The Help

[havanaholly]

Tracy fixed it. Next time just fire her off a PM.

[rodentraiser]

Fantastic! I put a post in Tech Support. I really am embarrassed that I did that and even more embarrassed that I didn't catch it! And thank you, Tracy!

[Deb]

Fantastic! I put a post in Tech Support. I really am embarrassed that I did that and even more embarrassed that I didn't catch it! And thank you, Tracy!

Kelly, you have nothing to be embarrassed about! I do it all the time and don't always catch my extra words or missing words or typos even with the help of spell and grammar check or after proof-reading my post half a dozen times. I think most of us here read fluent typo so there's nothing to feel the slightest bit embarrassed about. You could misspell every other word and I'd still just be thrilled that you're here talking to us.

I'm another reader who prefers books to movies. I'm an avid Stephen King fan and refuse to watch any of the movies made from his books because I don't want to see someone else's version of what characters like Randall Flagg look or sound like. I go back and re-read books that I like because it's like visiting with an old friend, so characters take on a very real appearance and voice to me. Somehow, attaching an actor's face and voice to one of those characters would totally change the book for me the next time I read it. I'm having a bit of a challenge with transitioning to audio books for that same reason....unless the book is narrated by the author. That's a fascinating way to enjoy a good book because you get the full experience of the author's interpretation. Sometimes that doesn't always mesh with mine but that's the sign of a good book----it's a totally unique experience for each individual. The author's words combined with the reader's imagination/visualization is part of what makes reading a book so very personal.

The one book that I've enjoyed as a movie was "The Outsiders". Now that's a book I read for the first time in jr. high and have read so often that I can quote entire parts of it from memory. I think the reason I watched the movie was because there's no way I could resist that beefcake ensemble cast but I was delightfully surprised that the script was almost word-for-word from the book. It's not very often that a book can go from printed page to film without being modified, but that one didn't need any changes and I'm glad that the director and S.E. Hinton were able to agree upon that.

Speaking of Stephen King, audio books, and narrators, I was tickled to discover that "Carrie" was narrated by Sissy Spacek who did an exceptional job of it. Not only is she the perfect "voice" for that book, but she also has the ability to read aloud well (a skill not everyone has, even actors).

[rodentraiser]

Thank you, Deb. Some people may think I may have good typing here, but the truth is, I make about 4 typos in every sentence. I need new fingers.

I know what you're saying about the characters. That's the one reason I liked The Help so much. I saw the movie first and the characters are just perfect, both in the book and in the movie.

By the way, when the author of Help wrote the book, I believe she was modeling her character of Minnie on Octavia Spencer, who ended up playing Minnie in the movie. I thought I read where the author had seen Octavia in a movie and that's how she came up with the character.

[rackey]

I have a friend who makes an issue out of complaining whenever the restaurant service isn't good - and it rarely is when I am with her. The last time we were in a diner together we each got a piece of free cheesecake because a bug flew out of the small cap-sized container of her salad dressing. The waitress was very nice and accommodating, but thank God I didn't ask for chocolate cream pie!

I agree that most books I read were far better than their movie equivalents. Even so, I thought they did a very good job with The Help, although I would say the book was somewhat better. In the final church scene in the book the preacher considered Skeeter family, and I think that needed to be mentioned in the movie, as that would have added to the emotional impact. Also, while the more violent racial scenes were hard to take, I think there should have been a bit more stress on the civil rights era to tie the small town story into the bigger picture.

I was a young child in the 1960s, but I remember this era. I remember the MLK and Kennedy assasinations, and I had an older brother who liked to educate me on current events. But having grown up in the North and living here all my life, so many things are still an eye-opener for me.

For example, I was watching Remember the Titans with some friends this past weekend, and I was surprised that the real life story for which the movie was based took place in the early 1970s. I didn't think an interracial high school football team would have been that big a deal as late as the 1970s when intergration in the south started to take place in the l960s.

Also, while characters like Hilly Holbrook in The Help make perfect villians, it is important to know that people like her were very real and typical in that time period. I believe a bit more focus on the racial and political tensions could have turned a good movie into a really great film. However, it's hard to say what the writers and producers could have done differently without losing the audience.

[Minsanity]

LOL Holly.

In 1969 when my sister was born in MB, a social worker was sent in to every First Nations newborn baby's room after the birth to assess the fitness of the mother.

When *my* mother realized that was what this woman was about, she exploded in eight different directions.....

I don't understand. what was this about?

