The Prize-Winner

The movie The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio gives some interesting food for thought with regard to one's station in life. The story is set in the 50s and 60s. The mom of a large family enters contests and writes jingles; her winnings bail out the family from some close brushes with financial ruin. The problem is that the husband is an alcoholic and sometimes abusive.

What's interesting to watch is a husband who is often remorseful for his inability to provide for his family, who often regrets his enslavement to the bottle, but who nevertheless loves his wife and kids and would like to be able to do what is right. And we see a wife who loves him and forgives him, a wife who mothers the children and keeps the home going in spite of the difficulties, a woman who maintains a cheerful attitude and sticks with him, sinner though he be. It's not a pie-in-the-sky movie, but it nevertheless provides a startling contrast to the typical Hollywood fare wherein the husband is a lout, and where the woman finds happiness only through ditching him. It's not for little kids: there's "language" when the dad is in his drunken rages. But for the most part, it turns out a whole lot better than I would've ever expected from a movie. And there are a lot of funny parts and some good sound outlooks on life -- a general "feel good" movie.