Best Melanie Benjamin Podcasts (2025)

1
Quiet Dell 48:20

Play Pause

26d ago48:20

48:20

Robert Mitchum's preacher in The Night of the Hunter was inspired by real murders that also shaped Jayne Anne Phillips's novel Quiet Dell. Ed and Melanie trace the link between book and film, exploring how truth becomes myth and how art transforms tragedy. More at melanieanded.substack.com or email [email protected] .…

1
Night of the Hunter 1:04:18

3M ago1:04:18

1:04:18

Robert Mitchum's sinister preacher, Charles Laughton's only directorial effort, and one of cinema's most haunting thrillers — The Night of the Hunter (1955) went unappreciated in its day. Ed and Melanie explore its striking imagery, Shelley Winters' fate, and Lillian Gish's quiet strength. More at melanieanded.substack.com…

1
Laughing Gas 1:12:23

3M ago1:12:23

1:12:23

It's Book Club week as Ed and Melanie take on Laughing Gas (1936) by P. G. Wodehouse. A book with aristocrats colliding with Hollywood child stars in a screwball farce of body-swapping and mischief. 📧 [email protected] 📖 melanieanded.substack.com

1
Falling In Love At Cambridge 1:12:16

4M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

Melanie and Ed discuss Maurice (1987), the Merchant Ivory adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel of forbidden love. They explore the film's emotional tone, literary legacy, and what it meant to tell this story in 1987. 📧 [email protected] 🔗 melanieanded.substack.com 🌀 Originally released: July 8th, 2023…

1
The Champ 1:11:31

4M ago1:11:31

1:11:31

A 1931 film about a washed-up boxer and his son turns into one of the most emotional episodes Ed and Melanie have ever recorded. They walk through The Champ scene by scene, with reflections on Frances Marion, child actors, and a performance by Jackie Cooper that still stuns. 📬 [email protected] 📰 melanieanded.substack.com…

1
Sexy Rexy 1:01:11

4M ago1:01:11

1:01:11

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), a ghost story with real romantic power. Gene Tierney is luminous, Rex Harrison is "Sexy Rexy," and the ending still breaks our hearts. 📬 Email us: [email protected] 📰 Substack: https://melanieanded.substack.com 🌀 Originally released: July 4, 2022

1
Rules of Civility - Amor Towles 1:07:18

5M ago1:07:18

1:07:18

Melanie and Ed begin a new movie-book rhythm with their first book episode: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles — a novel of restraint, elegance, and quiet ambition in 1930s New York. 📧 [email protected] 🔗 melanieanded.substack.com

1
Klaatu Barada Nicto 1:16:22

5M ago1:16:22

1:16:22

Melanie and Ed discuss the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still and explore why Klaatu's quiet alien warning still resonates. 📧 [email protected] 🔗 melanieanded.substack.com 🌀 Originally released: November 24, 2024

1
Nuns and Roses 1:16:57

5M ago1:16:57

1:16:57

A Technicolor convent clings to a cliff in Black Narcissus (1947), where desire, memory, and madness simmer. Ed and Melanie unpack Kathleen Byron's unforgettable performance, Deborah Kerr's quiet power, and colonialist shadows. 📧 [email protected] 🔗 melanieanded.substack.com 🌀 Originally released: October 15, 2023…

1
Best thing in a mediocre movie - the story of her career 55:23

5M ago55:23

55:23

Lena Horne leads a dazzling cast in Stormy Weather (1943), but the film holds back from giving her a real role. Melanie and Ed revisit this musical landmark with admiration and frustration. 📬 Email us: [email protected] 📰 Subscribe: whothehellarewe.substack.com

1
Strong women put in their place 59:15

5M ago59:15

59:15

Hepburn dazzles, Grant simmers, and Stewart steals a kiss — but we're asking what the movie does to its strongest character. Wit, weddings, and one quietly devastating rewatch. 📬 Email us: [email protected] 📰 Subscribe: whothehellarewe.substack.com

1
I'm Divorcing My Husband Over This Movie 1:06:34

5M ago1:06:34

1:06:34

The team watches Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)—Melanie immediately wants a divorce. Monkey chaos, Cold War weirdness, and a survival story that forgets to care. 📬 Email us: [email protected] 📰 Read and subscribe: whothehellarewe.substack.com 🔁 This episode originally aired on September 9, 2020.…

1
A Party Full of Mirrors 1:12:22

6M ago1:12:22

1:12:22

REISSUED for Pride Month | The Boys in the Band (1970) A queer dinner party implodes in Mart Crowley's groundbreaking pre-Stonewall drama. Melanie and Ed revisit the 1970 film and reflect on its dated portrayals, raw emotion, and lasting legacy. Subscribe at whothehellarewe.substack.com Email us: [email protected]…

1
Read. Watch. Repeat. 29:27

6M ago29:27

29:27

After more than 100 episodes of delightful chaos, Melanie and Ed are finally giving *Who the Hell Are We?* a little structure—just a little. From now on, they'll alternate between one movie and one book, with plenty of time in between for tangents, updates, and whatever else comes up. First up: The Philadelphia Story (1940) The book? Tune in next t…

