For this blogathon, you are asked to review a film where a character ( sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, and other times a child ) comes into the main character's life unexpectantly and changes it for the better.
It is a common theme in films. Our dad has a particular fondness for movies where strangers create a change in someone's life and years ago he suggested that we host a blogathon on this theme. He often tells us that sometime in everyone's life an "intruder" will arrive who will come unexpectantly and change your life. There are a lot of intruders who can mess up your life, too, but we aren't referring to those.
Why does he call these people "intruders"? Because they come into your life unexpectantly and seem to intrude in your everyday routine. Sometimes these intruders and the change they bring are welcomed instantly, but many times the change they cause in the person's life is not realized until they have stayed for a little while. Usually, during the first encounter, they are perceived as an unwelcome intruder.
Take, for example, the character of Hal Carter in Picnic ( 1955 ). He was a drifter who seemed to have arrived at an inopportune time to wheedle a job out of his old friend Alan. Madge ( Kim Novak ) and Millie ( Susan Strasberg ) greet his arrival with excitement. Their neighbor Helen Potts ( Verna Felton ) calls his visit "a breath of fresh air", but Mrs. Owens ( Betty Field ) considers Hal to be a bad influence on Madge. By the end of the film, his character influences all of the main characters in a positive way.
Now, a movie like The Man Who Came to Dinner ( 1942 ) certainly wouldn't fit into this theme! Nor would Night of the Hunter ( 1955 ). Harry Powell ( Robert Mitchum ) was definitely a stranger who made an impact on the main characters but not in a good way.
Many times, these intruders come for only a short while and leave, like in The Bishop's Wife ( 1947 ) where Dudley came for only a little while, touched the lives of everyone he met, and then suddenly left.
Give it a little thought and you'll find lots of "Intruder" themes in films and television....and from here on you will probably be keeping an eye out for the theme in everything you watch. Before long, you'll be saying "That's an Intruder film!"
The Rules:
- You can write about any classic film, television movie, television series ( e.g. The Fugitive ), or television episode that fits The Intruder Blogathon theme of someone coming into the main character's life unexpectantly and changing it for the better. ( We like to refer to "classic" as being pre-1975 but we will stretch it to 1995 for this event. )
- Share what you like about the film but, more importantly, tell us how that character influenced the other characters in the story.
- The Intruder Blogathon will run from June 16th-18th, 2023. Some banners are down below. Please post them on your blog to help spread the word.
- Ready to join? Leave a comment on this post with your blog name and web address and the film of your choice. Duplicate titles are welcome.
Topper ( 1937 ) - Cary Grant and Constance Bennett
Holiday ( 1938 ) - Cary Grant
Gold Rush Maisie ( 1939 ) - Ann Sothern
The More the Merrier ( 1943 ) - Charles Coburn
Dear Ruth ( 1947 ) - William Holden
The Bishop's Wife ( 1947 ) - Cary Grant
The Romance of Rosy Ridge ( 1947 ) - Van Johnson
Rachel and the Stranger ( 1948 ) - Loretta Young
Spring in Park Lane ( 1948 ) - Michael Wilding
Come to the Stable ( 1949 ) - Loretta Young
All I Desire ( 1953 ) - Barbara Stanwyck
Shane ( 1953 ) - Alan Ladd
Picnic ( 1955 ) - William Holden
Strange Lady in Town ( 1955 ) - Greer Garson
Pollyanna ( 1960 ) - Hayley Mills
Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) - Julie Andrews
The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao ( 1964 ) - Tony Randall
The Chalk Garden ( 1964 ) - Deborah Kerr
The Sound of Music ( 1965 ) - Julie Andrews
Bedknobs and Broomsticks ( 1971 ) - The Children or David Tomlinson
Pete's Dragon ( 1977 ) - Sean Marshall or Elliott the Dragon
BANNERS
Would Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" count as an intruder? If so, I would like to discuss 'Oz.' -WhimsicallyClassic.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteYes! That's a wonderful choice! She certainly influenced every character that she met. Thank you for taking part!
DeleteHi Ladies, Great idea for a blogathon can you add me with Nick Nolte's character in Down and Out in Beverly Hills
ReplyDelete(1986)? from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews
Certainly! Thanks for joining! That's a "new" film for us so we look forward to reading your review.
DeleteThanks, looking forward to your further announcements..
DeleteHi, Ladies, would "Queen of Outer Space" work for this? My blog is Taking Up Room (http://takinguproom.com).
ReplyDeleteHmm....we haven't seen that movie yet, but it doesn't sound like it fits the theme. We listed some titles in the post as suggestions, so if any of those fit your fancy, feel free to pick one. Otherwise, it is any film where a stranger comes into the main characters life unexpectantly and alters their life and those around them for the better ( e.g. like Professor Hill did in The Music Man ). The Twilight Zone had some episodes with this theme as well, if you would rather pick a TV episode. :-)
DeleteWell, it kind of does because people from Earth intrude on the people from Venus (they're all women and most of them hate men) and end up freeing them from an evil queen, but I just wanted to make sure it fit because they don't go to Venus deliberately.
DeleteOkay...that's close enough to the theme! We got you down for "Queen of Outer Space" then. Thanks for joining!
DeleteGreat, thanks! Looking forward to it. :-)
DeleteThat's a great idea! Would Mr. Deeds Goes to Town work? Focusing on Gary Cooper's character of course. If yes, I'd like to sign up for that. I'm at The Wonderful World of Cinema : https://thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteYes, Mr. Deeds is a wonderful choice! Thank you for joining in, Virginie!
DeleteHi! I would like to write about "Holiday" (1938), please!
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Le from CrÃtica Retro (www.criticaretro.blogspot.com)
Le, so glad you could join! And a wonderful pick, too. I love Cary Grant's character in that movie. :-)
DeleteHi! Have an idea that I've just started working on - Strangers On A Train (1951) - that would be perfect I think. Is that ok? :)
ReplyDeleteHi! Bruno Anthony is definitely a stranger but for this blogathon we are putting the spotlight on strangers who make a positive impact on the characters' lives....e.g. Bill Starbuck coming to town in "The Rainmaker" or Pollyanna. Hope that helps!
DeleteHello there! I'd love to do The Romance of Rosy Ridge. I saw it on your list and thought it would be an intriguing film. Plus, Van Johnson.
ReplyDeleteI'm Ruth at Silver Screenings (in case the log-in doesn't work)...
Ruth, thanks for joining! That's a sweet film and Van Johnson's character is the perfect example of a life-changing stranger.
DeleteI LOVE this trope! Count me in, and I plan to contribute an overview of the short-lived series The Loner (1965-66) that starred Lloyd Bridges as a lone Civil War veteran roaming the West, standing up for justice and truth whenever needed.
ReplyDeleteGreat pick, Rachel! We found the series on DVD at a book sale last year and bought it...and we have not seen it yet, but heard so much about it. So we look forward to reading your thoughts on the series.
DeleteHi ladies, thanks for allowing me to add this post, here it is for Day 1 of your blogathon
ReplyDeletehttps://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/tv-anne-of-green-gables-1985/
Gill Jacob of Realweegiemidget Reviews