MovieChat Forums > Brother Can You Spare a Dime (1975) Discussion > Totally biased

Totally biased

posted 18 years ago by jimadam
6 replies | jump to latest

The film would have you believe that the depression ended shortly after Roosevelt's election. He was a god, Republicans and capitalism were evil. The truth is the country remained in the depression throughout the 1930s and things in 1939 were as bad or worst than 1933 when Roosevelt took over. The only thing that got the U.S. out of the depression was W.W. II when Roosevelt was forced to go private businesses to ramp up for the war. This is the truth that escapes PBS and liberal filmmakers.

The lesson unlearned was that government can only do so much. Too much government is a recipe for economic and social failure. Look around the world.

This film made no mention of any Roosevelt failings. It's a shame that the film was so slanted because much of the footage was interesting. It's a perfect film for Sundance.

[–] bok602 17 years ago

The film would have you believe that the depression ended shortly after Roosevelt's election.

Kinda reminds me of a certain former governor standing on an aircraft carrier declaring Mission Accomplished...

"If you don't know the answer -change the question."

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] randycoates 16 years ago

I agree it really simplified things but Hollywood always does that with films about real historical eras.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] jayhawk-18 11 years ago

I disagree with the OP. The film in no way suggests that FDR rescued America from its troubles overnight. Yes, there was a great deal of optimism that voting in FDR would immediately resolve the country's economic crisis, but the film makes no claims that FDR solved all the country's woes. The dust bowl, the strikes, the KKK, the people voicing their disappointment in FDR: the country was verging on anarchy. The film then ends with America entering WWII, making the very point which the OP claims has been hidden behind a liberal agenda. It's quite poignant, as it reminds us that millions of Americans are about to be fed into the war machine, but will they receive the social justice they deserve?

That's all there in the film, but it sounds like the OP is more concerned about glossing over these facts in order to present their own blinkered opinion.

[–] marktayloruk (2374) 2 years ago

Roosevelt alleviated conditions and made people feel better.