1
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? 1:01:31

7M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER (1957), starring Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall, with Betsy Drake, Joan Blondell, John Williams, Henry Jones, Lili Gentle, and Mickey Hargitay, and with a cameo by Groucho Marx. Send podcast comments and suggestions to Melanded@whotheh…

1
Regenerative Education with Benjamin Freud 1:14:17

9M ago1:14:17

1:14:17

What is it for education to be regenerative? No matter how long ago it was for some of us, our experiences in educational settings have a huge impact on how we go on to behave in the world. The ideas we encounter, the values we form, the relationships we develop and the ideas of ourselves we create in these spaces and phases of our lives often prov…

1
Torch Song 1:10:46

9M ago1:10:46

1:10:46

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is TORCH SONG (1953), starring Joan Crawford and Michael Wilding. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

1
Regenerative Governance with Erica Neve and Patrick Andrews 1:25:46

9M ago1:25:46

1:25:46

Nature on the Board? Steward ownership? Employee ownership? Self-managing teams? For those seeking to establish regenerative organisations, the options in terms of how those organisations should be governed can feel overwhelming. In this episode we dive deeper into the submerged world of governance and look at what it actually is, surface some prin…

1
Regenerative Financing with Melanie Rieback 1:25:50

9M ago1:25:50

1:25:50

What might it look like for the financing and other fundamental structures underpinning our organisations to truly help them create conditions for life's thriving? Dr. Melanie Rieback is CEO/Co-founder of Radically Open Security, the world's first not-for-profit computer security company, and the "Post Growth" startup incubator Nonprofit Ventures. …

1
Regenerative Contracting with Annette Dhami 1:28:53

10M ago1:28:53

1:28:53

We are so lucky in this episode to be joined by Annette Dhami from Dark Matter Labs. Annette leads the Beyond the Rules initiative which explores the organising and governance practices needed for an economy designed for life. Its work is in the rewriting, reinvention and reimagining of the rules, norms and laws that hold us in the current system. …

1
Melanie Benjamin: Advocating and Aging 36:39

10M ago36:39

36:39

In this episode of becoming bOLDER, Melanie Benjamin the Executive Director of The Center talks about her own thought on aging programs offered at The Center, and the importance of raising awareness about loneliness and isolation and creating interventions and programs that lessen this epidemic. We hope you will give it a listen.…

1
Dan Keenan: Life Meanders 58:14

10M ago58:14

58:14

In this episode of becoming bOLDER Dan Keenan talks about his career in math and science, his interests in physics, his family, and how life meanders. Don't miss this conversation.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Bruce Chase: Being Grateful and No Regrets 38:58

11M ago38:58

38:58

In this episode of becoming bOLDER Bruce Chase talks about being grateful for each day, experimenting and taking risks, building community, believing in things we can't explain with science, living with no regrets, and his interests in technology. You don't want to miss this episode.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
The Holiday 1:25:09

12M ago1:25:09

1:25:09

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is THE HOLIDAY (2006), starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

1
Donna Cloud: Stories and Questions 38:53

12M ago38:53

38:53

In this episode of becoming bOLDER Donna Cloud shares deeply thoughtful and personal stories of both loss and connection. She tells us what she would say to her younger self and speaks about questions she is pondering. Donna wraps up the conversation with a beautiful poem.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Emily Hartka and Kathryn Tokar Conley: Dance is for Everyone 56:06

1y ago56:06

56:06

Emily Hartka, the Co-Founder and Director of the Charlottesville Ballet; and Kathryn Tokar Conley a Company Artist with the Charlottesville Ballet and CB Moves Coordinator, talk to us programs offered at WCBR as well as free programs offered in the Charlottesville community. They also highlight research that shows how dance enriches lives and makes…

1
Valentino 1:24:33

1y ago1:24:33

1:24:33

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is VALENTINO (1977), directed by Ken Russell and starring Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips, and Carol Kane. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!…

1
The Day The Earth Stood Still 1:16:22

1y ago1:16:22

1:16:22

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier and Lock Martin. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!…

1
Cherry Bourque: Each Day is a Gift 41:59

1y ago41:59

41:59

In this episode of becoming bOLDER, Cherry Bourque talks about her hobbies, her childhood, travel, and being thankful. Cherry also shares her experience as a transplant recipient and how that has influenced her thoughts on the meaning of and purpose in life.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Fistful of Dollars 1:20:18

1y ago1:20:18

1:20:18

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964), directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role, alongside Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Sieghardt Rupp, José Calvo, Antonio Prieto and Joseph Egger. Send podcast comments and suggestions…

1
Bobbie Hoskins: On Staying Positive 29:21

1y ago29:21

29:21

Don't miss this episode of becoming bOLDER with Bobbie Hoskins. She talks about her extremely meaningful teaching career, the various places she and Jim lived, experiencing a stroke, staying positive, taking things one day at a time, and meditation.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Bob Gowen: Hopping on Trains and Other Adventures 36:20

