Spending leisure time outside during the summer should be Priority #1. Being outdoors, even for just a half an hour or so, is healthy for the body, soul, and mind. A walk after supper, a game of catch with the kids, gardening, a picnic in the park: all provide vitamins you don’t get from a bottle.

But when rain, temps in the 90s, or just plain old fatigue drive us indoors, diving into some movies can make for a delightful investment of our time. And this celebration summer of our country’s 250th birthday makes for the perfect season to watch movies with an American theme. Below are 10 entertaining hits from Hollywood from the past and about the past.

Johnny Tremain

Based on the novel by Esther Forbes, this 1957 motion picture tells the story of the early days of the Revolution through the eyes of young Tremain, a silversmithing apprentice. After damaging his hand in an accident, Tremain becomes a messenger for the Sons of Liberty and takes part in events like the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Here’s a fine way for the younger crew to have some fun while learning some history.

Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier

Edited from a miniseries on the Disney television show, this 1955 film brings viewers into the Creek Indian War, the U.S. House of Representatives where Crockett served three terms, and the battle at the Alamo. The TV shows and movie lifted Fess Parker to stardom – in my mind’s eye, he’ll always be Davy Crockett – and created a national mania among boys for coonskin caps like the one worn by their hero. If you like this Disney production, try the 1956 prequel, “Davy Crockett and the River Pirates,” where the frontiersman competes against another American legend, Mike Fink, in a riverboat race.

The Great Locomotive Chase

Also starring Fess Parker, this 1956 production tells the true story of the 1862 Andrews Raid, when a group of Union volunteers headed up by James Andrews slipped behind Confederate lines and stole a locomotive, aiming to drive it back to Union lines while ripping up track and destroying bridges. Disney brings to life both the pursued Anderson and his Confederate pursuer, conductor William Fuller, in this tale of adventure and daring.

Ben and Me

Based on the book by acclaimed children’s author Robert Lawson, this short, animated film brings together Ben Franklin and Amos, a mouse. Amos helps Franklin invent bifocals and the Franklin stove and nearly dies during Franklin’s famous experiment with lightning and electricity. Both the movie and the book, which depicts Franklin more realistically, are a great way of introducing children to this extraordinary American figure.

Old Yeller

Bring some Kleenex to this 1957 tearjerker. Here again is Fess Parker, playing the part of post-Civil War Texas farmer Jim Coates. His son Arliss finds and adopts a stray dog, Old Yeller, who has some bad habits, like stealing meat from the smokehouse, but the dog soon wins over older brother Travis, his parents, and the audience as well. This coming-of-age story reminds us of the hardscrabble lives endured by so many Americans who came before us.

Shenandoah

Widower, father, and farmer Charlie Anderson (Jimmy Stewart) has vowed that none of his sons will fight for Virginia and the Confederacy, but when his youngest son goes missing, the war comes calling on him and his boys. The 1965 “Shenandoah” is a conservative, anti-war movie emphasizing the values of family, marriage, and faith through comedy and tragedy.

How the West Was Won

This 1962 blockbuster Western runs almost three hours and encompasses an amazing cast of stars: Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, and more. Divided into five chapters with themes like “The Rivers,” “The Civil War,” and “The Railroad,” this sprawling epic covers several generations of a family who settle the West from Ohio and Illinois to California. Though little known today, this film was a smash hit on its release.

The Music Man

This 1962 musical features Professor Hill, a con man intent on selling musical instruments while promising the good citizens of River City, Iowa, that he can make a band from the boys in town. Humor, romance, and redemption all make an appearance in this festival of song and wit. If you enjoy music and haven’t seen this one, then you’re in for a treat. 

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Released in 1942, this screen biography of George M. Cohan, composer, singer, actor, dancer, and more features the great James Cagney in the starring role. It’s an enchanting film about the Cohan family in vaudeville and about the man who would become one of the greatest entertainers in American history. Classic songs like “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “The Yankee Doodle Boy,” and “Over There” coupled with Cagney’s talent as a dancer – he won an Oscar Best Actor for his performance as Cohan – make this a wonderful July 4th movie.

So there you have it, 10 motion picture time machines that can transport you and your family back into our country’s past. Bring along some popcorn, that fine old American food, and enjoy the ride.

And God bless America!

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This article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal.

Image credit: Disney