Movies - "Well, we went with each other, you know."

As you may remember, Joanne and Vernon grew up in the Kirksville area. They began dating in high school, which means that they spent a lot of time at the local movie theaters. At the time, there were several, as opposed to the mere one in town now. There was the Princess Theater, the Kennedy, and a rundown family theater of unknown name. According to the couple, the Kennedy was objectively the best of the three - unfortunately, it's since been torn down. Vernon distinctly remembers one of the first films he saw at the family theater giving him nightmares for days after. Some movies were in color, many were not.
Most of the time if they were watching movies, it was with each other. They went about every week on Saturday nights, and if it was nice out, they often went to the outdoor theater in Greentop. I asked if they had any favorite films, when they were young or high school age, although it is difficult to have a favorite movie when one does not have a VHS or DVD player and the theater is the only way to watch films. Joanne remembers the movie Lassie well, but she does not consider it a favorite, similarly, she remembers a movie about a little girl falling in a well, but only because immediately after the movie her favorite horse died. Vernon recalls a movie called Iowa State Fair that he thinks he found enjoyable, and Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (it took a considerable amount of Googling to figure out how to spell that one) was a definite favorite and it's pretty easy to see why; it's about two brothers growing up on a farm, much like he himself did. Additionally, one of the characters had a wise old grandfather that reminded Vernon of his own dear Grandpa. In general, Vernon feels movies used to be more relatable and practical than they are now.
A Clip from Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (also the first movie in which Marilyn Monroe had a speaking role):

It's strange to me to think that back then, films weren't rated nor did they seem to need to be. It never occurred to either of their parents to worry about what they were watching - it was a given that films were "family friendly." How far we've come.
Joanne and Vernon progressed to watching movies at home relatively early on in their marriage, although after he had been discharged from the army. Their first experience with film in the home was a Browning 8mm camera that they used to make home movies, some of which they still own. Years later, when they became popular, the couple owned a VHS player, and later a DVD player, which they still own today and use for the occasional movie night.



The Kennedy Theater, located at Elson and McPhearson in Kirksville, was constructed in 1926 and closed in 1985.





The former Princess Theater in Kirksville, MO