Grave of the Fireflies. It allowed me to see how the Japanese tried to survive WWII through the eyes of children. Prior to that, I had only heard about my grandmother's cousin who died on the Arizona in Pearl Harbor.

Many films have made strong impressions on me, but one I particularly like is "The Searchers," starring John Wayne. I love the way the movie asks whether ethnic influence can inherently change a person's worth.
Wayne's character follows a troubling paradox: he believes one character, a 1/8 Cherokee is decidedly not white, though he was raised by a white family, and he simultaneously believes his white niece, kidnapped by Comanche warriors and assimilated into their tribe over 7 years, is no longer white and must be killed.

Other characters seem to accept certain diversities and reject others - causing an attentive viewer to question their hypocrisy.

How could Bambi, Old Yeller or Lady and the Tramp be left out of the equation?!
I've loved animals ever since!

Seeing "Little Big Man" as a child in the 70's. Here was a movie telling me that the "Human Beings" were that and more...not godless savages, animals that were depicted in so many westerns before it. There has never been a film that impacted me in opening up my mind that the white man/america were not really the good guys...that history can be skewed for an agenda at any cost. This film made me question as a child...what is Truth?

The one movie that changed my perception of the world was The Magnificent Obsession. There have been many films that moved me or caused me to question my beliefs but The Magnificent Obsession made me realize that anyone could create the life that they desired and that they did not have to be hindered by their past. Jany Wyman and Rock Hudson. Not the best script, and a little hammy in the acting, but a powerful message.

The movie that "rocked my world" was A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, starring Kenneth More and David McCallum, in a British film about the sinking of the Titanic. This was back in 1964 when I saw it on television one afternoon, and it made a big impact on me. I had been abused by several babysitters from the age of six, in every unspeakable way a child can be abused. My father had disappeared and my mother was forced to go to work, so we had a series of live-in babysitters who beat us kids or did other things to us. They threatened to harm our mother if we told, and because we had already lost one parent, we didn't want to lose another, so we kept quiet. And I was sick a lot, losing months of school time. Even my father's family tried to take us away from my mom, but did not succeed. Statistically, I was destined to be a troubled, depressed and delinquent person, but I saw that movie and had my first profound thought that "if those people could survive that, I could survive this." After James Cameron's film came out, my daughter's teacher learned of my interest in Titanic and the collection of artifacts I had, and asked me to speak to the class about it. Then others heard about the speech and my collection and asked me to share it at other classrooms, churches, civic clubs, libraries, museums and other venues. I created TITANIC IMPACT, a program where I perform as one of the Titanic's survivors and then answer questions about the ship, its passengers and crew as I lead them on a tour of my massive collection of artifacts. My aim is to impact others with hope of survival as the Titanic film impacted me.

"A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us." Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher 1803-1882

Aha Moments can come from many sources, for the inquisitive and thought-filled mind: movies, books, a quotation, a mentor, or a radio program. Thanks.

I was very moved by this segment of your excellent show. The movie that made an impact on me and my professional career was " A Desk for Billy Jo" It was the story of a migrant girl who loved school but was never able to get the education she wanted because of her family's need to move frquently to obtain work. Many of her teachers were sympathetic but hampered by her circumstance and community prejudice. It was a sad but powerful story and it really made me think about about what I should and could do to help every child I taught no matter what their circumstances. Sadly, 30 years later the message of that movie is still relevant.

Perhaps you should share with the radio audience the fact that actors and others associated with "Gentlemen's Agreement" were black-listed for making that film, their careers ruined. This was pointed out by recent commentary when the movie was featured. Only handsome Gregory Peck managed to escape ridicule. The wonderful woman who played his mother (also the smart mother in "National Velvet") and whose voice you played on air was just one of those targeted for "speaking up" on screen. John Garfield famously persecuted suffered a heart attack and died shortly thereafter.

What a wonderful piece! Susan I applaud your courage in standing up to your family! Your testimony reminds us that one person can make a difference and that every little thing counts!
Thank you so much for telling your story.

You asked what movie shook my world. It was Sayonara. It came out when I was about 10, and it taught me about the bias against the American/Japanese marriages following World War II.

Wonderful show and amazing film....Kudos to Miss Evans....I have been working creating themes in film and in prose about these issues that are still so pervasive in every society in our world.

Thank you,

Thank you, Derek. Your production of our interview is excellent. I am honored to have my story told so beautifully. -