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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

starring: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Hedy Lamarr, Joe Louis, Cliff Edwards
directed by: Philippe Mora

: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9786305609278
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
ISBN: 6305609276
Label: Image Entertainment
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Publisher: Image Entertainment
Release Date: October 12, 1999
Running Time: 112 minutes
Sales Rank: 30071
Studio: Image Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1975



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Editorial Review:

Description:
The chronicle of an unforgettable piece of American history--12 crazy, painful see-saw years, from the Wall Street crash to Pearl Harbor. By juxtaposing contemporary news and documentary footage with extracts from Hollywood classics such as Golddiggers, Lady Killer and Wild Boys of the Road, director Philippe Mora offers an immediate, intricate and evocative scrapbook of the 1930s. 111 minutes.

Amazon.com:
As those who are old enough to have lived through the Great Depression disappear, the era seems more and more remote; it's nearly impossible for later generations to understand just how desperate things were in the United States in the 1930s. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? captures not only the history but also the culture of the time in a rather unusual documentary format. Totally without the benefit of narration, the movie mixes newsreel footage with clips from Hollywood films to tell the story, from the stock market crash through Pearl Harbor. Movie-minded viewers will easily recognize footage from They Made Me a Criminal, Public Enemy, Golddiggers of 1933, Employee's Entrance, Little Caesar, Lady Killer, I Was a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, and countless other Hollywood films from the time--some classics, some more obscure. The scope of the film covers not only historical landmarks such as the Dust Bowl, FDR's election, and the New Deal, but dance marathons and the Louis-Schmeling heavyweight fight for a comprehensive look at the country's social climate. The formula works well, for the most part; especially before the imposition of the Hays Code chilled Hollywood's tone, the '30s saw the birth of the 'social consciousness' picture that dealt with topical issues in straightforward ways. Brother only falls down when it attempts to wrap up the film by bringing it up to the present time (1975, anyway); its ending seems superfluous, tacked-on. Still, for history buffs and movie fans alike, this is an interesting account of a pivotal decade in American history. --Jerry Renshaw



Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Brother can you spare a dime"?
I had seen this video many years ago and always wanted a copy. It sports a cast of famous and not ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - A Compelling Documentary
This documentary should not be down-graded due to its lack of narration. The lack of commentary is ... Read More


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - A Visual Journey
My father introduced me to this doc. when I was fairly young, and I loved it at even a young age. It ... Read More


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - great footage, but lacks commentary
There is great documentary, movie, and news footage in this film, however, the lack of commentary is ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Brother, Can You Spare a Dime is a Great movie
My name is Amanda and I'm in a 10th grade world history class. We are currently studying the Great Depression ... Read More

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Copyright ©2003, Mark Carey.