Why THE HELP?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- 'The Help' trended in Netflix's Top 10 in the wake of recent protests. I took a look at 'The Help' and films like it to understand how Hollywood packages racism as entertainment and why the industry is...not good at it.
Full Films:
Uptight: • Uptight 1968 FULL IN C...
Pinky: • Pinky (Pinki) 1949 Jea...
The Intruder: • Video
The Quiet Ones: • The Quiet One (1948)
Raquel Gates’s NYT Op-Ed: www.nytimes.co...
Armchair Auteur: • Why I Hated Those June...
John Oliver: • U.S. History: Last Wee...
THANK YOU to my Patrons!
patreon.com/bkrewind
bkrewind
bk_rewind
Music from Epidemic Sound
"Entertainment cannot replace education." Very well-said.
But golly, does it!
As one of the people who learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre from The Watchmen... yeah I agree, even as a white guy I felt insulted that my American public education covered this up.
@@davidbjacobs3598it was a riot. Massacre my ass
Pro-Palestinian riots on campus throughout America has become the civil rights of 2024!!😡
“Some guy was found guilty. I don’t know who he is.”
Honestly it is the shade he deserves.
As long as you're willing to ignore his productions as well
Christopher Brown oh no a guy with a valid criticism of is not a saint.
@@piranha5506 excuse me?
I think that's why I loved Black Klansman because while it's a true story that takes place in the past, Spike Lee ends the film with riots that happened in modern times as well as news footage of the Klans leader David Duke to show that racism is still alive. Very powerful film!
I haven't seen "Black Klansman" in its entirety, but I have seen that ending scene. It completely caught me off guard in the best, most horrifying way possible. My heart dropped into my stomach when it showed the Klan rally with audio from Charlottesville and then cut to modern-day footage of the march itself. Absolutely horrible, and a wake-up call to people who like to think that, "Well, because we don't have Jim Crow anymore and have had a black president, racism is over now."
I agree on that but blacklannsman i like too
@@taknighisbeauvoir2996 I'm dying for him to do a sequel to "School Daze", because black colleges are actively recruiting "non-traditional" students to stay alive and I'd love to see how Mission College would deal with that.
Of course he would justify destructive behavior that destroys thr community
@@AliciaNyblade Agreed, and that hard hitting realness is why Blackkklansman was snubbed for best picture in favor of the Green Book. It was too real for the Academy as they prefer overly sanitized and simplistic movies about race.
What to watch instead of “The Help”, ”Driving Miss Daisy”, ”Crash”, ”The Blind Side”, and ”Green Book”:
1. Do the Right Thing
2. 13th
3. Judas and the Black Messiah
4. Malcolm X
5. The Color Purple
6. The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till
7. When They See Us
8. The Central Park Five
9. Dolemite Is My Name
10. Fruitvale Station
12. Selma
13. BlackkKlansman
14. Da 5 Bloods
15. If Beale Street Could Talk
16. Sorry To Bother You
17. Get Out
19. Us
20. Blindspotting
21. Beasts of No Nation
22. Widows
23. Mudbound
24. Imperial Dreams
25. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
26. Moonlight
27. Beast of the Southern Wild
Watched and love all these films you listed
Great list! Sorry to bother you is one of my all time favourites!
The Blind Side is so hilariously tone-deaf...
Daughters of the Dust is a must 💕💕
Glory?
I literally just dug up a comment I posted a year and a half ago to a commentary about "Green Book"'s best picture win which says virtually everything you cover in this video essay:
"[...]I'm generally tired of any and all movies like this which portray racism as some absurd oddity from a bygone era as manifested through people who just needed to get to know some coloreds to change their minds. Racism is here and now. It's systems and structures and institutions. It's both the folks yelling 'build the wall' and the ones who just moved into the historically black neighborhood last month and already are trying to rid it of the guy who's been selling his art on the street corner for the last decade."
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
The Green Book is a lot more overtly offensive than The Help though. I mean that chicken scene alone. That movie completely centers a white man who feels he's "blacker" than Don Shirley, because he he eats fried chicken and listens to Aretha Franklin or some shit. The Help seems to push this message of, "we're all women, we all have it rough. Some of us are black maids getting paid next to nothing and have to deal with the constant fear of being lynched in the deep south and some of us are being criticized for not getting a man."
Well... Ease it up a bit bud. The film portrais it as a ridicilous scene. It IS not taken seriously in that scene. You laugh ať it because it IS ridicilous.
Also I don't see much issue with Green Book as a white savior movie honestly. It IS a story where both learn from each other And become friends. Mahershala Alis charakter learns no lt to be so uptight And Viggo Mortensen learns to be moře že der And to maybe sometimes think what his words will mean And how him being moře tender can open different side of him and by that a different side of the relationships he has or he will have. And yes it IS also about him brealing from the chains of xenofobia he feels towards black people in general.
I agree with your point about "The Help". It does have messages beyond main narrative of racism. There are narratives such as tragic loss of a child, domestic violence, not being able to have children, caring for a sick parent and not being accepted for different reasons. These subplots give the viewer a window to identify with a character even if the viewer is a different race. I do believe it has white savior moments but those are not as overt as in the Green Book and the Blind Side. I wonder if the Help focused on more African American women and less on the white women if it would be viewed differently (2 main AA women storylines, compared 4 to 5 White women story lines)?
