A little girl with $10 at the fair
....during the Depression. Wouldn't she be a bit of a standout?
shareConsidering my grandmother fed a family of 5 for 5 bucks a week in L.A. during the Depression, I'd say you have a point.
"Ehhh ehhh ehhh?"
I came here for the same reason.
This is a favorite movie, and I always watch at least part of it whenever I catch it on television.
As many times as I have seen it, the money issue never registered until this time.
The first scene I noticed was her scamming the people in the drug store. I realize they (the girl and her father) would have to use a big bill to get a big return, but a little girl who had never been seen before (in the small towns they go through, any stranger would have gotten "the look" from everyone) taking out a TWENTY DOLLAR bill?
My parents both grew up in the Depression, and both said, "You were lucky to have a nickel." many times to describe the times.
I looked at a site, and found that 20. in 1933 would be the same as over 350. in today's economy.
Again, I realize the "scam" wouldn't have worked if she did 5. (even then, I think heads would have turned that a little girl had a five dollar bill), so realize it just makes the story work.
Ditto the scene at the carnival (with ten dollars).
Also, I looked up some prices for 1933: a gallon of gas was .10, can of Campbell's soup was .10, loaf of bread .07, pound of hamburger .11, and a "regular" weekly wage was 20.00.
To sum it up, I guess Addie had one rich aunt in Topeka (or was it Wichita, I forget what city she says).
"This purse is sure full!" Always was weird to me since it was during the Depression.
"I will not go down in history as the greatest mass-murderer since Adolf Hitler!" - Merkin Muffley
While most people were dirt poor, there were still rich people and rich people's kids around as well-part of the scam was that they plausibly appeared to have money-it is a bit of a stretch to have a young child running around with a twenty though...
"What is an Oprah?"-Teal'c.