Cinderella Man
When considering the
accuracy of the film, Cinderella Man,
we must look at the great depression as a whole. In order to grasp the aspects
of The Great Depression, we must break down the different components that
resided within this tragic event. Through different ways this event was very
demoralizing and “depressing,” hence the name The Great Depression. In order to
evaluate the accuracy of Cinderella Man, I will look at it from the view of
unemployment, morale, and the market.
The Great Depression had a strong and relentless attack
on employment rates. As we know from our studies, unemployment rates varied
from city to city, however they were devastating and usually over 50 percent,
especially in rustic areas. The movie portrays this struggle very well due to
the fact that the family’s income relied solely on whether or not Mr. Braddock
could get a fight. Even without the fights, there was the struggle to get
selected to work on the boat docks. That scene well illustrates the unlikelihood
of being selected for a job. When Braddock couldn't get a job it made him very
upset, which brings us to our next category.
The morale of Americans was very well captured through
the demeanor of Russell Crowe’s character. When we see Jim beat up on himself
and feel a sense of self blame and accountability, it depicts the thoughts of
Americans during the time period. As we read, Americans were embarrassed and
ashamed of where they fell financially and that can be seen manifested
throughout the movie. Especially as the man of the family, Jim, who was
supposed to be the bread winner, felt it as his responsibility to keep his
family in good care. Now, we also learned in class that some people turned
their anger towards the government. That feeling is portrayed in the character
who works alongside Jim at the docks. As I recall, the scene where they are in
the bar, the two men’s feelings about the Depression contrast each other as Jim
feels self doubt; his buddy feels anger towards the government. This scene
accurately shows the attitude of Americans and the possibility of how they could’ve
felt during the time.
The final example of the movie’s portrayal of the
depression that I will use is the market. As we read, farmers and workers were
having trouble being able to use their earnings for profit. The consumer need
was greater than the demand and workers were unable to keep up with demands of
the market. The movie often shows the small portions that the family has to
distribute amongst themselves, that’s because they were barely conjuring up
enough money to feed themselves.We hear Jim's wife mention breadlines a few times. Jim’s son even resorts to stealing, which would’ve
been a normal occurrence within The Great Depression. When Jim tells his son to
return the salami that further shows an example of the men’s accountability
towards what they earn.
Personally I believe the movie Cinderella Man did a good job in capturing the key overall aspects
of The Great Depression. It was clear that the movie producer had knowledge of
the event and could set up examples of it with deep meanings. I am satisfied
with the accuracy of the movie and I believe it was well depicted.