Agree, the Green Book was offensive. The Help was also regressive.
Well, Don Shirley does call him out for saying that after the prison scene.
Yeah “white saviour” in green book was outright racist, not to mention that slur controversy during the promotion of the movie. At least in The Help Emma Stone’s character has good intentions and not seen as a racist initially. Prejudice she had towards the help was class prejudice.
As a mexican, we're not usually taught about black history so when I learned about the Tulsa massacre on Watchmen I was horrified about it and did a lot of research about that topic and about slavery. Now I get the civil rights and the black lives matter movements.
Don’t feel too bad. I’m a black person who went to American public schools and a private college. I saw Rosewood as a child, but didn’t learn about Tulsa till I was an adult
Same for Brazilians...I had no idea so many of these things had happened.
Yes and watching the new season of The Umbrella Academy, I was shocked by the scenes with Alison during the 60s.
Same here, I'm panamanian, but this is US history, I think a lot of importance is given towards racism in the United States and it inevitably leaves a lot of the racism in other countries go unseen because "at least is not as bad as in the US" I think is also important to research racism in the countries that we live in, so as the people who are systematically oppressed in our homes don't go unseen.
Agreed, as a Puerto Rican, the same happened to me!
Remember that time Whoopi didn't win for Color Purple? That hurt, it's one of my favorite movies.
It was a two way f**k-up by the Academy. Firstly they didn't award Whoopi and secondly they snubbed Geraldine Page time and again only to award her at the cost of letting a woman of colour lose for an extremely deserving performance. If Geraldine wouldn't have won that year, then she would've died Oscarless. Just like Peter O' Toole. Glenn Close will win for a less deserving role and that too over an actress of colour. Mark my words.
And Angela Bassett!! Breaks my heart!!
@@angelajohnsonkeys4199 No one was beating Holly Hunter that year.
Whoopi Goldberg SHOULDVE been the first African American woman to win & Angela Bassett the 2nd.
@@arthurfleck816 Cicely Tyson should've been the first one
In Hollywood, I've noticed that POC only ALWAYS win Oscars for acting in typecasted roles. Black actors have won Oscars for playing slaves, shady crooks, a Mammie, or an abusive parent. Latinex actors also get it bad because they always get nomimated for playing the shady drug dealer or mafia/mob leader. But when POC do act in roles that don't paint them in a negative light, but in more of an empowering role, they ALWAYS get passed up. It's why movies like Us, Dolimite is my Name, Waves, and Queen and Slim would NEVER get nominated for an Oscar. Because in the eye of the Academy Awards, they're not some kinda white saviour or slave narrative. It would just be seen by the Acdemy as a family drama to watch on the side. Hollywood claims it's so "diverse" and trying to fix the "race problem," but it's not.
Unlike Broadway, Broadway actually IS fixing it's race problem. We've seen such an increase in diversity in all of it's major acting categories with actors acting in roles that are actually positive and not too self deprecating. Just in 2016, all 4 of the major musical acting awards went to POC for their amazing work.
Very true Denzel washington gave his best performance in malcolm x but only won an oscar for playing a slave and a corrupt cop
One argentinian actor refused to be part of Hollywood productions because all the roles they offered him were mexican drug dealers.
Broadway still has quite a ways to go fixing their problems. But, they are trying.
What is latinx?
Lachelle Lewis Oh jeez lol. Of course it is 🙄
This is why a lot of black films that were critically acclaimed in 2019 (us, Luce, waves, dolomite is my name, the Atlantic’s, clemency, queen and slim, the last black man in San Francisco) were snubbed from the academy awards and other major film awards bc they didn’t have a white savior narrative and or the feel good sense as other race films that were awarded. They wouldn’t nominate Lupita Nyong’o for Us for best actress despite the fact that lupita won the best actress awards than any of the Oscar nominees bc her performance challenges the notion of specific roles/performances that are usually given to black actresses
Waves was so fucking good. Probably the biggest snub of last year. The Cinematography and Acting at the very least should've been recognised - but no. Although, Waves in particular didn't get any nominations because it wasnt pushed for consideration by A24. They instead pushed Uncut Gems, which also failed to get any nominations. But i think it should be the job of the academy now more than ever to actively seek out alternative films from creators that don't have the money for a full oscar campaign. The traditional way of doing things - nominations more or less being only given to those with the money to campaign is outdated. Its should be the academy's job to recognise film, and not the creators job to spend millions of dollars just for them to take notice.
this is why we have the independent spirit awards
Flynn.exe I agree I love waves it was one of my top 20 favorite films of 2019 I personally thought sterling k brown should’ve been the real front runner for best supporting actor than braid Pitt but this year oscars was about giving career awards
I think waves is a perfect example of another issue. The movie isn't "enough about race" for some people. There's lots of people (mainly white) who would watch Waves and just call it a drama about a family that happens to be black, and think that it's somehow less valuable because of that. The movie doesn't have many white characters, there's no scene where a white character gets called out for their biases, and it breaks this unwritten rule that every movie with a primarily black cast must be about race explicitly.
