Latin American Stereotypes in Film: Films Analysis A Touch of Evil, Scarface, and Man on Fire - Essay Example

Section/# Latin American Stereotypes in Film: Specific Discussion and Analysis of the Following Films: A Touch of Evil, Scarface, and Man on Fire Racial misunderstanding and stereotyping is nothing new to human nature or to society. A recurring theme throughout history has been the need of one group to conveniently define that which can be considered as “other”. This invariably leads to a form of stereotyping which necessarily reduces the object of the stereotype into a one-dimensional creature that only retains enough humanity to act upon the given cues of the particular stereotype that is employed. Unfortunately, the advent of more powerful and greater forms of technology also brought with it the ability of propagandist, media moguls, and film makers to propagate such stereotypes to a much greater degree than was previously possible. Sometimes these stereotypes were furthered as a result of a particular political motive; such as the films that were churned out during the late 30’s and early 40’s by Nazi Germany. Other times, stereotypes were furthered by the fact that they helped to conveniently describe an element that was necessary for the plot device of a movie. It is the latter practice that this brief essay will analyze with respect to how it is evidenced in the following movies: A Touch of Evil, Scarface, and Man on Fire. Furthermore, unique elements of stereotyping and prejudice will be extrapolated as it relates to existing stereotypes of the Latino community both inside and outside the United States. A Touch of Evil is unique in a number of ways. Firstly, the casual observer might incorrectly deduce that since this is the oldest film that this analysis will consider with respect to its level of stereotypes and racial innuendo, it must necessarily be the worst offender. However, this is not the case as will be amply demonstrated further in this analysis. Secondly, the film pits a morally upstanding Charlton Heston, playing the part of a Mexican police officer, against that of a seedy and corrupt American, played by Orson Wells. At first glance, the fill avoids a great many of the stereotypes that could have been easily imprinted on Charlton Heston’s character; however, these are no less evident; albeit exhibited in different ways throughout the film. Orson Wells works to show that the normality and decency of American civilization tend to utterly break down at the US/Mexican border. Therefore, it is of little matter as to what side of the border that the lawlessness is exhibited and by whom; the clear takeaway is that the meeting of the cultures has deterioration on the character of humanity and causes the unspeakable to occur. Furthermore, the depiction of Susie (Janet Leigh’s character) only serves to reinforce the stereotype that such a pretty young girl would never experience such horrors, insinuated rape, forced drug use, and violence if she had not ventured near that forbidden tree that is skillfully depicted in the film as the US/Mexico border. What is uniquely interesting about the way that this movie is played, shot and edited is the aforementioned fact that the evil cannot be necessarily blamed entirely on one specific group; however, the insinuation exists throughout that the corrupting influence of the Mexican side of the border causes those Anglos on the other side to behave in a way unthinkable in the rest of the country. In this way, Wells displays the US/Mexico border as an area in which a virtual tree of knowledge of good and evil exists in a virtual Garden of Eden. From the perspective of the time, the film might have been meant on a different level. When the viewer is faced with the horrors that affect the innocent on and near the border between the United States and Mexico they are gripped with a desire to do something about it. However, the issue is not clearly explained to the viewer until Vargas explains to Susie, “Susie, one of the longest borders on earth is right here between your country and mine. An open border. Fourteen hundred miles without a single machine gun in place.” In this way, the gratuitous statement by Vargas of the obvious leaves the viewer to ask the rhetorical question of why we do not do something to stop this; i.e. close this border to protect ourselves from the evil beyond. Perhaps more so than the other movies that this analysis will consider, Scarface takes the art form of the stereotype to the very highest level. Whereas the other movies that this analysis review focus on the tangential effects of stereotyping as they affect the action that befalls the main characters of the film, Scarface’s main character Tony Montana is himself both the star of the action as well as a colossal walking stereotype. What is unique about Scarface is the level to which the stereotyping extends. Whereas the other films dealt with the stereotype on very one-dimensional levels; usually with respect to violence and overall levels of insecurity that Latino culture supposedly espouses, Scarface not only shows this one particular aspect in vivid detail but works to exploit nearly every imaginable negative stereotype that exists concerning Latinos. In this way, the movie has perhaps the most negative of all of the analyzed films with respect to the stereotypes of the Latino community. Of course the movie itself has been lauded by many as a criminal version of the rags to riches story that many Americans seek. However, beyond this, the film exhibits a hot tempered, exceedingly violent, overly flamboyant, hairy chested, hot blooded, Latino man who fills his life with tacky opulence, gold, carnal excess, and a constant supply of alcohol and cocaine. In this way, it is surprising that there was even room for an additional story line at all considering the inclusion of all of these comical