Fathom Big Screen Classics 2026

 

Every year Fathom Events brings a selection of classic movies back to the big screen. Each of these movies features a Turner Classic Movies style introduction by film historian and critic Leonard Maltin. 2026 features a really great line up of films, many of which I can't wait to watch at the AMC Theater across the street from my job. 

 

Ben-Hur (1959)

Directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston, this religious epic tells the story of Judah Ben Hur (Heston, a Jewish man who has everything taken away from him and seeks revenge on the former friend who is responsible. Though, I personally prefer the 1925 silent film adaption with Roman Novarro, this 1959 adaption has its followers and quite a bit of charm itself. 

March 29, April 1-2

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

An FBI trainee (Jodie Foster) interviews the brilliant and cannibalistic Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The first horror film to win Best Picture, this movie is just as disturbing and powerful as it was 35 years ago.

April 26 & 29

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

In this comedy-drama a housewife (Kathy Bates) visits a nursing home and creates a bond with an old woman (Jessica Tandy) there. The two bond over stories of two women from the past at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

                                                                     May 10 & 13

The Birdcage (1996)

Directed by Mike Nicols and starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, this comedy is a favorite of many. Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert (Nathan Lane) are a happy gay couple. However, tension comes when Armand's son announces he is going to marry the daughter of extremely right-wing Senator Keeley (Gene Hackman). 

 June 7 & 10 

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

This very fun remake of the Rat Pack classic is returning to the big screen for its 25th anniversary with a new 4K restoration.

June 21 & 24

Citizen Kane (1941)

Considered by many to be the greatest movie ever made, this film is an incredible masterpiece that is just as engaging as it is groundbreaking. Orson Welles' first and most beloved film, tells the story of Newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane, from the point of view of various people who knew him. The result is one of the most complex characters in the history of cinema. Bernard Herrmann's musical score (his first score for a film (his last would be Taxi Driver (1976)) and Greg Toland's cinematography are so masterful that it hard not to be in awe of them. I don't know if this is the greatest movie of all time, but it certainly is an incredible one. 

July 5 & 8

The Fifth Element (1997)

Luc Besson's stylish sci-fi movie has a strong cult following who will love seeing this beloved film on the big screen. 

July 26 & 27

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

This adaption of Roald Dahl's classic children's book was not recognized for the great film it is upon its release. However, over the years it has gotten the reputation it deserves. This movie played a major role in my childhood as I am sure it has done for many of you. If you haven't seen this on the big screen don't miss your chance. 

July 5 & 8

 

Gone With the Wind (1939)

One of the greatest of all Hollywood movies. This civil-war romantic epic still is full of classic movie magic and still can sweep audiences off their feet. This movie is exactly what I think of when I think of a classic Hollywood epic. This movie won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture. For her supporting role as Mammy Hattie McDaniel won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar making her the first African American to win an Oscar. 

July 5 & 8

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Mathematically genius, John Forbes Nash, Jr. (Russell Crowe) makes an incredible discovery early in his life but finds himself set back by tragedy and hardships. This movie won four Academy Awards. These were for  Best Picture (Brian Grazer, Ron Howard), Best Director (Ron Howard), and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly) and Best Screenplay (Akiva Goldsman).

November 22 & 23

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Featuring Humphry Bogart in his breakout role and John Huston in the director's chair for the first time, this is possibly the greatest detective film ever made. Tense, atmospheric and completely engaging, this is a pure masterpiece and one of the great works of classic Hollywood. 

  December 6 & 9 

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

This is not only a Christmas classic but one of the most moving films of all time. If you do not find yourself moved by this classic, you may be missing a heart. A pure masterpiece that features one of James Stewart's all-time best performances. 

December 18-26

Hope you can make it to the cinema to see some of these classic movies. You won't regret it. For any more information go to Fathom's Website. 

Cowboy Church #187

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children. This comes from a 1955 Little Golden Record that also included them singing The Good Lord is Going to Take Care of You.   This song was written by C. Herbert Woolston and is said to have been inspired by Matthew 19:14 ( “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”) The song is to the tune of the 1864 Civil War song, Tramp Tramp Tramp (written by George Fredrick Root). Roy and Dale only sing the refrain of this song as that is all that was commonly used in Sunday schools.

This is followed by Merle Haggard with Victory in Jesus. Though there are many times when we feel defeated, it is important to know that as Christians we have victory in Jesus. He is our savior and no matter what happens to us on Earth, one day we will find ourselves in heaven, where there will be blessings beyond anything we have ever known or could ever imagine. By dying on the cross, Jesus has won the fight against sin and as we know by the book of Revelations, one day he is coming back to Earth to put Satan in chains. Merle is joined on this song by his good friend, Albert E. Brumley Jr.