I adore waves, and it saddens me that it would've gotten more coverage if it didn't have many of the elements that made it so interesting.
Errant Times it was a combo of both. The same reason for toni Collette snub which is the academy even after all these years and decades still haven’t taken horror genre as a serious art form (despite being one of the most innovative and evolving genres in cinema history) but there’s also for the #OscarSoWhite situation they rarely nominate black actresses and actresses of color that have both their performances and their films that either challenge or break away racial typecasting.
I like watching The Help with ESL students at the beginning of dealing with race relations. It's funny, well acted, has amazing actors in it and it warms them up. Then as we progress deeper into the issue, you can see students coming back to the movie and start to question the narrative. That's the best way to use it imo.
I have been so blind.I ask forgiveness for all whom I may have offended and wronged. Please forgive me.
what a coincidence because my english teacher in secondary school also showed us that movie. the teacher showed us that movie to introduce to us race issues in america as well as the southern accent which we had never heard before that time.
we enjoyed the movie (and since we were a bunch of juvenile 15-year-olds with a poorer grasp of english, we especially couldn't get enough of "eat my shit" and "you is kind. you is smart. you is important" haha)
but now that i'm older and more aware of racist issues/stereotypes/tropes, i agree that "the help" is kinda questionable and superficial in terms of tackling the deeper root of racism
I love how you do this. It allows your students an introduction to these more complicated topics from the perspective of where they are starting, instead of plopping them in the middle of this issue. From there, you can continue the conversation and your students will have a deeper understanding for how inequality has been ingrained in our culture and how to be conscious of the media they consume. Fantastic teaching method
White people like White Savior films. It's comforting.
And for a great percentage of black people found them comfortable: the system is f-ed up, but there’s always gonna be some white folk down for us. Only over the last decade has that perspective become widely challenged.
@Michael Freed oh no, you are a spamer...
Oscar Jordan White people can have one white saviour movie a year as a treat, every other win should be different :D
@Michael Freed maybe "hierarchical system(s) of oppression" could stand in for the word "narrative" when we're talking about real life. Maybe thinking of our history/present as a narrative is a useful, and can empower us to change said narrative. Focusing on individuals is important to inspire empathy, but -- to paraphrase the late, great, reverend doctor Forrest Gump:
systemic problems is
as systemic problems does.
They take the face of aunt Jemima off the syrup and say cuz it's racist. Well whose face is gonna be on there now a white ain't Jemima or maybe she's just light skinned. My ancestors were peasents in the Ukraine and that's the way it is. We all have a past and no one's perfect but destroying crap that's not yours burning and killing is bullshit. And defund forget it. The race issue isn't an issue where I live.
that Spike Lee clip on loop for 2 hours provides a better filmgoing experience than The Help or Green Book
That + when he told reporters at the end of the night that “every time somebody is driving somebody, I lose”
White Savior movies can be acted well, costumed beautifully, shot impressively, and maybe have a great soundtrack (lookin at you, Hidden Figures! That soundtrack is *chefs kiss*). But it is a bad way to talk about racism. It is a bad way to talk about American history, especially regarding the achievements of black Americans.
Claire P why do you include Hidden Figures within the white savior trope?
Kevin Costner. His character isn't based on a real person in Katherine Johnson's life. He's just there to make the audience feel like there was a white guy who also helped. Its not historically accurate and it undercuts Johnson's achievement.
Claire P Thank you. I thought you might be referring to that particular role, but wanted to make sure. As white savior movies go, though, this one is at least centered on the black women, and not the white character. I particularly liked that movie because it also depicted the obstacles and discrimination women suffer in male-dominated professions.
Agreed. And admittedly I still like the movie, partly because the 3 lead actresses are wonderful, I love the soundtrack, and I read the bio it is based on which gives a lot of scope and depth to the viewing experience.
@@cbpd89 Kevin Costner isn't the main character though, and he's still not much of a hero in the film. He's completely ignorant of everything happening until its literally screamed at him, and even then he only does what he needs to solve his own problem, because the segregated toilets are slowing down his work. He doesn't even face any kind of opposition or push back over it, which is a pretty necessary part of any "heroic" story arc. He just finds out its a problem and stops it. It would be like calling LBJ the hero in Selma because he eventually agrees to pass the voting rights act.
The main protagonists/heroes of the story who overcome adversity and save the day are the three black women at the center of it, and the main people who are stopping them are the white characters and their ridiculous rules.
Sidney Is such a hero to me. Love the commentary
Sidney is the name of the TH-cam essayists?
Gabe Logan I think they’re talking about Sidney Poitier
javi Ah thanks. Haven’t finished the video yet. Got interrupted.
Bugs the heck out of me that he kept working with Bill Cosby, though... :-/
blofeld39 I mean.... most of entertainers have. Hell most of the entertainers were associated with with at least somebody from the industry like Bill Cosby or a Harvey Weinstein.
