Newsies: 20th Anniversary Edition (1992)

From the looks of it, I MAY be the only male reviewer posting positive for this movie, but of course I only read the first several reviews, not all 300 plus. I saw Newsies when it first came out in the movies. I believe it was a double feature, with Aladdin or something, can't remember which. I guess I was around 17. I've always been a loyal Disney fan, and I do love many musicals. This was an instant classic for me, sort of a male version of Annie, which came out a decade or so before, and is also excellent. And I seem to recall that Annie and Popeye, two faves of mine, sort of marked the end of live-action musicals. A real shame. Newsies proves that great musicals can still be made, but it also proves that it can take some time for most modern people to admit they like it. The story is about the 1899 strike of the New York paperboys. The central characters are Jack Kelly, a streetwise orphan played by Christian Bale(the main reason most females love this movie), and David Jacobs, a kid from a more stable, family lifestyle. Through the course of the strike they put on, the two boys become unlikely best friends, and with the other Newsies, learn about loyalty, friendship, and believing that they can work together to fight for a better life. The songs and music are beautiful. I'm particular about that stuff too. Don't trust professional reviewers like Leonard Maltin, whose reviews are inconsistent at best. Just when you think he's got good taste from reading one review, you lose all faith in him by reading another. Judge this movie for yourself. If you don't like musicals, don't bother. You have to love musicals to enjoy this even a little bit. And I don't mean just stuff like Oklahoma or Dr. Dolittle. If you loved Annie, this might be a good one for you. A little more adult than that, but not much. Don't expect to see many female characters though. Ann Margaret has a small part as one of the kids' few adult friends, and there's the character of David's sister, purely there to present a love interest for Christian Bale, just so someone would have a love interest. She's not spectacular, but she IS cute. Bill Pullman does a great job as a reporter trying to help the Newsies get some publicity. This was the first time I ever saw Bill since Space Balls, though I wasn't really keeping track of his career. I'm so glad to hear this will be on DVD soon. And I hope they release more of Disney's late 80's, early 90's stuff on DVD. Like Dick Tracy! A visual masterpiece! And my favorite movie of all time, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, is badly in need of a Special Edition DVD! Such a spectacular film and we didn't even get the movie trailer promised on the box! Anyway, as for Newsies, get the soundtrack too! Great music! I bought the soundtrack back when the movie came out! Unfortunately it was on tape. Gotta replace that with a CD too!

The world was not ready for a return to the days of the movie-musical when "Newsies" was released in 1992. A box-office flop, it has quickly risen to cult classic status with fans everywhere. Newsies is based on the true story of the New York newsboys' strike of 1899. Granted, Disney is guilty of "improving the truth a little", but doesn't any musical, where people break out in spontaneous song and dance, require one to put reality aside for a while? This film tells the tale of the newsies, led by tough, street-smart Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and intelligent, reasonable David Jacobs (David Moscow), who form a union when Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) ups the price of newspapers from fifty to sixty cents a hundred. The street children with names like Racetrack (Max Casella), a compulsive gambler who steals many scenes with his wisecracks are aided by a newspaper reporter named Brian Denton (Bill Pullman). Together the unlikely company endures many troubles, including run-ins with the police and their leader's betrayal, throughout the strike. The actors are believable as poor orphans and runaways during the turn of the century, and one look at any of them shows that they've poured their heart and soul into this movie. The lack of depth in some characters especially Sarah (Ele Keats) and Medda Larkson (Ann-Margret), roles that serve no discernable purpose other than sex appeal is my only qualm with the film. Looking past that and the many continuity errors (some of which are actually quite amusing), this is a highly enjoyable movie for the entire family to share. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of entertainment!

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I am offended by the professional critics slamming this movie. My two teenage daughters and all their friends absolutely love it! It has incredible dancing, cute guys, and the above-mentioned females are constantly quoting the songs and lines out of this movie. It has a solid plot and actually holds the characters up to noble ideals...honesty, integrity, loyalty, love of family and criticizes things that I want my kids to hate: greed, breaking promises, etc. There is a touch of romance, but no sex! Yeah!

The fact that it is based (I believe somewhat loosely) in historical fact also pleases me as it has given my kids a taste of that portion of US history and a desire to learn more. We have managed to purchase a piano/flute book of the songs so my kids have also been challenged to improve in another area.

This is a great movie for girls from 11 years and up. (I say this only because my 10 year old is not ready to obsess over this movie yet.)

Newsies has inspired both of my older girls to write stories based on the characters.

The reference to "kiddie humor" is particularly annoying. I, for one, am tired of watching movies geared towards kids that feature "potty humor" such as farting and boys getting hit in the crotch. I can't think of anything in Newsies that is that ignorant.

As you can see, I think this is a great movie. Why do the professionals always dislike the decent movies?

Read Best Reviews of Newsies: 20th Anniversary Edition (1992) Here

Newsies is one of those movies that grows on you, like some of the songs in it. The first time it seemd too corny (a bunch of boys singing, dancing, and behaving like the East Side Kids), but I liked it more with each viewing.

In early 20th century New York, Christian Bale (Batman Begins, Empire of the Sun) leads underpaid paperboys in a musical strike against publishers Pulitzer and Hearst. Bill Pullman (Sleepless in Seattle, Casper) plays a Sun reporter who takes up their cause.

Robert Duvall (To Kill A Mockingbird, Second Hand Lions) gives an interesting interpretation of Pulitzer, and Ann-Margaret (Bye Bye Birdie, Pocketful of Miracles) has a few scenes as a dancing girl. But the best performance, in my opinion, is Kevin Tighe (Emergency, What's Eating Gilbert Grape) as a sinister reformatory warden. He's mastered a patiently mean, calmly austere look that could send chills up your spine.

There are at least a couple very memorable songs: King of New York and Seize The Day. The dancing and choreography attempts to rise to the level of classic movie musicals like Singin' In The Rain, doesn't quite reach that quality, but they've made a noble effort that's entertaining in most of the numbers.

On the whole the movie can be quite effective if you can get past the corniness and get into it.

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This is a fun musical! Why it was pulled from the theaters so soon after its original release and why Disney back-burnered this visually exciting live-action film is a mystery to me. But they've made their amends. This DVD has TWO featurettes about the making of Newsies and ANOTHER about the real turn-of-the-century newsboy's strike that the movie is based on. Also, it has director's commentary and sing-along lyrics. Some of the plot turns are predictable and Robert Duval's performance as publisher Joseph Pulitzer is a tad embarrassing. Ann-Margaret's as the dancehall performer, Medda, "the Swedish meadowlark" is not (though she inexplicably evaporates from the movie half way through). But the young cast is diverse and energetic. Dance sequences are tightly edited, but not in the annoying and disorienting way MTV videos are. You can appreciate the flow of the movements...and the dances and music in general support the story line and help define the different characters. If for no other reason, Newsies is worth the purchase price just for the opportunity to see Welsh actor Christian Bale (An American Psycho) sing, dance, and speak in a Bowery boy accent.

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