Next comes Kris Kristofferson and Larry Gatlin with Help Me. In 1971 Connie Smith had invited Kris Kristofferson to the Evangel Temple. Jimmie Snow (the pastor of the church) had asked Larry Gatlin, who was a member of this church and currently worker as a janitor, to come up and sing a song he wrote. That song was Help Me and it had a major effect on Kris. Kris would later say, "It was what I guess you call a religious experience. I've never had one before or since. To this day I don't know why I did it. I think Jimmy sensed I didn't know what I was doing because he asked me if I was ready to be saved and I told him I didn't know. He put his hand on my shoulder and asked me to get down on my knees. There were a number of us kneeling and I don't remember what he was saying. It was something about freedom from guilt. All I can remember is that I broke into tears. I was weeping and when it was over I felt like I had been purged. I was carrying a lot of guilt at that time. I felt I had disappointed my family, my friends, my ancestors and everybody that knew me. So I wrote that song [Why Me Lord]." Because of the effect this song had on Kris, Kris recorded the song as a duet with Larry Gatlin on his 1972 album, Jesus Was a Capricorn. Kris later talked about this saying, "I did it because I loved the song and was so grateful for the effect it had on me. To further demonstrate my gratitude, I put it on the B-side of my single Why Me instead of one of my own, giving Larry mechanical royalties on the biggest single I ever had. Payback!"

This followed by Rex Allen with his recording of Sleep Little Moses. This song comes from his 1959 album, Mister Cowboy. As well as my fellow country music fans, my fellow movie buffs might also know Rex Allen. Like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, Rex had starred in some singing cowboy B westerns in the 1950's. However today his movie career might be best remembered by Disney buffs for narrating such Disney films as The Legend of Lobo (1962), The Incredible Journey (1963) and Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar (1967). He also narrated the Hanna-Barbera feature film, Charolette's Web (1973). 

Personal Jesus is an example of how a song can take on a meaning to a listener that the author did not intend. Johnny Cash said that this was a song he wished that he had wrote. He felt it summarized perfectly man's relationship with God. That Jesus is always willing to forgive and have a relationship with anyone who desires to know him. Yet this when Martin Gore had originally wrote this song, he did not intend it to be actually about the Christian faith. He wrote it after having read Pricillia Presley's book Elvis and Me. Gore would state, "It's a song about being a Jesus for somebody else. It's about how Elvis was her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships." 

Next comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Today's musical selection ends with The Charlie Daniels Band with Awesome God.

Today's movie trailer is The Far Country (1954). This was the fourth of the great series of western films that director Anothony Mann and actor James Stewart made together. Despite having made so many Westerns together though the biggest hit the two collaborated on was the musical biopic, The Glenn Miller Story (1954). The three westerns the two made before this film were Winchester '73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952) and The Naked Spur (1953). The two made one more western together, The Man from Laramie (1955). They were set to make Night Passage (1957) together, but Mann was replaced as the director. 

If you have trouble reading the contempary review of The Far Country click on the page below and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

Motion Picture Daily, 1955

Now for a sermon by S.M. Lockridge.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. Luke 3:8

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25

 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:13

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:12

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Thanks for joining me. There will be no Cowboy Church post for the next two weeks, because I will be on a trip to Israel with my church. However when I get back, these weekly posts will soon continue. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Resources Used

The Man Called Cash by Steve Turner

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-leaning-on-the-everlasting-arms

"The Parent Trap" (1961) is Family Friendly Old Fashioned Fun Says Minister

In the 1960's cinema was rapidly changing. Filmmakers were developing new and very experimental ways of telling their stories, as even Hollywood was becoming more and more influenced by the art house films being made overseas. Something else was happening as well. Censorship was becoming looser and it was no longer that one could take a child to any movie playing at the local cinema. One must keep in mind that in 1960 movies like Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Billy Wilder's The Apartment were released, neither of which could ever be considered family entertainment.

During this time though Walt Disney would be the one keeping family friendly entertainment and classic Hollywood conventions alive. This may seem kind of strange as Walt was one of the biggest experimenters in Hollywood in the 1930's and 40's. However the reason for this was not Walt playing it safer as the years went by. The reason for this was the same reason he had worked on much more experimental film ideas earlier in his career. Walt always stuck to his guns and made the type of movies he liked and movies like The Parent Trap were the type of movies he liked. What Walt also knew was that being family friendly was not enough. His movies had to be good films. This is why the live action Disney movies of the 1960's were so popular with audiences. They were good movies. They may not be critic's movies or as daring as much of 1960's cinema, but they were pure crowd pleasers and still are today. I am second to no one in my love of movies like Psycho or the French New Wave overseas, but the Disney movies of this era are just as good in their own right.

Of course being family friendly certainly helped the films win audiences at the time. It is important to remember these were not kid's movies, but family movies, and there was little coemption that could actually compete with them in that decade. The following is an article from Boxoffice magazine (dated August 7, 1961) that shows the effect The Parent Trap had on its family audience.


"LINCOLN- 'The best picture I ever saw.'

"One of Lincoln's leading ministers and civic leader, Dr. C. Vin White of First Presbyterian Church looked up Varsity Theatre Manager Walt Jancke to tell him this says Walt.

"The picture?

"Disney's 'The Parent Trap' which had played to top crowds for two weeks at the Varsity and moved over to the state theater August 1 for what Walt and State Manager Bert Cheever hoped would be another good house.

"Walt reflects the enthusiastic reception young and old have given the picture in Lincoln.


