Busfilm

Art and Money in Movies

Here is a draft of the article I have written about how business is portrayed in film.
In general, films reflect the struggle between artists and capitalists. Filmmakers are not anti-business, but they like what they see as the creative side of business, not the constraints capitalists place on creativity. My first few posts list categories of films based on the article. More recent posts follow up on some points in the article, including those raised by visitors and by current events and films. I also devote some posts to specific films. Thanks to The Internet Movie Database for the links. By the way, that guy on the left is not me.

The evil that business does.

Films showing business as destructive or evil

Erin Brockovich (2000)
Civil Action (2000)
The Insider (1999)
China Syndrome (1979)
Silkwood (1983)

The cold-hearted capitalist

Money has no soul.

Dinner at Eight (1933)
This Gun for Hire (1942)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Force of Evil (1948)
I Walk Alone (1948)
The Wages of Fear (1953)
Executive Suite (1954)
Atlantic City (1980)
Aliens (1986)
Wall Street (1987)
Other People’s Money (1991)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Titanic (1997)
The Perfect Storm (2000)
Sabrina (1954).
The Tall T (1957)

Employees and bosses

Films showing employees' struggle to preserve their souls.

Double Indemnity (1944)
The Big Clock (1948)
The Big Carnival (aka Ace in the Hole) (1951)
The Big Knife (1955)
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
Patterns (1956)
The Apartment (1960)
Save the Tiger (1973)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1993)
Disclosure (1994)
The Insider (1999)
Quiz Show (1994).
Boiler Room (2000)
Office Space (1999).

Shareholders vs. managers

Is capital the enemy?

Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)
Wall Street (1987)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The good business

According to Hollywood, some business is actually good. The characteristics of the good firm, like those of bad firms, suggest filmmakers' preference for art over money. In these firms, capital takes a back seat to, or lives in harmony with, workers or artists.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
Executive Suite
Charley Varrick (1973)
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Cast Away (2000)
Jerry Maguire (1996)

The bad artist.

Films' view of artists depends on whether they are selling out to the capitalists.

Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Ace in the Hole (1951)
All the President's Men (1976)
Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
Pale Rider (1985)
Eight Men Out (1988)
Barton Fink (1991)
Big Night (1996)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
The Insider (1999)
Any Given Sunday (1999)
The Replacements (2000)
Quiz Show
Fistful of Dollars (1964)
For a Few Dollars More (1965)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Seven Samurai (1954)
The Player (1992)