# Movies where someone helps a community (PG) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514 "2007-10-04T17:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/1 "2007-10-04T17:20:56Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community. I need a list of PG movies that I can give to 12 year old boys to watch. This is for the Citizenship in the Community Merit badge for Boy Scouts. Its a Wonderful Life is a good one, but I was hoping for some other recommendations. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/2 "2007-10-04T17:25:43Z")
[Stand and Deliver](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/). ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/3 "2007-10-04T17:30:50Z")
[QUOTE=fiddlesticks] [Stand and Deliver](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094027/). [/QUOTE] Ooh - totally blanked on that one! (I wanted them to all watch High Plains Drifter, since Clint certainly makes the town better - but we are once again back in the issue of “PG and suitable for 12 year old boys.”) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/4 "2007-10-04T17:34:47Z")
_Cars_? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/5 "2007-10-04T17:35:26Z")
[Dead Poets Society](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Poets_Society) ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/6 "2007-10-04T17:37:12Z")
There is a whole genre of movies where the gung-ho new grad teacher takes on the inner city classroom full of punks and makes them into Hemingways. I think one of them had Michelle Pfeiffer or Nicole Kidman, that would certainly appeal to 12 year old boys. Here it is: [Dangerous Minds](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112792/) ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/7 "2007-10-04T17:40:45Z")
[Rio Bravo](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/) is a great story about a bunch of guys coming together in the interests of their community. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/8 "2007-10-04T17:40:47Z")
Would [PG-13](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097722/) be suitable? ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/9 "2007-10-04T17:41:45Z")
My Blue Heaven ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/10 "2007-10-04T17:42:22Z")
[Shane](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046303/), perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/11 "2007-10-04T17:42:54Z")
What about “Freedom Writers”? (Not providing a link 'cause I don’t know how to make one) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/12 "2007-10-04T17:44:12Z")
12-year-old boys probably like [football](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210945/). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/13 "2007-10-04T17:47:44Z")
Or [baseball](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265662/), for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/14 "2007-10-04T17:48:50Z")
The school ones are good, but since I have to teach them how to be active in their community (going to a school board meeting, other things like that) I need some more good “Let’s fix the town” type things. Some other old Jimmy Stewart flicks will work when we hit Citizenship in the Nation I am sure. Kids taking on City Hall flicks? Anybody see Hoot? [Hoot (2006) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453494/) Thanks again for suggestions (I want to give the kids a list that they can pick from with their parents). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/15 "2007-10-04T17:50:39Z")
[QUOTE=Algher] The school ones are good, but since I have to teach them how to be active in their community (going to a school board meeting, other things like that) [/QUOTE] _Field of Dreams_? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/16 "2007-10-04T17:57:42Z")
Aha! [Pleasantville](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120789/)! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/17 "2007-10-04T18:08:25Z")
How about _Lilies of the Field_? Sidney Portier builds a church for a community of nuns. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/18 "2007-10-04T18:15:54Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] Aha! [Pleasantville](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120789/)! [/QUOTE] Nah, that one’s rated PG-13 and features a lot of sexual content, including a scene of female masterbation. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/19 "2007-10-04T18:19:44Z")
[Silverado](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090022/) might work. [QUOTE=mobo85] Nah, that one’s rated PG-13 and features a lot of sexual content, including a scene of female masterbation. [/QUOTE] This is for a list to give to parents, it would be up to them to let their boys watch or not. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514/20 "2007-10-04T18:25:34Z")
How about _Local Hero_? I’d kind of like to that again, myself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-someone-helps-a-community-pg/421514.md?page=2)