Sonya Schryer Norris

1930s Wrap Up

As we finish the 1930s and my comparison of all of the academy award winners for best picture as well as all of the movies that filmsite.org posits *should* have won in each year, the movies that made the greatest impression on me are below. The bulleted movies rank in Snakeladylibrarian world as “movies IContinueContinue reading “1930s Wrap Up”

1939: Gone With the Wind and the Wizard of Oz

: Gone with the Wind : This is a really tricky movie to admit to liking. The racial stereotypes and mythical lies of the “Old South” on display make me want to say: This movie is just not cool. Look elsewhere. But in all honesty I can’t. I’m utterly swept up in the romance onContinueContinue reading “1939: Gone With the Wind and the Wizard of Oz”

1938: You can’t take it with you and The adventures of Robin Hood

: You Can’t Take It With You : Oh joy. Another “zany” one by Frank Capra. This one starred a young Jimmy Stewart, another of my favorite actors, but I actually fell asleep the first time through. It could not hold my attention in a positive way. The last zany Capra Best Picture winner wasContinueContinue reading “1938: You can’t take it with you and The adventures of Robin Hood”

1937: The Life of Emile Zola and The Awful Truth and Lost Horizon and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Sorry about the delay on these award winners; I’ve been watching ahead and got behind. :The Life of Emile Zola: This movie itself had all of the common features of 1930s movie making and culture that have caused them to be so foreign to me that I can’t relate to them. I’m not a particularlyContinueContinue reading “1937: The Life of Emile Zola and The Awful Truth and Lost Horizon and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”

1936: The Great Ziegfeld and My Man Godfrey and Modern Times

: The Great Ziegfeld : I can find it difficult sometimes to appreciate magnificence in black and white films but I didn’t have that problem with this gem. The musical numbers were fantastic! Showmanship like I’ve never seen before, magnificent costumes and glorious sets. When Betsie and I watched the 1928/29 winner “The Broadway Melody”ContinueContinue reading “1936: The Great Ziegfeld and My Man Godfrey and Modern Times”

1935: Mutiny on the Bounty and The 39 Steps

: Mutiny on the Bounty : Mutiny on the Bounty is a story that fascinates me (as well as many others given its popularity and staying power). I’m not much into navy stories, either historical or modern-day, except for this one. I thought the movie was great and Clark Gable, my personal hunk of burningContinueContinue reading “1935: Mutiny on the Bounty and The 39 Steps”

1934: It Happened One Night

: It Happened One Night : There seems to be general agreement about this one. Among everyone but me. Filmsite.org had no other suggestions for this year (almost unheard of), Rotten Tomatoes finds it 98 % fresh, and the pic swept the academy awards: best picture, director, screenplay, actor and actress. This feat was notContinueContinue reading “1934: It Happened One Night “