68. Scaredy Squirrel. Melanie Watt. 2008. Kids Can Press. 42 pages.
[Source: Bought] [5 stars, picture book, emotions and feelings, animal
fantasy]69. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the BIG Hungry Bear.
Don and Audrey Wood. 1984. 32 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, picture
books, animal fantasy]Century of Viewing #37
1920s
- 1926 Dancing Mothers. Do I pity anyone in this movie? NO, not really. I don't pity the cheating husband. I don't pity the cheating wife. I don't pity the man who is in love with the mother after amusing himself with the daughter. I don't pity the daughter who is confused as to why her mother fell in love with the guy she was chasing. Mainly I'm confused as to why the audience is supposed to sympathize with the mother. At least if the intertitles are to be believed. The mother takes the advice of her friend--someone who lost her son in World WAR I--that she shouldn't spend her nights at home while her daughter is out at nightclubs smoking and dancing AND her father is out with other women at nightclubs, probably smoking and dancing, and ETC. So she goes out to nightclubs and starts smoking and dancing. She meets the "scandalous" heart-breaker of a man that her daughter has fallen for and is chasing after relentlessly and shamelessly. So "for the sake of her daughter" she diverts his attention all to herself. Using a fake name--her stage name from before she married--and they carry on an affair. When all comes to light she BLAMES her husband and her daughter BECAUSE THEY ARE SELFISH AND THINK ONLY OF THEMSELVES. I mean granted, her husband isn't worth much. And her daughter lacks common sense and probably morals. BUT who raised the daughter??? NO pity to be found for this cheating woman who RUNS AWAY to Europe after being discovered BECAUSE HER FAMILY IS TOO SELFISH TO FORGIVE.
- 1928 Our Dancing Daughters. No relation--as far as I know--to Dancing Mothers which I watched earlier tonight. Three women--Diana, Beatrice (Bea) and Ann--are flapper friends who like to dance and party and be all the modern--drinking, smoking, etc. Bea has fallen madly in love and is regretting her earlier [lusty lusty] decisions. Ann puts on a show--depending on the audience. When she thinks a guy has all the $$$ and might marry her she is sweet, demure, all the innocent. Otherwise, anything goes. Diana is extremely extroverted and the life of a party. She'll dance on table tops, dance with all the guys in the room, just live it up. But she's "a good girl." Both Ann and Diana fall for the same guy. He thinks Diana must be immoral since she is the life of the party...so he chooses "demure" and "sweet" Ann who is plotting and manipulative just like her mother. Plenty of regrets Ben has after they are married. But will he get the opportunity to choose differently????
- 1929 The Trespasser. Gloria Swanson's first talking picture is all DRAMA. A couple weds quickly but the marriage dissolves just as quickly when his rich parents interfere. She keeps their child a secret, but, later when scandal erupts, well, she'll make the ultimate sacrifice....will she ever have a happy ending?
- 1938 You Can't Take It With You. Extremely very quirky from beginning to end. It is a romantic comedy that excels in side characters and charm. I definitely liked it enough to want to watch it again at some point.
- 1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Another Frank Capra film. (I just watched You Can't Take It With You this past weekend). I liked it okay. Definitely unevenly paced in my opinion. OR else I was really extremely sleepy when I started it last night. One man fights for what is right....against all odds.
- 1962 Zotz! A professor comes into possession of an ancient coin that has magical properties when you say the word Zotz. But there are evil powers that be that want to get their hands on the coin....It is completely silly, quirky, ridiculous, but fun if you're in the right mood. I was in the right mood.
- 1992 School Ties. Set in the 1950s, I believe, this is a drama set at a prep school in Massachusetts. Lots of familiar faces in this one. Lots of football and French....and guys being not so nice to one another. I enjoyed it well enough.
- 2026. Leanne Season 2. I enjoyed this one. It isn't so much that there's actual plot, but, the characters and relationships of the family are well done and the episodes are funny.
© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
