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Uppercut

by Ryan N. Wilcox

Oh Brother, Sullivan's movie took forever to produce I think if I give you a basic premise of the 1941 movie, Sullivan's Travels, it will become apparent as to why I think you should watch it. I'll continue the discussion shortly. John 'Sully" Sullivan is a mainstream Hollywood movie director. He has an idea for the great American movie. A movie that isn't full of fluff, but is a chance to show the world how difficult the world is for those not as fortunate as himself. He sets off as a hobo in order to learn more about the life of broke Americans. While on his adventure, he jumps onto a moving cargo train, loses his ID and is thought to be dead, gets arrested, and finally, while in a chain gang, he goes to a movie and learns that what the downtrodden really need isn't a movie about suffering, but comedy. The type of movies he has been making the whole time. Lastly, I think I forgot to mention the name of the movie he set out to create, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. See where I am going with this? The Coen Brothers 2000 movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, is the movie John Sullivan had set out to make way back in 1941. Not only does it embrace many of the individual adventures that Sullivan survived while wandering about, but by making Oh Brother a comedy, they succeeded in verifying the final lesson learned by Sullivan, that laughter is what American's need. And that makes the Coen Brothers version of Homer's The Odyssey, that much more brilliant. I learned of this movie right after Oh Brother came out in 2000. I thought it was a great premise for the Coen's to carry on the pursuit of Sullivan's masterpiece, but what I didn't expect how much I would enjoy it. It's no Citizen Kane, or Psycho, but it's not trying to be. During the whole movie, Sullivan is trying to find what it is like to "know trouble." When he finds it, he learns that the very type of movies he is trying to get away from are one of the things that the underprivileged savor; humor, laughter and escapism. What impresses me about that is its timelessness. One of the things that I believe makes a great story is its timelessness. Sure, technology changes. Clothing and music and hairstyles change, but there are many things that are timeless. The need for laughter is one of those things, and the idea that those in need humor more than those who can buy it. This is one of the reasons I studied film. I had always watched and loved comedy, and wanted to do more of the same for others. As I learned about movies over the years, I have learned that much hasn't changed since the early 1900's to present in film. Themes, the great themes, haven't changed and it was great to see that after all these years, a movie like Sullivan's Travels made its point to me as well. On top of that, to have Sullivan's story told so well by the Coen Brothers in 2000 makes me hope that their lives were impacted by the theme of this movie as well.