1y ago36:20

36:20

Don’t miss this episode of becoming bOLDER with Bob Gowen. He talks about his childhood adventures, working at a lumber camp, being a volunteer fireman, friendship, and being interested and involved. You don’t want to miss this episode.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Allison Agarwal Novak: Grief, Joy, and the Future 42:22

1y ago42:22

42:22

Allison Agarwal Novak, the current chair of the WCBR Board of Trustees, talks about experiencing profound grief, joy, and the future. She also talks about midlife, blending families, and her volunteer role with WCBR. You don't want to miss this episode.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Marta Keane: On Reinvention and Curiosity 47:21

1y ago47:21

47:21

Marta Keane (pronounced Kane) talks about her work as the CEO of the Jefferson Area Board for Aging (JABA), her upcoming "reinvention". She also covers ageism and ableism, recovering from a stroke, giving back, and curiosity. You can learn more about services offered by JABA and volunteer opportunities here: https://www.jabacares.org/.…

1
Regenerative Transitions with Iris Andrews 59:49

1+ y ago59:49

59:49

How can we approach organisational evolutions and endings regeneratively? In this episode I speak with the amazing Iris Andrews about New Constellations and their decision to enter a "chrysalis phase" of evolution. Our approaches to change and transition, particularly in Western industrialised cultures, are often fraut with emotions like fear, sham…

1
Shadow of a Doubt 1:27:26

1+ y ago1:27:26

1:27:26

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

1
Barbara Wigton: On Friendship 19:14

1+ y ago19:14

19:14

Don't miss this episode of becoming bOLDER with Barbara (Barb/Babs) Wigton. Barb talks about spending time with others, friendship and trying new things. This is our last episode in Season 1. We will be back in September.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Mary Kathryn Hassett: Family, Careers, Curiosity, and Feminism 30:14

1+ y ago30:14

30:14

Don't miss this episode of becoming bOLDER with Mary Kathryn Hassett. She talks about her family, careers, curiosity, feminism and more.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Georgy Girl 1:12:46

1+ y ago1:12:46

1:12:46

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is GEORGY GIRL (1966), starring Lynn Redgrave, Alan Bates, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason, and Rachel Kempson. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!

1
Sharon Eldridge: Blessed and Blessing Others 27:53

1+ y ago27:53

27:53

Don't miss this episode with Sharon Eldridge, WCBR's Evening Shift Housekeeping Supervisor. She talks about her family, life experiences, school, and the people and events that have blessed her. And she also bestows blessings upon listeners of this podcast.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Rick Richmond: A Founding Member of WCBR Shares a Historical Perspective 40:00

1+ y ago40:00

40:00

Rick Richmond, an original board member of WCBR, shares the history of WCBR's founding in the 80s. We hope you will tune in to this episode to learn about the purpose, logistics, and mission. Rick also talks about his own aging, retirement from paid work, family and friendships.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Steve Brown: On Faith and Social Justice 34:19

1+ y ago34:19

34:19

You don't want to miss this episode of becoming bOLDER with Steve Brown. He talks about faith and the role it plays in his life and his work for environmental and social justice.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Random Harvest 1:07:43

1+ y ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is RANDOM HARVEST (1942), starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson Mel and Ed make book recommendations with similar themes. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!…

1
Trapeze 1:06:37

1+ y ago1:06:37

1:06:37

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is TRAPEZE (1956), starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida. Mel and Ed make book recommendations with similar themes. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!…

1
Linda Lewis: Community at home, in church, and at work 19:22

1+ y ago19:22

19:22

Tune in to this episode and hear from associate Linda Lewis. She talks about building and being a part of community through her church, her family, and at work. She also opens up about losing her mother as a young child and the impact it made on her and her family.By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
The Rose Tattoo 1:27:36

1+ y ago1:27:36

1:27:36

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is THE ROSE TATTOO (1955), starring Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster, Marisa Pavan, and Jo Van Fleet. Mel and Ed make book recommendations with similar themes. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to subscribe to the show!…

1
Randy Baskerville: On art, meditation, and staying true to yourself 32:53

1+ y ago32:53

32:53

In this episode we talk with Randy Baskerville about her art, meditation practice, and staying true to herself from childhood until the present time. And it wouldn't be complete without talking about her dog, Scout (and her husband too).By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Nancy Littlefield: On Aging, Living and End Of Life 37:49

1+ y ago37:49

37:49

WCBR's becoming bOLDER has a new episode! Today, we are doing something a little different. We are joined by a community leader who certainly influences some of the services that residents, associates, our friends and loved ones receive in the region. Dr. Nancy Littlefield is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Hospice of the Piedmont, joini…

1
Jenny Gaden: On Birds and Song 41:10

1+ y ago41:10

41:10

Tune in and hear from Jenny Gaden! She shares of her passion for birds, nature, singing, spirituality, family, and more!By Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge

1
Sudden Fear 1:11:04

2y ago1:11:04

1:11:04

Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is SUDDEN FEAR (1952), American film noir thriller film directed by David Miller, and starring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance Mel and Ed make book recommendations with similar themes. Send podcast comments and suggestions to [email protected] Don't forget to s…