Newsies, released in 1992 and written by Harvey Fierstein, is a movie musical about the 1899 Newsboys Strike, and it has received eight Tony award nominations.
In the movie, a group of young newsboys go on strike to defend their rights. The strike occurs because Pulitzer, one of two main antagonists, decides to raise the price of newspapers despite the decline in demand, forcing the newsboy to work hard
er to make a fair wage. Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and David Jacobs (David Moscow) are the two main characters. Jack is the one who recommends the strike; although none of the other newsies agree at first, they are later convinced that, in conjunction with the Brooklyn Newsies, the strike is necessary.
Personally, I really enjoyed the plot and the directing. Each actor was exceptional at portraying their respective character and aiding the progression of the plot. In the behind the scenes videos, it seemed like all of them had fun on set.
The songs in Newsies were also super catchy, especially one of the most famous ones, “Santa Fe”. Christian Bale was amazing singing it, incorporating just the right amount of emotion.
For anyone that likes musicals or history, this is definitely a movie for you to check out. If you are more into musicals, try watching the broadway rendition of Newsies. It’s equally as good, and in my opinion, the vocals are even better. If you are more into history, then watch the 1992 version. The character dynamics are better and more detailed which is what mainly interests me.
