Films, even films on historical subjects, have an escapist function. Most of the time, we watch films to be entertained, and only maybe educated. Modern Times came out during the Great Depression, at time of intense hardship for many Americans. It certainly entertained viewers, but it also critiqued aspects of US society. Gangster films like Little Caesar similarly critiqued the government in being unable to properly control crime (and by extension failing to fix the nation's ills in general). Bonnie and Clyde looked back to the Depression era, glamorizing these outlaws as folk hero rebels during the 1960s "counterculture* moment among young people. Which of these two films would you recommend to someone who wants to learn about the 1930s in the US? Why? Does their entertainment value affect your answer? Please discuss both films in your answer.

Films, even films on historical subjects, have an escapist function. Most of the time, we watch films to be entertained, and only maybe educated. Modern Times came out during the Great Depression, at time of intense hardship for many Americans. It certainly entertained viewers, but it also critiqued aspects of US society. Gangster films like Little Caesar similarly critiqued the government in being unable to properly control crime (and by extension failing to fix the nation's ills in general). Bonnie and Clyde looked back to the Depression era, glamorizing these outlaws as folk hero rebels during the 1960s "counterculture* moment among young people. Which of these two films would you recommend to someone who wants to learn about the 1930s in the US? Why? Does their entertainment value affect your answer? Please discuss both films in your answer.