In America’s time of despair, families, friends and acquaintances drowned among the onslaught on dreams, hope and companionship resulting from The Great Depression. Man’s ability to hope and dream in times of adversity is their ability to survive and having “hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness” (Desmond Tutu). Ron Howards award winning film, Cinderella Man and John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men explores the themes of ability to hope in times of adversity and loneliness. In Depth both texts explore friendship, hope and dreams ability to encourage even the most ordinary of people to keep moving forward and continue with their lives. “Its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” (Rocky Balboa – Film)
Award winning film, Ron Howards Cinderella Man is a text that explores similar themes of loneliness and ability to hope as, The Great Depression wreaks havoc on society. It is an altered fictional story based upon the life of the “Pride of New Jersey” James J. Braddock (Russe, Crowe). A heavy weight boxing superstar affected greatly by the stock market crash in 1929, as shown by a panning shot from a dressing table decorated with a wad of cash: $850 cash in winnings from his bought, various pieces of jewellery, perfumes and silver photo frames. Fading to black then panning back over the table now stripped bare of its bling showing the transition to poverty. But one important thing remains, photos of his family. This is used to show how Braddock values the importance of family and support in tough times.
Ron Howard uses the emotional power of lighting to signify the change in times. When James was fighting in Madison Square Garden at the top of his game the colours around him were vibrant with non-diegetic music in the background signifying these are happy times. However, when the stock market crashed, and the Great Depression hit Braddock continues to box to survive and support his family barely making $30 a bout. Colour is still present here but is dull. This soon taken away as his fighting licence is suspended on the pretence of fighting with a broken hand, the film colour palette goes to dark greys, whites and blacks to signify the struggle, sadness and the death of hope. Even in depressing times with the sudden news of no job or income, Braddock is supported by his wife, Mae (Renee Zellweger) and kids bringing a smile to his face. He has gone from super star to nobody, yet with support he fights on in hopes of his situation getting better.
Threatened with moving his children to wealthier relatives Braddock goes the docks in search of work, himself and other men looking for jobs are seen through the bared gates of the docks in a dull high angle shot to show their vulnerability as prisoners to poverty. He manages to find work at the docks where we meet Mike Wilson (Pad Considine), the two men of opposing political views but none the less good friends. As the amount of positions available on the dock decreases and the children get sick Mae, James’s wife sends the kids to her relatives creating conflict between the two which highlights the subservient role of women in the society. To get his children back he humiliates and emasculates himself when he goes cap in hand to fighting committee and to the relief office to beg for money to pay the utility bills, sacrificing his pride for his children.
Through support of his friend and ex-fighting manager, Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) finds him a last-minute position in a well-paying fight, a sign of hope, a shining light despite darkness. Hope is resurrected. He thanks him and is grateful as he understands “not many people get a second chance”. As the underdog James is unlikely to win but scores a surprising knock out. From this his friend supports Braddock and persuades the promoter to allow him to fight as the publicity from the underdog will be extensive. Described as Cinderella man for James Braddock’s comeback of fairy-tale nature, he became emblematic and the sign of hope for all the impoverished and jobless community. With the colour gradually returning to the fill it is used to signify the return of hope to New York’s poor community. James having the support of the entirety of New York, his family and close friends. With this support he goes on to win the heavy weight title, pay back the relief office and buy a house, where he raised the kids and live with his wife Mae Happily ever after.
A text exploring similar values, Of Mice and Men is a novella carefully constructed around the two evident underlying themes: a fear of loneliness and dream of acceptance, security and love in an otherwise merciless and bleak era, The Great Depression. Loneliness is emphasised and explored upon with Steinbeck’s novel through the nomadic lifestyle that Main character George and Lennie are a part of. The theme of loneliness is first introduced whilst the duo spends their last night of freedom by the edge of pool described in colourful detail to signify the happiness in the moment. The last night of freedom. It is introduced through vernacular dialogue between the two characters “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place.” (Episode 1, pg. 15) to bring to light the lifestyle that they are a part of, not by choice but a run of bad luck. There is no sense of belonging as they move from ranch to ranch across country in search of seasonal work, never settling down. But they have each other “(George) With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us …
… (Lennie) because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you.” (Episode 1, pg. 15). As George and Lennie are introduced to the ranches bunkhouse the farm is described in dull dark colours, signifying the entrapment George and Lennie are feeling, the loss of freedom. The two friends seek comfort in each other’s presence, their friendship forming a boundary keeping loneliness out. It’s a relationship that baffles their fellow ranch hands as it goes against the norms of their culture “Ain’t many guys travel around together… I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other” (Episode 2, pg.36). As readers learn of the ‘hot water’ Lennie got the duo into and how George protected him by going on the run with Lennie, Steinbeck has beautifully used their second chance, desolate situation and their loyalty to one another to show the power of friendship in such difficult times.
The hope of owning a bit of land is used as inspiration for main character Lennie and George, a light at the end of the tunnel. A place of acceptance and belonging. This dream that is commonly shared between Lennie and George, two friends against the world, is used to keep their imagination and spirits alive. Readers see the power of a dream when it brings a smile and joyful laughter to the face of Lennie. George, a man, “quick … with restless eyes and sharp strong features” (Episode 1, pg. 4) uses the dream to control Lennie’s physical power and childlike mentality. The friendship cleverly shown as a father and son relationship by George’s superiority and control over the impulsive, slow and childlike Lennie shown by his tendency to stroke soft things like mice and accidentally kill them with his superior strength.
We see the power of dreams. As George and Lennie’s aspirations to acquire their own land are brought to the attention of the two loneliest guys of the ranch: the black stable buck, Crooks and the old kitchen swamper, Candy. As the four men plan to chip in for the cost and the money is available it is in this moment the devastated economy is brought to the reader’s attention as George finds excitement in the possibility of being able to purchase the land in the near future “That’d be four fifty. I bet we could swing her for that … Jesus Christ! I Bet we could swing her” (Episode 3, pg. 60).
In this moment characters are overjoyed as the seemingly eluding dream is within grasp. However, the dream is destroyed by the cyclic nature of Lennie’s actions, perhaps caused by his childlike intellect and lower level of understanding as he “done a bad thing”. The novel of cyclic nature begins where it ends, the climax was used to show the friendship between then pair as Lennie who has killed Curley’s wife is offered a merciful way out as George humanly kills him at the edge of the pool they first stumbled upon in episode one. He does this a display of mercy and true friendship saving him from a painful death as Curley had described. George sends him off with a smile on his face as they reminisce the thought of the farm, George hangs his head in sad acceptance of the deed as the hope dies with Lennie. George will go on to work on the ranch for years to come, Lennie achieved the dream, reaching the light at the end of the tunnel.
Without hope humanity is lost, the world becomes a cruel and twisted place. But mans ability to hope and fight loneliness in times of despair is their ability to survive. Like George and Lennie Hope is ruined as Lennie hurts Curley’s wife and their situation never improves, Lennie is dead, and hopeless George is left lonely with a heavy conscience. Comparing the two texts from the great depression audiences see that unlike the duo from the country, city boy Braddock maintains hope and has support from loved ones which is the light that saves him from darkness.
