Enhance your ability to assess and enjoy films by sharpening your skills in analyzing characters, plot, and acting.

Soul-fueling films have been produced in all genres and eras of movie-making, but many of the best are not widely known or recognized for their excellence or philosophic depth.

In this course, Dr. Andrew Bernstein will discuss six superlative, yet very different, films:

• Spotlight (2015): the gripping true story of investigative reporters exposing a massive pedophilia scandal within the Catholic Church;
• Bridge of Spies (2015): a Cold War espionage thriller, which illustrates the difference between life under freedom and “life” under totalitarianism;
• Lawrence of Arabia (1962): a classic World War I film that explores free will versus determinism;
• All About Eve (1950): a glamorous story about an unprincipled attempt to gain Broadway success and its debilitating consequences;
• Gaslight (1944): a psychological thriller about a woman’s attempt to overcome her abusive husband’s scheme to convince her she is going insane. The contemporary political term “gaslighting” comes directly and explicitly from this film;
• Fort Apache (1948): a Western classic that integrates a cavalry-versus-Indians conflict with a love story and insights into race, class differences, and the often misbegotten origins of military glory.

Immerse yourself in superb cinematic art; discuss the characters, plot, theme, acting, and dialogue with other active-minded people; and deepen your understanding and enjoyment of these six films—and films forever after.

Meet Your Instructor

Andrew Bernstein

Andrew Bernstein holds a PhD in philosophy from the Graduate School of the City University of New York and taught philosophy for many years at Marist College. He is the author of Heroes, Legends, Champions: Why Heroism Matters; Capitalism Unbound: The Incontestable Moral Case for Individual Rights; Capitalist Solutions; Why Johnny Still Can’t Read or Write or Understand Math: And What We Can Do About It; and myriad articles for The Objective Standard.