MovieChat Forums > Harriet the Spy (1996) Discussion > Harriet throwing a shoe at her parents.

Harriet throwing a shoe at her parents.

posted 11 years ago by my_FAV
4 replies | jump to latest

All I know is that I would have gotten a massive spanking. Anyways, I use to watch this movie religiously as a 9/10 year old when it came out (I had the orange VHS and the invisible spy markers); my friends and I tried to make the little symbol on our feet [which didn't work out]; I also tried to be a spy, lol (I'm sure a lot of kids wanted to after this movie came out). I'm watching it as an adult, and I still think its a great movie; I'm also in the realization that it's quite a deep movie. For example, the scene where Harriet is running home from school when she gets paint poured on her--next time you watch it, put it on mute. The slow motion plus the emotions on her face gives the air of a complete drama on the subject of bullying. I'm sure that's how the director or editor meant it to be, but, as a child, I was more focused on becoming a spy. Its funny how one see's a childhood movie as an adult.

"Oh, but honey, you just fixed dinner 3 years ago!"

[–] novastar_6 11 years ago

It's like the show "Dinosaurs", it actually works on 2 levels, when you're a kid, it's just a fun movie, when you grow up and watch it again you're amazed at how deep and intense it really is.

And the book is much the same way, which is why in my opinion, Harriet the Spy is a far more important 'coming of age' book for girls than say, "Are you there, God? It's me Margaret", none of that stupid "I must I must I must increase my bust" BS, it's real stuff, real things you never think about as a kid and also don't stop to think about as an adult, but when you stop to actually read them, they make sense, and you start to see the world in that kind of way.

[–] Angel-hughes87 11 years ago

Same here! I was so determined to have a symbol on my foot like her! Lol

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hppg 10 years ago

Yeah in the book at least the negligence of her parents was very interesting, especially the parent/nanny and child/nanny dynamic. I haven't read it for a few years but you certainly get more at an older age. When reading as a child I too mostly wanted to be a spy like that, lol, but I thought her parents were crap. But re-reading as a teen you notice it more.