{"id":1644,"date":"2016-11-16T21:02:05","date_gmt":"2016-11-16T21:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/?p=1644"},"modified":"2018-08-30T20:22:04","modified_gmt":"2018-08-30T20:22:04","slug":"theatre-in-film-cradle-will-rock-1999","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-cradle-will-rock-1999\/","title":{"rendered":"Theatre in Film: Cradle Will Rock (1999)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-one-full fusion-layout-column fusion-column-last fusion-spacing-yes section-header-post\" style=\"margin-top:;margin-bottom:;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper\"><h3>Theatre in Film: <em>Cradle Will Rock<\/em> (1999)<\/h3>\n<font size=\"2\" color=\"grey\"><span style=\"border:1px solid ;-webkit-border-radius:50%;-moz-border-radius:50%;border-radius:50%;-moz-box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);margin-right:25px;float:left;\" class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-glow imageframe-1 hover-type-none author-image\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"http:\/\/performerstuff.com\" target=\"_self\"> <img src=\"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/authorimage.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"img-responsive\" style=\"-webkit-border-radius:50%;-moz-border-radius:50%;border-radius:50%;\"\/><\/a><\/span><p>Written by Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n<p>November 15, 2016<\/p>\n<\/font><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-one-full fusion-layout-column fusion-column-last fusion-spacing-yes section-body-post\" style=\"margin-top:;margin-bottom:;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: left;\">We return to Part V in our Theatre in Film series, a weekly segment of Performer Stuff\u2019s blog where we discuss a film that features a life in theatre. Part V of Theatre in Film celebrates movies from 1995 to 1999 that feature social, moral, and ethical issues within the theatre. This week, we feature\u00a0<em>Cradle Will Rock,\u00a0<\/em>the 1999\u00a0film that\u00a0addresses federal government interference in the creation of art and the operation of labor unions<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Cradle Will Rock\u00a0<\/em>(1999)<\/h4>\n<br><div align=\"center\"><div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube\" style=\"max-width:600px;max-height:350px;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6oNcAWOMRvw?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/div><br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Director:\u00a0<\/strong>Tim Robbins<br \/>\n<strong>Starring:\u00a0<\/strong>Hank Azaria,\u00a0Emily Watson, Cherry Jones, Joan Cusack, John Cusack, Cary Elwes, Bill Murray,\u00a0John Turturro, and Vanessa Redgrave<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\">What happens:<\/h4>\n<br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the height of the Great Depression, numerous interconnected stories collide to tell the story of a play that was almost shut down by the government. Marc Blitzstein (Hank Azaria) is having difficulty writing his new musical, and becomes inspired by the labor riots of the era. He completes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cradle Will Rock<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a play about government corruption and corporate greed. It is then picked up by the Federal Theater Project (FTP). Works Progress Administration clerk, Hazel Huffman (Joan Cusack), a staunch anti-communism and anti-union conservative secretly makes plans to bring down the FTP by holding a conference with the federal House Committee on Un-American Activities. Hallie Flanagan (Cherry Jones), the head of the FTP, is met with criticism from the federal House Committee on Un-American Activities following Hazel\u2019s public testimony, and the theatre where the play is being produced is closed. The actors\u2019 and musicians\u2019 unions won\u2019t let the artists perform either &#8212; as the unions require the original producer, the government, to give approval.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, rich corporate business tycoon, Nelson Rockefeller (John Cusack) has commissioned a mural to be painted by Diego Rivera (Ruben Bates) in the lobby of Rockefeller Center. Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo (Corina Katt) fight to keep certain communist-leaning images in\u00a0the painting. When Rivera refuses, Rockefeller, fires him, kicks him out, and has workers smash the wall. Rockefeller is then seen discussing culture control with fellow business tycoons, proposing that the rich should be the ones to control what kind of art is produced.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a matter of hours, producer John Houseman (Cary Elwes) finds a theatre where Blitzstein can play his musical on piano in front of a crowd of thousands. Instead of having to sing the entire musical himself at the piano, the cast stands up and performs in the house in protest of the government\u2019s shutdown of the show. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fun fact: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cradle Will Rock <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a real musical.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\">Why it matters:<\/h4>\n<br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cradle Will Rock <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is definitely a political film, but it isn\u2019t something to shy away from because it might sound boring or too complicated. Think of it as having the tone of a Woody Allen movie and the gravitas of subject of Nixon\u2019s Watergate scandal. Director Tim Robbins relates the devastating effects corrupt government and greedy corporations have with an absurdist, sometimes silly, air. The music in the film is either upbeat swing-dance numbers or the showtunes from Blitzstein\u2019s musical. That\u2019s probably a nice way to get audience to watch the film. However, the deeper meaning is much, much more terrifying.