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film industry during the great depression
mr smith goes to washington analysis
film industry during the great depression
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Andy Huang
Professor Kuntz
Film 106A Section 1N
28 March 2014
Mr. Smith Takes a History Course
In Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a naïve Jefferson Smith sets off for Washington D.C. as a United States Senator, where he learns that politics is not as transparent as it may seem. Released in 1939, one of the most successful years for film, Mr. Smith became a smash hit, easily becoming the second largest blockbuster of that year. However, 1939 was also the year World War II had started, and coupled with the war's association with the Great Depression, the hit film was bound to cause conflict and controversy among the viewing public, which included global audiences. With post-Depression America seeking realism and optimism and the events that would eventually lead to World War II, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington culminates into a classic that would come to represent patriotism to some and treachery to others.
In the ten time Academy Award nominated motion picture, titular character Jefferson Smith, who is head of the Boy Rangers, suddenly comes to power as a senator and trave...
The film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was made in 1939 but Franco’s portrayal of America has similarities to today’s society. Franco portrays different factors of America. One thing that he portrays a lot is the American Government. He shows that the political figures only care about themselves and based their decisions on what will benefit him. This is shown throughout the film specifically in the beginning of the film when Hopper the governor of an unknown state has to pick a new U.S Senator. Hopper flips a coin to choose between Jim Taylor and Henry Hill. Instead it landed on a newspaper with a story about Jefferson Smith. He then realized that Smith will be easier to influence and vote his way. This has not changed at all in America. In 2014 political figures still choose people that will support them and have the same beliefs. The only difference is now a day’s most Americans know more about politics and if they appoint someone that does not have the qualification the public voices their opinions. Another thing Franco depicts about America in 1939 is that anything can happen anyone can become successful. This is shown when Smith becomes the senator. He had all the odds against him but Smith believed he could be a good senator and succeeded. Throughout the movie other politicians try to take advantage of him but he stood strong and did what he t...
"I think that there was a direct line from the progressivism of Theodore Roosevelt through [New York City] Mayor [John Puroy] Mitchel, to Governor Smith, to Governor Roosevelt, to President Roosevelt, to the national scene . . . . It's all in one episode.-Frances Perkins.
In “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” written by Wes Moore the author writes about two boys growing up in Baltimore that share the same name and similar backgrounds but end up taking drastically different paths in life due to many varying factors. The author goes on to earn a college degree, become a Rhodes Scholar, a veteran and more while the “other” Wes cannot avoid the inevitable fate of dealing drugs and ultimately spends his life running from the police and in prison. This reflects how both Wes Moore’s became products of their environment as the way a person is shaped and guided in their developmental years does unquestionably play a large role in the type of person they will become as adults. A lot of elements come into play that help to determine a person’s success or failure, but at the end of the day the most important factors are family, education and opportunities.
Other types of movies like “The story of G.I. Joe (1945)” and “A Walk in the Sun (1945)” portrayed many American soldiers as heroes in the battle (Fellow 228). Yet there have been some movies that depicted the less glamorous after effects of the post-war era. Some of these post-war effects consisted of trauma, emotional adjustments for veterans, and those who grieved after losing loved ones like the film, “The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)” (Fellow 228). Even cartoons like Looney Tunes focused on the war to educate the youth and their parents. Both the positive and negative films about World War II gave Americans the insight or information they wanted and also entertained
...s at that time who have come of age. Perhaps no film in recent history has captured more attention and generated more controversial debate. This film resonates the feeling and question that common people had about the JFK assassination in the 60s. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers noted. The JFK was a telling incident demonstrating the larger cultural conflict over values and meaning in America and the competition to define national identity. The whole affair demonstrated how effective a motion picture can be as a transmitter of knowledge, history, and culture. As a result, the debate about the validity of JFK extended much further into the war-torn cultural landscape of America in the 1990s than most observers have noted.
