Movie Monday: "Selma," a film by Ava DuVernay, 2015

Yoichi Okamoto [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Films that depict historic events often come with the necessity of literary license in the specific content of the film, either because there are gaps in the historical record or the success of the film relies on dramatization. Much has been said about the film Selma, and I am happy to have seen it on Amazon Prime. This historical drama depicts the events of the Civil Rights Movement that lead up to the march to Montgomery and, eventually, President Johnson calling for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. What members of the various movements endured, the struggles and challenges not only from Southern whites favoring the status quo, but the doubts that arose in their own minds, and I love that about film.

The film showcases the acting abilities of a variety of quality actors, including David Oyelowo, who depicts Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tom Wilkinson ably commands the screen as both a talented actor and an embodiment of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Carmen Ejogo shines as Coretta Scott King, and was personally approved by Ms. King to portray her in the film. Tim Roth brings his acting abilities to bear as Alabama Governor and (at the time) unashamed segregationist George Wallace, who also memorably stood at the doorway of the University of Alabama's Foster Auditorium as the college was desegregated by law. I believe the casting was very carefully done, as no major faults in delivery or quality exist in this film for me.

The film opens with two events that shape the flavor and nature of the Civil Rights Movement. First is the image of Dr. King (Oyelowo) receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. This is paired with scenes of the 1963 KKK bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which left four children dead. The circumstances and context for the film are set up early, with a scene where Annie Lee Cooper (played by Oprah Winfrey) is denied the right to vote by the white registrar in Selma (although legally African Americans were afforded the right to vote, the decision of "fitness" for that right was largely left to individual registrars who, in the South, set up arbitrary, impossible questions and conditions for applicants). These events set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement's various organizations (including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)) to respond with different tactics and philosophies, both of which are touched upon in this film.

One of the most important outcomes of films like Selma, that moves beyond their occasional lack of historicity, or absolute historical authenticity, is that audiences are reintroduced to significant events in history. My hope is that viewers will explore the fight for civil rights as conducted by King and others on their own, while also realizing that the fight is not yet won. Selma and other films like it are, at their core, films about American identity, but also what it means to be part of the human species. It calls us to recognize the inherent worth in ALL people, regardless of race or religion.

The great tragedy of the events in this film is, while some creative license is taken when interpreting individual characters or their thoughts on Civil Rights (most critical was the portrayal of President Johnson as a reluctant supporter of Civil Rights when, from the documents, Johnson was a firm believer in King's mission), the core events, murders and prejudicial treatments of African Americans is true and largely uncontested. Anglo American supporters of the Movement were often branded "white niggers" and brutally attacked and murdered. African Americans who peaceably protested the systematically unfair treatment were imprisoned by their government, and spit on by their neighbors. Dr. King was assassinated.

American civil rights are an ongoing fight, and not only for African Americans, but all ethnic groups. Civil rights for African American populations are also at the forefront of current events, with murders of African American suspects plastered all over the headlines of the national media. Though we as a country have come a long way since 1965, Americans must all look to their consciences and continue to question just what values will be carried forward into the future, not only for the country itself, but for international relations and human rights, as well. The eyes of the world are always upon us, are we acting in a way to warrant such attention? Selma is a great introduction for further exploration of what the Civil Rights Movement in the US meant to the development of our yet imperfect Union.

Stream "Selma" on Amazon Prime.

Movie Monday: "Proud," a film by Mary Pat Kelly, 2004.

Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

This film came to my attention through Amazon Prime, as it was recommended based on my searches for American History films. I am happy that I got the chance to see this film. The narrative revolves around the exploits of the USS Mason (DE-529) destroyer escort during WWII, manned by a nearly all African American crew at a time when the military was segregated. This American history narrative is not well known or explored outside specialty history courses at a select few campuses. Unfortunately, historical narratives are sometimes limited by the prejudices and norms of the time they're written, and the USS Mason's narrative is a casualty of this condition. It is only from the 1970s, 80s and 90s that "minority history" has gained more recognition in the mainstream historical narrative.

Films like "Proud" are useful for introducing the audiences to hidden narratives, and serves to peak interest in the respective subject matter. "Proud" has a good quality cast that captures both the triumphs and shortcomings of WWII society and military efforts. The racism is present, and real, but is not overly front and center. The narrative focuses not as much on what society believes these men cannot do, but shows how the men themselves respond to the conditions they are introduced to, both in the navy and in the war. I'll admit, I know little about the mainstream actors in this film, so I cannot adequately comment on their respective filmographies. On viewing this film, however, it seems like each actor brought their respect and efforts to bear in their characters. What I appreciate a lot about this docudrama is the use of actual primary source footage from the USS Mason's missions. I believe this supports the overall structure of the film, as a grandfather narrating his experiences and memories to his grandson and friends.

