The Best Old Movies for Families

December 1, 2006
Informed by his experiences watching movies with his daughters, Burr, the "Boston Globe" film critic, offers a guide to his beloved medium with a twist: his selections of the best golden age flicks are suitable for watching with children. The book starts helpfully by suggesting titles for particular age groups (e.g., five and up; tweens; teens); subsequent chapters cover genres (e.g., comedy; musicals) and include recommendations for further viewing. Because most of the films reflect times gone by, Burr reminds readers to explain anachronisms (like prohibition) and recommends that parents stay mindful of "what [children] might want to see as opposed to what they should see." Entries thus tend toward the fun ("A Hard Day's Night Heidi") rather than the somber ("Citizen Kane"). Parents watching movies alongside their children is in vogue, and this book meshes with Dimitri A. Christakis and Frederick J. Zimmerman's encouraging "The Elephant in the Living Room: Make Television Work for Your Kids". Highly recommended for any collection where these old movies are apt to live and for display in the DVD/video section next to Videohound and Leonard Maltin.Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford

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