A fool or jokester for April Fools' Day

 

As a child, Shri Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, was a prankster. The Lord and his childhood friends would steal makhan and, if there was too much to eat all at once, would share it with the monkeys.

 

Kaliya Mardan is one of the handful films from India's early cinematic output that has survived. Do check your attic

A father for OP's father's birthday.

 

A father, and proud teacher, raises his son alone. When the boy is an adult and a teacher himself, the elder's traditional concept of societal hierarchy affirms the balance between the generations.

Mythology on the date Wrath of the Titans (2012) was released.

 

With their shaman lost to alcohol, villagers make their way to a diviner in the hope to appease Chac, the rain god.

“This is the account of when all is still silent and placid.   All is silent and calm.   Hushed and empty is the womb of the sky.”

– Popul Vuh, The Primordial World

Filmed in the forests of Tenejapa, Chiapas, Chac is probably the first film completely in Tzotzil, one of several Maya languages, and based on themes found in the Popol Vuh.

Something buried: discovery of the Terracotta Army on March 29, 1974

 

A German history teacher, unhappy with the standardised history textbooks she has to work with, literally digs up her nation's past and sees how it is reflected in modern society.

A laugh out loud scene for Something on a Stick Day (USA)

 

“Bonsoir. Je m'appelle Rosalie!”

Rosalie (the wonderful Sarah Duhamel) buys herself a phonograph and is delighted by the wonders it brings. Quick, the whole household should know!

 

Not only the obvious moments (no spoilers here), but the small, seemingly improvised bits is what makes Rosalie stand out above American productions of the time – with the exception of Roscoe Arbuckle's; his water bucket pun in His Wife's Mistakes (1916) still has me in stitches.

 

Duhamel makes great use of her physique, and doesn't shy away from looking inelegant, boorish even. Her hips are for pushing things and men out of her way, and her mighty paws easily toss any unwieldy piece of furniture out of the window.

 

Like Rosalie's irresistible gusto and her delightful ditties, the combination of Duhamel's physical comedy and (former #vaudeville-ian) Bosetti's Italian-flavoured slapstick, plus some of the best stop-motion trickery I've ever seen, is simply magical.

A film that I wish would have won the Academy Award for Best Picture in honour of the 94^th Academy Awards (2022).

“The Dust has come to stay. You may stay or pass on through or whatever.”

– gas station sign

Bad drivers: the start of compulsory driving tests in the UK was established on March 26, 1934* with the Road Traffic Act.

“This film portrays the traffic war that goes on every day. — Tokyo, 1964”

– opening title

*I find no solid proof to support this statement

A flamboyant character for Elton John’s birthday (1947).

“I want to remain an enigma forever. To others, and also to myself.”

– Ludwig II

Freebie: “Give me liberty or give me death!” (Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775)

“F-R-double-E-D, D-O-M spells Freedom! We fight for freedom, for one and for all! It's you-and-me-dom, and ten foot tall! Freedom, freedom, and oh-can-you-see-dom, we'll always beat 'em with star-spangled freedom!”

– Mr. Freedom singing his theme song

A truly silly film for National Goof-off Day (USA)

“I am the BBC as you can see, and here was the last news.”

– The BBC