Written on the Wind - Movie Review Example

Insert Written on the Wind Written on the wind is a 1956 film which was directed by Douglas Sirk. The film draws its name from the Robert Wilders 1945 novel, “Written on The Wind”. It gives an account of the real life scandal that involved Libby Holman and her husband Zachary Smith Reynolds, who was a tobacco heir. However, in the film, Gorge Zuckerman, the man in charge of the screen play, changes the characters and the location of the source of the family wealth. He shifts it to Texas from North Carolina and substitutes the tobacco with oil. What the movie reveals about politics is the cliché that has been used time and time again; “it is a dirty game”. The film shows how people in power use their wealth to have their way. Money, being the main source of their power, is what they use to manipulate others and to have control over people and situations. Kyle exemplifies this character of politicians or eminent persons by how he lives his life. He refers to himself as a playboy; a spendthrift who uses his money to have his way around situations. When Kyle tries to lure Lucy in to having an affair with him by taking her on an airplane ride to Miami and then arranges for an evening’s stay at a lavish hotel in the city. However, in the process of getting to know Lucy, Kyle finds himself opening up to her in a way that he has never done to anyone. What this reveals about power is that it is a façade that people wear to hide their true identity and shortcomings. Kyle admits to Lucy that he has a drinking problem and that he is what he is simply because he cannot be able to be like his father. Mitch also exemplifies how members of society are made to clean up after the mess of the powerful people. He diligently sticks to his role as a competent enabler that allows Kyle, the millionaire playboy, to function despite the increasing messes that he keeps on falling to. The writer also has a point of view of the cultural life in the 1950’s. his view is highlighted by Jasper Hadley, the owner of the Hadley oil company and father to Kyle and Marylee Hadley. The writer is of the view that the culture in the 1950’s was one that incited people to go to any lengths to get hold of what they desired. Marylee, for example, has a strong lustful attraction to Mitch since they were children. Though Mitch shows no interest of indulging in to a relationship with her, she is still persistent in pursuing after him. One night, she is overcome by the fact that Mitch is not at her disposal and she goes on to pick up Biff Miley, an ex-football player from her high school days. The first few words that she utters are indicative of the vacuous sexual needs and existence. The writer also highlights how the culture in the 1950’s prompted people to pursue after success and in the process forget how to raise up their family. When Kyle, who has resumed his drinking habits after his visit to the doctor, is brought home by Mitch and Lucy; and Marylee is dropped by the police at home together with Biff, Jasper is exasperated by the behavior of his children. At this point, he mentions to Mitch of how his marriage has been a flunk, how his relationship with his brother has worsened, and finally, how his two children have developed a reputation that is contrary to his desires. What Jasper is trying to Mitch is that he has failed in the patriarchal society. It is therefore evident that the writer is of the view that the politics and culture in the 1950’s were patriarchal. The film several themes that are prevalent throughout the film. The themes depict or bring to light the squalid issues in society during the 1950’s. Nymphomania is one of the themes that is highlighted in the film. Marylee is the character that the writer uses to highlight this theme. She has the urge to relieve her sexual tensions with Mitch but his withdrawal forces her to go and sleep with other men. When she is brought home by the police after she, together with Biff are arrested, Biff mentions that it’s a routine thing for her to pick up men and go on to have sex with them at different locations; she caters for all the costs. Another theme present in the film is alcoholism. Before meeting Lucy and marrying her, Kyle is accustomed to a life of an alcoholic. He even admits it to her during their flight to Miami that he knows that he drinks much more than he ought to. He quits for a period of one year but after he finds out that he is impotent, he draws back to his old habit as a way of drowning his sorrows. Murderous jealousy and rage is also a composite theme that is in the film. Almost every character displays some aspects of jealousy and rage with the main ones showing the tendency of murder, an occurrence that eventually happens in the film. When Mitch and Kyle go to pick up Marylee from the dive bar, Kyle and Carter engage in a fist fight after which Kyle wants to kill him but is stopped by Mitch. Marylee on the other hand is jealous of her brother who after being married for one year remains sober and faithful to his wife. Jasper is raged when his children come home in an embarrassing state and almost lets out his rage by shooting Biff before he stopped by Mitch. These themes are very relevant to audiences of 2012 because today’s society is similar to that of the 1950’s, only that it is more poisoned and catalyzed by the availability of technology. Nymphomania, for example, is relevant today considering the multi-million dollar porn industry that is widely embraced in society. The continued growth of and quest for power makes relevant the composite theme of murder, jealousy, and rage. The film presents a stereotypical view of the children of the rich and powerful members of society as spoilt brats. Jasper, the rich owner of Hadley Oil Company, has two children who, from their behaviors and tendencies, appear to be spoilt brats. This representation in a more elaborate way supports this stereotype. Kyle is referred to as the millionaire playboy. He has been so much exposed to money that he knows he can have access to anything and anyone at any time through the money that is under his father’s name. The fact that he flies 1380 miles to have a stake sandwich is a depiction of the life he has been accustomed to and it supports the stereotype presented. At the same time, when he is chatting with Lucy, he comes to the realization that Lucy is from a small town in Indiana and boasts that if requested, he can put the town on the map. This is yet another aspect that supports this stereotype. Another scenario that helps in supporting this stereotype is when Marylee is arrested and taken home. Her father does not confront her for her behavior which he knows is true but rather confronts Biff, the lad that was with his daughter. This shows that Jasper has contributed to the behaviors of his children developing to what they are; by not confronting Marylee, he spoils her. In conclusion, the film can be categorized as both a shaper of the 1950’s culture and a reflection of it. The film is reflection of the culture because it depicts how people in the 1950’s were so much indulged in the pursuit of riches and fame that in the process, they lost track of what was valuable to society; that is family. It also reflects how people in power during this period put on facades and hid their true nature and problems behind these facades. Kyle for example was wearing a “dashing playboy” façade to hide the fact that he could not be what his father expected him to be and that he had problems. The film is a shaper because it points out the societal ills that were present in the 1950’s. It was therefore an eye opener to everyone who was living in this era that the society was slowly decaying and the morals were slowly being lost. However, the shaping function of the film is very minimal when compared to the reflection function because not much change was initiated after the film was released. Work Cited Sirk, Douglas, Albert Zugsmith, George Zuckerman, Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, and Robert Wilder. Written on the Wind. New York: Criterion Collection, 2001. Read More