View American History Through Movie Musicals

Ben Franklin is one of the American historical figures portrayed in the film euphonious "1776."

Themes that are exigent in American history --- cultural quarters, westward expansion, Nature Warfare II and racism --- keep been reflected in Hollywood musicals on account of the 1936 film adaptation of "Show Boat." Aside from being the first American musical with a coherent storyline, "Show Boat" touched on racism and the disappearing American cultural phenomenon of theatrical riverboats. One of the movie's most famous stars, Paul Robeson, was the son of a former slave.

Although movie musicals can be a fun lens through which to consider American history, viewers must be wary of accepting the stories as fact. Teachers and parents can instigate lively discussions with young viewers based on comparing historical texts with film versions of Broadway song-and-dance classics.

Analyze the importance of accurately portraying historical people and events in musical movies. Watch the entire 1972 film version of the musical "1776" about the birth of American independence. Read the account, for example, at the Musicals101 website, which details both the truths and inaccuracies in the film.

The 1958 movie "South Pacific" and the 1961 hit "West Side Story" offer different ways to approach the topic of racism. "South Pacific" is a World War II story that partly concerns fear of multiculturalism. A young Navy nurse worries about marrying into a biracial family. An officer who is in love with a Polynesian woman shares her angst and sings "You've got to be taught to hate and fear."

In "West Side Story," racial intolerance between white and Puerto Rican gangs results in the kind of tragedy that still can be read about in newspapers today.

2. Compare the setting, characters and plot of a musical to the place, people and events documented in a historical text. View clips from the 1955 movie "Oklahoma," then compare its depictions to a history text or first-person account of life in Oklahoma just before 1908 statehood. Ask you students what is accurate and what is "Hollywood" in the musical about pioneer life. Consider important issues left out of the musical, such as the displacement of Native Americans by westward expansion.

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Instructions

1. Access student knowledge about the historical topic to be discussed. Show clips from related movie musicals. Musicals101 notes that the words that John and Abigail Adams speak and sing "are taken almost verbatim from their private correspondence" and that the concerns of the time are carefully depicted. However, it notes there are also several deviations from historical facts. Discuss some of the inaccuracies described in the text, such as the fact that those who signed the Declaration of Independence didn't all do so on the same day. Explore the question of how accurate a musical movie needs to be to provide useful lessons about the time and people it depicts.