Midnight Oil:Movies and More

In “A League of Their Own” (1992) IMDb, Tom Hanks and Geena Davis get the chance to shine while the boys are away at World War II. This entertaining flick about women’s baseball during the war exposes some interesting moments examining feminism in a previous era as well as relational dynamics between men and women and amongst women. Penny Marshall directs a strong supporting cast that includes Rosie O’Donnell, Lori Petty, Madonna and Jon Lovitz to a winning finish in a movie that most anybody can appreciate (including non-sports types such as myself).

View the video preview on TVO for “ A League of Their Own”.

Catch the video trailer of "A League of Their Own" (1992)

James Dean gives an exceptional performance in this now classic film of John Steinbeck’s classic novel of the same name. A movie well worth seeing, “

They were at it again - my two munchkins brawling in the backseat: “She did it to me first!” – “But he said that I was a . . .” – “She has her stuff on my side!” – And on and on it goes. Often enough it comes to blows before the emotions of the moment blow over. Sibling rivalry, common enough phenomenon that it is, can be so draining for a parent. . . .

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Video preview from TVO here.

Catch the video trailer for "East of Eden" here. 

"Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955) INDb Spencer Tracy shows up as a mysterious one-armed stranger in an isolated desert town.  It soon becomes clear that people have something to hide. Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin and Walter Brennan are just some of the shady (or should we say "in shades of grey") characters that inhabit the town.  An interesting study of group dynamics and social problems in the post-war era.

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See the TVO video preview here. 

Catch the video trailer for "Bad Day at Black Rock"  here.
 

"To Sir With Love" (1967) INDb makes me remember  why I never became a high school teacher . . .  and why I'll never be able to get teaching out of my soul. Sydney Poitier's dynamic performance in this film portrayal of E.R. Braithwaite's novel gives glimpses into some of the challenges of the classroom environment and glances of an era. My, those dresses and dos are something to behold! I wish though, that we had been permitted to behold a most interesting interview that I remember with the original author, Braithwaite, that TVO must have stashed in their archives somewhere.

View the TVOntario video preview of "To Sir With Love" here.

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Catch the video trailer of "To Sir With Love"

"The Ox-Bow Incident" (1943) INDb is quite an unusual Western looking at some of the social, psychological and ethical problems arising from rough and ready frontier justice. Dana Andrews along with Anthony Quinn are ordinary folk who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as victims of a lynching party. Henry Fonda and his sidekick Harry Morgan give voice to the doubts that ordinary folk caught up in the mob madness  might have while at the same time being powerless to stop "the course of justice".

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Catch the video preview of "The Ox-Bow Incident" from TVOntario here.