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Reel World Reality A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR2012.030  (1960), NR [G-NR*] (72min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1300 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Production (US): Columbia Pictures Corp., A Helen Winston Production, Associated British Picture Corp. Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) Director(s): Philip Leacock Producer(s): Andrew Mitchell, Helen Winston Based on an adaptation by Leopold Atlas of a story by Sidney Harmon Screenplay: Diana Morgan Cinematography/Camera: F. A. Young Music: Stanley Black by the Associated British Studio Orchestra Casting: Robert Lennard Film Editing: Peter Tanner Production Management: R. E. Dearing Art Directions: Ivan King Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD This is one of the oldest films we have analyzed. It is a 1960 black & white Golden Globe winner. Seven and one half year old Irish Michael O'Malley (Philip Needs) is Catholic by his parents' teaching. The Catholic faith is based in Jesus as Lord and the resurrected Savior, the Messiah. Seven year old Rachel Mathias (Loretta Parry) is Jewish. The Jewish faith does not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. But Michael and Rachel didn't let the differences in faith stop them from becoming fast friends and life-long blood brother/sister. Maybe that - teaching acceptance -- is the message of this film. Being of different faiths Michael supposes (and Rachel agrees) that God would strike them dead if they were to go into the other's house of worship. But they are now blood brother/sister. They guessed that their blood bonding surely must be stronger than God's wrath. So they challenge God by each attending service in the other's house of worship. They, of course, found that God did not strike them dead. Probably because their blood bonding was stronger than God according to Michael. One of Michael's aspirations was to ride his father's inflatable dinghy down the Thames to stow away on a sea-going boat to Africa. Now that the pair feel they can do anything since their blood brother/sister bond is stronger than even God's wrath. Though Rachel is hesitant about doing so the pair launch the dinghy down a tributary. Soon, Rachel, after seeing a DANGER sign on the river, stands up in the dinghy and is knocked out of the dinghy by a tree limb. After Michael fetches Rachel out of the river she is unconscious and Michael thinks he killed her. There are many things said by this film, most of them noble and wholesome. But some, under the light of the moral composure of today, might be at best risky. The story proposes that a young lad might be safe from harm by strangers during the 1960s while playing away from home without adult protection. What a sharp contrast with today! The current social profile is that to let a child out of his/her parents' or caregiver's sight for 15 minutes could be disastrous. In another subplot the filmmakers have a drenched and terrified Michael running for comfort into the arms of a Catholic priest instead of his parents. The priest, Father Timothy (John Gregson), while alone with Michael, removes some of Michael's outer clothing and wraps him in a blanket. In today's cultural posture with news headlines of clergy abuse this would most assuredly make parents uncomfortable today. Another no longer valid standard was portrayed when Michael and Rachel decided to become blood-brother/sister and drew ritual blood from each other with the same pin. Not a wise thing to do in this day and age with so much risk of contracting a blood-borne pathogen such as the HIV. Hand in Hand is not rated [NR] but earned a final score under the CAP analysis model of 87 which is one point above the range of scores earned by films rated PG (86 to 68 out of 100) in our comparative baseline database. The final score of 87 is at the bottom of the range of scores earned by G-rated films (100 to 87 out of 100) but in the range of scores earned by G-rated films nonetheless. Since the film content earned area scores of 72 in each of the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) and Impudence/Hate (I) content investigation areas the film warranted the yellow CAPCon alert light in the upper left corner of this page which means the subject movie earned a score of 86 or less in any of the six CAP Content Investigation Areas (W, I, S, D, O, M) and suggests a lesser urgency than indicated by the red CAPCon Alert light but the need for your attention to the findings in the report is still urgent: that you should give serious consideration to the listing in the Findings section. This film does indeed promote acceptance ... acceptance of others. But it also teaches acceptance of another's faith. Therein lies danger. While we are to embrace and edify our brothers and sisters of other faiths we cannot mix a Christ-rejecting faith with the Christian faith. Such is a tactic of the new world and the one-world government. Jesus Himself said that "no one comes to the Father but by Me." [John 14:6] Period. We cannot pencil-whip, counterfeit, situationally redefine or conditionally apply God's Word to fill our own bellies. We are indeed to avoid such divisions. [Rom. 16:17 - 18] God is rather stern about this topic. Satan has tricked many of even the best of the believers that as they have their heels dug in, steadfast in their faith, they compromise God's Word to suit their own spiritual appetite or to avoid friction. God loves us all without exception but by His own Word He requires that to have everlasting life in Paradise with Him we must believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and the resurrected Savior. God does not show favoritism [Rom. 2:11] "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him" for all are one in Christ [Rom. 10:12, Gal. 3:28]. Indeed, when we each stand before Jesus as He sits on the Throne of Judgment, He will not be a Jew, Gentile, Baptist or Catholic. He will be just Jesus. No more. No less. All praise and glory to Jesus who spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there. Amen! Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 72 out of 100 Other than the trespassing by Michael and Rachel there is no criminal content to this film. The violence content is presented mainly as non-traumatic events such as a child running into traffic, young kids hitchhiking on a highway and young children rafting down a river. Traumatic events were Rachel getting knocked out and into the river and Michael endangering himself by rescuing her from the river. Impudence/Hate (I) - 72 out of 100 There is no profanity whatsoever in this film but other matters of impudence and/or hatred include adolescent belligerence and tormenting of others, children daring others to do things potentially harmful, a stranger taking kids away from their home, Michael peeping into Rachel's house, a lie and Rachel sneaking out of her house. Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 Refreshingly there is nothing whatsoever even related to sexually immoral behavior or imagery in the entire 72 minutes of this film. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 86 out of 100 A bottle of alcoholic beverage is seen on the dinner table and two men are seen smoking. That is all. Offense to God (O) - 91 out of 100 The story proposes that the Jews killed Jesus and built some friction based on that. It was the Romans - the Romans of the day, not today -- who killed Jesus. The story also nurtures acceptance of faith other than in Jesus Christ. To reject Jesus has eternal consequences. While embracing or adopting faiths without Jesus as Lord and resurrected Savior is sinful we must not look down our noses at anyone who practices a faith that rejects Jesus. We must do our loving and compassionate best to bring them to Jesus. Humbly. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There are no portrayals of murder or suicide. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 72 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 72 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 86 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 91 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
