Lifestyle

Movies at the Library: Fall lineup of films scheduled

REPORTER FILE PHOTO | A new lineup for movies this fall has been announced by the library.

Great movies, known and unknown, return to the lower level of the Shelter Island Library on Tuesday, September 24 with a showing of the British gem, “A Private Function.” Written by and based on a story by the irrepressible Alan Bennett, it stars Maggie Smith and Michael Palin and features a supporting cast of English “regulars.”

It is 1947 and even though the war was won two years before, when business leaders in their small town want to celebrate the marriage of young Princess Elizabeth, they run into what to do about the still-rationed meat. What ensues is the kind of humor our cousins across the pond are famous for and a hilarious way to start the fall series.

What follows, on October 8, is totally different. It is “Rabbit Proof Fence” from Australia, based on the true story of three aboriginal girls who, having been taken from their homes to train as domestics, run away to trek home across the outback. To keep from getting lost in the vast wilderness, they follow fencing designed to keep rabbits out of settlements. Kenneth Branagh is featured as the government’s “chief protector of the Aborigines,” a man maniacally convinced of the rightness of his position. This is a story of courage and the triumph of the human spirit.

Often overlooked but one of the best baseball movies ever, “Bang the Drum Slowly,” will be shown on October 22, the day before the 2013 World Series begins. Written by the novel’s author, Mark Harris, it is the story of the friendship between a star pitcher and a catcher who never quite lived up to his potential. A young Robert De Niro stars as the catcher, with Michael Moriarty as the pitcher and Vincent Gardenia as the team manager. It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

November brings us Veteran’s Day and the week before, on November 5th, a great anti-war film will be featured. “Gallipoli” follows the adventures of two Australian mates who leave home to fight for the British Empire in 1915. Then, as now, it is not the ruling elite who ultimately face war’s horrors but everyday people, young men with their lives ahead of them. The story is by Peter Weir, who also directed, and stars Mel Gibson.

A complete change of pace brings “Love Me Tonight” to the library on November 19. It is surprising this is not a better known film as its pedigree is impeccable. Considered his best film of many, Rouben Mamoulian produced and directed. Music and words are by Rogers and Hart. The stars are Maurice Chevalier, Jeannette MacDonald, Charles Ruggles and Myrna Loy. It has been called a masterpiece, way ahead of its time, one of the freshest, brightest, breeziest musicals ever made. Both “Love Me Tonight” and “Gallipoli” are featured in “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.”

To conclude the fall series on December 3 is one of the Coen brothers’ zanier efforts, “The Great Lebowski.” Featuring the now almost-legendary “Dude,” played by Jeff Bridges, it is a case of mistaken identity and then some. Bridges is joined by a veritable who’s who of contemporary cinema, including John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi and John Tuturo. Although loosely based on Chandler’s “The Big Sleep,” the brothers created the story and wrote the script, and Joel directed.
The Shelter Island audience will have to decide if, as has been said, it is the greatest movie ever made.

Movies at the Library begin at 7 p.m. Enter the library lower level from Bateman Road. Bottled water and modest refreshments are served. Introductory remarks will be made by members of the Movies at the Library Committee. Time to mark your calendars now!