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you imagine what it would be like to have the art you produce controlled by the government and large corporations? Hallie Flanagan\u2019s troubles begin when Hazel Huffman, a person with absolutely no experience in the theatre, develops a vendetta against the FTP based on preconceived notions about and prejudices against the theatre community. She testifies to the House Committee on Un-American Activities that the theatre community is full of communists and, what\u2019s more, that plays put on by the FTC are full of communist and immoral rhetoric. A paranoid and biased government panel then indicts Flanagan and her management of the FTP, threatening the cancellation of all federal theatre in the country. Throughout the film, the theatre staff as well as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo are heard making comments against the fascist government of Italy (then led by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini who was also an ally of Adolph Hitler). In attempting to control the art that was coming out of American theatres and artists, the government and large corporations drifted dangerously into the territory of fascism, a political ideology they would later, in World War II, decry as undemocratic.<\/span><\/p>\n<span class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"> <img src=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/cherryjones.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"img-responsive\"\/><\/span><br><br><p style=\"text-align: left;\">The House Committee on Un-American Activities feared a revolt by the populace incited by artists and writers &#8212; the ones who have undoubtedly incited revolution throughout history, whether purposefully or accidentally. Though their fear may have been somewhat justified &#8212; an overthrow of government is not a thing to take lightly &#8212; their mishandling, paranoia, and naivety shut down a federal operation that, first, cost thousands of people their jobs and, second, cost the nation a growing, multicultural theatre community.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To have art controlled by the elite is the other concern <i>Cradle Will Rock <\/i>addresses. Nelson Rockefeller presents the idea that art and culture should be controlled by the upper class (what we now call the 1% in America) in order to control political thought. If artists are allowed to rise up and address political ideologies and social order, the business interests of corporations and government (with whom corporations often converse) may suffer as a result. However, freedom of speech and expression of diverse ideas also gains traction, an advantage and a necessity in a democracy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Ultimately, the lesson audiences can take away from this film is simple, yet loaded with potential: government, corporations, and special interests may always be present, but, as Hallie Flanagan\u2019s FTP staff would say, \u201cWe&#8217;re not painting pretty pictures with our plays. It must scare the hell out of them.&#8221; &#8220;Well, the plays are written. They&#8217;re here forever.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Below is a clip from the film that shows the testimony from Flanagan as she is being questioned by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. The lines here are from the hearing in 1938.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube\" style=\"max-width:600px;max-height:350px;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CqIsc6hZyPg?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><br><br><p style=\"text-align: left;\">This film is the fourth\u00a0featured in Part V\u00a0of \u201cTheatre in Film\u201d. See below for the others in Part V.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-an-awfully-big-adventure-1995\/\"><strong><em>An\u00a0Awfully Big\u00a0Adventure\u00a0<\/em>(1995)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-stage-fright-2014\/\"><strong>Theatre in Film Halloween Special\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<em>Stage Fright<\/em>\u00a0(2014)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-waiting-for-guffman-1996\/\"><strong><em>Waiting for Guffman<\/em>\u00a0(1996)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-shakespeare-in-love-1998\/\"><strong><i>Shakespeare in Love<\/i> (1998)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Topsy Turvy<\/em>\u00a0(1999)<\/strong>\u00a0<em>(Coming soon.)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Want to start with\u00a0<strong>Part I<\/strong>? Begin with\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em><a href=\"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/?p=133\">42nd Street\u00a0<\/a><\/em>(1933)<\/strong><\/span>.<br \/>\nMiss\u00a0<strong>Part II<\/strong>?\u00a0Check out\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-series-the-band-wagon-1953\/\"><strong><em>The Band Wagon<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(1953)<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<br \/>\nNeed a refresh for\u00a0<strong>Part III<\/strong>? Start with\u00a0our feature on<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">\u00a0<strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-series-all-that-jazz-1979\/\">All That Jazz\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/strong><strong>(1979)<\/strong><\/span>.<br \/>\nHow about a recap from\u00a0<strong>Part IV<\/strong>? Jump into\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-a-chorus-of-disapproval-1989\/\"><strong><em>A Chorus of Disapproval\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>(1989)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><hr \/>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>Ashleigh Gardner<\/strong>\u00a0received her AA in Theatre\/Drama\/Dramatic Arts\u00a0from Valencia College and\u00a0her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and\u00a0Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from\u00a0the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright, an actor, and PerformerStuff.com\u2019s Editor.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\">Thumbnail image from\u00a0<em>Cradle Will Rock.\u00a0<\/em>Copyright \u00a9 Buena Vista Pictures, 1999.<\/h5>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[259,265],"tags":[6,106,428,80,105,429],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1644"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}