 |
|
||
| Few events in American history have captured the imagination of the public like the Gold Rush, both in its first incarnation in California, and the later Yukon stampede. It has inspired novels, movies, cartoons of both of the editorial and animated variety, even amusement park rides. While dramatic treatments of the time often include the hardships and brutality of the frontier, many artists have also found humor and slapstick in the Gold Rush. Consider your perceptions of the Gold Rush—how many of them come from works of fiction? Are they accuarate? Why is the Gold Rush such a popular theme?
BOOKS: The Spoilers by Rex Beach—Beach was another failed prospector. This novel tells about one mine owner’s resistance to a conspiracy to defraud him of his claim. It was made into several films (see below). FILMS: The Trail of ’98 (1928)—One of the last epic silent films, it includes a scene of climbing the Chilkoot Pass. The Spoilers—This novel was filmed five times, but the best known version from 1942 stars John Wayne and Marlene Dietrich. The Far Country (1954)—Classic western starring Jimmy Stewart as a tough speculator who heads to the Klondike to sell cattle and then mine for gold. Filmed in the Canadian Northwest. The Claim (2000)—This adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Mayor of the Casterbridge is set in Gold Rush times. A man trades his wife and daughter for a gold mine, but 20 years later, when the railroad comes to survey his town, a woman claiming to be his daughter also arrives to confront him.
CARTOONS: Many period print cartoons can be found at: |
||
.%20Lithograph%20by%20H.R.%20Robinson..jpg)
The Play & its contents
|
The Gold Rush and Popular Culture |
Drama in the Classroom
|
About this production
|
|
|