I had a feeling a Be Kind Rewind video was coming today! Its a good feeling!
that clip of spike lee at the end was pitch perfect. another thoughtful, well-researched, inspiring video - thank you so much for your hard work every time!
I think that Sidney Poitier's films in the late 50s and throughout the 60s were meant to provide positive representations of Af-Am men in films. Admittedly, his characters appear possibly too virtuous, even cliché virtuous, possibly beyond a regular person, but is that really the problem that Af-Am audiences had with them? At the time when these films were made, wasn't their point to uplift the image of the Af-Am person in a predominantly white film world?
What I personally like about Sidney Poitier's movies is that he fights against racism but also transcends it through the strength and virtue of his characters. He never resigns himself to the way things are and he always draws the line. The stories allow his character to develop on screen, which is more than any Af-Am actor was able to do at that time. In short, he gave visibility and complexity to his characters, allowing audiences to hopefully think of African Americans differently.
What you are describing is "respectability politics" or the idea that character and behavior can help one "transcend" racism and racial oppression. It puts the onus on the oppressed person to behave their way out of racism. But systematic and even interpersonal racism should not be transcended--they should be systematically dismantled by those who have the power to do so i.e. white people.
Poitier's characters make it seem as though Black people must always handle the vitriol and systematic injustice that comes our way with compassion and grace. And when we don't or can't live up to this impossible standard, the racism that is directed towards us is deserved. Why? Because didn't behave the way we should have. It is still dehumanizing because it doesn't allow for the full spectrum of our humanity to be shown. It doesn't matter how people behave, no one deserves to have their humanity stripped away from them.
@@candygirl20048 thank you for taking the time to write to me. What you explain makes sense and touches on some thoughts I had about why Af-Am audiences may have been critical of Sidney Poitiers' characters.
I agree. To be honest, I was more concerned about the age gap then the color difference. If you grew up in an ethnic family, marrying outside of your culture was not approved. So him being an African American was a non issue.
The only Portier film I've seen was In The Heat of the Night and I was surprised at how much they were willing to portray him as NOT perfect considering all I had heard about it. He's very good at his job, but he still doesn't get everything right, and he doesn't keep his cool at all times. He clearly does get rattled by the racism he faces in the film, and even famously slaps a white plantation owner in the face. He also clearly wants to get out of town at the start as quickly as he can.
SugarfreeCandy but can we not give him the credit he deserves for breaking barriers in the 50s and 60s? Like is that not it’s own achievement for the time period?
I'm South African but I love this channel, I think it's a great resource for film fans to engage with the media we consume
What are you guys movies like?
Just when I was running out of Be Kind Rewind to binge!
Also the Netflix series “They’ve Gotta Have Us” is a 3-episode documentary on this same topic and it is _glorious_ in it’s celebration of black film. It’s a great companion piece to this.
I'm not American. I have read amazing literature by black, Native American, Asian-American and Chicano writers. I wonder that not many of those books (Toni Morrison's novels, for example) are turned into movie scripts to reach a wider audience. The Color Purple is a great book and a deeply moving film. The Help, not really, though the acting by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer was terrific. This video has been really interesting to me as a non-American person interested in these issues.
Wait Olivia deHaviland died? No!
I thought of this content creator when I heard the news....the last actress of the Golden Era, I believe.
same :( i was so happy when she turned 104
@@tati3861 103 actually. She died 25 days prior to turning 104. But still a good run nonetheless.
@@rickardkaufman3988 no, you have it backwards. she turned 104 on July 1st 2020, and died July 26th 2020. you can google it.
@@tati3861 104 years is a lot of years.
If anything THE HELP has taught me one thing: how to make pie 😉
In my case, I learnt to fry chicken :p Other than that, *cringe*. I'm so relieved I watched it after I started reading about racism and how it is portrayed on film.
Without a doubt one of the best channels on TH-cam!. When information is presented this way it actually makes you think.
The Help was one of my favorite movies. And I still really enjoy it. I know it's not necessarily a great depiction of racism, I just like the performances in it. I also think that it is slightly a cut above others of its kind because it at least addresses lack of upward mobility for black people and and it does focus on the black maids telling their stories and perspectives. But again, I know that that doesn't make it an epic anti racist manifesto for the ages lol
Same I still enjoy the movie, people forget that you can like something and still have criticisms of it. You just have to be sure to acknowledge it’s shortcomings, but it shouldn’t negate what is good about it
But the problem isn't so much The Help by itself, its the fact that it blew up in popularity lately and people wanting to educate themselves went to it thinking it was a manifesto for the ages. Sure, it's partly the audience's fault for not digging deep enough for the right informational sources, but it's also not their fault that this incorrect and simplistic movie is so easy to go to. One of the best entertainment sources for antiracist ideology, the netflix documentary 13th, still gets ignored even though it's widely praised and been out since 2016. But The Help, a movie from 2011 that's kind of a come and go blockbuster, got far more attention. That's the issue.