The film opens with one of the main characters, as an older man, narrating his experience in Harlem, and how it became a home for him and his family. His grandson is living with him, and invites his friends over to listen to loud music in the early morning hours. His grandfather is woken up and goes downstairs to tell them to turn that noise off, and how the living situation really isn't working out. This sets the stage for him to tell his story, and how recognition for their efforts has been a long time coming. He has not held on to anger about the slight, however, and this paints the portrait of one seaman's response to their prejudicial treatment. He says that if he had given in to anger and resentment, it would have justified "their" (white men in government, American society, all the doubters, etc) point of view of African Americans at the time.

This film is intriguing to me, as I admit knowing relatively little of the African American experience during World War II. My own research mainly centers on Asian American experiences during World War II, so I am thankful for having another perspective. While it is not surprising to see that prejudice reigned among sailors and government officials during this time, what was refreshing was how the film portrayed the Captain of the USS Mason caring for his crewmen within the context of sailors, not African Americans who happen to be sailors. Further, I was surprised at the treatment of the sailors on shore-leave in Northern Ireland, where the men welcomed them as Yankees first, not black men. The narrator states that he was surprised the crew had to travel all that way to be treated like Americans.

Any viewer interested in the lesser known, but well worthwhile, stories of WWII may like this film. While not perfect, it is a refreshing plot reminds viewers that Americans of all backgrounds fought against the Axis Powers. Whether viewers see too much patriotism woven in this story is largely left to the opinions of each individual, but it is hard not to feel a sense of national pride any time there is a war film. Hopefully, films like "Proud" will be shown more often in classrooms, if not necessarily for the raw historical accuracy, then to visually represent alternative stories for students not familiar with the role all Americans played in the Allied victory in WWII.

Stream or Purchase "Proud" on Amazon

Movie Monday: "Ilo Ilo," a film by Anthony Chen

This week, I wanted something that was completely different for me. I happened to find just this in Anthony Chen’s “Ilo Ilo,” a slice-of-life drama showcasing life in Singapore c. 1997, during the great economic crisis in Asia. I also reveals the dynamic between different ethnic groups within South East Asia, and hints at the relative hierarchy of each group. The relative economic differences between, say, Singapore and the Philippines is also shown through the characters’ relative situations, however it doesn’t reflect on which characters are “good” or “bad” in the traditional sense. Many of the actors are unknown to me, and likely many in Western cinema. The screen time is generously shared among the four main characters, so establishing who the “lead” is is problematic for Western audiences. Singaporean veteran actor Chen Tian Wen captures the hardships inherent as the struggling family patriarch Teck. Yeo Yann Yann plays is wife Hwee Leng, who is pregnant with a daughter and dealing with the stress of a hard marriage and a hard job. Newcomer Koh Jia Ler plays Jiale, a parent’s nightmare. A young man faced with his parents’ rocky marriage and hard life, he acts out at school and captures the challenges of any young boy learning for himself. Finally, we have Angeli Bayani playing Terry, a migrant Filipino housekeeper and maid. Bayani’s facial expressions, I think, capture the sort of “I must endure it” attitude necessary when faced with such hard choices as leaving your home for work, and the inherent, though not always obvious, prejudice against Filipinos among other South Asian groups. Many of the performances were spot on, and arguably very little could be added to improve the feel of the film. I appreciate that stereotyping wasn’t as prevalent in this film as in some American-made films, which often portray Asian characters, even in 2015, as martial arts masters, wise teachers and dragon ladies.

Jiale (Koh) is a troubled young man. He acts out at school and is constantly studying gambling odds when he should be focusing on his school lessons. His parents Teck (Chen) and Hwee Leng (Yeo) are at their wits end, finding their own stresses at work while trying to make allowances for their son. Finally, they decide to hire Teresa (Bayani), a Filipino mother looking for work in Singapore to help support her young infant son back in the Philippines. This film shows hardship piled on hardship, and helps introduce Western audiences to a different world that may be more similar than we’d think. There is good material here for looking at the ethnic hierarchies within South Asia, as well as the relative economic positions of immigrants relative to the majority. There is also just a good, quality film that is different than much of what comes out of Hollywood.

I found this film to be eye opening. Specifically, I have not seen many Singaporean films, nor have I had access to many films not made in China, Hong Kong, Korea, or Japan. It is refreshing to see films that showcase something different, without devolving into a kind of “poor me” attitude that is easy to take when showing non-Western films to Western audiences. The characters do not ask for your sympathy, but seem to say “see my endurance.” In the end, however, the human element tries to ensure we do feel for the characters, even troublemaker Jiale. Viewers will likely relate to the economic hardships the characters face, as much of the world emerges from an economic depression unseen for decades. Even when things get rough, however, the characters face their troubles as best they can.

