It is very hot where I live right now. When it is this hot, finding things to do to keep cool is a real sanity saver. Movies are great on hot days because the theaters are often equipped with ice cold air conditioning. Unfortunately, the closest theater is about an hour away and I’m not sure that my 20 month old would want to sit still and stay quiet for the duration of one of this summer’s new releases.
Fortunately, our basement stays nice and cool and we have a television down there where we can watch movies. As I was watching a movie in my basement today, I realized that there are some movies that may be of interest to genealogists. If it is just too hot to do genealogy research, take a break and find a cool spot to sit and enjoy one or more of the following movies that have a genealogy theme.
The first one that came to mind is a fairly recent comedy. In “Little Fockers”, one of the characters (played by Robert DeNiro) is actually a family historian. He’s obsessed with the future of his family dynasty. I found that movie to be both funny and interesting. Also “Byrne”, the ancestral name of the family in the movie is actually my paternal grandmother’s name so I thought that was pretty cool.
“The Shipping News” is another great genealogy-themed movie which reminds us that in tracing your roots you could discover a dark side to your family history. Another fun way to indulge your family history craving is with movies that are not genealogical in nature but are set in the times and places that your ancestors lived. For example, the classic films “Gettysburg” and “Gone with the Wind” portray life during the Civil War. Other titles that come to mind include “Moby Dick” for its portrayal of the lives of sailors and “Schindler’s List” for its portrayal of the Holocaust.
There are many movies out there that can either entice you with a family history-themed plot or transport you back to the times and places that your ancestors lived. Enjoy a few while you “chill out” this summer as you hide out in your basement or an air conditioned room.
Photo by mconnors on morguefile.com.