I agree with some of the points, however I find it regressive to think of cinema movies as a medium for education about history, other than how they reflect society during the time of their making, which is helpful and interesting, but ultimately not nearly enough. Rating movies based on their educational level seems as pontless to me as rating science books based on their entertainment value. I believe it was Marc Bloch who said that a historical publication cannot be simultaneously scientifical and pleasurable to read - science and entertainment are two separate cultural entities. I think the main problem is the fact that people choose Hollywood movies over books written by actual historians/sociologists etc. as their source of information on racial history.
The year The Help came out I started a new job where I was going to be manager over a white woman 20 years older than I am. She tried to relate to me by bringing up this movie. I politely tolerated her attempt at conversion (in my mind I was probably thinking "binch, please"). I hadn't seen the movie and did not watch it until it was on video, but yes these movies are definitely made for white audiences. I eventually watched The Help because Ms Davis and Ms Spencer are great actors . I went to Hidden Figures because of the actors once again and to learn a little about the story of these women at NASA (of course do your research to learn the true stories). I have never seen Driving Miss Daisy or more recently The Green Book because these movies have no appeal to me.
And now they are planning a biopic of the Chevalier of St. Georges (a black french composer from the 1700s). I'm cringing and the script probably hasn't been written yet
Another great video! Thank you for suggesting good indie movies to see. As a liberal white woman, I've had the attitude in the past that, yes there is still racism, but at least things have gotten a lot better. The last few years have really opened my eyes to how pervasive and systemic racism still is. We need to face it, understand it, and demand real change!
You are talking in today's buzz words. The best place to start is with the words "That all men are created equal.....". This is suppose to be the foundation of this country. The founders had an ideal. They were not perfect, as no man, or woman is perfect. Martin Luther King believed in this concept. He did make a difference. Study history from as many differing viewpoints, as possible, to understand others. And remember, that many use a movement to further their own ends.
The fact you included that clip of James Edwards in "Home of the Brave" at 3:07 makes this channel legendary. Thank you for tackling this often exhausting and complicated subject matter with intelligence and honesty. Your work is a gift! Thanks so much!
Oh, i thought that was steel helmet
So glad someone caught it!
To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help are movies I both love, but I have to admit the racism portrayed in them is made very easy to digest and does not rouse question or introspection. The racist people are always obviously evil cackling villains, bitchy self-entitled Karens or poor uneducated sneering white men (which also comes with its own set of issues about classism and sexism since the most aggregious racists are portrayed as poor people and women). The primarily white audience can look at them and say "oh, that's not me, I can't possibly be prejudiced or contribute to the unfair treatment of racial minorities. What system of disadvantage?"
As a black filmmaker and movie podcaster called lights camera cocktails I bring this up all the time and I'm happy that other people bring this up too thank you for bringing up white savior movies
Besides the point, but can you do a video celebrating the life and career of Olivia de Havilland similar to your Judy companion guide video?
I think she did a video base on her Oscar winning performance, the rivalry with hers sister, Joan Fontaine, and her relationship with studio especially the law suit against the Warner Brothers.
Ochman Meo Mauricio I love that video! I was thinking more a long the lines of going through her filmography :)
@@meolajackson BKR did a video about Olivia's FIRST Oscar win; her second was for 1949's The Heiress.
Why ask this question on a video about race and Hollywood as opposed to BKR's Olivia de Havilland video? Is there no comment BKR responded to there, for you to tag her and ask this same question?
Also, the video you're asking for would span a 53 year career in various entertainment mediums, not dissect a very short period of Olivia's life and career.
In the mid 60’s my roommate (Caucasian) took her boyfriend (black) to meet her parents. They were very liberal-until she walked through the door with a black man. So “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” Was a part of my roommate’s life.
Girl! It's 12:20AM and I am editing a film project that is due at 9:00AM...and of course I stumble on your video. I cannot not watch the whole thing. I know I'll be rejuvenated and plow through. Thanks for your work.
I'm sure you have a lot of videos already planned in advance, but I'd love to see you do a video on Marie Dressler. She won the fourth ever Best Actress oscar after being blacklisted and to this day she is the third oldest woman to win the award. It's a fascinating story from before the academy had established its rather predictable pattern of choosing who to give acclaim.
I only stumbled upon your channel two days ago. I watched several videos and decided to subscribe. I'm amazed at the effort you put into your work and how you add layers of context. Top notch.
Isn't Disney's Black Panther enough to prove that black people can make billion dollar blockbusters if only they themselves support each other?
Had it won Best Picture, that Oscar would've gone to a WHITE producer, though -- Kevin Feige. Not that Peter Farrelly getting it wasany better, but... :-/
Are you saying that white people did not go and see the movie? The reason why it was so successful, was that it was entertaining without shoving the controversial stuff in your face.
Honestly, thank you for being one of the best voices in this subject (and many other subjects) when it comes to media and films when it comes to race. Would love to see a video from you about Asian Americans and Asians in general in film. Especially, sexuality about the Asian male and female in film /media and how that has trickled down into society in general.
thanks for the comment about setting them in the past. When I watched Selma, I was just dumbfounded and inconsolable because it was set in the early 60's and yet so much of that stuff had been happening again right then - like right when I watched it 2 years ago! And yet I think a lot of privileged white people sit back watching a movie like that and say 'yes, it was so bad - look how awful it was - isn't it so good it's not like that now'. - Although Selma finishes by making it very very clear that this is still happening right now.
