Take Me to the Movies

For Writer's Post Blog Hop #19.

I have a lot of favourite movies - 'The American President' (Michael Douglas and Annette Benning) is a feel-good movie which makes me laugh, 'Apollo 13' always makes me cry (with relief, not sadness). Love Hugh Jackman in 'Australia' (even though it was panned by the critics) and in the time-travel 'Kate and Leopold' too, and adore Colin Firth in whatever movie (but especially as Darcy in the BBC's 'Pride and Prejudice').

In the end, however, I have to go with my all-time favourite Martin Sheen. I fell in love with him 30+ years ago when I first saw him playing John Dean in 'Blind Ambition' and then playing JFK in the 'Kennedy' mini-series in the late 70's - and, of course, more recently as President Jed Bartlet in 'The West Wing' TV series.

However, my favourite Martin Sheen movies are those from the 1980's when he was a VERY attractive 40+ year old. None of them particularly well known, but all worth watching - Judgement in Berlin, The War at Home (with his son Emilio), Shattered Spirits (heart-reading portrayal as an alcoholic) and Wall Street.

My favourite from this time is a low-budget but delightful movie called 'Da' which I have watched countless times. Martin plays Charlie, a New York playwright who returns to his Irish home when his father dies. Much of the movie shows flashbacks from Charlie's thoughts, about his sometimes difficult relationship with his father as he reminisces and eventually finds reconciliation. It alternates between sadness and humour and can have you laughing and crying at the same time.

It was filmed in Ireland, with most of the location filming being done in the small towns of Dalkey and Bray, a few miles south of Dublin. I had a lot of fun tracking down some of the locations - here are some of them (with a screen shot from the movie, and my own shot of the same location):

If you can't find the DVD of 'Da' someone has put the whole movie (in instalments) on YouTube - it's well worth watching for a real feel-good movie.