Journey through Time

Reflections on 'Boys in the Boat,' Family Bonds, and 1930s Nostalgia

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

A little more than a week ago, I watched  The Boys in the Boat.  I was Intrigued by the 1930s setting, which coincides with sections of my manuscript. The movie is based on the book by Daniel James Brown. Besides just enjoying a movie, I was intent on soaking in the fashion, hairstyles, and all those details from that era. And who knows, if my manuscript hits the shelves, I might jazz up my public reading by donning a dress or styling my hair makeup like the women in the movie.

Clothing styles of the 1930s courtesy of The Midvale Cottage Post

Boy in the Boat is about a rowing team at the University of Washington in Seattle, and the rowing team qualifies for the 1936 Olympics. George Clooney directed it.  I was Intrigued by the 1930s setting, which coincides with sections of my manuscript. The movie is based on the book by Daniel James Brown. 

I’m always looking for connections and confirmation that I’ve written my manuscript factually.  

One scene from Boys in the Boat that stands out in my mind is when the camera zoomed in on a hole in the sole of the main character's leather lace-up shoes, revealing the makeshift solution of placing a folded-up newspaper inside for protection from the elements. 

The Well Dressed Dad blog

Confronting this stereotype of everyone wearing rags and having holes in their shoes became a challenge when I initially shared my writing about my mom's experiences growing up during the Great Depression. But Janette's story leans more toward the warmth and resilience of The Waltons, inspired by Earl Hamner Jr.'s Spencer's Mountain.

She cherished the warm and well-preserved coat handed down to her in grade school. It was made of heavy corduroy and lined with real sheep skin.

In high school, Janette got another hand-me-down winter coat from Jimmy. It was blue wool and about the length of a car coat. 

Sports and the Mineharts

Poster from https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-fame

According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, “Baseball connects us: Generation to generation, fan to fan, and rival to rival.”

Russell Minehart (my grandfather) was a baseball fanatic. The Mineharts even named the Boston terrier after whoever won an important baseball game. While there's a bit of baseball woven into the story, I must admit  I’m not a sports fan, and the manuscript is more about how Russell’s love of baseball left an indelible mark on the family than a recitation of Russell’s baseball conversions or radio play-by-play. 

I know that my Grandpa, Russell Minehart, played on the Mitchell Kernels before he was married. I just don’t know if he is in any of these photos. (Don’t you just love that name, the Mitchell Kernels, it must be because Mitchell is home to the Corn Palace.)

Mom told me she used to get so sick of her dad talking about baseball, but after he died, she’d give anything to hear him talk about it. 

Movie components 

The costume designer of Boys in the Boats was  Jenny Eagan; she also has Knives Out and The Glass Onion to her credit.  The film had a team of makeup artists. Each actor had his or her own. 

I love exploring various facets of movies—makeup, props, costumes, and, of course, significant elements like plot, writing, camera angles, timing, and music.

I wrote the manuscript with dual intentions: to showcase the remarkable transformations possible within a single lifetime and to depict the bonds of love within a family and a close-knit rural community.

My goal is to transport you to the 1930s and 1940s,  evoking gratitude for modern conveniences (No more braving cold winter nights for an outhouse visit, thank goodness!) And maybe a bit of nostalgia for the simplicity of days gone by.