A Man and His Movies

“You know, that’s the trouble with you. You haven’t seen enough movies. All of life’s problems are solved in the movies.”

With that line, Steve Martin silences Kevin Kline as he worries about the direction his life is taking in the movie, “The Grand Canyon.”

Call me crazy, but I believe that.

Our civilization has always passed along its wisdom, by way of the stories of every culture. I think movies are the “format” of present day society’s stories.

And it’s not just a clever line from a movie that can stay with me. Sometimes. All it takes is a certain scene, or even a certain actor's facial expression.

For example, the look on Jodi Foster's face, in “Contact,” when she first hears that signal from outer space. Why does that always 'get me,' no matter how many times I see it? I don’t know. But I could watch that scene a thousand times and not get tired out of it. What is that?

(My wife would say that I HAVE watched it MORE than that. One another thing you should know is that there are two kinds of movie watchers: those who only watch a movie once and those who can watch a movie over and over.)

For better or worse, there are times in my life when a line from a movie seems to resonate with something inside me. I never know what or why. But I think if I tell you some of my favorites it will show you what I mean and maybe we can figure it out together.

First, we need a little background. My life is in turmoil right now. And has been so for nearly a year. Like so many people, I am a former telecommunications industry . . . well, orphan. And leaving something after 23 years could, I believe, make anyone a little philosophical.

Or as Tom Hanks put it so well in the movie, “Joe vs the Volcano,” . . . (He just shrugs and shakes his head.)

Sometimes I feel out of place, like an alien or like God has put me on the wrong planet. And, as much as I would like to feel sorry for myself and worry about what the future might (or might not) hold for me, I think of a line Robin Williams used in the movie “Good Will Hunting.”

“I thought about what you said about my painting. I stayed up all night thinking about it. Then, I realized something. And I went to bed, fell asleep, and I haven’t thought about you since.”

“What was that?” asks Matt Damon.

“I realized that you’re just a stupid kid and you don’t know what you’re talking about.” answers Robin Williams.

It just puts the whole situation in perspective. It’s about attitude.

Like John Goodman and William Forsythe speaking to Nicolas Cage in “Raising Arizona,”

“H.I., you’re young and you have your health. What do you want with a job?!!!”

“A career plan is born,” John Goodman tells Nicolas Cage. “We plan a string of bank robberies across the Southwest. We’ll keep going until we can retire, or until we get caught.”

William Forsythe chimes in, “Yeah, either way, we’re set for life.”

But my best hope is not a line from a movie, but a line from a prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Through all the trials this year has brought my wife and I, we have always been able to, as they say, “make ends meet.”

It hasn’t always been pretty or painless. But we seem to find a way to get what we need. No more than our daily bread, maybe, but no less. And for that, I am grateful.

As in one of my favorite scenes of hope, Kate Winslett in “Titanic” is standing on the dock at Ellis Island, in the rain. She has just survived the sinking of the Titanic. And she reaches into her pocket and pulls out that jewel.

I don’t know when I’m going to reach the dock. I don’t know when the rain is going to stop. But I believe I am walking around with a jewel. And that, in some way I cannot yet even imagine, everything will be all right.

Or maybe I am an alien, just here waiting until the mother ship returns for me. Who knows?

Whatever the outcome, you have been very kind and patient in listening to me whine about my life.

I would like to leave you with my favorite movie “blessing.”

As Dan Ackroyd, in the “Coneheads,” put it, “You are very kind. When my species returns to conquer this planet, your names will all be on the protected list. No harm will come to you.”