Take 38: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Tuesday: My "take" on a film.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)

I read the book by the same title several years ago and had difficulty getting into the story due to its format -- a series of letters from multiple correspondents. I'm glad I persevered in reading it since it turned out to be a beautiful story. 

When Goodreads recently sent an email announcing the movie is available on Netflix, I was thrilled.

Set shortly after World War II, Elizabeth McKenna (Jessica Brown Findlay) is a published author living in London. She receives an unexpected letter from a stranger living on Guernsey Island, Dawsey Adams (Michiel Huisman). He belongs, he tells her, to The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society--a book club. 

Intrigued by the name of the group, Elizabeth corresponds with Dawsey and learns how the club was formed and named under a peculiar circumstance during the German occupation. Sensing a story, Elizabeth packs a bag and her typewriter and heads to Guernsey Island where she grows fond of the land and people.

The movie is much easier to follow than the book and still contains the delightful story.

Trailer: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Notes on content:

• No nudity or sex.
• No profanity.
• Small amount of violence shown, and some violence not shown but understood in narrations of the war.

Opportunities for growth.

Monday: Dialogue, Lines, or Quotes

Challenges, difficulties in life, give opportunities for growth. We have divine attributes (humility, charity, compassion, hope, faith...) that stay dormant when we don't use them. Consider patience for example. If I pray for patience, I can expect to have situations arise to sorely vex me. This is not due to God's sense of humor (which He does have, by the way). This is because I already have the attribute but it's weak from lack of use, so when I pray for patience I'm given opportunities to exercise it.

When life throws a curveball, perhaps it's time for one of my dormant attributes to step up to the plate, so to speak.

Consider the following dialogue from The Miracle Season (2018) (based on a true story)...

Grief nearly destroys a high school volleyball team after their captain (Caroline "Line" Found) dies in a tragic accident. In this scene, Kelley (Line's best friend) and her mother converse.

KELLEY (Erin Moriarty)

Brez thinks that people are looking to me to keep the team going.

MOTHER (Carolyn Adair)

Well, what do you think?

KELLEY

I think that Line could do it if it was her, but I'm not as strong as her.

MOTHER

Line brought out your inner strength. She really did. But, remember, you can't bring out something that isn't already there.

Have you faced a challenge and discovered strength or other attributes deep within?

(Click here for my review of this film.)

A stand for concessions

Wednesday: Point of View

Image from storyblocks.com

A friend told me about going to the movie theater three times in one week and quipped, "That's a lot of popcorn!"

There's something about popcorn and movies. They go so well together.

However, I don't always get popcorn at the theater, because... well, it's not that great. Too dry and salty, so I add the unnatural butter-flavored stuff and end up feeling nauseated from the oil.

That's why I only purchase theater popcorn when I am desperately hungry or have the illusion that it will taste good this time.

And I feel bad about that because... well, I don't eat candy and I don't drink soda so that means all the theater gets from my wallet is the price of admission.

That sounds like a good thing, right? It's a good thing for my personal health, but not for the health of the local cinema. You see, concession sales keep movie theaters in business and I happen to like movie theaters!

Now. Here's my stand for concessions: I make scrumptious popcorn. That's right... homemade, stove-top, pan-popped kernels made with coconut oil and drizzled with real butter, and it's against my principles to sneak it into the theater but I would gladly pay the theater for the privilege to bring it in. They would still make money to stay in business and I would get to eat the good stuff! Win-win!

I'm curious. Am I alone in this? Would you be willing to pay a concession fee to bring in your own popcorn?