"'I just don't think it's right, keeping him under wraps like we's ashamed of him'
'Well, if it is Pete, then I am ashamed of him!" (48:49 49:04)

I had never watched this movie prior to yesterday and it's already one of my favourites. Like Stuck Rubber Baby, the story is dependent upon various elements to produce a coherent and believable recreation of the post-war South. In the case of O Brother, Where Art Thou, the plot, the acting, the cinematography, and the music do a fantastic job of this. The movie has a weird but pleasant blend of history and a certain kind of surrealism that makes all the ridiculous events that take place seem perfectly logical.

I don't have a specific moment to comment about (I apologise about this) - I chose this because I thought it was hilarious (the timing was perfect). My question is: do you think the more serious matters in the movie (such as the KKK scene) should have had less humour? What I mean to say is, do you think that the level of humour present in the movie detracted from the seriousness of the issues of the South or did it serve to highlight them? Basically, could the movie have worked without its undercurrent of humour?


(Sorry for the confusing wording!)