This film is powerful, almost overly so. There were many moments where I felt “wow, I didn’t know it was like that.” The plight of Filipino immigrants trying to send money back home is a familiar situation with many Mexican immigrants looking to feed their families back home, especially here in California. This is not ancient history, or likely even history, as much as it is a reflection of what still happens today. While there is value is realizing what was during the 1997 economic downturn, analogies can be made today, and likely will apply in the future as well. Anyone interested in seeing something different (for me), and seeing a different world outside the most common depictions of Asian cinema would do well to check out “Ilo Ilo.” I wasn’t disappointed.

Stream / Purchase

Points of Interest:

Filipino women as housekeepers and maids, jealousy of relationships with children

Ethnic relations within East and Southeast Asia

Singaporean culture as it relates to other neighboring nations

“under the table” work of worker immigrants

Corporal punishment in cultures

Movie Monday: "Picture Bride," a film by Kayo Hatta

Wikimedia Collection

Hatta, Kayo. "Picture Bride," starring Kido Yuki, Takayama Akira, and Tamlyn Tomita, 1995.

It was by chance I happened upon “Picture Bride” at the library and was moved to rent it. A riveting historical drama, "Picture Bride" depicts the life of a young Japanese immigrant woman working on the sugar cane fields in Hawaii during the early 1900s. It shows how both characters used deception to improve their chances of sealing the arranged marriage. Photography innovated the “picture bride” system that initially relied on written letters alone or face-to-face meetings. 

This film provides a solid script for strong performances that make the film particularly moving. Lead actress Kudo Yuki gives picture bride Riyo the emotional expressions that capture the apprehension and exhaustion a newly arrived city girl experiences under field conditions. Actor Takayama Akira ably expresses the hard life and defeatist mentality many bachelor field hands experienced under the Gentleman's Agreement of 1907 and prejudicial labor relationships. Finally, Tamlyn Tomita supports the leads with her capable performance as a strong young picture bride who must take on the roles of mother and mentor. One important aspect is that the cast are all capable Japanese and Japanese-American actors, a novel circumstance given the recent controversial casting choices in 2015 Hollywood.

When Riyo (Kudo) first arrives at the immigration office on the shores of the territory of Hawaii, she meets her husband for the first time, a field hand (Takayama) almost two decades her senior. This fact, not shown in the youthful photo he sent, sets up tensions from the start. The various hardships the two newlyweds face include prejudicial ethnic conflict with white overseers, labor conflicts with fellow Filipino field hands, as well as the appeal of gambling as a downtime activity. Couple this with the relationship built on lies and the film contains plenty of tension and conflict. The challenges these characters face will illuminate an almost forgotten historical exchange network that greatly disrupted immigration to the United States.

One of the strongest aspects of this film is the human element that makes it so relatable to a variety of viewers. Many of us can relate to the class challenges of trying to get ahead in a tough work and social environment, particularly when it seems like the paychecks are never quite enough. Viewers may relate with the ethnic conflicts that plague both historic societies and today. For me, this film made me realize how blessed I am in my own life, particularly the great physical toil these characters face each and everyday, and how they manage to find positives.

Overall, this film is a great peek into the historic condition of “picture brides” under the Gentleman's Agreement of 1907. Not only does it depict the ethnic conflicts Filipinos and Japanese field workers faced, but also the different ethnic hierarchies that native Hawaiians felt in relation to the Anglo landowners and European (Portuguese) overseers. While the film does slip into too much pathos at times, the narrative does manage to express an accurate depiction, perhaps less intense than some authentic experiences, of Japanese immigrants under an inherently prejudicial legal and social system. If you’re a fan of historical dramas, this may be the film for you. Please post comments or suggestions below, and what films you'd like to see reviewed in future posts.

Purchase "Picture Bride" or stream via Netflix here.

Historical Notes for discussion in the comments:

• The “picture bride” system for skirting the Gentleman's Agreement of 1907.

• Ethnic interrelationships and labor: Anglo and Euro owners vs. laboring minority; labor vs labor between Filipinos and Japanese

• Labor conflicts, the company store, $1 fee for lack of work, $. 65/day and $300 to go back to Japan

• Bachelor Societies: both Chinese and Japanese, Filipino immigrant men

• Aspire to be Rudolph Valentino, but Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa came beforehand, but not in the dominant history

• Asian, mainly Japanese and Filipino actors cast in the film, Japanese language used instead of English (think Sayuri/Memoirs of a Geisha)