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NEW ULM - In 1992, musical fans missed out on a great scoop with "Newsies," but modern audiences are carrying the story and running with it.
The New Ulm Film Society (NUFS) will screen "Newsies" as part of its musical film series, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the New Ulm Public Library.
"Newsies" is the rare film musical not based on a previously existing stage musical; however, it is loosely based on a real-life event. The plot of the film is lifted from the New York City news boy strike of 1899.
At that time, major publications depended on an army of young kids to sell newspapers directly to readers on the street, but the news boys were forced to buy each paper from a distribution center. In 1899, Joseph Pulitzer chose to raise the price of papers sold to the paperboys, many of whom were too poor to pay the extra cost. This led to a general strike in which poor young news boys, many of whom were orphans, fought back against a major newspaper tycoon.
In the early 1990s, Walt Disney Pictures saw potential to adapt this historical event into their next live-action film. At first, "Newsies" was planned as a straight drama, but with Disney’s recent success with animated musicals, such as “Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” it was decided to re-write the film as a live-action musical.
Alan Menken and Jack Feldman were brought on to write the songs for "Newsies." Menken had previously worked with Disney on "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."
On paper, “Newsies” looked like a sure bet for Walt Disney Studios, but unfortunately "Newsies" failed to turn a profit when it was released in 1992. In fact, for a time, "Newsies" was the worst-performing film ever produced by Walt Disney Studios.
Part of the reason for the film’s failure was Disney itself. For years, audiences were only accustomed to seeing a musical if it were an animated cartoon. The market for a live-action musicals had dried up thanks to the studio’s earlier success. This was a problem that would continue throughout the 1990s. Few live action musicals were released to theaters in the ’90s and even fewer were successful.
For over a decade, “Newsies” was seen as failed experiment that few remembered. However, about 15 years after "Newsies" was released, the film saw renewed interested. Adults who remembered the movie as kids were rewatching the film and soon it started to generate cult status.
It also helped that the "Newsies" lead character was played by child actor Christian Bale, who grew up to be an A-list actor. Around the time audiences were starting to rediscover "Newsies," Bale had become world famous playing Batman in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.
With the new interest, Disney authorized the creation of a stage musical version of "Newsies" that premiered in 2011. The stage version proved a hit with audiences and even had a short run on Broadway. Today, the stage version of "Newsies" is one of the most popular shows to be performed by high schools.
"Newsies" is a film about the little guys taking on the big corporations and winning. In a way, the film's legacy matches its plot. It was a small film many discounted at first,but won out in the long-run.
The New Ulm Film Society’s screening of “Newsies” is free to the public. Before and after the film, there will be a discussion about the movie’s place in film history.