Welcome to the March Installment  -- Brigadoon.

Brigadoon was chosen for inclusion in the workbook because my admiration for Gene Kelly knows no bounds.  I find him to be a great athletic dancer, a humble human being, and not a bad singer. I’d go “walkin’ through the heather on the hill” with him any time.

Well, enough about me and my little crush.  On to more clinical matters and how my clients/patients/residents respond to this film.

This film begins our look at the standard movie musical formula of “boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl and in the end, boy gets girl”. This simple formula is why these movies are great for our clientele – the storylines are simple to follow and they can keep up. 

 I enjoy that we spend time talking about love at first sight, what it’s like for the characters in the film and if it happens to “real people” in my group.  I was surprised at how many group members told stories of high school sweethearts and how the gentlemen knew that “she was the girl for me”. 

I also like this film for its use of language which allows the group leader to ask questions about words we don’t hear very often—words like, ”bonnie", “tavern”, “green’, “weskit”. 

This film also gives my group the opportunity for introspection and problem solving. If they were Tommy, (Gene Kelly) and they had the opportunity to stay in a place like Brigadoon would they?   Do memories make us less lonely? Why? These are great questions to spark some deep thoughts.

I hope this film gives you and your group a lot to think and talk about.

Enjoy your walk “through the heather on the hill” and your trip to Brigadoon.

See you in April for a walk of a different kind, “down the avenue”, in Easter Parade with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland.

Lori