heartyspoonful

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

- Rhett Butler, Gone with the Wind

I figured, after posting about my favourite books and current reads, I might as well do the same for films that are dear to me. To be honest with you, I have a bit of ADD. I can't really sit still through a whole movie. It's true. The only two ways for me to focus on a film from beginning to end are 1) if I'm at the cinema and actually paid for the ticket and 2) if the movie has me hook, line and sinker. Tough job, really.

I'll start with the love stories, shall I? 

Disclaimer: This post is by no means a comprehensive list of all movies I love. So wait for parts 2 and 3 and 4...

Gone with the Wind (1939)

With Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland

This movie will forever be in my heart. I first got acquainted with it when I was a child, a way for my grandmother to shut me up. I didn't really understand much, aside from the fact that Rhett Butler (a.k.a. my future husband) was madly in love with Scarlett O'Hara (what a cow!). Anything else I deciphered? I didn't realise the name "Ashley" can be used for both sexes. I also didn't realise movies can be that long. But all in all, little ol' me was sold. 

I remember having a crush on Rhett Butler for a long time and I had to be mildly reined back to reality when someone explained that Clark Gable died even before my mother was born. My very first heartbreak. (Also one big lesson for me not to believe everything I see on the telly.) 

If you haven't seen it yet, Gone with the Wind is based on the novel of the same name written by Margaret Mitchell. The film's plot is multi-layered but the central premise of the story is based on the changes that the Civil War in the 1800s would ensue in the lives of the wealthy in the South. The movie starts off at the cotton plantation of the O'Haras. Though, of course, the plot also considers the war, it is centred on the unrequited love between Scarlett and Ashley Wilkes, who is bound to be married to Melanie Hamilton. There's a lot of plotting on Scarlett's part regarding this misfortune. My first reaction was "my goodness, let him go already, girl!". 

With the defeat of the Confederacy, Scarlett has to step up to take over their cotton plantation especially after her father's death. I love this part of the film, where a young woman was taking on a man's responsibility in order to feed her family. There's also a lot of deception and devious plotting, but it's best I leave that for your own discovery. Somewhere along the way, Scarlett ends up marrying Rhett, though she was still longing for Ashley, blinded  by the fact that Rhett is really the man for her and Ashley ever really only loved Melanie, even though Ashley probably felt lust for Scarlett, but we all know sometimes lust can be confounded for love. See what I mean? It's all juicy stuff right here. 

I suppose this movie is a premonition to what my love life would be like when I grew up. I mean, I've had one too many encounters with unrequited love or at least really bizarre love squares and pentagons. Nonetheless, if you have a few hours to spare on a quiet weekend afternoon, I urge you to give Gone with the Wind a go. There's just too many feels for this movie. I swear. 

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

With Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt 

Call it cheesy. Or hipster. Or whatever else you want, but I absolutely adore this film. Sure, all the singing and bright colours were enough to entice my senses, but the story itself caught my attention. I don't know, there's something about being into someone who likes you back, but not as much as you do. 

Ah, office romance. Maybe you've experienced it already (I haven't and I highly advise myself to stay away). Maybe it worked out for you. Maybe it didn't. But there's something exciting about office romances, don't you think? The person you long for is in the same vicinity. That's enough to keep your heart racing and to keep your mind busy with all the what-ifs and what-have-yous all day long. You might also end up mumbling gibberish whenever he/she may be around (don't even pretend you haven't been at least slightly awkward when your crush was around). That's pretty much how it starts. Then, Tom, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character, starts pestering his friends about Summer, played by Zooey Deschanel. Of course, his questionably wise friends tells him to just take a chance and make a move already. Stop wasting so much time, man, we don't have forever (I'm sure this is intended as an internal monologue for myself). 

Once that's done, the two have a weird "relationship," where nothing is really flat out defined. Tom clearly wants more, Summer's just enjoying her time with him. Then there's a confrontation, the boy's heart is broken and he's a big mess for a while, she realises love really does exist. Your typical love story? No, not really. I think it gives some realistic portrayal of how relationships sometimes turn out. But I like that, in the end, the two of them learn more about themselves and they get to work on their prior misconceptions about life in general. 

