effort. John Heard's monologue at the end of the film is heartbreaking. I love Foote's writing!
"Tender Mercies" and "Trip to Bountiful" are two films from the era that make our top films list. That's interesting that "Bountiful" ran out of money in mid-production, and I'm very glad they finished it. I was saying to someone below that these two films (not to mention "To Kill a Mockingbird," a good book, which Foote turned into a masterpiece of a screenplay) manage to take on very difficult and honest and sad tales without falling into misery and despair. That's something!
I did see this one years ago, and remember liking it, though the details escape me. I saw the Straight Story too! That one was also good. It Happened One Night..... Jubilations!❣️
It's really a blessing to have great movies, great enough that seeing them once is not enough. It Happened One Night is such a romp. Delightful.
Often I enjoy a good book, or a worthwhile movie, even better the second time through. When I don't have to worry about the plot, I am better able to enjoy the scenery along the way.😉 Princess Bride, for example!❣️
Thanks for recommending another film, worthy of our attention. I hope to view it later today. As always, I'm thankful for your and Mrs. Esolen's reminders, as well as new information (at least for me, as in the case of Horton Foote), about an uplifting, shining part of our culture, which the dark age in which we now travel, attempts to shroud.
It's very encouraging for us to hear from folks who have embarked on this journey of reclamation with us, John. One thing I said when we began W&S was that we'd have no "shortage of inventory" for this project. The treasures, the treasures! And we all need constantly to recall to mind the good, as an antidote to what hits us every day.
This awfully touching, tender, in parts heartbreaking movie is a treasure. Mrs. Watts's story is that of many, who age and suffer grievous losses of people and places that shaped who they are. and gave their lives meaning. The young lady, whom she met in the bus station, and the sheriff in Harrison, might have been angels to help her on her journey home. We all need such help, from time to time, I think. In the end it seems even Ludie begins to realize that remembering those people and where one comes from is vitally important to one's sense of wholeness and belonging, lest aimless drift and isolation seize the soul in this often impersonal, materialistic, deterministic world. Our hearts and souls recognize and long for our ultimate, everlasting, Bountiful Home--of which the Bountifuls we know here are only a foretaste--fulfilled in, through, and with Christ, Who calls tenderly to you, to me, to all.
I thought about this movie last week and made a note to look for it so I could watch it again. I’ll take your post as confirmation and make finding it a priority. :)
This one is I think is one of a few movies from the 80's that are just true and good, and straightforward. You can definitely see the hand of Horton Foote in play, just as you could in Tender Mercies, from about the same era. These manage to be sad and real, without being grim and hopeless. We only got to give Trip to Bountiful a quick look last night, but Jessica hasn't seen it, so it needs to be on the family movie list for the summer!