I am a Yankee and didn't see much racism in our village although it was not very diverse. my great (don't know how many times) grandmother was a friend of Frederick Douglas and her father traveled to the south to bring up families. my family has a lot in its history to be proud of but I think this is the thing I'm the most impressed by.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Minsanity

[rackey]

Cynthia, my father's army story that I am most proud of is the time he was riding on a bus and talking to a black man. I don't know if the man was also in the military or a civilian, but the bus driver asked this man to sit at the back of the bus. My father, who in his early days wasn't very outspoken in public, asked the driver why the man had to move as he wasn't bothering anyone. The black man motioned to my father that it was okay and walked toward the back of the bus. My father then got up and walked back there to sit with him.

I am therefore very impressed by your family's history, as what they did took far more guts and effort.

[Minsanity]

Oh Maureen I like that story! That makes me happy. I've often thought I would want to sit in the back of the bus too.

My understanding is they were devote Quakers and not afraid of making waves. I read a letter that Douglas wrote to my family thanking them for what they had done to change the views of the small town they lived in. When I think of the part they played in the Underground Railroad I feel ashamed of myself for not being more vocal about the things I feel are wrong in this country today.

[rackey]

I hope someone in your family framed that letter, Cynthia. While many things were much harder back in the days of the Underground Railroad, in some ways, it may have been easier to provoke change, as today there is much more bueracracy to deal with, everyone has an opinion, and so many provoke fear to influence others. However, that is not to undermine the efforts of your family, as opinions were much harder to change back in the 1960s, much less during the 19th century.

I am usually vocal about everything, to the point that when I call a customer service rep, before I get to the nature of my call, I make it a point to complain about the automated phone system that continues to ask me questions when I ask for a representative. My brother thinks I am crazy to argue about something that isn't going to change, but my point is that if everyone bothered by the automated system made it a point to speak out against it during every phone call, maybe more companies would try changing their phone system.

Most of us, however, need to pick their battles. So I would encourage you to speak up about what bothers you the most, but please don't feel ashamed about being less than vocal. However, you should continue to feel proud of your family history.

[havanaholly]

Cynthia, Barbara was referring to the anti-First Nation racism (Canadians refer to their indigenous poeple as First Nation; in the US they're Native Americans) implied by the social worker.

[me-barbie]

It still goes on. Only 5 yrs ago, I was asked by a new co worker should I be having the glass of wine with my dinner. I asked....I am not driving, why should I not?

She replied...well aren't you a genetic alcoholic?

But to be honest. I've encountered it the other way too, and once ended working with a child early....went over to my purse...got out my treaty card...and showed it to the person making "you white people are all the same" comments....

Hard to convince racists that if you are a racist minority...you are still a racist....

[rodentraiser]

Another good movie to watch if you want to know about how racism worked in the thirties is "The Bingo Long's Travelling All Stars and Motor Kings". It's about a black baseball team trying to break into the white leagues. The ending is really awesome. And it has a lot of big name stars in it too. I hope nobody here thinks this is bad of me, but the one line I love in the movie (and I'm white) is when James Earl Jones stands up and says, "What does this country never run out of? White folks!"

Anyway, it's a great movie and sort of hard to find nowdays.

By the way, everyone, I was not the least insulted or upset when Kat pointed out my typo. I was just embarrassed that I made it and even more embarrassed that I didn't catch it right away. Normally I take typos in my stride, but I'm glad Kat pointed this one out because I hate to mangle a name and besides, it was disrespectful to Dr. King. For the record, I rely a lot on my memory and if I am ever wrong about something or oblivious to something (and that happens a lot LOL), I welcome anyone to let me know about it. I consider stuff like that the way I would having something stuck between my teeth, embarrassing, but not to the point where I wouldn't want anyone to tell me about it. So my thanks to Kat and to anyone else who will do me that favor.

[me-barbie]

An older but really good movie (hard to watch though)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Spirit_Lives

I think it's avaliable in the US...when I was at Penn State we did a Native American film fest and it was one of the movies we showed.

[rackey]

The one book that I've enjoyed as a movie was "The Outsiders". Now that's a book I read for the first time in jr. high and have read so often that I can quote entire parts of it from memory. I think the reason I watched the movie was because there's no way I could resist that beefcake ensemble cast but I was delightfully surprised that the script was almost word-for-word from the book. It's not very often that a book can go from printed page to film without being modified, but that one didn't need any changes and I'm glad that the director and S.E. Hinton were able to agree upon that.

As a young teen, I was a big fan of S. E. Hinton, but I liked the televison series The Outsiders better than than movie. Unfortunately, I think it only lasted one season.

Did you happen to see That Was Then, This Is Now in the movies? It was my favorite young adult book because it was easy to read, but hard to accept. While the movie version was kinder in the end, I didn't appreciate it, as it ruined the entire effect of the book.