March 9, 2001

Authenticity and Race Go to the Movies

To the Editor:

I enjoyed Martin Harries's article on O Brother, Where Art Thou? ("In the Coen Brothers' New Film, the Dark, Utopian Music of the American South," The Review, February 2), but that's not to say I necessarily agree with all of Dr. Harries's analysis. ...

Dr. Harries sees the movie's theme as "authenticity and what a tricky thing authenticity is," and he takes issue with the Coens on the latter count. But what would it mean to make a more authentic film about