Today we have a theme day to talk about five movies that inspire our blogging. Because my personal theme is parties, I picked five movies that show something about entertaining.
Now, I’m not much of a movie watcher and I can’t remember many details but this theme made me think about my few favorite ones. (Forgive me, Jane Boursaw! She’s is an movie expert and one of our fellow blogathoners.)
My list would include
Pride and Prejudice,
Emma,
Little Women,
Wives and Daughters and
North and South.
So I’m sure that parties are shown to move along the main theme of the story. Or they contrast character traits of the protagnist, blah, blah, blah.
But as a neophyte movie critic, I see parties in these period movies as the few social experiences that a family could have with their neighbors. It was a time to celebrate and dance and catch up on the latest gossip.
Families would wear their most precious outfits they owned and spend hours getting ready. Often, young men and women would scope each other out at these functions for future marriage material.
Sometimes the parties were held in grand homes and the women would have to dodge each other with their crinoline skirts as they sashayed about. Some parties were held in barns with dirt floors and the local neighbors who could fiddle would be the music entertainment.
The social interaction is what was important. People made human connections with their friends and neighbors. Often the main character goes home and shares all the details with her sisters, parent or a trusted friend.
Forgive me for not putting up photos because I’m still not clear on what is copyright protected.
Do you know of any movies that show parties in a positive light?
Hey, thanks for the shout-out! Love your movie suggestions, and I agree – it’s the movies with human connections that are the best. Even big blockbusters with lots of special effects can have great stories about the characters. I thought The Avengers did a good job with that. Also looking forward to the upcoming Prometheus.
Hmmm… trying to think of a favorite party scene in a movie… How about Gone With the Wind? That opened with a great party!