The Bell's Of St. Marys - More Than A Holiday Film

The Bell's of St. Mary's is a great holiday film. However, it is much more than a holiday film. I used the film for my Master's Teaching thesis 20 years ago. The significance of the film that was my thesis was subtle, however worth a second look.

The primary plot is the relationship between the Parish Priest sent to close a tired old school and his battles with the headmaster nun. (The priest is Bing Crosby and the Headmaster is played by Ingrid Bergman) They are polar opposites when it comes to their viewpoints on education. The focus is saving the school and only a miracle can save the school.

The arguments of the role of testing students versus understanding a student's intelligence is the core of the educational debate. You literally hear in the 1940s what is commonplace today. Crosby challenges the policy of testing students. The headmaster is convinced the integrity of the school is based on testing.

The focus is a student who travelled a different road to the school. Father O'Malley knows her family's history. The girl is troubled and needs some consistency within her life in order to achieve academic success. Sound familiar? Testing does not take into consideration emotional intelligence. The film cleverly examines the emotional intelligence of the child as a factor regarding her learning success.

Give the Bell's of St. Mary's a second look. What's old is new again when it comes to education.
(Historical note: Have your kids listen to the Pledge of Allegiance. There is a little piece of history caught on this film that most kids do not know about the Pledge.)

It's A Wonderful Life - A Historical Perspective - Did You Miss It?

Buffalo girls won't you come out tonight....come out tonight. We all know the movie. However, did you ever know the historical significance behind Frank Capra's classic that impacts our daily life? While the plot involves the life of George Bailey, there is a subtle theme that Frank Capra revisits from his earlier film American Madness, and that is the banking crisis of the 1930s.

Capra understands that banks have a controlling interest in every aspect of our lives. Economically, they set the rules that impact our standard of living. The tussles with Mr. Potter are examples of the harsh realities when banks have a controlling interest in our lives. The arguments of investing in people versus shares of stock have a compelling argument that is as true today as it was back then. Today, it is the credit unions that suffer from unfair legislation that impacts banking. Non-profit credit unions are the George Baileys of our time. There is another scene in the movie that is quite poignant. Revisit the dialog regarding "Pottervilles." The movie asserts that the key to a wonderful life for families is access to housing back in 1947. And the same is true today.

The American banking system is not that different than the banking system back then. The only difference today is that the people in Bedford Falls would also be held in indentured servitude to Mr. Potter because he is holding them hostage through their student loans. Today,the Mr. Potters of the banking continue their dominance over many communities via student loans. These loans allow the banks to cause bankruptcy while holding on to the student loan debt. Once bankrupt, citizens will rely on high interest loans. Banks then begin to charge what some may see as insurmountable fees for overdrafts when people without credit have shortfalls in their income.

The Mr. Potters of the world are billionaires and the wealth gap has greatly increased since It's A Wonderful Life demonstrating once again, that art of making movies is larger than life, especially when we miss the historical pieces that shape our lives.

March Of The Wooden Soliders (1934) - Historical Perspective Is Abound

A very rare crossover from my Cerebral Cinema Blog for kids. For adults, this movie has keen insight into the impact Socialism was having on our society during the 1930s. The Great Depression was deeply impacting the United States. Even children's tales reflected the harsh realities of not having a Safety Net. Whether intentional or not, March Of The Wooden Soldiers reflects the evil of income disparity that was challenged by the working poor. Watch the portrayal of Silas Barnaby as a symbol of the greed that caused the crash of 1929. Very subtle hints for children to be generous thinkers and to challenge those who take advantage of others for financial gain. Here is the review of the movie from an entertainment perspective:

March of the wooden soldiers is truly a holiday tradition in our home. It was made in 1934 and starred Laurel and Hardy. (For those who do not know Laurel and Hardy, they were a comedy duo that successfully made a transition from silent films to talkies which was rare back in the day. They made short comedies and films that entertained a generation.)

March of the Wooden Soldiers has a comedic take on the Babes In Toyland story. How could you not with Laurel and Hardy. The story focuses on the Silus Barnaby and his devious quest to marry little boo peep. He evicts her mom from the show as leverage to marry her. It is up to Laurel and Hardy (also tenants) to save the day.

The highlight of the fairy tale is Laurel and Hardy  as the bumbling toy makers. You will see a mix of fairy tale stories along with Santa and his workshop.

For a film made in 1934, it stands the test of time. Part fairy tale, part holiday classic, and a bit of Mother Goose, this film is a great film for kids. They will laugh and partake in the antics without realize the film is almost 90 years old. It also is a soft spoken film with a kind story kids will surely rally around.

Some interesting facts about the movie:

Walt Disney loaned out a live Mickey Mouse for this film as a live version character. This would be the only time Walt Disney would ever allow this to happen.

The film has historical references to themes of the Great Depression and social justice. Rarely seen today in children's films.

The film was never a success until the 1960s. A local television station in New York City, WPIX resurrected the film for syndication as a holiday tradition each year. It would have surely stayed in the vault and obscurity if not for the television station's efforts.

The film was originally in black and white. If you can find a copy, it is a great introduction for kids to enjoy black and white films.

You can livestream the movie on Hulu Plus in HD or watch it on Youtube. The link will be provided:

Healing Neen

Have you heard of the mental health model of care known as Trauma Informed Therapy? (AKA Trauma Informed Care) Trauma Informed Therapies are becoming more common place in mental health service models. It is an effective model of care because it helps people overcome the adverse effects of trauma in one's life.

