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University of Southern California

The IJPC Journal, Volume 1 - Fall 2009

Carrying the Banner: The Portrayal of the American Newsboy Myth in the Disney Musical Newsies

Stephen Siff

Abstract


The Disney musical Newsies depicts a previously forgotten moment in journalism history, when newsboys in New York shut down two of the largest newspapers in the country and sparked what nearly became a city-wide children�s general strike. This paper examines the musical�s fidelity to period accounts of newsboys and the 1899 New York newsboy strike by comparing the film to the historical record. In assessing Newsies as a work of cinematic history, Robert Brent Toplin�s eight generic strategies are used to locate the deviations from historical record that are customary for a commercially viable film. Additionally, Robert A. Rosenstone�s five levels of truth in historical films are applied.

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