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  5. Myths, Morals, and Movies

American Economic Review

ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)

Myths, Morals, and Movies

  • Stelios Michalopoulos
  • Christopher Rauh
American Economic Review (Forthcoming)

Abstract

Why are certain movies more successful in some markets than others? Are the entertainment products we consume reflective of our core beliefs? To answer these questions, we analyze international movie data and local tales using machine learning to measure a plot’s similarity to traditional motifs. Globally, films mirroring local folklore get wider screenings and earn more. Across US markets, movies matching ancestral stories attract more interest. Finally, films endorsing risk-taking, vengeance-seeking, and traditional gender roles outperform across markets holding similar historical and contemporary norms. Choosing to watch modern adaptations of stories passed down from our ancestors on the big screen reinforces cultural identity.

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