Oldies, But Goodies

Hello, everyone!

One of the little known facts about me, or maybe it’s well known . . . I don’t know . . . anyway, I am a huge fan of old movies. If I didn’t think it would put my dear husband in a coma, I would probably spend every spare moment that I wasn’t reading a book watching a movie.

And I happen to love old movies. Now, when I say old I mean thirty years ago and beyond. (So sorry if that offends any of our mature readers, but I figure if it lands on TCM, then it falls into the “old movie” category.)

I have compiled a list of my favorites, and they are in no particular order, except the No. 1 movie really is my favorite Golden Oldie of a movie.

Now, my husband is a fan of a couple of these movies. He really likes Sabrina, and he likes Barefoot in the Park.

Don't get me wrong, these movies are no The Godfather, The Godfather II, or Cool Hand Luke, but as far as "chick" movies go, these are the ones he can handle, maybe even smile at.

I can get him to cuddle on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a couple of drinks if these movies are on. (I am a big fan of couch cuddling, by the way. Not only is it affordable, but I get to hang close with my man and we get to laugh together.)

On the other hand, Hubby can’t stand Bringing Up Baby because Katherine Hepburn’s character wrecks the Cary Grant character’s life, drags him through all kinds of trouble with her screw-ball antics, and never really apologizes for any of her outrageous stunts.

To me, that’s what makes the movie great and they wind up together in the end. Yay!

But anywhoo, these are my favorites, and you can feel free to add your personal preferences to the comments section.

Later.

1. The King and the Chorus Girl – Fernand Gravet & Joan Blondell
2. Father Goose – Cary Grant & Leslie Caron
3. Sabrina – Humphrey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn
4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – George Peppard & Audrey Hepburn
5. Bringing Up Baby – Cary Grant & Katherine Hepburn
6. Fools for Scandal – Fernand Gravet & Carole Lombard
7. Barefoot in the Park – Robert Redford & Jane Fonda
8. Hello, Dolly! – Walter Matthau & Barbra Streisand
9. Guys and Dolls – Marlon Brando & Jean Simmons
10. Born Yesterday – William Holden & Judy Holliday

Fireproof - Never Leave Your Partner Behind - Movie Review

The Studio Blurb: “A movie…A marriage…A movement! At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter’s adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever…rescuing his wife’s heart.


My take: When this movie hit the scene, I’d heard rave reviews from many of my friends. Fireproof was being shown in churches around the country including mine so I was eager to see its debut. Alas, a sick child prevented us from attending. So when the DVD hit our local Christian bookstore I jumped at the chance to own it and watch the movie with our family.

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! From the title to the rolling credits, the resounding theme was repeated and made clear: In marriage, you never leave your partner behind, especially in a fire.

How appropriate for such a time as this. In today’s world where everything and anything including marriages, are disposable, Fireproof showcases exactly what happens in a marriage when the “forever death do us part” becomes more about husbands and wives who stop focusing on God’s will for their marriage and become more in tune with the world’s philosophy of self-satisfaction and immediate gratification.

As I was watching the movie I began taking notes of tidbits that caught my attention that I think prove extremely valuable in keeping our marriages healthy and the romance alive.

1) Make Jesus the most significant part of your marriage - Take time to pray over your husband or wife, allowing Jesus to guide, protect and grow your marriage. If you are not a believer as was Caleb Holt in the movie why not give Jesus a chance? Find a new church and get connected and learn more about what God says is good for you and your marriage.

2) Don’t forget to say “Thank you Lord” - Outside of making Christ your Savior, this is so important. In the rush of daily living all of us have the tendency to forget our blessings, from our health, our lives and most importantly, our partners.

3) Fireproof your marriage – As the movie so adequately states, fireproofing your marriage doesn’t mean you won’t go through the fire but that together you’ll be able to withstand the fire. How? Invest in it with all your heart. And when times get tough, don’t take the easy way out and run for the door. Find a trusted friend, family member, pastor or counselor who will have your marriage’s best interest at heart and one who will work with you to help put out the fire in your marriage.

4) Finally, watch this with your entire family. My daughter’s away at school so she wasn’t present for the viewing however, let me tell you from a mother’s perspective just how amazing this was to watch with my sons. Even at their pubescent, hormonal ages where iPods and gaming stations reign supreme, both of my boys were glued to this movie. They were captivated of course with the fire scenes but also they watched a movie that showed a young man in the midst of a crumbling marriage work diligently to save it from destruction. They saw how Caleb Holt destroyed his computer because of “parasites” that were luring his attention. They watched Caleb woo his wife with prayer, honesty, integrity and a whopping dose of the God Lord above! How cool is that?!


If you haven’t seen Fireproof go get it, pull the family together and watch this dynamic movie. Also, should you want to take the 40-day Love Dare that Caleb takes in the movie, check out http://www.fireproofyourmarriage.com/

Enjoy!
Many blessings! ~Amy