Cinderella Man Movie Review
Derek Dauel
Hist 111
Movie Review
Cinderella Man
October 29, 1929, some may know it as Black Tuesday, others know it as an important date in history but those who lived it know it as the day that changed their lives for many years to come. Black Tuesday marked the beginning of a new life style for the people of the 30’s. The stock market crashed and although its investors lost all they had, margin buyers were completely wiped out. This essay will examine the changes that followed the event that marked the Great Depression through the lives of James Braddock, Mae Braddock and the society as shown in the movie “Cinderella Man”. James J. Braddock once said, “I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.” When the great depression began Braddock lost all his money, job and for an amount of time electricity, but his hope and pride was something he never fell short of. James Braddock was not always the boxer he is now known to be, in the 1920’s he had lost one third of his fights and people referred to him as a “bum” – the lowest name you could label a boxer at the time. Despite a broken hand and the hatred the crowd brought upon him, Braddock never hesitated to do his best on the ring, but Jimmy Johnston failed to see this. Johnston fired Braddock as the great depression hit, leaving James with nothing but a broken hand to come home with. Braddock spent little time dwelling on the fact that he had just lost his job and instead covered the cast that secured his broken hand with black shoe shine and made his way to the docks the next morning in hopes of being one of the few lucky men to be chosen. Money was tight, but when his son, Howard, came home with a stolen salami Braddock didn’t think twice to return the salami that could be very useful for the family to its oblivious owner. When the chance to return to the boxing ring knocked on his front door, James Braddock accepted without hesitation. His luck began to turn around as more money made its
Hist 111
Movie Review
Cinderella Man
October 29, 1929, some may know it as Black Tuesday, others know it as an important date in history but those who lived it know it as the day that changed their lives for many years to come. Black Tuesday marked the beginning of a new life style for the people of the 30’s. The stock market crashed and although its investors lost all they had, margin buyers were completely wiped out. This essay will examine the changes that followed the event that marked the Great Depression through the lives of James Braddock, Mae Braddock and the society as shown in the movie “Cinderella Man”. James J. Braddock once said, “I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them.” When the great depression began Braddock lost all his money, job and for an amount of time electricity, but his hope and pride was something he never fell short of. James Braddock was not always the boxer he is now known to be, in the 1920’s he had lost one third of his fights and people referred to him as a “bum” – the lowest name you could label a boxer at the time. Despite a broken hand and the hatred the crowd brought upon him, Braddock never hesitated to do his best on the ring, but Jimmy Johnston failed to see this. Johnston fired Braddock as the great depression hit, leaving James with nothing but a broken hand to come home with. Braddock spent little time dwelling on the fact that he had just lost his job and instead covered the cast that secured his broken hand with black shoe shine and made his way to the docks the next morning in hopes of being one of the few lucky men to be chosen. Money was tight, but when his son, Howard, came home with a stolen salami Braddock didn’t think twice to return the salami that could be very useful for the family to its oblivious owner. When the chance to return to the boxing ring knocked on his front door, James Braddock accepted without hesitation. His luck began to turn around as more money made its