Though the two movies we watched this week share little in common other than the fact that they take place in New York City (they don't even take place in the same borough), they both depict what seems to be a zero sum game of success and wealth in the city. Midnight Cowboy does this by showing the bizarrely symbiotic intersection of the glitzy world of
NYC--pristine penthouses and high-end jobs--and its
sketchier side of desperate junkies and prostitutes. On the Waterfront's portrayal of corrupt union bosses that exploit workers demonstrates even more plainly the phenomenon in which a few big winners rise to the top while most people are left behind.
The stark juxtaposition between the rich and the poor is something many observers of New York (and indeed most major cities) have noted, and I think we will have an opportunity to discuss this further when we look at New York for Sale, which examines this through the lens of the real estate market and urban planning. I'm looking forward to getting all of your perspectives on that.
And the several-weeks-long protest on Wall Street should make for an interesting way into this discussion, as well. Can't wait. (It'd be really fascinating to get some oral histories out of that event!)
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