Film, Music & Theater   

Bruce Springsteen’s songs add to the soundtrack of the lives of his audience. From the celebrations of adolescence (Greetings from Asbury Park) through the turmoil of early adulthood (The River), and the social consciousness of middle adulthood (The Rising) to the acceptance of older adulthood (Western Stars), Springsteen wove a tapestry of the story of life in the America of his times. Through a lens of psychosocial development theory, we will explore how the artist’s sensitivity to the challenges of life tap into universal resonances for us as listeners, from our youth through middle age to older adulthood.

Though not often thought of as an auteur, Sidney Lumet directed some of the most memorable films of the 20th century, including 12 Angry Men (1957), The Pawnbroker (1965), Serpico (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Network (1976), and The Verdict (1982). We will discuss ten of his movies, tracing a career that spanned the mid-1950s to the 2000s.

Members should watch the films on their own before class; each is available on mainstream streaming platforms (Prime, Netflix, etc.).

Perhaps the most popular and influential fiction writer of the first half of the 20th century also provides the material for a collection of notable films. From just a few years after his publishing career flourished, Ernest Hemingway's short stories and books were adapted into major motion pictures, some with Hemingway's input. They starred Bogart, Cooper, Tracy, Bacall, Bergman, Power, Lancaster, Gardner, and more. The plots did not always stay true to the details of his texts, but original spirit and themes can still be seen.