"'Its like old times,' he remarks 'standing in the lobby and hearing the people laugh and knowing that they are all enjoying the picture.'

"He sees in the public's reception of 'The Parent Trap,' a return to some of America's better movie days.

"'The boxoffice for this one will show this is the kind of picture patrons want,' he said.

"He sees the success of 'The Parent Trap' as a tribute to Disney's foresight and work.

"The Varsity opened with Jimmy Stewart in 'The Two Ride Together' August 1. After the state's 'The Parent Trap'  run another Disney production 'Nikki,' is scheduled."

The Parent Trap is one of my favorite live action Disney movies. The reason for this is very simple, it is pure entertainment at its absolute best. It never fails to put a smile on my face. It was remade rather well in 1998, but nothing can ever quite top that pure natural unpretentious charm of this movie.

Before we close this post, what do you say we sing one we all know.




-Michael J. Ruhland

Michael's Christmas Movie Guide: The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Enrst Lubitsch, is a name that will probably be recognized by any classic movie fans reading this. Lubitsch is best known as the master of sophisticated comedy, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest comedy directors of all time. However he was just as great at sentiment as he was at comedy. One of the best examples of this is The Shop Around the Corner. This is a extremely lovely movie. In fact James Stewart remembered it as one his favorite movies he ever worked on (which considering his filmography was saying a lot).

In 1939 Lubitsch had singed with MGM to make Ninotchkia and one more film. That one more film turned out to be The Shop Around the Corner. Lubitsch had owned the rights to a play called Parfumerie. He would sell the rights of this play to MGM for $62,500 and then began work with writer Samson Raphaelson to make this into a movie. Lubitsch based much of the film off of his years as a child in his father's tailor shop in Berlin. Lubitsch wanted to be sure this film was not like the movies he was known for. The way this film would be different would be by being much less glamorous than those movies. He went to such great lengths to achieve this that he left a dress that Margret Sullivan (the film's leading lady) would wear in the movie out in the sun, and later even had it altered to make it fit her worse. Margret Sullivan had in fact before this bought a dress she thought worked perfectly for her part, but Lubitsch said it looked too good.

The film centers around a man named Alfred (played by James Stewart) and a woman named Klara (played by Margret Sullivan) who have been writing each other anonymous love letters (excuse me... cultural discussions through the mail). They both end up working at a little shop owned by a man named Hugo Matuschek (played by Frank Morgan). They meet and grow hate each other, while still unaware that they have been writing each other. To make matters worse Mr. Matuschek seems to be growing colder towards Alfred, leading Alfred to get fired and Klara to blame this on herself. This all leads to a Christmas Eve that will change everything for both of them.

The movie rightfully became a huge hit when it was released, which surpised the whole MGM studio, who felt that this was just an assuming little film. Luckily for us, this film is just as charming today as it was when it was originally released in 1940. This beautiful little film remains one of Lubitsch's best movies.


Part of what makes this movie so great is its sense of atmosphere. Watching this movie one truly feels like they are transported to this little town. It is so easy to get swept away in the characters as well. These are not simple little characters, but fully formed human beings. It doesn't take long until we accept these people to be as real as our friends and family. This movie is fact overflowing with humanity. In fact some of the sadder scenes in this movie are in fact painful to watch, I admit even feeling a little hurt by the "insignificant little clerk" remark. On the other hand the happier scenes are a complete joy and never fail to put a smile on my face. Even with how moving the drama is, this movie is still a comedy there are plenty of times I laughed out loud watching it. This is truly what makes the movie so special. Every element comes together to create a nearly perfect whole. This is one of those movies that reminds movie lovers like me why we fell in love with film in the first place.   

This film is so charming in fact it was later remade as a movie musical in 1949, another great film (and big hit) called In the Good Old Summertime. Charles Smith who played Rudi in The Shop on the Corner would also appear in In the Good Old Summertime in a small uncredited role. It was later remade again as You Got Mail in 1998.

To see san original review from Box Office Digest click here.


The following is a brief article from The Film Daily (dated January 26, 1940).


"SRO business greeted the opening of 'The Shop Around the Corner' yesterday at Radio City Music Hall where morning and afternoon figures were described as being equal to those on the opening day of 'Ninotchka.' The MGM picture is topping normal business from 18-43 percent in Baltimore, Springfield, Mass. Albany, Indianapolis, Rochester, Syracuse, Kanas City, Toledo, St. Louis, Nashville, Louisville and Dayton."  

The following is from an article in the Motion Picture Herald.

"Matt Saunders' exploitation campaign for 'The Shop Around the Corner' at Loew's Poli, Bridgeport, was featured by a full-page cooperative ad in the local Post. Contracting neighborhood merchants, Sanders arranged for a display, day before opening, featuring ads of various dealers including luggage, furniture, photographs, service stations, carrying copy plugging 'The Shop Around the Corner' and urging readers to shop at these places following their visit to the theatre. The title of the film itself was fitted with the individual ads."
-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/413/The-Shop-Around-the-Corner/articles.html 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033045/?ref_=rvi_tt
http://mediahistoryproject.org/