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Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues

Name: Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues
Director: Paul Williams
Released: 1972
Duration: 88 min

Representation Score

4.6/10

Fair

1972

Director

Paul Williams

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Dealing is a period-specific exploration of counter-cultural rebellion. It succeeds in cultural representation by prioritizing the disruption of traditional legal and moral authority through its anti-establishment themes. However, the film remains tied to the conventional character frameworks of the early 1970s. It relies on traditional gender dynamics where the female lead lacks independent ability to act. The lack of explicit LGBTQ+ or disability representation keeps the overall score moderate. It is a work that challenges institutions while maintaining standard social archetypes.

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Category Breakdown

Does Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships. The main romantic storyline revolves around a heterosexual relationship between the protagonist and his girlfriend.

How does Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues portray gender?

Fair

Male characters dominate the plot through their actions and roles. The female character primarily serves as a catalyst for the male lead's journey after she is arrested.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues?

Fair

A Cuban gangster adds ethnic diversity to the film's social landscape. This inclusion brings a non-Anglo-Saxon character into the central conflict.

How does Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative challenges institutional hierarchies by focusing on marijuana transport and anti-authoritarian themes. It critiques established social structures through its counter-cultural perspective.

Does Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong cultural representation through themes of anti-authoritarianism and institutional critique.
Introduction of ethnic diversity via the inclusion of a Cuban gangster character.

Limited or Absent

Gender dynamics rely on traditional roles where women serve as plot catalysts rather than independent drivers.
Lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities and characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A cocky Harvard graduate transports a load of marijuana from Berkeley to Boston. His girlfriend gets busted with the second load. He and a friend go against a dirty cop and a Cuban gangster to get the load and the girl back.

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