Cinderella Man

James J. Braddock 

Links

http://markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/cinderellaman.htm

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0352248/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_Man

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cinderella_man/

Essay

On May 29, 2005 a movie came out that would change modern America’s view on the great depression. This movie was called Cinderella Man. Cinderella Man is a great example of a masterpiece which encompasses historical elements as well as having a brilliant and entertaining story along with it. Historical events can often be difficult to portray without have the audience left bored and uninterested, but this movie does it flawlessly. Its sales of 61.6 million in the box office attest to the film’s success.

In my opinion, this movie tells us an emotional and inspirational “fairy tale” about one man and exposes audiences to the facts about the Great Depression as it was experienced by most Americans. We, as an audience, are able to identify with the struggles Braddock has which takes the film to a new dimension. I was personally very heartbroken when I saw the dresser in the very beginning of the movie go from being filled with beautiful belongings to an empty shelf. This one scene perfectly incapsulates a huge part of the Great Depression because it reveals a struggle that the majority of America was facing; they were having to sell their belongings in order to make ends meet. We see Braddock talking to his wife about how their electricity bill was overdue and if they didn't find money quick, their heating and electricity would be shut off.  This was a reality for many families across the country during the Great Depression, and I enjoyed watching it and hearing it much more than I would have reading it in a textbook. 

Another event which took place in the Great Depression was receiving government aid. Braddock had a lot of self pride, so asking others for anything, especially money, was a very difficult thing for him to do. At first he decides to ask his fellow wrestling peers for anything they are willing to give him. Even this is a huge step for Braddock, and something he never imagined he would have to do. However, this became a realty for him when his wife decided to send the kids away because they were getting sick from the heat being off in their apartment. This occurrence is also a great example of a real life event that happened all throughout the Great Depression. Parents were forced to send their kids away, often to multiple households, to live with people who could afford to take care of them. This took Braddock over the edge because he had promised his kids that he would never send them away, so he knew he had to do whatever it took to get them back. After he asked his peers for money, he found himself in a bind again, this time he decided to go the financial aid office for relief. 

Even without all of the history interspersed into the story, it still has a very interesting plot line. Amongst all of the historical facts is a story of a family trying to survive in very difficult times. I enjoyed watching the roller coaster that is the Braddock’s lifestyle. All of the little moments shared between Mister and Misses Braddock added a sweet charm to the film as a whole. Having watched the film all of the way through, and following the characters through their struggles, I was very pleased to see Braddock win the fight in the very end. What made it even better is the fact that James Braddock actually won the fight in real life. The directors decision to keep the historical accuracy at the highest it could be while still making the story interesting is truly what made the movie a success.