Page 22 - The Jewish Voice - March '25

Page 22, The Jewish Voice

Arts & Entertainment from page 21 Film Review Connors, Peggy Knudsen and Robert Douglas. Jennifer Jones
is in the lead role here as the best-known—and strictest—
and lists them at the back of the book in such categories as: Good Morning, Miss Dove elementary school teacher in the small town of Liberty Grove.
corvids, doves and pigeons, finches, nuthatches, raptors, She is austere and stern, a firm disciplinarian. But her students
sparrows (which alone covers 10 species), thrushes, warblers, By Nils A. Shapiro learn…not only their school lessons, but as they come to
woodpeckers and other songbirds. It is not unusual for realize later and throughout their lives the experience with
Some visit her regularly throughout the year. Others me to watch a dozen or Miss Dove has been a truly meaningful one.
obey their ancient instincts and migrate thousands of miles more films during the What most families in the town do not realize when they
around the globe as the seasons change, returning the same average month in order think of Miss Dove as a never-married, prim spinster with no
time each year to a warm welcome at Tan’s backyard. to find one that I consider children—but which we in the audience have witnessed in
We learn about them not only through her Chronicle’s deserving of bringing to heartbreaking scenes—are the sacrifices that Miss Dove has
fascinating and informative text but also from some of the your attention in my review made in her own life that brought her to the school classroom
intentionally rough drawings accompanied by handwritten column. Indeed, I must and those generations of young students: her decision to turn
notes that are equally interesting and which point out confess that of late I have down an offer of marriage from a successful young man she
unusual facts worth knowing that she has either sketched, often been turning many loved, and giving up her own career opportunity in order to
or less often photographed then sketched, while observing off before they end, tired commit to repaying the financial debt her late father owed
the birds’ actions. of the sameness of the new to the bank he had served as its president…which she does
The range of emotions engendered by these releases’ subject matter or over time by staying home and working for decades as a
experiences is exemplified by two examples that I will just plain failure to motivate audience involvement. teacher.
touch on very briefly here. Most of the text has been So it was with some degree of hope that I came across It is only when Miss Dove suddenly falls ill, her former
omitted for lack of space and replaced with ellipses a surprising film offering on Amazon Prime that I had never students now doctors and nurses at the local hospital are
(…). Here is the first, dated Sept. 26, 2021, a situation heard of, but whose brief, albeit unfinished, description of there to treat her—and all of the town’s present students
in which a young, inexperienced Cooper’s Hawk flying its story line seemed promising—at least different: “Miss make their feelings about her known—that it becomes clear
over Tan’s backyard had spotted three cage feeders and Dove is a well-respected teacher who has inspired her the “childless” Miss Dove truly has won the love of more
done a fast dive intending to pluck a songbird from its students to greatness. One day during school, Miss Dove children than anyone could possibly imagine.
perch as an easy meal, not realizing that the birds were experiences great pain in her back. After class she asks one A sentimental film? Yes. One that sparked an interesting
safe inside the metal feeders. It crashed into one of the of her students to get a doctor, Thomas, a do…” conversation between my wife and me as the end credits
feeders, injured a wing and Amy Tan, after frantic efforts Although my technical skills don’t extend to knowing rolled down the TV screen. Linda asked whether I could
to free and release her, rushed the hawk to a wildlife how to finish reading that description, I figured that sounded recall any special teacher from all of my elementary, high
center to try to have the bird healed. interesting enough for me. But my wife, Linda, noting that school and college years who stood out in my memory.
“She received a total of three months of incredible the film had been produced in 1955—70 years ago—had I replied immediately: Miss Marie Minuto, my English
care. But she was still not flying symmetrically. A few days second thoughts about my decision. teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School in The Bronx,
after that report, I received a voicemail message from the (Suffice it to say that halfway through the film Linda New York, who appointed me Editor of the sports page of
medical director, asking that I return her call. I knew by turned to me and, wiping her eyes, said, “This movie is the school newspaper for the coming year. She knew that I
her soft, consoling tone that the news would not be good. making me cry.”) I understood perfectly. And so will you. had just made the varsity football team, told me that I had
I spared her the difficulty of telling me and left a voicemail Good Morning, Miss Dove was based on a bestselling the journalistic writing skills for being an editor and advised
message, saying I appreciated all that they had done. I 1954 novel by Frances Gray Patton. It was directed by me to take a course in typewriting to prepare for the new
knew that if (the hawk) could not fly well enough to find Henry Koster, whose name may be unfamiliar to many of responsibility. Not only did Miss Minuto instill in me the
food, she would slowly starve in the wild … I understood this column’s readers but in his day was an extraordinarily confidence that I had what it takes to consider a career in
why it was more humane to euthanize her, and I was successful director of 47 movies, including such diverse journalism—which changed my life completely—but none
grateful that they would do it in the kindest way possible. classics as James Stewart’s Harvey (1950), the Biblical of us knew in that pre-computer age how critical the ability
“After I left the message, I cried. I tried to draw her story, The Robe (1953), My Man Godfrey (1957) and Flower to type would become!
portrait. But I could not capture her spirit. I could not Drum Song (1961). I have thought of her thousands of times since then.
capture the way she must have felt within I briefly held One of the era’s most popular (and beautiful) actresses, Good Morning, Miss Dove may put you in that kind
her in my arms and told her I was sorry.” Jennifer Jones, stars in Good Morning, Miss Dove, with a of mood. A recommended film in these chaotic times.
A month later, on Oct. 24, 2021, a bomb cyclone arrived wonderful supporting cast that includes Robert Stack, Chuck Streaming now on Amazon Prime.
in the Bay Area. As Amy Tan notes—here again I am
quoting just brief excerpts from her wonderful description
of the event:
“It hurled serial storms and produced an atmospheric
river that dropped a thirty-minute deluge. We, the denizens
who had been saving shower water to wash bird poop
off the porch were happy to be waterlogged … But as
I watched the large limbs or our oak trees swaying, I
imagined the birds in those trees being whipsawed and
flung into the storm. Where do they go to stay dry when
the rain is blasting sideways?
“As if in answer, two pygmy nuthatches flew into the
covered porch off my office, shook themselves off, and sat
on top of a cage feeder a couple of inches apart. Most
people would agree that the pygmy nuthatch is one of the
cutest birds on earth. They look and sound like squeaky
toys. I assumed they would eat a few suet balls for fortitude
and head for a heavily leafed hiding spot. But after five
minutes, they were still there …
“They did not go into the feeders to eat. They simply
watched the rain from their spectator seats. The smaller
nuthatch scooted closer to the bigger one. The bigger one
then allopreened the smaller one, poking and picking at
its feathers. I assumed they were adults, a mated pair,
since the season for fledglings was long over. For thirty
minutes the two nuthatches sat close together like lovers
on a porch swing, watching the rain as I watched them.”
These offer just a bare hint of the information and
experiences awaiting you in the almost 300 pages of this
book, so deserving of its recent honors. Experience it for
yourself.

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