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Thirteen Movies To Celebrate on the Fourth
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
This Academy Award-winning drama follows naïve Jefferson Smith as he’s appointed to the United States Senate on a lark. Smith soon discovers the government’s shortcomings, yet refuses to succumb to the political corruption. A bold political statement back in the day, many believe Mr. Smith Goes to Washington can still be applicable today as a criticism on the United States government.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
Not only does the title ooze red, white and blue, Michael Curtiz’s biopic of renowned Broadway songwriter and performer George M. Cohan is bursting at the seams with patriotism. Consisting of the well-known tunes “Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Grand Old Flag,” it’ll be difficult to keep your toes from tapping when watching this flag-waving songfest that garnered James Cagney an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
1776 (1972)
Though released nearly 200 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name captures that boldly independent spirit of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin as they dance and sing through the halls of the Continental Congress and the streets of Philadelphia. While the real Adams may have been too refined to dance among his peers, most of the song lyrics are taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual Congressmen.
American Graffiti (1973)
Complete with cruisin’, drive-ins and rock ‘n’ roll, George Lucas’ classic, which stars Ron Howard and Richard Dreyfuss, encapsulates what it means to be a teenager coming of age in America. Though the film is set during the 1960s, that sense of freedom that arises on the verge of growing up is universal to every young American.
The residents of Amity Island will never forget that 4th of July when a great white shark ravaged their quaint summer residence. This Steven Spielberg classic also caused some serious damage to the box office, drawing in more than $260 million in its initial U.S. release and thus claiming the title of First-Ever Summer Blockbuster.
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From An Inconvenient Truth (2006) to Sicko (2007), movies are becoming the choice medium for exposing societal problems in an effort to fuel change. Patrick Creadon’s I.O.U.S.A. is another documentary intent on exposing America’s troubles, this time taking a harsh look at our current economic situation and offering suggestions on how to make the nation financially secure for the future. The film is not just a presentation of the facts, however; the minds behind it have decided to take a more proactive role in making sure their movie inspires dialogue among viewers.
Posted 08.19.08 | News/Commentary | No comments yet...
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