She mentions Oscar Micheaux only at the end. He was the prime producer of "race" films, a genre that existed between 1915 and the early 1950s. They were made by and starred African-Americans. Maybe she covers that in another video.
Suggestions for future videos:
1950: Judy Holliday wins for Born Yesterday
1953: Audrey Hepburn wins for Roman Holiday
1958: Susan Hayward wins for I Want to Live!
1989: Jessica Tandy wins for Driving Miss Daisy
1947: Loretta Young wins for The Farmer's Daughter
1928: Janet Gaynor winds for Sunrise, Street Angel, and 7th Heaven
You always make such good videos that lead to meaningful conversations
Thank you yet again for framing this issue so clearly.
Many people found out about the Tulsa massacre because of "The Watchmen" and this is how History is taught here.... SAd.
I feel like it's worth mentioning that 12 Years a slave was directed by a black man, so if you want to support black directors in Hollywood, it's still worth watching!
Damn! I gotta say, this video feels really really slick. I mean, all your videos are so great to watch, I find them so nicely edited and they're always so polished but this one feels elevated. I don't know what it is that's different or new but I like it.
What can you expect from a book based on a lie?
The Maid it was inspired after tried to sue the author for stealing her story and lying! 👏
It makes me so angry the book still went on to be rewarded, she deserved better
I'm happy to see my favorite movie finally being talked about. I watched it first when it came out several years ago.
I'm curious if systemic change has been attempted in areas of the industry besides the mere existence of independent filmmakers. This video points to who gets awards and which films become popular. Are there alternate awards that actually recognize the most potent films of the year? If so, perhaps we can treat such an award show like a joyous celebration instead of the oscars? Perhaps have watch parties where everyone dresses up nice. Make it cool. Further, are there reviewers that specifically bring attention to such films when they are released? Can we rally behind certain youtubers who are able to spotlight the spotlight (among all the spotlights), so to speak? Action.
Diversity hires are now over represented in awards.
Thanks for the referral for 'The Intruder.'
Seeing William Shatner as the villain looks hella intriguing!
Love this!! The root of Hollywood is greed.
Just out of curiosity, why is 'Driving Miss Daisy' considered a 'White Savior' anti racism film?
Because his personality is limited to something to challenge Miss Daisy intellectually and provide her with education, with very little going on outside of things for her to learn from, feel bad about, or save him later. She's the one who learns and has a character arc, and discovers that racism is a problem. He's just there to be the vehicle (no pun intended) for information.
I adore your channel. I'm so glad I stumbled upon these videos and I love the fact that you include resources and links to these films
Great video, as s as always. Have you ever watched Eve’s Bayou from 1997?
New Be Kind Rewind! Time to drop everything.
Very interesting argument regarding the editing & cutting out certain characters to suite a certain audience/region. Disney does it all the time, while still enjoying the opportunity to say: Look how diverse and progressive we are cause we've added this character. Only for the character's lines to be cut out or edited when the movie is screened in China.
Did that actually happen?
Not sure if anyone outside the UK will be able to listen to this BBC radio documentary on the Green Book phenomenon (and narrated by the well known Black British broadcaster Alvin Hall). Such an eye-opener, and could have inspired a far more moving, inspiring and entertaining movie than the one Hollywood offered. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083p88f
I appreciate you voicing as a white woman that black entertainers (actors writers ect. ) are failed to be recognized and often stereotyped. I mainly appreciate this because several black creaters on yt that I watch have been silenced and filtered by yt to where their voices aren't as accessible (or in some cases not at all die to strikes for talking about issues that affect your community)as yours is. I watch true crime and drag videos and here you are. I found your videos recently and have been binging. Its refreshing to not be the only ones who see the problem so thank you
As much as I agree that white savior films are problematic, I think it is also important to show how white people can act when they see injustice and racism. I see too often silence, and people not knowing what the right thing to do when confronting the issue. An example would be in the movie Selma. Reverend James Reeb (my grandfather’s best friend) was beat to death by the KKK for supporting the cause. It was in the movie, but it wasn’t the major theme that the white person saved the day, but that white people were supportive of equal rights and opportunity, and when they saw injustice, they spoke up.
Sure.
But black people triumphing over white supremacy is a much harder burden and issue to tackle. We all want to see more of that. We want that to be the focus because so many POC have their voices silenced/muffled due to others trying to control a narrative. White allies are super helpful. But they shouldn’t be seen as the focus of liberation movements.
I'm white and asking a genuine question because I want to learn:
I completely see and understand the blatant issues with The Help, Driving Miss Daisy and The Blind Side for example, but I don't fully understand what was so bad about "Green Book"?
I didn't really see it as a white savior since both of the main characters end up sort of being each other's saviors and helping each other grow and honestly I think Mahershala Ali's character helped Viggo Mortensen's character more than the other way around
It's because the narrative the movie shows is incorrect. The family of Don Shirley came out and said that almost none of it actually happened and that Shirley didn't need the help or advice that was shown in the movie as he was classically trained and was family oriented.
