Mr. Walter
US History 2
Life in the Great Depression: The Cinematic Experience (20 points)
Introduction
The story of The Great Depression is certainly a multi-faceted one. It is certainly a story of
economics and politics. However, it is also a profoundly human story experienced by millions of
American men, women, and children in their own unique ways. As a result, one of the very
best ways to fully understand what happened and how people experienced this decade is to
watch a great movie about it!
Task
1. Pick a movie about life in The Great Depression (see below for my list of
recommendations… pick one you haven’t seen!).
2. Watch it with your classmates, friends, and/or family. Take notes on events, characters,
dialogue, setting, and other details as you watch.
3. Conduct some research to determine the overall accuracy of the film.
4. Write up a review of the film using the three questions below. Each question should be
1-2 complete paragraphs. Discuss specific events, characters, dialogue, and other
details of the movie. Prove that you watched the film carefully, thought about it deeply,
and made connections.
Movies
The first three are my favorites. #1 is the best, by far. #2 and #3 are also excellent. There are
many other films, of course. Many of these films are available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO
Go or other on-demand services, or your local library!
1. Cinderella Man- starring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger (2005) *****
2. Cradle Will Rock- starring John Cusack and Bill Murray (1999) ****
3. The Grapes of Wrath- starring Henry Fonda (1940) ****
Other films: Seabiscuit, Places in the Heart, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, Riding The
Rails, Ironweed, Paper Moon (To Kill a Mockingbird or Of Mice and Men are off limitschances are good you saw them already in English!)
More ideas:
 http://whatculture.com/film/10-best-films-set-during-the-great-depression.php
 http://www.indiana.edu/~libsalc/newdeal/depressionfilms.html
The Review
1. What did you learn about life in America in The Great Depression from watching this
film? What did you like best about the movie? What aspects of the film did you dislike?
Would you recommend this film to another person looking to learn about The Great
Depression? (10 pts)
2. To what extent was the film an accurate portrayal of the time period, events, and
individuals? Draw upon outside research. Does the film ring true? Describe the scenes
that you found to be especially accurate, and which sequences didn’t seem to match
reality, and explain why. (special note: at the end of your response to #2, include a list
of links to your sources- the links alone are ok- no MLA format needed). (10 pts)