Did the movie “Bonnie & Clyde” get it right? How did Hollywood respond to the tumult and challenge of the 1930s? What made “Gone With the Wind” such an enduring hit?
The silver screen during the 1930s will be one aspect of a new program series at the Lorenzo Cultural Center at Macomb Community College. And Still They Prospered: Living Through the Great Depression, running Feb. 27-May 8, examines the 1930s and the economic, social and cultural changes that took place during that decade, laying the groundwork for future prosperity in the Motor City and beyond.
Movie-related presentations will include:
• Bonnie & Clyde: The Film, The Myth, The Reality, 11 a.m. March 6. Macomb professor Phil Barrons will examine how the 1967 Hollywood blockbuster portrayed the famed anti-heroes and how accurately it reflects the times.
• Hollywood and the Tumultuous ‘30s, 11 a.m. April 9. Macomb Professor Ed Rice takes a look at the biggest stars and major movies of the 1930s.
• Gone With the Wind: A Depression Phenomenon, 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. April 14. Known as the “Gone With the Wind Answer Lady,” Kathleen Marcaccio provides an overview of life of author Margaret Mitchell and a look at the lasting legacy of the book and movie.
The series will feature exhibits from the Smithsonian Institution and the Michigan State University Museum; more than 40 presentations providing a comprehensive look at the people and the times; and a performance of Forgotten, a “jazz-blues opera” that tells the story of a mysterious death at the Ford Rouge Plant during the effort to organize a labor union there.
“Many of the lessons that were first learned in the 1930s are being re-examined and reapplied today,” said Geary Maiuri, dean of Community & Student Enrichment at Macomb. “Through the And Still They Prospered series, we have an opportunity as a community to look back at not only the challenges of the 1930s and the Great Depression, but how those times became a springboard from which great things were launched.”
The Lorenzo Cultural Center is located on Macomb Community College’s Center Campus, Garfield & M-59, Clinton Township. The cultural center is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday; and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Additional information on the cultural center and on the And Still They Prospered program series is available at www.lorenzoculturalcenter.com.
About the Lorenzo Cultural Center
The Lorenzo Cultural Center (lorenzoculturalcenter.com) explores the influences and experiences that shape our community's heritage, examining topics from a variety of perspectives and creating interactive opportunities for learning, celebration and entertainment. Located on Macomb Community College's Center Campus, Hall and Garfield Roads in Clinton Township, the cultural center is adjacent to the Macomb Center for Performing Arts.
About Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is one of the nation’s leading community colleges, providing learning experiences to more than 59,000 students annually. Macomb nationally ranks in the top two percent in the number of associate degrees awarded and as the largest grantor of associate degrees in Michigan. The college’s comprehensive educational programming includes pre-collegiate experiences, university transfer and career preparation programs, bachelor degree completion and graduate degree programs, workforce training, professional education and certification, and continuing education and enrichment opportunities.
Media contact:
Dan Heaton
586.445.7271
heatond@macomb.edu