Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Yep, I Admit I Cried! ~For Caroline~


Caroline, this is a rerun of an old post especially for you since we both LOVE her! Why am I not surprised you liked this movie too? She is a Dancing Queen, isn't she? I just watched it again tonight!

I have had people ask this question so thought I'd try to reveal exactly why this movie made me cry. Hmmm, well, here are some of my random thoughts about it....

I loved that it was a movie about people over 49 that depicted them as vibrant, fun-loving human beings that have loving hearts. They are still, amazingly enough, full of passion and desire, and a need for a relationship in spite of the losses they have experienced in life. I loved that Meryl Streep's character was still filled with love and hope after being without the person she loved for 20 years. I thought it said a lot about the nature of the human heart's ability to go on dreaming dreams even when things have not always gone your way.

I love the Dancing Queens scenes where women of all shapes, sizes and degrees of physical beauty as the culture defines it, were celebrated. They were all beautiful, young and old just because they were women! There were no stereotypes of what beauty is, they were just beautiful because they were themselves. So tears.

I love the carefree manner in which they were rejoicing in and remembering some of the feelings they had had when they were 17 and dancing queens. I could actually remember feeling that way at 17 and some of my tears were about just letting that carefree spirit I felt then~ slip away. It just reminded me that we have forgotten how to play and I missed that feeling in my life. Nostalgia ~ So more tears.

There's Nothing Like the Reunion of Old Friends

I loved the song and scenes of "Slipping Through My Fingers" because it was so like I feel about our beautiful daughters and (of course our son) and the fact that sometimes I mourn the loss of their childhood and miss them so much. You try to keep a light heart about them growing up and going away but sometimes it just doesn't seem possible that that part of your life has slipped through your fingers and is over and that things will never be the same again. So tears...lots of them (maybe even gulping sobs where you are glad the surround sound of the theatre is very, very loud).


The Winner Takes it All...Everyone probably relates to this song on some level. I loved the dramatic way in which it was used in the story and the amazing performance of Meryl Streep. Don't you relate to that line..."I don't want to talk~ because it makes me feel bad?" Sometimes you just feel that way about things that have happened in your life. Again tears. You have climbed the mountain but sometimes you just feel tired, weary and worn out. I loved the visuals of her escaping the pain and running up the mountain with the red scarf. To me it symbolized that in spite of her trials and discouragements she could still move forward with an unexplained passion for living and loving.

And lastly, I loved Meryl Streep and the way she has magnified her talents and given so much to women in general, just by being herself and working hard to perfect her craft with style, grace and a lot of spunk. I love that throughout her career she her carefully chosen her roles so she didn't get type cast as a one dimensional woman.

So, I ask you~ who wants to go to Greece with me, put on an old house dress and a scarf, an apron and some clunky shoes, and ditch the bras and the make-up? Then we will all joyously skip down to the peer singing and dancing like queens, cannonball into the water and laugh our heads off!

13 comments:

Marie Rayner said...

Bonnie, I am so THERE with you!! I loved this film as well. I think I will dig it out and watch it again tonight! I believe that this film is a wonderful celebration of all that women are and can be if we will only allow ourselves to do so. We must learn to let go of the unwritten laws that Society tells us we need to follow. We are beautiful and lovely no matter the size, age, etc. How could we not be. Heavenly Father loves us just as we are and we need to learn to love each other and ourselves just as we are also! xxoo

Caroline Craven said...

My favorite part of the entire movie was Dancing Queen and when they showed the older woman who was carrying a bundle of sticks on her back throw them down and dance with them I did cry. Wouldn't you just love to toss your burdens for a day and be 17 again and not worry about everything in the world? Loved that movie. I also loved "Slipping Through My Fingers" and was watching the movie with my daughters when she sang it and it did remind me of sending them to school on their first days and how hard that was. Then I just made myself stop thinking after that b/c I knew I'd never get the tears turned off if I went there. Thankfully, it was a fun and upbeat movie or I would have left the theatre a basketcase!

Julie Harward said...

I so loved it too...it spoke to me. I have the cd and I listen to it all the time! Come say hi :D

Nicki Dunn said...

LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
It's just so fun and colorful. I love when the boys are dancing on the pier in flippers. The music is awesome, this is my feel-good movie!

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

I wanna come on the trip to Greece! I loved, loved, loved this movie too.... Those of us who have daughters related for sure.

Huggies dear one....

xoxoxo
Spence

sistersusiesays said...

I'm going to have to get the movie and watch it. I have never seen it! I can identify with what was mentioned by Marie that our Heavenly Father Loves us with an everlasting Love. One day He will wipe away all of our tears and we will cry no more!

Thank you for your advice on my photos. It is true that the best of all are the old black and white pictures from the 1940's!

Blessings to you and yours,
Susie

Nellie's Cozy Place said...

Morning Sweetie,
Oh I so wish you could be here too, we would all have a blast! Well, one day, if not before, we will have all of eternity to have the best chin waggin sessions of all time!!
I have to come back and catch up on your blog, I haven't had time to read any since Monday I think it was. Maybe later tonight or tomorrow. Hope you have a great day .
Thanks for checking on me.
Love ya, Nellie

margaret said...

I never saw this - now I have to.

And I'll come to Greece with you but it's either dancing OR bra-less, can't do both anymore *sigh*.

Bonnie said...

Margaret, I probably can't do either but the thought of it is fantastic! This is a movie that really isn't about the plot which is kind of trite and silly. That part is the comedy..
(sapping Hollywood stuff.)

To me it is is just more about women and the awesomeness of being one. It is about having heart and friends and joy and a little fun mixed in with all the rest of it. I also love the music for it's heart even if Pierce Bronson's voice can make a dog howl.

Caroline Craven said...

Me again! Ya, that Pierce Bronson is a pretty good actor, but can't sing worth a darn. I also loved when they were jumping on the bed. Something I don't think I am capable of doing now - physically or mentally (it would mess the bed up and I'd have to fix it again!).

Bonnie said...

You are right, Caroline! That scene of her jumping on the bed was fantastic. My body cannot do it with dignity but my spirit was right there with her on that. That truly did remind me of being 17! At 17 and at that moment...remaking the bed would have never even entered our minds! How funny compared to now, right?

This has been a really fun discussion. Maybe we should start a club for all of us that 'get' being a Dancing Queen!!

Shaun at Oak Den said...

I loved reading this! And I'd love to join you in Greece. Or California...? I need to pull this movie out and watch it again.

LA Adams said...

Hey count me in Off to Greece we go!