Screen The Hideaways and Plot An Adventure

Screen The Hideaways and Plot An Adventure

Back-to-school season inspired us to go back to classics. We watched The Hideaways, an adaptation of the book From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, to get our kids excited about hiding out in a museum.

Then we visited The Getty Center’s permanent collection of antique furniture to choose where to sleep, eat and bathe!

GET ON THE COUCH:
Screen The Hideaways
A Week Without Parents: The Hideaways (1973, G, 105 mins), based on the deliciously taboo notion that kids could stow away in a museum for a week, thrilled our kids as much as it thrilled us a generation ago. Claudia and her younger brother Jamie pool their savings ($25.68), pack extra clothes in a violin case and take up residence in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. While hiding out, they become captivated with a statue by an unknown artist. The kids eventually discover the statue is a Michelangelo, and befriend Mrs. Frankweiler, the statue’s eccentric benefactress.

Rent the 1973 Version: The Hideaways, fine for kids over 6, was made for television and the pace of the film is slow and gentle. Our kids were riveted by the kids’ naughty adventure, perhaps because they loved the book. Don’t rent the 1995 adaptation which, despite a star turn by Lauren Bacall, is not as good as the oldie.

Read the Book: No childhood is complete without at least one read through of our favorite childhood book. From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Koenigsberg, written in 1967, still tops most kids’ book lists. We heartily recommend this classic as a read-aloud.

Get Some Perspective: This story, about two children surviving on their own in New York City, sounds scary. The movie, however, isn’t frightening, except for a few small scenes in the museum at night. Ask your kids to guess who is telling the story. For example,if the film had been from the parents’ perspective, we would have seen them worrying at home – a lot less fun to watch!

GET OFF THE COUCH:
A Treasure Hunt at The Getty Center A Secret Mission Makes Museums Fun: As
we headed to the museum, we gave our kids a mission: to figure out the logistics of life without adults – where to eat, sleep, bathe, do their homework and hide – just like the characters in the film. Fortunately, J. Paul Getty collected ornate French furniture, and our kids quickly found antique canopied beds. Energized, they kept exploring and discovered ornate silver bowls for their morning cereal, an antique disco ball for a midnight party and a plethora of fountains for bathing.

The Getty’s Got It Going On: The Getty Center really caters to families and offers creative programming to inspire kids of all ages. We adore the Family Room, which even has a mock antique bed that invites jumping (unlike the real deal upstairs). Check the Web site for great family programming, including a Family Festival from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 12.

Sculpture On-Line: In the film, Claudia and Jamie fall in love with an angel sculpture.

Before we visited, we logged onto The Getty’s Web site (click “Explore Art”) and had each child choose a favorite sculpture, to which we then paid a visit.

Details: The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, 310-440-7300, www.getty.edu. Admission: Free; parking $15 but free after 5 p.m. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sun. and Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat. Closed Mondays.

Source: LA Parent, Sept. 2009