Adam Smith was a man of many achievements. As a Scottish philosopher and political economist he became famous by his classical and influential books. In 1759 he wrote a book called “The Theory of Mortal Sentiments”and in 1775 he wrote another called “An Inquiry to the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations”. Known as the “father of modern economics” Adam Smith has greatly influenced society. Adam Smith’s history impacted the way that our society is today. Adam’s childhood, environment, education and events throughout his life contributed to the way that we view society. With Adam’s theories and great works he molded a pathway to different stand points on the public and its society. Among his great works are the wealth of nations and inquiry to the nature and causes of the wealth of nations alongside the theory Adam named the invisible hand. Adam also thought about the public from an economic and political stand point. Due to factors that influenced Adam’s early life, he was able to learn from those before him to become the great economist, politician, and philosopher that he was. This way, even though Adam Smith lived during the time of the scientific revolution his words of wisdom in politics and the economy are still used today in the public.
"History and the Movies: The Patriot and Glory by Mackubin T. Owens." Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. .
The publication of The Round House by Louise Erdrich serves as a literary feat and national victory for sexual assault survivors and activists through the author 's realistic depiction and exploration into the brutal effects that domestic violence has on a victim, family, and community. In The Round House, Geraldine 's traumatic assault during the summer of 1988 is not to be treated as an isolated incident, but a common occurrence that has affected millions of Americans and evolved into a national domestic violence crisis. The lasting emotional, mental, and relational effect of sexual assault and trauma are critical matters that are rarely explicated in modern literature, much
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” This is a quote from the book Wealth of Nations, which Adam Smith wrote, addresses well about why and what reason people work for. The butcher, the brewer, or the baker does not cut, stir, or bake because they want to please the customer or to feed the poor, but to earn money and for their own happiness. Adam Smith, who fully understood the concepts of capitalism and free market system, became one of the most well respected economists throughout the world. Smith became famous because of his philosophy of economics. Because of his thoughts on economics, today he is well known as the “father of economics.”
when the second president of the United States, John Adams, arrived in Washington City and went immediately to the "President’s House." This residence was the outgrowth of George Washington’s dream for a capital city, though it would not be completed during his presidency. Pierre Charles L’Enfant had designed the city, but Washington himself sited the location of the White House. When John Adams moved in that November day, the house, designed by the Dublin builder James Hoban, was as yet unfinished. Only half of its thirty-six rooms had been plastered, just one of the three planned staircases was completed, and the watchman was keeping all of the fireplaces burning to dry the plaster. Still, the president’s baggage was unloaded, his office
Thinking about David Walker’s Appeal and gentrification in terms of the segregation of freedom, wealth, resources, and religion, it is clear that life for freed Black people and those still enslaved in the 1800’s were more similar than different. Black folks in both positions still endured the evilness/restriction whiteness placed upon their lifestyles. From an economic standpoint and communal, Black people in America still didn’t have any control over their future nor could they fully protect their community. Those free could be recaptured and made a slave again, even if they had free papers on them. Also even after working hard, if they planned to pass things down to relatives, whiteness would quickly appear and take that away as well. Walker
The fifties era was an era of consensus and order. As a family, there was a certain image to live up to in order fit into the American dream; however, a family only had to appear American and while it may be argued that Doris Goodwin succeeded in life because she grew up in a typical household in the fifties, that is not the case, and in fact, Goodwin’s life in the fifties did not live up to the stereotypical idea of the fifties time period. The image of being American during the fifties was based on consensus which was seen through the typical American neighborhood. All families were religious, the dads went to work while the moms stayed home and the children were at school, and each family had a favorite baseball team; however, it was not the idea of consensus that allowed Goodwin to succeed in life. (Anderson Class note, “Life at Home in the 50’s” 3 April 2014; Anderson Class notes, “Book Discussion” 8 April 2014)
Modern Times was unlike most movies produced during the Great Depression era because it is featuring a view on the unemployment and rough conditions that people f...
“The Other Wes Moore” tells a story, two boys that has one name, but their lives are not
John Smith played many key roles in the colonies, which made him a very important person in colonial times. He was a very important person in colonial times because of his amount of perseverance in hard situations and not giving in to whatever it might have been he was doing. Also John Smith had fantastic leadership abilities that saved the colonies he was leading from numerous catastrophes. In addition to that, his relationship with the indians greatly benefited the colonists and saved them on more than one occasion.