Fight the Power

New Statesman › August 05, 2009

Linked as:

Summary

I mean this as a compliment, though most reviewers wouldn't. Today, Frank Capra's canon is ignorantly dismissed as sentimental, populist and soft. What is routinely forgotten is its subversion. Meet [John Doe] has the poor resisting the formation of a crypto-fascist movement. Mr [Deeds Goes] to Town pits the democratic individual against mass-media corruption. (Mr Deeds's tabloid nickname? "The Cinderella Man".)

See the full content of this document

Extract

Fight the Power

film

Fight the power

A Depression-era hero strikes a blow for America's underdogs

Cinderella Man (12A)

The excuse - pardon me, reason - Universal Pictures proffered for the spectacular flop of Cinderella Man in the US is one of New Hollywood's hoariest: th...

See the full content of this document