ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the philosophical conception of virtue in which author worked and explains how he undertakes the philosophical interpretation of film. The conception of virtue he brought to the films is a classical one, originating with the ancient Greeks, and modified within the major traditions of Western thought. This conception of virtue has had the greatest influence in Western daily life and philosophical thought. The chapter addresses movies that have not received the philosophical interpretation classic American films have received, or that do not lend themselves as readily to moral analysis as such foreign gems as La Strada and Babette's Feast. The interpretations offered deals with films that range over a wide array of genres: comedy and science-fiction/horror, and romantic adventure. The chapter analyses that the virtue in movies does not simply proceed from film to film looking for provocative characters or shining character. Instead, the films are organized to illustrate the value of virtue within ever-widening social contexts.
