Essay: O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Analysis

One of the aspects of the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” that most stands out is the acting. In particular, George Clooney and Tim Blake are phenomenal in this movie. Both of these actors were cast perfectly for their roles as Everett and Delmar, respectively. Perhaps one of the best scenes in the movie is the one in which Delmar believes that Pete has been turned into a toad. His exaggerated facial expressions and the overall demeanor which Blake has created for the character of Delmar truly makes the scene comical and entertaining. Blake’s acting conveys to the audience just how strongly Delmar believes that a spell has been cast upon his friend even though this is an absurd notion. Similarly, Clooney is able to bring his character to life by masterful use of such skills as changing the speed and tone of his voice and manipulating his body language to really give Everett a witty and cunning personality of his own. The acting of Clooney and Blake in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is one of the best examples of acting skill available.
Another dimension of the movie which adds greatly to its quality is the music. The music itself is very catchy and is enjoyable to hear outside the context of the movie. However, within the movie, the music is crucial to the telling of the story. The scene in which the Sirens are seducing Everett, Pete, and Delmar is an interesting one, and it would have been somewhat entertaining without music. The song “Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby” enhances the scene and really conveys to those watching the movie the hypnotizing effect that the women have on the men. The musical choices add to the depth of the plot of the movie, as well as making it more fun to watch.
There is one choice made in the production of “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” which seems to detract from the quality of the movie. The storyline is based on Homer’s Odyssey. In the Odyssey, one of the most important ideas is the loyalty of Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, and her refusal to take another husband while hers has seemingly disappeared. The character of Penny in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is the movie’s equivalent of Penelope. Penny is not faithful to her husband Everett, and she remarries while he is away. The marriage of Penny did not play a large role in the plot of the movie and was not necessary to include. The movie’s attempt to create a modern version of the Odyssey is hindered by the decision to leave out one of the most important values of the epic: loyalty and faithfulness of a woman to her husband.
Overall, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is a great movie. The acting and music work together to bring to life an interesting retelling of the Odyssey. It can be hard to talk about the Deep South during that time period since it was such a terrible part of history with respect to the treatment of African-Americans. However, through satirical humor, the movie is able to tell of this difficult time in an entertaining way which still communicates the seriousness of the matter.