CINDERELLA MAN

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT FILM - NO ONE IS SAYING ANYTHING, BUT GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. YOUR FRIENDS WILL TELL YOU IT IS A FINE FILM AND YOU CAN TRUST YOUR FRIENDS.
RON HOWARD IS A VERY PROFESSIONAL DIRECTOR, TO ME, HIS NAME ON A FILM IS A GOOD SIGN THE FILM WILL BE WORTH SEEING - HE IS NOT A PERSON GIVEN TO WASTING HIS TIME ON TRASH.
RUSSELL CROWE IS A VERY PROFESSIONAL ACTOR, HIS NAME ON A FILM IS A GOOD SIGN THE FILM WILL BE WORTH SEEING - HE IS NOT A PERSON GIVEN TO WASTING HIS TIME ON TRASH.
WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT THIS FILM WAS THE STARK / BLEAK
MANNER THAT THE DEPRESSION OF THE DEPRESSION WAS PRESENTED - YOU COULD FEEL THE HARD TIMES THE PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING.
THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF BEING WITHOUT FUNDS IN A SOCIETY BUILT ON THE EXCHANGE OF GOODS AND SERVICES FOR CASH IS CLEAR AND DEEPLY FELT BY THE VIEWERS.
THE DEPRESSION WAS A CHARACTER IN THIS STORY - WITHOUT THE DEPRESSION TO DRIVE HIM, THE CENTRAL CHARACTER, JAMES J. BRADDOCK, WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN THE MAN, HE TURNED OUT TO BE.
THE CONCEPT OF FAMILY VALUES AND SELF SACRIFICE AND LOVE, NOT TALK AND NOT SILLY NOTES ABOUT GROUP HUGS, BUT LOVE OF OTHERS, BEYOND SELF, IS A CHARACTER IN THIS STORY, IT IS NOT A PLOT LINE, IT IS EMPIRICALLY VISIBLE IN EVERY SCENE.
YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE HOW THEY TURNED THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, MAX BAER, INTO THE SHARK FROM JAWS. I WAS IN THE 15th ROW AT THE THEATRE AND I WAS AFRAID OF MAX BAER.
IN THE CIRCA 1948 FILM, THE HUCKSTERS, WITH CLARK GABLE, HE BUMPS INTO A FRIEND ON FIFTH AVENUE AND BORROWS $50 -- WHEN THAT WAS LIKE $250 NOW. HE TELLS THE FRIEND TO WAIT A MINUTE AND GOES INTO A STORE; WHEN HE RETURNS, HE IS WEARING A $50 HAND PAINTED NECKTIE.
GABLE RELATES THAT HE IS BROKE, CAN'T PAY HIS RENT, IS OUT OF WORK AND GOING FOR A JOB INTERVIEW IN TEN MINUTES. THE FRIEND THINKS GABLE HAS LOST HIS MIND.
CLARK EXPLAINS--->> WHEN I WALK IN WEARING THIS TIE, NO ONE WILL THINK I AM DOING BAD AND THEY WILL FIGURE THEY NEED TO MAKE ME A GOOD OFFER TO GET ME AWAY FROM A JOB THAT ALLOWS ME TO BUY $50 TIES. A VERSION OF THIS SCENE IS WONDERFULLY DONE IN CINDERELLA MAN.
************************************************************************************** I COULD NOT HELP BUT WONDER, IF THE WHITE FOLKS WERE SUFFERING THIS MUCH, HOW WERE THEIR BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS DOING IN THIS DESPERATE ERA -- >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
IF THE SHIP IS SINKING AND THE FOLKS ON THE TOP DECK ARE WADING IN THE WATER UP TO THEIR WAIST --- WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE FOLKS ON THE LOWER DECKS?
WITH ALI, A FEW YEARS AGO, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, LAST YEAR AND CINDERELLA MAN NOW, THE JOE LOUIS STORY ( DONE BACK IN THE LATE 1940s ), IS DUE FOR A REMAKE.
I JUST HOPE THAT THE JOE LOUIS STORY, WON'T BE SEEN AS A BLACK FILM, WHILE CINDERELLA MAN IS SEEN AS A UNIVERSAL FILM ON THE HUMAN CONDITION. ONCE THE BLACK FILM TAG IS HUNG ON A PRODUCTION, IT CUTS 40% OFF THE BOX OFFICE AND IF A FINE FILM ABOUT UNKNOWN JAMES J. BRADDOCK IS BIG BOX OFFICE, A FILM ABOUT SUPERSTAR, JOSEPH LOUIS BARROW, SHOULD BE A MEGA HIT.
THESE RACIAL POINTS WERE NOT THE FOCUS OF THE MOVIE, BUT I KEPT WONDERING ABOUT THESE ISSUES?
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THERE IS NO NEED TO WRITE MUCH ABOUT CINDERELLA MAN - IT IS ONE OF THOSE FILMS THAT IS OF SUCH QUALITY, IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND YOU WILL SEE IT BECAUSE, IF YOU WERE NOT A FILM FAN, YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE READ THIS FAR AND IF YOU READ THIS FAR AND WOULD PASS UP THIS FILM, I HAVE TO WONDER, WHY ? WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A FILM, THAT THIS FILM DOES NOT DELIVER?