Cary Grant, Shirley Temple and Me: How I Came to Love the Movies

One of my earliest memories is of my father yelling for me to come and watch his favorite movies with him on TV. We gathered in the living room and settled in to watch them together in the days before DVDs. Here are a few of the best vintage movies introduced to me by my father.

"Gunga Din" (1939)

Rudyard Kipling's line "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" rang out throughout our house whenever this movie came on the tube. Starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglan and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., the plot follows three soldiers having a jolly old time waging war against the natives in 19th century India. Their adventures and friendship sweep the viewer up in this exciting epic film.

Today, this movie could not be made with its war-as-glory plot and condescending views. Ironically, we learned that Gunga Din, the faithful Indian servant played by Sam Jaffe, really was the better man because he saves our trio in the end. From this movie, I gained a love of epic adventures films.

"Bright Eyes" (1934)

Shirley Temple could do it all - sing, dance and act - and she started at the age of 3! In this movie, the precocious tyke is an orphan taken in by a rich family who makes her work for them. One day she charms their rich old uncle and everything changes.

In our house, everyone knew the words to Temple's signature song from this movie "The Good Ship Lollipop." A little bit formula and a lot contrived, the movie is just good innocent fun. Although I still can't sing a note, this movie foreshadowed my lifetime love affair with the great Hollywood musicals.

"The Ghost Breakers" (1940)

One of the funniest my father made me watch, "The Ghost Breakers" (1940) stars Bob Hope, Paulette Godard and Willie Best. Some of the unforgettable scenes in this movie involve ghosts and zombies, little marching men on a wall and an old pipe organ. For those who love the movies, It is a definite must-see film.

One of the funniest characters in the movie is Hope's butler Alex, played by Willie Best. The talented Best also appeared in "High Sierra" (1941) with Humphrey Bogart and "Cabin in the Sky" (1943) with Ethel Waters. From this movie, I became a huge fan of comedies, as well as adventure flicks and musicals. I know my father would be proud.