Review of Classic Movie Night

 A classic movie night is a great way to share an evening with friends, good food, and watch some great old movies.

Starting Our Classic Movie Night

    In early 2006 several of our friends and us decided to get together for a night of entertainment.  There were three couples involved and we decided we would enjoy having dinner together and then watching a classic movie.  When we started we decided to take turns hosting the evening and the host would provide the meal and the movie choice. 

      Over the years the evening has evolved and  now our monthly evenings ended up being about 4-6 times a year. We also now all contribute to the meal with one person bringing the entree, one the side dish and a third the dessert.  Over the years we have had breaks due to health issues and Covid but we always get back to all wanting to have our evenings together.  Everytime we meet we have a great time and say we must do this more often.  But then, life happens and it ends up being several months before we get together again.

   Back in 2006, the first movie we saw was Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.  We felt it was the perfect movie to start our "Classic Movie Nights"

 Here is a link to Casablanca on Amazon.  You might want to choose it for your first "Classic Movie Night"                 

Casablanca

The first year we got together we would sometimes see two movies when we got together. We have since decided that we would rather just watch one movie, leaving plenty of time for a discussion on the movie and other conversation.

Keeping Track of Our Movies

    One of the things I started right from the beginning is keeping a list of all the movies we watched.  My daughter gave me a great little book.  This little journal book gives you a page for each movie you see.  I list the title, director, stars and date we watched it.  There is also places for ratings and comments.  Over the years we have referred back to this book whenever we are looking for another movie to watch.  When someone says we already saw that one as a group, we just pull out the book and check.  Our memories can sure play tricks on us.  Here is a link to this movie journal on Amazon.

Movies to Check OUt

Choosing the Movies to Watch

    Choosing the movies to watch can be a fun part of the night too.  We all see each other at other times in the month so we will have discussions on what to watch.  We all prefer different types of movies so we try to alternate who makes the final decision and we have each been enriched by watching movies we might not of watched if we weren't in the group.

     One discussion we have had over the years is to determine what is and isn't a classic movie.  We have checked lots of lists online for ideas but basically it comes down to an old movie that we really would like to see.  Usually we try for something at least 50 years old.

One of our favorite movies we have watched is 12 Angry Men. This  movie stars Henry Fonda, Lee J Cobb, Ed Begley, EG Marshall and Jack Warden.  When we talk about good movies we have watched over the years 12 Angry Men always enters the discussion.  It was the movie we saw the second time we got together. 

Here is a list of some of our other favorites over the years.  There are many more and I would say that in the 40 plus movies we have viewed we only found a couple that none of us liked.

• Breakfast at Tiffanys
• Stagecoach
• Fortune Cookie
• Double Indemnity
• Some Like it Hot
• Manchurian Candidate
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Pride of the Yankees
• African Queen
• Birdcage
• On the Waterfront
• Citizen Kane
• Sabrina
• Key Largo
• True Lies
• The Quiet Man

Theme Nights

Sometimes we have theme nights.  Recently for a night near Valentines Day we watched a romantic comedy. When Harry Met Sally.   During the political elections we watched a comedy My Fellow  Americans with Dan Akroyd, James Garner and Jack Lemmon.

    In December we try to watch a Christmas classic.  Among others we have watched Going My way and The Bishop's Wife.  Here is a review fellow reviewer Cynthia did on The Bishop's Wife.

https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2021/12/the-bishops-wife-classic-movie-review.html

Future Choices

We are always looking for good movies to watch.  If you have a favorite please list it in the comment section so we can consider it for a future "Classic Movie Night".  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Bishop's Wife - Classic Movie Review

There are many messages packed in this one movie.  I've watched it dozens of times over the last 40 years.  With each viewing, I step away feeling blessed and reminded of what Christmas is all about.  

I'm not speaking of the commercial Christmas we are all so familiar with, or even the holiday season of family gatherings, but the real reason for Christmas.  The celebration of the first Christmas when Jesus was born.  As a Christian, I am always grateful for the reminder that I need not stress over decorations, gifts, or even a specific date.  I need only concentrate on Christ, my savior and the gift God gave all of us by giving us His Son.

We are most of the way through the movie when a visiting angel offers a beautiful message for all, the explanation of the symbols most often associated with Christmas.  The star in remembrance of the Star in the East; the gifts in remembrance of the gifts given by the Wise Men; and the bells that represent the cry of the new born child.

This movie was the inspiration of a family tradition I started in our home when our children were babies.  I always hung a stocking inscribed for Jesus alongside the stocking for our family members. I always wanted Jesus to be remembered.

I recently watched "The Bishop's Wife" again and I was struck by the reality of how we often want something and we ask for God's help.  He may not give us exactly what we ask for, but He always answers our prayers with what is best for us, regardless of what we think would be best.

I hope you will take the time to watch this movie and listen for the message it has for you this year.

The Bishop's Wife Movie Synopsis

 The Bishop's WifeCheck PriceCary Grant stars in this movie as Dudley, a visiting angel sent in response to the bishop's prayer.  The bishop, played by David Niven, is completely focused on raising money to build a huge cathedral.

Bishop Henry Brougham can't quite bring himself to agree to the stipulations of one of his parishioners in order to procure the hefty donation she is offering.  Throughout the movie, he continues to implore her to give the donation without unreasonable preconditions. He is so preoccupied with the cathedral fund that he forgets to be grateful for what he has already been blessed with.

It is Dudley's mission to help the bishop refocus on what is most important.  Of course, Dudley touches the heart of every member of the bishop's household with his kind words and thoughtful deeds. What is most unexpected for Dudley is that he is also affected by this mission.

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I highly recommend watching The Bishop's Wife this Christmas season.  Even if you have watched it many times before, you too may find a new nugget of wisdom hidden within it.

Remember, "as you are walking though these streets of the city, you may suddenly look into a strange face. It may be the face of a murderer or it may be the face of an angel."  (Dudley in "The Bishop's Wife)

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