MovieChat Forums > No Way Out Discussion > Couldn't make this film today

Couldn't make this film today

posted 16 years ago by lfdow
9 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this film and I don’t think it would be possible to do a film as direct as this today. Our society is so polarized and our country’s politics are such that I don’t think you could make a film that so directly tackles racism today. I also listen to a lot of old time radio and I’m impressed with how seriously some old radio shows are blatant about condemning racism and bigotry. I’m not saying that racism and bigotry didn’t exist in the 40’s and, especially after the war, obviously it did. I just I don’t think film makers today would attack it as strongly and that the public would accept the premise that as a country we should condemn bigotry. Too many politicians of all kinds use “code” to promote exclusion and xenophobia. For example, even Superman (perhaps especially Superman) regularly campaigned for tolerance. Today, to unashamedly and loudly say that it’s wrong to condone intolerance toward someone who’s religion or skin color or birthplace or whatever is different from ours wouldn’t happen.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Transatlanticliv 15 years ago

I have to agree with the OP. I think the problem today is that we spend so much time and energy convincing ourselves, as a society, that we're so far ahead of where we were in 1950 in terms of combating racism, when in truth, we're not where we should be.

That results in a widespread reluctance to talk about race issues, which, in the decades since this film has made, has built up to quite a culture of silence around issues of race and racism.

I'm still surprised that this movie was made when it was, as powerfully and effectively as it was, but I do think that in many ways it is actually harder to talk honestly about race today because it's gotten far more difficult to admit that racism even exists - when, sadly, it is still alive and well.

[–] boxerrebellion 8 years ago

There are problems, I'm not going to deny that. But, I look around and realize what wouldn't have flown even three decades ago. Interracial dating was almost unheard of in my high school ... although eight years later, when my sister was in high school it was becoming not so unusual (and by 'interracial', I'm talking Black/White); many Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese wives came home with US Military men after WWII, Korea, Vietnam.

We lived on a US Base overseas from '03-'14. My children went to school at the DoDDS school on Base and there really wasn't a majority or a minority.... there were probably equal numbers of White, Black and Latino children... many coming from mixed race families. There were also Asian, Philippino, and Middle Eastern families (also sometimes mixed race families). Granted, my family was unusual because we were put together by adoption... but my children are of different races/ethnicities from not only themselves, but also one another. When my son was a toddler, we received confused looks on a regular basis. Now, we rarely get questions; we did have an extra hoop to jump through at the DMV recently, along with ID, we needed the adoption papers. I can't imagine that 30 years ago we would have been allowed to adopt a Black child... now, children are children who need families and (most) families considering adoption, just want a child to love. That is progress.

[–] mmattagirl 15 years ago

Fred Phelps is rabid and nutty (and needs muzzling, IMHO, in the interests of public safety) but he's against gays, rather than blacks - I wonder though???

George... don't do that!

[–] Zanza8 11 years ago

Today, to unashamedly and loudly say that it’s wrong to condone intolerance toward someone who’s religion or skin color or birthplace or whatever is different from ours wouldn’t happen.

Well, it can't happen if you say it's wrong to be intolerant and hateful to whites. You can only say it's wrong to be intolerant and racist to minorities.

http://thinkingoutloud-descartes.blogspot.com/

[–] bear022013-588-696101 10 years ago

This film was poorly done,decent cast wasted.Today's film and television industry
is,at best,shameful.We have no one policing what appears in film and on television
or even radio for that matter.
In the 1960's we had Jack Valenti who tried to keep Hollywood people from totally destroying the minds of our youth with movies{for lack of a better term}such as Midnight Cowboy.What a piece of trash...just like the poor excuse for art that we are discussing now.
No socially redeeming quality at all lads and lasses.Do you wonder what is wrong with Americans now? We do not need to be shocked and reminded of the N word nor
must we be bombarded with sex,filth and reverse racism.
What ever happened to Westerns with zero sex etc.Yes there were White and Black gunslingers in the 1880's and I would bet there was no race baiting!

[–] przgzr 9 years ago

Yes, it is very important that White and Black were together in 1880's eradicating Indians - oops, I should have said Native Americans, it is very important to use politically correct terms not to offend those who have been systematically exterminated in those praised times and Hollywood movies from another praised times. Certainly, killing people, and especially natives, has always been a highly moral act, and still is, so showing and promoting it is the best way to educate youth and prevent their moral corruption. After all, who would go to war if not been properly brought up?

[–] jctennant55-892-30458 8 years ago

No one policing what is in film, television, or radio? I do not need anybody trying to tell me what I can read or watch or listen to. I do not want a panel of people dictating their high moral views to me. Seems like many counties tried to press their values and morals on their citizens. Censorship I think is the word for it. There will be people who are offended by anything they do not like whether it is due to suggestive sexual matter or nasty words or in their eyes forbidden subject matter. If somebody is offended then change the TV channel or radio dial. I do not need policing.

[–] JackBluegrass 8 years ago

Many people in society today are way too weak to either make such an honest picture today, or even to tolerate others watching one. Their weakness is - weirdly and counterproductively - considered "strength", also by many.

E pluribus unum