About the Book:

If a child can watch Barney, can't that same child also enjoy watching Charlie Chaplin or the Marx Brothers? And as they get older, wouldn't they grow to like screwball comedies (His Girl Friday), women's weepies (Imitation of Life), and westerns (The Searchers)? The answer is that they'll follow because they'll have learned that old does not necessarily mean "next channel, please."

Here is an impassioned and eminently readable guide that introduces the delights of the golden age of movies. Ty Burr has come up with a winning prescription for children brought up on Hollywood junk food.

For the little ones (Ages 3 to 6): Fast-paced movies that are simple without being unsophisticated, plainspoken without being dumbed down. Singin' in the Rain and Bringing Up Baby are perfect.

For the ones in between (Ages 7 to 12): "Killer stories," placing easily grasped characters in situations that start simply and then throw curveballs. The African Queen and Some Like It Hot do the job well.

For the older ones (Ages 13+): Burr recommends relating old movies to teens' contemporary favorites: without Alfred Hitchcock, there could be no The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, without Marlon Brando, no Johnny Depp.

What people say:

"Every parent has asked for Ty Burr's book. Every movie-mad child will steal it from the parents. This is a guide to classic movies for kids, written with verve, humor, and pep. A winner." — David Thomson, Author: The New Biographical Dictionary of Film

"A treasure, a delight, and quite possibly a marriage-saver as well. Ty Burr's advice on when, how, and even why to share with our children the movies we cherish from our own youth is funny, hip, and wise. My ten-year-old stole the book right out of my hands." — Julia Glass, National Book Award-Winning Author: Three Junes

"Terrific, necessary, and carried out with integrity, intelligence, sensitivity, and totally without condescension. Ty Burr's book can lead to a lot of pleasure — of the life-long kind." — Peter Bogdanovich

"A delightful book, and a 'must have' for anyone who loves both film and children. Ty Burr provides a great alternative for parents longing to share screen time with their kids minus the commercial tie-ins and brand licensing endemic to the childen's entertainment industry today." — Susan Linn, Ed.D., Associate Director of the Media Center of Judge Baker Children's Center and Author: Consuming Kids: Protecting Our Children from the Onslaught of Marketing & Advertising

"Bravo to Ty Burr for fostering another generation of movie lovers — and for giving parents a hands-on guide to sharing classic films with their kids." — Leonard Maltin

"Where was Ty Burr's guide The Best Old Movies For Families when my children were young? For that matter, where was it when I was a kid? The book is to be placed next to What to Expect When You're Expecting on every parents' bookshelf. It is indispensable." — Philip Haas, Director: Angels and Insects

"Those of us who have seen The Lion King approximately eleven thousand times greet Ty Burr's The Best Old Movies For Families with near desperate relief. Now instead of trying to keep ourselves from shrieking at the sight of yet another animated singing bear, all we need to do is leaf through this delightful volume and decide if we're going to spend the evening with Katherine Hepburn or Errol Flynn. Thank you, Ty Burr. You've saved us." — Ayelet Waldman, Author: Love and Other Impossible Pursuits

About the Author:

Ty Burr is the film critic for The Boston Globe, and the father of two. For over a decade he wrote about movies for Entertainment Weekly, and estimates he has seen 10,000 films.