O, Brother Where Art Thou?

     This movie was based on 'The Odyssey' by Homer. You can see the similarities of the story in this movie. But, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' has it's own story line in there, too. The entire movie is in black and white but because of the colourful language and actions, the movie seems to have colour. But, the comparisons of 'The Odyssey' and 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' are very similar.


     Most of the characters are recognizable if you have read the book. Cyclops, in this movie, is a 'bible salesman' who is really a part of the KKK and is helping to catch these three men who have escaped from jail. The journey for the main character in this movie, is finding his wife before he loses her. While he, Uylsses, was in jail, she, his wife wrote to him that she was going to get remarried. He told the other two men he was chained to that there is a hidden fortune. When he finds her, she has even turned their eldest daughters against him.


     There is also the rivalry of two men who are running to be governor of the town. Then there is the fact of another character the "devil", who is trying to catch the three runaways. They become famous because of this one song they sing on the radio to get some money. The main character, Ulysses Everett McGill, is now wanted back by his wife.


     The Sirens of this film, are three ladies who are singing and cleaning clothes, and turn Pete into the police and the "devil". Delmar thinks that they had turned him in a frog, showing a slight talent of Circe. The two men left, Ulysses and Delmar, to go into
town. They then find out that Pete is back in jail. There is also the prophet, a man who is pushing a railroad cart. They go through their adventures and in the end, they end up in doing what they all wanted. With everything they have wanted for the past few years they were locked away.


     Throughout the movie, Pete has "the itch" to be saved. At the end of the movie, there is a huge flood and they all pray to Gd to be saved. Therefore, they are all saved when the valley, where Ulysses had lived before being in jail, floods. Before the valley actually floods, "the devil" and all his men (the police) are there, to hang these three men. However, as soon as they pop up from under the water, Ulysses denies that he was praying to "G-d", and says that the valley was supposed to be flooded all along. There is a lot of hubris action in this movie, with the governors competing, Ulysses for his wife, and the men hunting for the treasure.


     This movie has humour, tragedy, and hubris in it. It really shows off a more modern day version of 'The Odyssey'. It also has some practical elements in it where Ulysses, is a 'Dapper Dan Man'. Yet, this movie is not just a family film but one also for a more mature and appreciative audience. Mostly, I can find rhetoric devices through out this film and relate more to it with my teachings from Advanced Placement English Language and Composition that I took this year. I guess I will have to dig deeper for cinematographic elements. Seeing however, as I was asked to find the similarities in "The Odessy" and "O, Brother Where Art Thou", this shouldn't be a problem.


     So, until next time--