She didn't have a back story or anything but I thought the character Addie in THE LITTLE FOXES was nicely done considering it was made in 1940-1941.
Yes, she has a stereotypical way of speech, but she's integrated into the main cast of white characters/story in a way when most black characters in film were merely there to drop a line or two and then disappear.
I mean, she's included in the scene with the good guys when they're all sitting together when Birdie is telling her hiccup story. It struck me that most other movies wouldn't of bothered to have her there.
I'm not good at explaining what I mean, but hopefully people get the gist of what I'm talking about.
Also, the 1942 movie IN THIS OUR LIVES has a portrayal of the first educated African American character. Interestingly in both films I've mentioned, Bette Davis is the common theme.
So incredibly smart and insightful: everything you do.
After watching Green Book, I thought that it was an entertaining and a sweet film about friendship between two characters. Mahershala Ali and Viggo gave some noteworthy performances.
The Help was a fun watch as well. Octavia Spencer, Miss Chastain and Viola Davis are great in it..
Superb long overdue analysis. We have a ways to go
Your lessons matter! 😉
Thank you.
And now the trailer on fred hampton's biopic ( ex black panther) with Daniel Kaluuya ( Get out ) has just been droped... and it looks great ! It's called Judas and The Black Messiah.
It is sad that western movie goers know EVERY phase and aspect of the white, male, hetero, sis gender male’s life. Think about it... there’s a movie for every generation of film buff that depicts a young white boy, then a adolescent white boy, then a teen white boy, YA/20’s white man, 30-40 white man etc.... we know everything about white male jobs, relationships, friendships etc in film. It’s so boring to see the world through one lense.
Then watch foreign films bozo.
The 1975 Cuban film "The Other Francisco" ("El otro Francisco"), which starts out adapting a 19th-century Cuban slave novel and ends up reimagining a radical retelling, needs a full-fledged theatrical release here in the U.S. Although 45 years old now, the film still has bite. "The Other Francisco" is written and directed by a black Cuban, Sergio Giral.
Great video, but one thought: If it’s limiting for a white person to direct a movie about black people, is it not also limiting for a white person to make the video about anti-black racism?
I'm with you here. I'm a huge fan of this channel but I find this video curious to say the least. Wouldn't it have been more interesting and helpful and important to have a guest commentator who is Black or to make it a discussion with a Black film historian. I couldn't get past the fact that I was hearing this "expert" opinion from white woman. No matter how much she acknowledges that at the end, throughout she talks about this very important subject as if she was an expert, which is impossible. And i found it curious that she chose to criticize a couple of films (Selma and 12 Years A Slave) that were passion projects for two brilliant Black directors and filled with excellence. Though not set in the present, those films certainly demanded of their audience that they see that Black Lives Matter.
Personally, as a scientists and researcher I love Hidden Figures because it inspires me a lot how the women decide to improve their skills instead of get overtaken by computers. Technology always evolves, nowadays we can think about AI as this kind of a "threat".
However, I don't understand why this movie could be seen as a problematic when speaking about racism - I get your point that talking about history and not about current issues, but other than that? I would like to hear some ideas about that 😊
I recall The Help was strongly supported by Oprah Winfrey and her book club. Because she liked it, or for monetary reasons? Probably a bit of both.
One solution is to watch films from other countries, small films, or those produced outside of the Hollywood system. There's plenty out there, but for whatever reason, unless a film has big stars and spends millions for advertising they don't want to bother. Easier to whine about what "Hollywood" isn't doing, eh? For instance, how many of these have you seen?:
editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-black-movies-21st-century/
Thanks for introducing me to Armchair Auteur
I have a question, I’m honestly curious and being respectful.
Being a POC myself and understanding the importance of BLM and correct representation of racism and how to correctly combat it in the US and the rest of the world, can I still enjoy The Help?
I adore the book and the movie. I see how it can be problematic, the white savior trope is there, but I love the characters too much.
Can I enjoy something knowing it’s problematic?
Once again, one excelent and insightful video (it certainly gave me immense food for thought), I'll always happily take whatever you give and I really, really hate to play the chooser begger but can we have a normal Best Actress Oscar video next time?
Thank you for the commentary and sharing these films.
Yesss this is so true a lot of these movies take place in the south during the civil rights era. Although most of these films are good they only show that time making it feel as if intense racism only existed during that time
Thank you for this video. Growing up outside the US I learned about racism towars Black people through this type of films (I remember LOVING The Help), and through the last couple of years I've had a reckoning with them, but never had the words to really express what was wrong with them. Hopefully, we will see more and more stories told by black voices, and not told by white voices about the white experience with racism.
I am guessing that for all the problems that America seems to have, you still thought it was preferable to where you came from. Also, remember that movies were created, originally, for entertainment and not to change society.
