
Moviemakers know that getting and keeping a job is always on everyone’s mind, as countless movies dating back to the beginning of film have looked at this subject. Let’s look at the wide variety of angles from which this topic has been explored, as we present
THE UNEMPLOYMENT BLOGATHON!
What We’re Looking For
Your blogathon entry should be about a movie whose main plot, or at least a prominent subplot, concerns unemployment for one or more of the main characters. Please do not write about a character who is simply unemployed for his own sake.
(For example, Charlie Chaplin started out many of his movies with his Tramp character not having a job — but that in itself was not always the focus of his movies. For this blogathon, if you write about Chaplin, we’d prefer you write about one of his movies where his seeking employment furthered the plot, as in City Lights or Modern Times.)
That said, if the movie concerns not having, getting, or keeping a job, you can choose from any genre, from comedy or drama to musical or animated film. Also, no duplicate entries, please. The listing (below) of blogathon entries will be continually updated; check it to be sure your intended entry isn’t already taken.
Instructions
- In the “Comments” section at the bottom of this blog, please leave your name, the URL of your blog, and the movie you are choosing to blog about. Below are banners you can use to promote your blog entry. Please choose a banner, display it on your blog, and link it back to this blog.
- The blogathon will take place from Fri., Oct. 4, through Sun., Oct. 6, 2019. When the opening date of the blogathon arrives, leave a comment here with a link to your post, and I will display it in the list of entries (which I will continually update to the beginning of the ‘thon, so keep checking back!).
- I will not be assigning particular dates to any blog posts. As long as you get your entry in by the end of the day on Oct. 6, I will be satisfied. (That said, the sooner the better!)
Again, be sure to leave a comment below and grab our banner, and have fun with your blog entry! Here’s the line-up so far:
Movie Movie Blog Blog II – Hallelujah I’m a Bum (1933)
The Midnite Drive-In – Falling Down (1993)
The Stop Button – Mondays in the Sun (2002)
Outspoken and Freckled – That Touch of Mink (1962)
Caftan Woman – Gold Diggers of 1933
Movierob – Lost in America (1985), Capitalism: A Love Story (2009), and Everything Must Go (2010)
A Shroud of Thoughts – Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Moon in Gemini – Bridesmaids (2011)
Taking Up Room – The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Pure Entertainment Preservation Society – All This, and Heaven Too and The Shop Around the Corner (both 1940)









How about Mondays in the Sun for The Stop Button?
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For sure!
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I would like to offer something up on Gold Diggers of 1933. How does that sound?
https://www.caftanwoman.com/
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Sounds good to me!
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do these 3 films fit into ur interpretation of the theme?
Everything must go (2010)
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Lost in America (1985)
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Perfect! I can’t wait to read your take on LOST IN AMERICA, one of my all-time fave movie comedies.
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Hi, Steve, I’d like to review “The Grapes of Wrath” if that’s OK.
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You got it!
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Cool, thank you!
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I am having trouble thinking of movies involving unemployment! Would Bicycle Thieves AKA The Bicycle Thief (1948) qualify?
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That’s a perfect choice! Go for it!
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Hi, Steve. As a currently unemployed person, I recently found myself watching Bridesmaids and appreciating it on a whole new level. I would like to write about that, if you feel it fits the blogathon.
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That sounds just fine! (I had the same motive as you — I came up with this blogathon after getting laid off in mid-May.) Write away!
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I’m assuming, since I think the top banner is a still from the movie, that you are accepting “Falling Down”? Haven’t seen it since it was in the theater, but I can rent it from a video place in Austin. (Amazingly enough, such places still exist…. at least one does in Austin.)
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Yes, “Falling Down” is definitely a good choice for this blogathon.
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Hi, Steve–thanks for the pingback. I thought I was doing “The Grapes of Wrath,” though?
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That’s what I thought, too. But on Friday, I received a notice that you had linked your review of “The Second Chance” to my Unemployment Blogathon. Are you doing this movie AND The Grapes of Wrath as well? If so, that’s fine, please just clarify with me.
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No, I just did that to promote your blogathon–I usually do a preview of upcoming blogathons at the end of each month. I’ll still be reviewing “Grapes of Wrath”–“Second Chance” doesn’t have any unemployment in it, lol. Thanks anyway, though. 🙂
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Okay, I’ll fix it!
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Cool, thanks, Steve!
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Dear Steve,
This is a great topic for a blogathon! It’s very clever. I would like to join, if I may. I have been trying to think of a good topic. My first idea is “All This, and Heaven Too” from 1940. Bette Davis’s character is fired from her job of being a noble family’s governess. Does this count as unemployment? I was thinking of that article being my “New Code Film” article for the week as well as a contribution to your blogathon. If that film isn’t appropriate, I will think of another new Code film about unemployment. In addition, on Friday I would like to write about a costume from “The Shop Around the Corner” from 1940 as my Film Fashion Friday article for the week as well as another article in your blogathon. The costume I have in mind is the outfit which the unemployed Miss Novak (Margaret Sullavan) wears when trying to find a job at the film’s opening.
I was so sorry to hear what happened to your website. Just having lost a few individual articles, I can imagine how awful that must have been. I offer my sincere condolences. I truly admire the way you are overcoming this obstacle by starting a new website. You are a good writer and a popular film blogger, so I know you will quickly regain your following!
By the way, I would like to invite you to join the third year of our annual Code celebration, The Third Annual Breening Blogathon (https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2019/09/19/announcing-the-third-annual-great-breening-blogathon/)! It is running from October 11-14 in honor of Joseph I. Breen’s 131st birthday. Whether you want to breen a film, review a new Code movie, or analyze some aspect of the years when Hollywood was governed by the Code, this is your chance to write about the topics which we always cover. What are your thoughts on the Code? This is your chance to play PCA-member or pretend that you are a member of PEPS. Let’s make this our most successful blogathon yet!
Yours Hopefulyly,
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The Bette Davis movie sounds fine for the blogathon — I’ll add it to the list tonight. Thanks for your kind words about my blog. I’ll look at your Breen blogathon a little more closely this week and see what I can come up with for an entry.
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Things are looking up for the Gold Diggers: https://www.caftanwoman.com/2019/10/the-unemployment-blogathon-gold-diggers.html
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