One thing I remember about my late grandmother was her love of classic films from the 1940’s and 50’s. For me, they always seemed like something old.
She never was a baker or a gardener and found no satisfaction in just sitting around the house crocheting lap blankets out of yarn. No, her enjoyment came from an era in Hollywood filled with glamorous productions and legendary talent.
Having been born in 1975 however, I was never interested in movies before that time – especially if they were black and white. But meeting different people and sharing in new relationships often opens your eyes to a world of enjoyment you hadn’t experienced before. Maybe it’s in the foods you eat or the places you visit, or even the movies you choose to watch.
My wife is very much like my grandmother in terms of her movie interests, and I started noticing our DVR was filling up with some of the same classics my grandmother must’ve seen a million times before. So I decided whenever she’d tune in to one, I’d watch with her. What I discovered was I really enjoyed what we were watching – something old had become something new.
Movies like “Love in the Afternoon” with Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn, “Invitation” with Van Johnson and Dorthoy McGuire, “Gigi” with Maurice Chevalier or “All That Heaven Allows” with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson. And who could forget such holiday classics as “It’s a Wonderful Life” with James Stewart and “Miracle on 34th Street” with Maureen O’Hara and “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby – films I hadn’t seen until I was an adult in my mid 20’s.
The action packed, video gaming generation of today would probably find little interest or visual stimulation from the cinematic classics of the past. But today whenever I watch one of the movies from the 40’s or 50’s I remember my grandmother, and now understand why she loved them so much.
What’s the lesson I learned? Just because you’ve disliked something old for years and years, doesn’t mean you might not be in for a pleasant surprise.
