Economists often need practical examples of the propositions discussed in class. Many such examples are provided in Trading Places, which, in addition to being an entertaining movie, illustrates a number of important points about economics, including the role of property rights, the costs of...

The classic noir film The Third Man tells a story of a staged death, an over-inquisitive friend and a hopeless lover, in the dark world of postwar Vienna. It is also an excellent demonstration of the effects of price controls and rationing, and of the unpleasant consequences of the resulting...