In 1975 Australian director Phillipe Mora used a combination
of film news reels and feature films to compose a look at America during the
great depression. The result is BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME, a song used throughout the film performed by
various people, that shows us a glimpse of history as seen through the eyes of
the camera lens.
The film depicts our country at its worst and best at the
same time as hungry people seek work and look for any bit of help they can
find. At the same time Hollywood depicts the world as bright and gay in an
attempt to alleviate problems if only for 60-90 minutes for those who can
afford a ticket.
But Mora doesn’t just use the film clips to show Hollywood’s
depiction of the good old/bad old days, instead using clips to move his story
forward from year to year. The main character we watch doing so is actor James
Cagney whose screen persona’s featured him as a tough gangster and as an actor
who worked throughout the years of the Depression in various roles. He is the
common thread through the film as we watch the times change. The film walks us
through the worst period in our history and ends with a tragic event that
helped us out of the depression but led us into something worse, the Second
World War.
What is fascinating to watch in this film is the resilience
of the American people whose spirit got them through those times and watched
them come out with a successful country after. It’s also interesting to see
some moments in history displayed on film that you would almost assume were
shot yesterday were it not for the clothing and black and white footage. In
particular is a man standing on a soapbox heralding the wonders of socialism
preaching how great it is and how it protects and saves the masses. Many of the
things he touts sound like this could be a young Bernie Sanders on that soapbox
even though it isn’t.
The film is interesting in the historical aspects it shows
but might not be for everyone. There is no linear plot to follow here, no
all-around story being told. Instead it provides a look at our history that
many have either forgotten or never heard of. For that reason alone it’s a
valuable film that many young people should be required to watch. A generation
with Fitbits, cell phones and rides to any place they desire while talking
about how rough their lives are would be well served to see how bad things
could actually be.
VCI has done a nice job with this film releasing it for the
first time on blu-ray. Their released may not garner the attention that companies
like Shout Factory and Arrow Video are but they should be praised for their
attempts to save films that would otherwise be lost. This is one of those films
worth not just saving but seeing.
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