I had never heard of Don Shirley, Katherine Johnson & the other calculators, The Tulsa Massacre, Rosewood Massacre and Juneteenth if it had not been for entertainment. But growing up in a black family with VERY eclectic interest, I knew not to take what I watched on film to heart. Go find the truth. The studios moving the white character into the central narrative was necessary to fund production and boost viewership. Ok. It is a time to move away from that practice. I would've enjoyed Lion more if it was less about Nicole Kidman saving two Indian boys and her depression, more about Dev Patel's character journey to find his birth family. So yes, Green Book misses the mark, but it drove me to find out more about Dr. Shirley. Selman should've been bigger, but the cast choose to speak out out police brutality. ..on someone else's publicity dollar. That will never fly. Getting messages out is important but it also requires an audience to listen.
Very well stated.
what is the clip at 17:11 - 17:20 from??
I felt weird when a southerner had my name, but she was the nicest character which made me feel better.
Eugenia
The year Driving Miss Daisey won the Academy award for best picture , Spike Lees Do the Right Thing wasnt even up for that catagory! What a shame.
Putting the movie narrative in front of the reality reminds me of many favorite director *cough* Spielberg*cough*
I have been terrified of Asian Giant Hornets for years, and I hadn't heard they had entered the US until this video. Fuck 2020.
me, before i’ve even clicked: we know why
What’s the black and white clip of the black soldier from?
When she talked about the lack of upward mobility for black women, I felt that. Wonder if anyone will write that story?
Yoooooo.... I looooove love love love this... very good content. Thank you for always keeping it real and using your privilege to spread knowledge 🙌🏾👏🏾🙌🏾👏🏾
I hadn’t thought about any of this when watching/reading the help. But oooh boy
The Help being one of the top movies watched is an extremely useful glimpse into how willing Americans are to look at themselves and what whites believe non-racism to look like. and why its wholly insufficient. The Help allows one to feel not racist while also solidifying an ultimately white power structure are the norm
I have been waiting...
At least this movie is more progressive than whatever Hollywood is doing nowadays.
spike lee never fails to be both poignant and fucking hilarious at the same time... king shit
I remember being totally disappointed by the Help movie, but I did and still love the book. I wonder if that's due to my own growing (emphasis on growing) understanding, or if the book told its story while also recognizing its white-saviorness and accounting for it correctly.
As a german, i really wish history to be teached and contextualized, not burned and forgotten.
Don't try and hide atrocities. Show and let people learn from them.
I am obviously very relieved there are (nearly) no streets named after high ranked nazis anymore. But it is very, very important we still show Jud Süß and alike to history students when talking about propaganda.
I really wished we would put things (and historic figures) in context more often. We rarely do outside of academic discourse. You can learn so much from history. When i read that Nietzsche cut ties with the Wagner family because of Richards extreme antisemitism (even for the times they lived in), i really wished this was more widespread information.
But what is the right reaction to that information? Do you want people not to listen to Wagner? Is anything learned from that? Or did you rather wish, school would talk about that for a bit when introducing classic music?
Love your content, it is well researched and put together with heart and soul. But to use some contemporary vocabulary - 'canceling' things is not really a way to stop them reappearing them in the future.
Addendum
I totally agree there are many movies that depict subjects like race in america very poorly. And yet i prefere them existing to a (theoretical) banning or limitation to them. We can talk about them, show their problems. Just as you do in your videos, very eloquently. Learn from them.
I think in a perfect world, your clip would be shown just in front of every screening of the Help from now on.
That would be far better than a world where no bad movie is allowed to be made. And what regulations would that entice? What if only people of a certain spectrum were allowed to depict that spectrum? I know this is an extreme example used by people not really interested in a change for the better. But i really fear cancelling and overregulation could end in segregation in multiple areas. I want art. Bad and good. I want errors and mistakes and i want people discussing and learning from it.
And i never want history to be forgotten.
If you read this and think: Wait a moment. Some movies about history try to rewrite history (like the good slave-master trope), you are absolutely right. That is where we need to contextualize. Time and time again. Maybe, hopefully in twenty years many things we accept as given today will be overcome. And then we can talk about that. Just as we do today, when talking about antisemitism or racial issues.
Sorry, i am rambling on. Should never do that in a foreign language. But your stuff is awesome, as alyways, and i can't stop thinking about it.
The last of the Mohicans needs to be addressed. The white savior trope needs to be addressed for often.
Why? Just don't read the book , or watch the movie.
I love the fact that I’m watching this video by an acknowledging classic movie lover, that perfectly understands what is going on in the modern world
your videos are so necessary! keep up the good work
“It would be better to offend no one” what I love about this quote is, who is “nobody” in this context? Well, Black Americans of course. Just another subtle way that minorities are dehumanized Every. Damn. Day. (This isn’t a call out of BKR btw, just an observation of how our language influences our view of several concepts, including, race, class, etc).
I don't get people in other countries feeling bad they didn't know about US black history. We get taught our own history wrong, in A LOT of different ways, and you expect our schools to teach us some other country's history? Are you guys for real? Yes, things need to change. And one of the things that need to change is making the US the epicenter of everything. Get to know your own black people's history. What about that?
Sen. John Lewis & Amandla Stenberg (star of The Hate U Give, a coming-of-age Story about police brutality), introducing the clip of Green Book at the Oscars is one of the most tone deaf things I’ve seen at the ceremony