Accurate, the word itself means free from error or defect; consistent with a standard, rule, or model;precise; exact. I believe the word itself holds unrealistic
standards for any piece of work. If something was free from error or defect
then it would be perfect, and it is an excepted fact by most that nothing is
perfect. Therefore by the actual definition of the word accurate the movie
Cinderella Man is not an accurate representation of the Great Depression, but I
personally think the definition of the word accurate holds lower standards. By
my definition, which is that it shows an almost flawless depiction of the time,
the movie Cinderella Man is accurate.
In the opening scenes of the movie “Cinderella Man”
James Braddock is living the life. He has plentiful source of money, a
beautiful family, a successful career, and all the desires that a man could
wish for were fulfilled. Soon all of the average mans fairy tale is washed away
and he is left living in a small apartment with no money and not enough food to
sufficiently feed his family. This is an accurate representation of the transformation
in a majority of Americans lives after the Great Depression hits. Before the
start of the Great Depression many people were living a luxurious life. Yes,
there was still a large number of people who were living below the poverty
level before the disaster struck, but not near the amount that would soon be
surviving instead of living. I believe that the way the director decided to
depict the change from riches to rags that occurred in Braddock’s life is
accurate because it was such a sudden change that no one expected. A few scenes
later, Braddock is seen giving his meal away to his daughter because there is
clearly not enough food available to them to feed their entire family. A problem
during the Great Depression was malnutrition. If there was no money then it was
impossible to buy food much less healthy food that allowed an individual to
obtain the necessary nutrients needed. Obviously people did not want to starve,
and many resulted to stealing. Braddock’s son steals a stick of salami from the
local meat store in order to try and prevent his family from reaching the point
of malnutrition that the children would have to be sent away just to have a
chance to survive. This was a common fear among the children in the 1930’s
because a lot of times that was the only option for survival, go live with a
distant relative that you may have never even met before. In Braddock’s story this
becomes the case because they no longer have any sort of heat because they
could not afford to pay the bill. The children got sick and they had to go.
During the depression no one went to the doctor unless it was the direst of circumstances
because they were quite exspensive and there were no government aid program put
into place to help with the exspenses until 1935. When Braddock realizes that
his children are gone he is infuriated and goes to great measures to get them
back. He is unusual; most would have just given up and ran away.
Divorce rates dropped during the depression but
abandonment rates increased rapidly. It was not common for men to choose to
have a poor man’s divorce and simply just run away. It was an end that most women
feared for their families, including Mrs. Braddock. Towards the beginning of
the movie we learn that this is a fear of Mrs. Braddock’s when we see this catastrophe
occurring to another family. When Mr. Braddock leaves after he is told the
devastating news that his children are gone one can only begin to wonder if the
director had included that scene as foreshadowing, but the audience soon learns
that Braddock is different. A man’s pride is not something that he does not
give up without a fight. This was a problem for most men during the depression,
they couldn’t handle the fact that they were not able to swoop in and save the
day relieving their families suffering and giving them back the pleasures that
they once enjoyed. Many resulted to alcohol as an escape, but James Braddock
did not. Instead he swallowed his pride and took advantage of the resources
that were at hand. He went to the Relief house and gain just enough money
between that and begging his former employers to allow his children the ability
to return home. Did most men take this option? No, but to allow the audience to
have an accurate depiction of what would happen under normal circumstances the
director created a character, Mike, who reacted in a more normal way. This
allowed the story to remain accurate to the Great Depression with tarnishing James
Braddock’s amazing story of luck. Mike is an alcoholic and blames the
government for his problems instead of trying to overcome the adversity he is
currently facing. This was an semi-average reaction of an American. They blamed
others for their problems and were filled with hatred because there seemed to
be no way to overcome the situation at hand that they did not choose. Just like
Mike a lot of men did drink and stayed drunk. They left their families for
extended periods of time. Mike also went down to Hoover town. Although many
chose to join this place because they had nowhere else to go and were mad that
President Hoover was not trying to help their situation, this was not an
average reaction to the Depression and a
majority of the population never set foot in Hoover town. Although this was not
average it still was a part of The Great Depression and the director gives an
accurate representation of what the town would have been like if one was a part
of this cause.
Although I believe that Cinderella Man gives an
accurate depiction of the Great Depression I acknowledge that it does not
include all the facts nor does it represent ever factor of lives in the Great
Depression. I would also like to point out the fact that in order for this
movie to represent the entirety of the Great Depression it would be way too
long to show in a movie theatre. Movies are also suppose to prompt deeper
thought and if the movie gave you all the facts then it would not leave you
with any mystery and you would already know everything leaving you with no room
to grow and slightly bored.
No, James Braddock was not the normal case during
the Great Depression. In fact he was an anomaly. He got lucky, it’s as simple
as that. But through his story leading up to his triumph over the depression,
the supporting characters lives, and the attention to detail that the director
has, we are able to see what life in the 1930’s was like. The movie allows us
to ask questions and through those questions learn even more about the Great
Depression and the most important fact of all sometimes all one needs is a
fairy godmother and good luck.
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