Many children with behavior problems have experienced trauma. They had adverse experiences at an early age. Because the events are so traumatic, children develop PTSD. The PTSD is misdiagnosed as behavior problems. Understanding how trauma impacts behavior helps kids overcome the adverse effects of trauma.

Adults can also have adverse events that impact cognitive thought processes. Veterans of war for example have similar experiences from the trauma of war. Domestic violence also alters a person's persona and ability to function with daily living skills. Trauma Informed care can give individuals hope.

Ignoring trauma has adverse effects on our society. Failing to treat trauma leads to crime, substance abuse and violence.Individuals with trauma will continue to make similar mistakes until a proper treatment plan is in place to help them deal with their experiences of traumatic events. The question is, how do you help an individual realize that trauma is impacting their daily life.

Healing Neen is a short movie (found on Youtube) that helps individuals begin to come to terms with the impact their trauma is having on  their daily living. Healing Neen also provides hope that dealing with Trauma can lead to positive outcomes for people. The stories are difficult to hear. Neen provides examples how talking about what happened to her began the process of healing. Neen's life is one of extreme hardship. Her story will inspire others to take the first step for their own recovery.

Goodfellas - New Audiences Await You

Goodfellas in my opinion, is the peak of Scorsese's film career. All of his films have epic moments and are worthy of equal praise. An argument can be made for many of his offerings. However, for me, this movie goes beyond the gold standard. It is a historical piece that stands the test of time. It captures a time in American History, in which Italian-American ancestry is eloquently captured, at the peak of influence in our culture. From the 1930s to the 1980s, Italian Americans were such a dominant part of our culture and we are slowly losing the importance of their impact in our nation's history.

Many Italian Americans hate the gangster stereotype. They should. Italian Americans provided the labor for some of our greatest accomplishments during the first half of the 20th century. They werw also the largest representation of combat soldiers during World War II. Their love for this county and contributions can not be dismissed.

Despite what people might think, the contributions of Italian Americans were also complicated by power structures within diverse communities during this time. The mafia had a stranglehold on larger cities. Within these settings, a skewed set of values reflected traumatic family experiences. A history of violence and corruption was also a part of this time period.  Scorsese explores how they work together. Including a dramatic look at domestic violence, confusing value systems, and matriarchal patronage from the most violent of individuals.

It is important for a new generation to become reacquainted with this movie.  Watching the movie with a critical lens of history is such a great experience. This is not so much a movie about gangsters, it is an anthropological study of a family system that existed throughout the United States during this time period. One of my all time favorites. I highly recommend if you have not seen Goodfellas, you should put it on your movie bucket list.

Glen Campbell I'll Be Me

Glen Campbell I'll Be Me is a documentary that you can find on Netflix and one worth watching. The documentary is about his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. When Glen was diagnosed, he decided to do one last tour for his fans, and also document the progression of the disease to bring awareness to many in our Congress to help increase funding for a cure.

The movie reacquaints the viewer to his music. I forgot what an accomplished musician Glen was over his long career. The music is what makes this documentary so unique. When the brain declines during the progress of the disease, Glen's musical part of his brain is the last to be effected. He can forget his daughter's name, repeat a conversation 30 or 40 times that he just had, but some how, deep in his brain he can play guitar and sing his songs with the help of a teleprompter.

The movie is an uncomfortable journey. As the tour progresses, so does the disease. By the time the tour is wrapped up, you will notice a very different Glen Campbell. Families with Alzheimer's will surely to connect to the movie. Famous country music stars and celebrities share how they lost their parents to Alzheimer's and some discuss their fear of growing old as the disease is genetic and could possibly impact them one day.

My only critique of the film is I wish there was more concert footage. One may surely want to order the Glen Campbell catalog of music after watching the movie, because you are left wanting to hear more of Glen's music. A great music for anyone experiencing Alzheimer's or wanting to learn more about the disease. 

The Dark Side of Chocolate

One of the realities of our educational system is the control of information our system requires to help encourage consumerism. Our kids lack any empathy for where or how the products come into their lives. In a sense, they are insulated from reality by being taught a common chore....I mean core of knowledge regarding capitalism.
Kids today have minimal knowledge that slavery exists largely in part to provide the products they crave. Our education system is corporatized to ensure that such a low knowledge base allows for the practice to continue.


I previously reviewed the movie Jobs and pointed out that our dependence on technology has led to horrific slave camps in China and other remote locations.  Similarly, I discovered that the Chocolate trade is alive and well in West Africa. I watched a few examples of movies that date back 10 -15 years ago. Those documentaries largely found a small audience. Amazingly, I discovered a new documentary that spells out the problem. Ignorance of a problem allows for companies to continue to profit from slavery.

There is no better example than the chocolate trade. It is well knows that mainstream companies import chocolate to make the daily treats we enjoy. From a Mars bar to a Cadbury chocolate bunny, the cocoa trade is a part of our everyday life. What people do not realize is that Children are bought and sold into slavery They work 12 hour days. They are not allowed to see their parents. This practice is driven by our purchases.

The Dark Side Of Chocolate awakens our senses of injustice. It helps bring life to a discussion that has for years, been non-existent. Sit down with your children, and discuss the impact of capitalism on our world. The movie will surely increase your child's (along with yourself) awareness of the importance of fair trade policies. Teachers should also feel free to show the video to their students. Challenge the blandness of common core with the reality of the world we live in today. Our kids need to experience documentataries such as this one exposes.