Movie: Slavery and Movie Essay

Submitted By notmattabes
Words: 725
Pages: 3
Open Document
Movie Review: Gone With The Wind
The movie gone with the wind was a very good movie however there were some historical inaccuracies. Such as, Gerald O'Hara announces the surrender of General Lee in the movie. He tells everyone the war has ended, but what actually happened was, the surrender of Lee's Army did not affect Georgia. The troops in Georgia didn't surrender until a month later. The Civil War actually ended with the surrender of General Kirby Smith at Galveston, Texas in 1865.
Some of the dialogue was inaccurate as well. Characters referred to African Americans as"darkies”, rather than the "n word used in reality." Also the costumes do not accurately represent the clothing of that time. Even though the movie had some inaccuracies I learned several things. One thing I learned is about property ownership. True wealth is not possed without property rights. In the South, property also meant having slaves, and gold was also very important in their time period. In the movie, the prostitute friend of Rhett Butler delivers gold to a beleaguered hospital in the South. The other women are disgusted, but Scarlett, realizes that a gift is a gift. She is also impressed that the money comes in the form of 'real gold', not the southern money. In the times of war and economic hardship, gold stands as the ultimate form of payment for goods and services. Marriage is almost always tied to money. Most of this movie is about the relationship of Scarlett O’Hara and Ashley Wilkes. It's a confusing relationship because Scarlett does not know what choice to make between love and money. Scarlett is constantly torn, but most women have to make this choice in their minds. Men too have to make hard life changing decisions. Rhett Butler is torn between loving someone whom he knows loves another and his own pride. Yet he will make the compromise for someone as tempting as Scarlett. It's a compromise that they both settle on until the end; when Rhett decides he would much rather hold on to his dignity and frankly 'not give a damn'. There are some facts in this movie but there are also some values being represented by the director. The movie is very racist, the white south being the villains of the movie, and it does romanticize the old South. The movie could have shown the old South from the viewpoint of the enslaved, their suffering and desire for freedom. It could have shown the value of their lives beyond revolving round white people. Although it does show some suffering due to war compared with luxurious frivolity. The South was fighting to keep slavery, yet slavery is portrayed as the normal order of things. Although the movie had a strong
Show More

Related Documents: Movie: Slavery and Movie Essay

Examples Of Contradictions In The Movie Slavery By Another Name

Contradictions in the “Slavery by Another Name” The movie Slavery by Another Name shows several contradictions of American fight with slavery. Most of them are focused on the same topic – while the government made Southern states to abolish slavery in terms of legislation, it looked like both Southern and Northern states preferred to solve the problem only on paper. The “out of the list” contradiction refers to the society’s reaction. While the abolition of slavery hurt plantation owners, it was…

Words 270 - Pages 2

Slaves On Screen 2 Essay

accurately depicts and deciphers the ability of films to say something meaningful about slavery and in doing so, she is able to find optimism in what the movies say about slavery. In the 1960’s action drama Spartacus, shocked the nation with the intense portrayal of slaves and revolt. Throughout the movie Davis argues that slaves are portrayed positively in certain sequences. The goal of Spartacus was to create of movie unlike any of its kind. Plutarch writes, “he not only possessed great courage and…

Words 783 - Pages 4

Film Review: Old South New South Film

Old South New South Film Review Slavery in the South can be portrayed in a good way and in a bad way. Just to start off, the term Old South refers to times before the Civil War. The term New South refers to the times after the Civil War. The Civil War was fought between April 12, 1861 and April 9 1865. Some people say that the war was fought over the moral issues of slavery and some people say it was fought over states rights. The three-fifths compromise was signed in 1787 and proposed by James…

Words 1048 - Pages 5

The Patriot Movie Analysis

his homestead. In the beginning of the movie, Benjamin Martin receives a letter saying they will call out for the independence of the American nation which portrays the revolutionary time in history when the Americans called for the independence. The scene when the church crowded with patriots, peasants and children, are burned down by British colonel Tavington. The movie overall shows the history of the United States with many inaccuracies. The movie also goes back into the history in the middle…

Words 579 - Pages 3

12 Yrs Slave Essay

Madhavi Patel English 202 A Section 001 11/4/14 The Book vs. The Movie I believe that the book, Twelve Years a Slave is much better than the film; which was released in 2013. The reason behind this is because the depiction of the historical era, Soloman and his plight, and the depiction of individuals important in Soloman’s life are shown correctly and with realism in the book unlike the movie, where everything is pretty much exaggerated and false. Twelve years a slave the book, is based on a true…

Words 1027 - Pages 5

Essay on Slavery in the United States and John Quincy Adams

people felt as though slaves were equal while the others looked at them as a way to make profit. In the movie the Amistad it shows the conflict between the two and which one came out on top. As for me I am antislavery. All people are equal and slaves should be too. From the political aspect in the movie Martin Van Buren was president. He was against slavery but barely showed it. Throughout the movie I began to see slaves own kind start to turn on them. Politicians would see the slaves as goods, or even…

Words 424 - Pages 2

Essay on 12 Slaves Analysis

Tiffany Harris 12/5/13 12 Years a Slave Analysis The movie 12 Years a Slave, surprisingly, is a British- American film based on an autobiography of Solomon Northup. This sad, extremely vivid, and horrid tale is based on a true story that is based around 1940 during the Pre-Civil War era. The movie depicts Solomon Northup’s unbelievable fight for freedom and survival during a twelve year period. While watching this movie my emotions were on a rollercoaster that my heart wanted to get off of, but…

Words 797 - Pages 4

American Dream In Huck Finn

motivate myself to live a better life. In relation to the movie “Adventures of Huck Finn,” it is plain to point out what the main characters consider to be their version of the American dream. To living in a society free of discrimination, the pursuit of wealth by means of hard work and determination, and wanting to move to the West for a better life, this movie correctly depicts what most people wanted after the Civil War. Throughout the movie it appears that Negroes were treated as objects, like they…

Words 790 - Pages 4

The Patriot: The American Revolution

loyalists, and neutral - instead of two. The movie, The Patriot, is a fictional movie that shows us the battles and the life of the colonials during the American Revolution. Some people were forced to fight because of the death of their family members and some did not fight because they did not want to risk their family even though both sides are diehard patriots. Family could make people do anything and everything possible. The producers of the movie The Patriot, Dean Devlin, Mark Gordon, and Gary…

Words 716 - Pages 3

Glory Movie Essay

Based off of true history, the movie Glory tells the story of the the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in the United States Civil War. The 54th Regiment was the first all black volunteer company, besides the white commanders. Perhaps an ironic title, Glory depicts the problems and the struggles that face the platoon both from outside racism to internal conflict; as well as the victories and triumphs. Glory is a reminder of the roles of African Americans in the Civil War. One of…

Words 467 - Pages 2