May I also just add, I completely loved the  costumes in this film. Really. I think I could wear all of Summer's outfits. And please, introduce a guy who can confidently rock Tom's outfits (true, they do exist in the world and aplenty, but there's just not much appeal sometimes). I would also like Zooey Deschanel's hair, please and thank you. 

So, if you're in a wishy-washy relationship, just communicate with the other person, please, to straighten it out once and for all. If you like someone and haven't really made anything clear, then speak up and approach the cutie with a nice booty already (or you know, the one with such a kind heart and warm eyes, whatever floats your boat). Besides, this film has a wonderful soundtrack, too! 

Roman Holiday (1953)

With Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck

The movie that introduced me to the wonderful Audrey Hepburn. And of course, Gregory Peck. The first time I watched this film, I was an awkward, rather bookish 15 year-old (nothing much has changed except for my age). I remember I forced my parents to sit with me about 5 more times before I was satisfied and moved on with my life. I've, since then, recommended this movie to anyone who would listen, especially those who haven't seen a single film of Audrey Hepburn (do you live under a rock?). 

Personally, I think Roman Holiday is a sweet movie. Nothing really that would happen in this day and age, but there's just something wholesome about it. Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, who was on a much publicised European tour. Her next stop was in Rome, Italy, where Joe Bradley, played by Gregory Peck, works as a journalist. Not able to withstand any longer her caged bird existence as a princess, Princess Ann, or as she named herself Anya Smith, escapes the watchful eye of her doctor and lady-in-waiting. Joe and Ann meet, he offers to let her stay the night at her apartment and of course, after lying to his editor, realises that Anya really is Princess Ann. Then what ensues is pretty much an adventure in Rome that includes gelato, champagne, scooter ride around town, some dancing, some escaping, some falling in the river. All good fun, see?

Perhaps this movie also led me to believe that I'll just never get the guy. Fatalistic, I think. But also rather realistic in the sense that, truly, sometimes life just sucks and your world and your lover's world doesn't align. Simple (and painful) as that.
 

If you want to see Audrey Hepburn's first ever major role, or Gregory Peck slowly falling in love, or an idea of how Hollywood saw Rome back in the '50s, watch this film. It shouldn't disappoint.


Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
With Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz

I watched this film when I was learning French after our move to Montreal. Our parents encouraged my brother and I to watch French films or TV shows, but this movie just stuck. I kept on watching it repeatedly, much to the annoyance of my brother. What can I say? I suppose I'm a dreamer like Amelie.

I have a love affair with this film. Whenever I'm feeling down, I reach for this film or re-watch Casablanca (which I watch when I want the feeling of sadness to linger a little bit longer). So you can only imagine how many times I've seen this film. (Answer: I've lost count.) I can only describe this film as dreamy. It has all the flare of French je ne sais quoi in a film. The protagonist, Amelie Poulain, played by Audrey Tautou, wants to help out everyone around her, even though they don't ask her to effect any positive change in their lives. I mean, if you think about it, Amelie was intrusive, but you love her anyway because she's just the epitome of  cuteness. Then, of course, one day she randomly meets this cute yet awkward boy, who makes her heart beat a little faster. That's a whirlwind right there, of course. There involves a haunted house ride, a lot of Montmartre, a scavenger haunt of sorts, an erotica store, some French food, a grumpy old fart. But don't worry, in the end, everyone's happy, even the garden gnome who traveled the world. 

You might not end up doing remotely close to what Amelie does in the film, but I think the whole story is still relatable. We sometimes try to help others with their problems even though they don't necessarily ask us for help, especially when someone receives an unjust treatment. Other times, we randomly meet someone for 2 seconds and we just know right then and there that this person has us hook, line and sinker. Just like that. Be a decent person, that's basically all that matters.

I highly recommend this film when you're feeling down and you feel like copying a French accent just for fun. It might also help if you have crème brûlée on hand.

Happy watching! xx