The Zookeeper's Wife

"You can never tell who your enemies are, or who to trust. Maybe that's why I love animals so much. You look in their eyes, and you know exactly what's in their hearts. They're not like people."

Ever since I found out about this movie, I have wanted to see it and now I can finally saw that I have. I mean it's not all that old, it came out last year, but still. I love movies that are based on true stories and this was one of those. The story of Antonina and Jan Zabinski who ran a zoo in Warsaw, Poland and used the basement and areas of their zoo to hide Jews during the war. It was so inspiring, but also sad because of the content.

Jessica Chastain gave an amazing performance and she even got the Polish accent down, which I imagine was difficult. One of the things I really loved about her character was how she didn't want to leave. She didn't want her son to be moved around anytime things got dangerous. Yes they were taking a risk by staying, but they were able to help all these people because of it and I loved her determination in staying and keep people save despite the circumstances.

The Holocaust wiped about most of the population of Warsaw, Poland. Only 6 percent remained, but the Zabinski's rebuilt their zoo. All the people they saved survived. I love that there were people during the war who did what they could to save the Jews. The story of determination and heroism in a time in history that was anything but beautiful, they demonstrated beauty through their passion for animals and people and using their resources to help the ones who were suffering. It was as good as I expected it to be, if not better. It gets a 5 star rating from me. Now, I just need to read the book...

Best Picture Winners: You Can't Take It With You

In keeping with the Best Picture movie posts that I do, and with the Oscars coming up, this movie is another Frank Capra great, You Can't Take It With You, telling the story of a man, Tony Kirby (James Stewart), who comes from a rich family. He falls for a girl named Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) whose family is very down to earth yet also very eccentric. They fall in love, but Tony’s family doesn’t approve of her family, and are strongly against him marrying Alice.

When Tony introduces his parents to the Sycamores, they’re embarrassed since the Sycamores embrace life and enjoy things, no matter how weird or spontaneous. Like setting off fireworks, which cause them to get arrested for disturbing the peace. Well the Kirby's are taken to jail along with everyone else, and they go on and on about how these people are fools.

 What I tend to like about Frank Capra movies are the way they deal with the everyman, the ordinary people. Alice's family is really eccentric and very sweet people, and don’t have a lot of money but they’re happy being with the people they loved. Martin Vanderhof (played to perfection by Lionel Barrymore) gives a speech to Anthony Kirby (Edward Arnold), saying he’s a fool and he won't have any friends because all he cares about is money. And that these other people have a few friends and that he was a failure as a father.

Tony ends up walking out on his father because of everything that is going with his big business deal, and the rift it caused in his and Alice's relationship. Anthony starts to see what it means to be the way the Sycamore family is, and that they aren't miserable and unhappy like he thought. So he asks Martin Vanderhof what to do. He wants to fix it and be a better father – so Martin tells him that in a situation like this he plays his harmonica. They end up playing "Polly Walla Do La Day" which is kind of the family song, causing everyone to start dancing. Tony and Alice finally get his father's approval. Mr. Kirby realizes that what matters is being with the people that you love, and being a good father is more important than getting the next big business deal.

It was interesting to learn that Jean Arthur left show business at the height of her career in the 1940s because she was a great comedic actress. James Stewart was quoted as saying: "She was the finest actress I ever worked with. No one had her humor, her timing."

It has all the makings of a Best Picture movie. So I am not at all surprised that it did win in 1938. You Can't Take It With You is a feel good movie that shows that being ordinary isn't so bad, and having a lot of money doesn't make you happy. You're more wealthy if you have friends and family that care.