Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) & The Sundowners (1960)
Nathan McBride
Two summer movies to sail you far, far away. 🌅
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990; Plex, Tubi, YouTube, The Roku Channel)
A harried office worker (Tom Hanks) learns he has a terminal condition, so he quits his job to… jump in a volcano. This may not sound great, but hear me out. This is a movie about taking charge of your life. It’s about leaving the destructive patterns of the rat race and choosing to do some work on your soul. Not that it’s religious (just a glimmer), but a lot of the dialogue resonates with me. Stop being a cog in a machine to live the life you actually want to live—even if it is just for a month. Who knows, you might actually save your life once you lose it.
It’s also just funny. Maybe it sounds like a dark comedy, but it doesn’t feel like one. It feels more like a romantic comedy with philosophical undertones. So go fall in love with Meg Ryan (again). Learn with Tom Hanks, I mean, Joe, that you don’t have to pretend everything’s okay. You can start to question—and the ironies you discover won’t make you despair. They’ll make you laugh.
For sensitive viewers: Moderate language and suggestive dialogue.
(Admittedly, this may not be as “family” as most movies I recommend here. I'm thinking about Tom Hanks in preparation for Toy Story 5, and moreover I'm thinking of vacations. I, too, am packing my suitcases. Well, not quite like Joe—I expect to come back!)
The Sundowners (1960; free with ads on Fandango or Amazon)
When the mother and son of a traveling family in Australia want to settle down, it will take several adventures to convince their tough but lovable father. This is an odd movie in all the best ways. You’ve never heard of it. It feels like a western, following cattle drivers, except it’s in the outback, so they’re being watched by kangaroos. (My only complaint is the Aboriginal absence.) Most of all, the actors are wonderfully odd: Deborah Kerr where her British accent makes sense; Robert Mitchum, off-the-beaten-path, hardy leading man… with an Australian accent? And then they meet Peter Ustinov, who is always a delight, to serve as a comedic Mr. French to their Family Affair.
It’s just a fun time all around, and compelling. I watched it not long after a friend of mine observed that believable dialogue should feature characters talking from different perspectives and goals. These are well-rounded, likeable characters whose conflict is not violent or rude, but a radical difference of preference that their love is strong enough to temper. Wholesome, complex, engaging, and feels like home.
Oh yes, and there’s also Glynis Johns! I know her best from her role as the “votes for women” mother in Mary Poppins (1964). She also shines in Disney’s earlier The Sword and the Rose (1953) and briefly in the stunning WWII drama 49th Parallel (1941). One time at my university library there was a whiteboard covered with answers to the public question, “Who is your celebrity crush?” I would have written “Glynis Johns,” but I couldn’t remember her name.
Actually, it was a toss-up between her and June Allyson.
I know, they’re no longer around—but they’re just so sweet!
For sensitive viewers: Sometimes Mitchum’s character drinks too much. Smoking. Betting on a horse.
(Don’t mistake this for the other The Sundowners released in 1960 and set in the Australian outback! Just follow the links to Fandango or Amazon, or at least make sure you’ve got the same actors.)
Nathan’s Writing Update
I have finally rewritten the second chapter of my upcoming book. This chapter is about ecological themes in the overlooked Disney film Bolt. I also wrote a short story today, as I can only do on those rare occasions when the Xanadu muse visits. 😉
On another note, I’ve been reading a delightful Christian fantasy book called At the Back of the North Wind (George MacDonald, 1871). Turns out MacDonald agrees with the name of my Mind and Heart Movie Blog: “when heart and head go together, nothing can stand before them.” This is certainly true of his stories. I hope you are finding it true of these films, as well.
