I have an unhealthy obsession with 30s, 40s and 50s movies (especially musicals!). Here's why:
1. Chivalry used to be a normal thing.
There was a time when men had to earn a woman’s respect. Now all a guy has to do is flex some muscle and he’s got the girl. Whatever happened to men like Clark Gable, Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart? Why don’t men help women with their coats and walk on the sidewalk next to the road so the woman doesn’t get run over? (Gents, please don’t let your ladies get run over, I beg of you.) If a complete stranger opened a door for me and then asked me to marry him, odds are I would say yes right then and there (ok, so that may be a slight exaggeration). If a man sang to me like Frank Sinatra, I would ask him to marry me instead of the other way around (not an exaggeration).
2. Women were classy.
Women used to know their worth. Midriffs, cleavage and booty shorts were frowned upon (and for good reason). Call me old fashioned, but when I see a scantily clad gal, I’m tempted to wrap a shawl around her. Er… I mean… uh... what do the cool kids say these days… a jacket? Or a blazer? Anyways, class isn’t just the way you dress, it’s also the way you act. Look at Doris Day; men fell for her because she was charming, confident and a tad bit mysterious. Audrey Hepburn was the epitome of class. She got the guy and all she needed was her endearing etiquette and harmless mischievousness.
3. Everyone knew how to dance.
I wish I had amazingly killer dancing skills. I’m talking swing, tap, jazz and ballet. Everyone knew how to dance in the old days! Now all we know how to do is jump up and down and flail our limbs like awkward baby giraffes. Have you ever seen Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire dance? My heart just broke a little from imagining all of the readers who answered “no.” Rogers and Astaire are so graceful, poised, consistent and flawless. Unfortunately, nobody dances like them anymore. It’s a downright shame.
4. People didn't need technology to be happy.
People made eye contact with and talked to people without thinking that that was a weird or awkward thing to do. What a strange concept! They didn’t have cell phones or Facebook. Instead of playing video games and bingeing on Netflix, people played sports, cooked, practiced the piano, went to picnics ("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," anyone?), played board games, etc. Oh, and people actually read good books, instead of ridiculous books about zombies or murderous children.
5. Humor was witty, clever and clean.
So much of today’s comedy is crude. You know what’s actually funny and won’t make you cringe? Donald O’Conner in "Singin’ in the Rain." His slapstick routine is comical and oh so clever. He dishes out the kind of humor that kids and adults alike can enjoy and he does it with such finesse! For a more sophisticated type of humor check out "Arsenic and Old Lace" featuring Cary Grant. It’s genius, and its subtly distorted humor is guaranteed to make you laugh.
6. Good ol' fashioned morals.
This is without a doubt my favorite thing about old movies. Family always came first, people knew how to admit when they were wrong and friends loyally defended friends. While justice was upheld, forgiveness was readily given to those who asked. Perfect example: "The Andy Hardy" series with Mickey Rooney.
Bonus: Groceries were delivered right to the front door
Food. Magically. Appearing. Need I say more?
