Carol Goodson inquires: "A friend is writing an essay on the increasing importance of the matriarch in America since 1950. So far she is focusing on The Graduate, The River, and Grand Canyon. Would anyone else be kind enough to offer further suggestions of good films she should look at for this topic? TIA." How is "matriarch" being defined here? It's a loaded term, but even in the context of its loose usage, the films suggested above seem like rather quirky choices. Nonetheless, here are a few films that might be relevant: FRIED GREEN TOMATOES DRIVING MISS DAISY COUNTRY PLACES IN THE HEART Elia Kazan's WILD RIVER CATTLE QUEEN OF MONTANA JOHNNY GUITAR QUEEN BEE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING (the last three all with Joan Crawford) LADY IN THE DARK A bunch with Katharine Hepburn: SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER, LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, THE LION IN WINTER, THE TROJAN WOMEN, A DELICATE BALANCE, ON GOLDEN POND A bunch with Bette Davis: ALL ABOUT EVE, THE VIRGIN QUEEN, STORM CENTER, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE HELLO, DOLLY and MAME NIGHT OF THE HUNTER and THE WHALES OF AUGUST Ethel Merman in THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS and CALL ME MADAME Rosaline Russell in A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION, AUNTIE MAME and GYPSY Irene Dunne as Queen Victoria in THE MUDLARK Shirley MacLaine in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE IMITATION OF LIFE SOUNDER A RAISIN IN THE SUN That's a start, anyway! Obviously, this is an eclectic list and I won't vouch for the quality of all of these (to say the least!), but many of them are of interest. Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN) ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]