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Grand Coulee Dam

Name: Grand Coulee Dam
Director: Stephen Ives
Released: 2017
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

2.4/10

Limited

2017

TV-PG

Director

Stephen Ives

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Grand Coulee Dam serves as a macro-economic study of New Deal-era infrastructure and mid-century American idealism. The narrative structure highlights the triumph of centralized planning and the mitigation of environmental hardship during the Great Depression. However, the film adheres to conventional historical frameworks, focusing on the 'planned promised land' and the salvation of the common man. This approach results in a narrow perspective that overlooks the diverse social realities of the time, particularly the displacement of Indigenous peoples and the lack of diverse representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Grand Coulee Dam have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on socio-economic and industrial history. It does not address any LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.

How does Grand Coulee Dam portray gender?

Fair

The narrative emphasizes traditional masculine roles and labor structures. Male characters play a central role in driving the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Grand Coulee Dam?

Limited

The film centers on the experiences of the white working class and settler-colonial visions. It lacks perspectives from underrepresented ethnic groups or displaced Indigenous populations.

How does Grand Coulee Dam represent religion and culture?

Good

The documentary explores the tension between agrarian life and state-managed infrastructure. It examines how institutions attempt to shape social outcomes through centralized power.

Does Grand Coulee Dam include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters or narratives addressing physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Provides a sophisticated examination of the intersection between state power and social stability.
Offers a deep look at the tension between human ability to act and the natural environment.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of underrepresented ethnic groups and the impact on Indigenous territories.
Centers on patriarchal labor structures rather than diverse gender perspectives.
Fails to include narratives regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

During the darkest days of the Depression when construction was started on Grand Coulee Dam, everything about it was described in superlatives. It would be the "Biggest Thing on Earth," the salvation of the common man, a dam and irrigation project that would make the desert bloom, a source of cheap power that would boost an entire region of the country. Of the many public works projects of the New Deal, Grand Coulee Dam loomed largest in America's imagination, promising to fulfill President Franklin Roosevelt's vision for a "planned promised land" where hard-working farm families would finally be free from the drought and dislocation caused by the elements.

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