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| Newsies |
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  (8/10)
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Runtime: 121 |
| Public Rating: 8.81 (138 votes) |
Director: Kenny Ortega |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Musical/Comedy/Drama |
Year: 1991 |
| Writer(s): Bob Tzudiker & Noni White |
| Reviewed by: Nate Anderson |
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“Look at this, a baby was born with two heads. Must be from Brooklyn.”
In 1991, the film Newsies was released in an attempt to resurrect the Musical. It ended up being one of the biggest commercial failures of 1991. However, it went on to find its audience on home video in a most awesome way, earning legions of fans.
I am one of those fans. It’s a fun movie, with lots of fun music, impressive dance (I wish I could dance like that, dammit!) and very good performances, especially from Christian Bale. I will admit, I more readily remember Christian from this then Empire of the Sun, another of my favorites.
The movie begins with a narration by Max Casella, who plays the Newsie Racetrack in the film and is better known as Vinnie Delpino from Doogie Howser. It sets up that at the turn of the century, Newsies sold papers all over New York City.
The Newsies are furious when they find out that the price for Papers has risen for them, causing them to have to buy the papers for a higher price and still sell it for the same price, which means they have fewer profits.
They decide to strike, bringing us to the main part of the movie. A reporter, Denton (played by Bill Pullman) from one of the smaller papers supports their strike cause against the newspaper giants, William Randolph Hurst and Joseph Pulitzer (played by Robert Duvall). He also eventually helps them spread the strike from just the Newsies to all the child labor in the city of New York.
The songs by Alan Menken are quite good, with the standout being “Santa Fe,” which it’s theme of the main character wanting to get out into the world is a Menken trademark, and this song continues the tradition.
Critics upon its release almost unanimously loathed Newsies, but here’s a better review. It’s grown in appreciation over the years, hopefully opening the doors for other musicals, such as Evita, Everybody Says I Love You, and Moulin Rouge.
A Little Bit of Trivia: In American Psycho (2000), Christian Bale is complaining to a dry cleaner that he can only get his stained sheets in Santa Fe. In Newsies, he’s trying to get to Santa Fe.
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