stereotypes. It is interesting to note the social backdrop to which Scarface was made. Although it is impossible to say definitively if the story was directly inspired and/or based on the events surrounding the Mariel boat lift of 1980, its significance cannot be overlooked. In 1980, approximately three years prior to the release of Scarface, approximately 125,000 Cuban refugees sought refuge in the United States. Such a mass influx of refugees obviously put a decided strain on domestic relations with the new émigrés. Likewise, it is not a particular surprise that a movie such as Scarface came along soon afterwards to caricature elements of the culture. Likewise, the film presents an interesting view into what some may fear would be the effect of allowing unrestrained immigration to take place. As the story of Tony Montana is traced, one sees the fact that he is willing to stop at nothing in order to achieve success. The fundamental plot device herein is that this way of life is fundamentally opposed to all forms of what American values actually stand for. Furthermore, the stereotypes of developed by the fact that underneath all of these things, Tony Montana truly wants money, power, and respect. In this way, the audience is at least subliminally warned what may become of the asymmetrical way in which such immigrants would work to undermine the very system of governance, law, and moral living that has defined the United States in their estimation. The third film which this analysis will consider is that of Man on Fire. The film is a unique juxtaposition of many items that would have pushed the boundaries had the film been released at the same time that A Touch of Evil was. Firstly, the plot is concentric upon a black man, a former CIA agent, is hired to act as a body guard for a high profile Mexican man’s daughter. The obvious overtones of such a plot device are that the American’s presence is necessary to Mexico as a means of a savior. This theme is of course furthered by a constant barrage of imagery and innuendo that reinforces all of the dominant stereotypes regarding Mexican criminality, drug wars, as well as official and unofficial corruption. Understanding the system is of course hopeless broken, Denzel Washington’s character unleashes what the movie-makers would invariably call a “justified war” on all that is wrong with current Mexican society and government. In this way, it can be understood that the movie makers are using the film as a vehicle to express the superiority of the American way of life and/or model of civilization in that it requires even the most broken of characters, a washed up disgruntled drunk of a former CIA operative, to rescue the innocent from the clutches of what may be understood as typical Mexican society. Again, the broader stereotype associated with this movie is the outright lie that is perpetrated with regards to the scope and size of corruption, drug war, and all forms of other criminality which goes on in Mexico. Although the movie works to tell a specific story and uses such plot elements as a vehicle to do this, it only serves to further reinforce the commonly held stereotype that all manner of evil is exhibited just south of America’s pristine border. Just as in A Touch of Evil, sanctity and virtue (in this case that of Dakota Fanning’s character) is threatened to be devoured by the ravenously evil forces that exist in such a great and faceless multitude in Mexico. This stereotype is even further compounded by the scope and overall level of the violence that Denzel Washington’s character inflicts on all those that come into his path. Although a righteous retribution is oftentimes justified, the script writers, production elements, and director chose to take the film in even a more violent direction than previous film adaptation of the novel had done. The original author himself noted, “The film is violent and if the anger is not portrayed properly, the result can be awful” (Massa 1). In this way, a further disrespect and dehumanizing implement was used to paint those Mexicans that even slightly resisted Denzel Washington’s goals as a faceless mass of criminals that all deserved to be killed. Lastly, what is unique about all of these stereotypes and the movies that use them as a vehicle of plot development is the large time frame that separates them. Whereas movies that negatively cast aspects of Japanese culture before, during, and shortly after the Second World War quickly began to disappear from prominent plot devices in the 1950s and beyond, the stereotypes surrounding Latinos in Hollywood have persisted for over 50 years. Whereas stereotypes involving African Americans pervaded film during its earliest development and existed strongly up to and shortly after the dawn of the Civil Rights era, these too have been largely phased out as time has progressed. However, the same exact stereotypes that existed some fifty years ago with relation to Latinos have not only remained virtually unchanged, they have been differentiated and added to. In this way, all three films, although separated by decades, work to reinforce existing negative and oftentimes completed fabricated stereotypes with regards to the Latino communities. The individual negative traits that these movies emphasize are often comical in nature; however, as has been exhibited, they work to tell reinforce these negative stereotypes upon the culture of the United States and abroad. Thus, the negative stereotypes that oftentimes exist only and myth and in film are reinforced to the viewing audience as a type of innate truth that is reiterated in so many different films. Work Cited A Touch of Evil. Dir. Orson Welles. Universal Pictures. 1958. Film. Massa, Ariadne. "Gozo Based Author Sees First Book Become a Bestseller." - Timesofmalta.com. N.p., 10 Nov. 2004. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. . Read More