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His father routinely enjoyed classical music and the family would sit and listen to operas while appreciating works by Beethoven, Chopin and others. Another of the familyÆs favorite activities was attending the cinema. Michael explained that ôAgainst the backdrop of war, the picture shows offered us a chance to escape in color, music, and those great actors and actresses of HollywoodÆs Golden Era. We might have been worried about Hitler, but watching Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh survive the Civil War certainly helped give us hope and strength.ö Against such a backdrop, America represented a land of freedom, peace, and prosperity to millions of Europeans affected by WWI and on the brink of WWII. It was the export of American cinema, along with newsreels containing U.S. positive propaganda that provided many would-be immigrants with hope and strength. Michael remembers his family attending Gone With The Wind as a pivotal turning point in his life. His family was greatly affected by the powerful emotions illustrated in the filmÆs characters. He remembers that his sister fell in love with Clark Gable and he became quite ôsmittenö with Vivien Leigh. The fact that Leigh was a European in an American film portraying one of literatureÆs greatest heroines thrilled the family. As Michael told me, ôWe were proud to be Europeans because of her repre |
