The chronicle of an unforgettable piece of American history--12 crazy, painful see-saw years, from the Wall Street crash to Pearl Harbor. By juxtaposing contemporary news and documentary footage with extracts from Hollywoo... more »d classics such as Golddiggers, Lady Killer and Wild Boys of the Road, director Philippe Mora offers an immediate, intricate and evocative scrapbook of the 1930s. 111 minutes.« less
"My name is Amanda and I'm in a 10th grade world history class. We are currently studying the Great Depression and WWII and we have just finished watching Brother, Can You Spare a Dime. This movie helped me to understand not only the culture and life of this era but also helped me to understand the things that led up to the Depression and Stock market crash as well as Pearl Harbor and WWII. I'd recommend this movie to anyone who wants an entertaining way to learn a bit about history."
Hindered by lack of commentary
Neil Ford | Sydney, Australia | 05/20/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Although this documentary brings together a lot of interesting footage, lack of a commentary means that a viewer without a close knowledge of the period in question will find themselves wondering, "Who were those people, and why was what they were doing of historical significance?" On the other hand, if you are very familiar with the politics and culture of the US in the 1930s, this may provide some useful illustrative imagery. I suspect that, these days, more people will fall into the first category."
Something Everyone Should Watch!
J. Lwason | Hollywood, CA USA | 08/01/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Shows the real down in the trenches struggle of America during the depression. In our times of prosperity and wealth, we sometimes forget it wasn't so long ago that money was almost impossible to come by, soup lines were many peoples only source of survival and life without all the gadgets and other pleasures we take for granted is very tough.
Saletag."
A Compelling Documentary
meistermojo | Klamath Falls, OR | 04/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This documentary should not be down-graded due to its lack of narration. The lack of commentary is exactly what makes this such a unique piece of work and all the more memorable and fascinating.
I think the film is compelling enough to motivate those who may not fully understand the history of the Great Depression to learn more, which will only enhance their next viewing."
A Visual Journey
Jesse Arrington | TN,USA | 08/20/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"My father introduced me to this doc. when I was fairly young, and I loved it at even a young age. It combines news and movie clips that flow together wonderfully with period music (alot of great Woody Guthrie) The end is lacking as it jumps raggedly into the next 20 years and then ends, but on a whole it is a great film! (I introduced it to many of my history teachers as an alternative to poorly acted educational films.)"