That we come away from the movie more enamoured with its positives is thanks to the excellent performances put in by the cast, led of course by Academy Award-winner Whitaker, whose dignified, layered take on the lead character is absolutely engaging. The Butler understands both guilt and denial, and while the African Americans in the crowd know their history, the majority try to marginalize it, resulting is shock when confronted with it. "The Butler" - "Facharbeit" by Milena Stolz Content Important characters Cecil Gaines Louis Gaines general information "Facharbeit" film analysis --> focusing on characters and relationships based on film techniques conclusion Cecil Gaines grows up in a plantation in Georgia one TWO - In the film version, the butler's son serves in Vietnam and gets killed there. Forest Whitaker delivers a commanding performance as Cecil Gaines -- the fictional character loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, who grew up on a plantation and became a butler at the White House, where he served eight consecutive presidents. Good Help is Hard to Find. The Toughest Scene I Wrote: The Butler. About 250,000 people traveled to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate their support for civil rights legislation before Congress. Tap to unmute. 5: Cross Cutting- the camera cuts between different stages of Cecil's butler training, to suggest the simultaneity of these actions such as shoe shining, bar tending, and waitering. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The movie begins with Cecil Gaines working on a plantation in 1926 with his father and mother. September 24, 1957 October 1973 March 4,1961 Lyndon B. Johnson(1963-1967) Dwight D. Eisenhower(1957-1961) 1937 Civil Because this is not the Eugene Allen story. Long after you’ve forgotten the preachier moments, these moments burrow in your mind, telling you just how important a film like The Butler is. The Butler - The Freedom Bus [Özgürlük Otobüsü] Watch later. As such, we see the key events of this period unfold alongside Cecil’s journey. “The Butler” is one in a series of recent movies in that genre. Where the film falters, though, is in portraying the complexities of the civil rights movement and the political maneouvring surrounding it. Cecil Gaines witnesses the death of his father at the hands of the plantation owner, who also served as their boss, and he also witnesses his mother’s mental displacement from reality after she is raped by the same man who killed Cecil’s father. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Presenting each President only from the perspective of their attitude toward civil rights, we also find Louis present in virtually every significant moment of the civil rights movement. As a woman of colour struggling to balance her role as mother and wife while also dealing with her own demons, Winfrey is not only captivating, but also does a great job of putting a face to the everyday struggles of the African-American community of that time. Yes, butler is a recurrent character in classic Hollywood movies, and very often quite a memorable character or even a significant one. Get updates on your favorite shows, the latest from Oprah's world and more! No matter to the makers of this film. What are some of the best scenes Black Butler has to offer? ’s Danny Strong on Tackling Ronald Reagan. Summaries. Copy link. And for all the movie’s flaws, Daniels is a genius at creating powerful cinematic moments, and in The Butler, there is no shortage of these. This becomes the main point of contention between Cecil and his eldest son, Louis (David Oyelewo), as the latter is ashamed of his father’s servitude, believing instead that it is every African-American’s duty to stand up for their rights. Despite its preachy undertones, excellent performances and powerful scenes help to tell an important story. Whatever unfolds around him in the White House – and as the movie shows, he is privy to some monumental moments – he continues to do just what he is trained to do: serve. Admittedly, covering 30 years of history is a tall order for any movie, but in The Butler, it sometimes feels like key moments are being checked off a list: here are the Freedom Rides, here’s Martin Luther King Jr, here are the Black Panthers, and so on. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The Butler (2013) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The Butler tells an important story; one that is crucial to the tapestry of black and American history. Character Analysis of Louis Louis is brave, caring, gentle, intelligent, a fighter, and independent Character Analysis for Louis He fights for what he believes in by doing peaceful marches and running for state senator. Lee Daniels' The Butler. I don't usually do movies here, but I was surprised at how sad it was. Directed by Lee Daniels. Get more inspiration like this delivered to your inbox, Oprah's Personal Photographer Shares Behind-the-Scenes Shots, 5 Songs on Ruben Studdard's Personal Playlist. L ee Daniels’ The Butler, which opens Friday, is loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, a butler at the White House … The Butler (full title Lee Daniels' The Butler) is a 2013 American historical drama film directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels and with a screenplay by Danny Strong. Ciel’s laughter These quotes show the trajectories of the characters' stories throughout the film, explore the emotional landscape of their respective journeys … The real revelation, however, is Oprah Winfrey’s fantastic performance as Cecil’s wife Gloria. The more I watched the more I realized this movie was a good movie but far removed… This dualism, the idea of two identities, is the driving force of the story’s message, so much so that it often feels like the movie itself has two faces: one, a powerful, often gut-wrenching examination of America’s civil rights movement, and the other, a didactic and rather over-wrought movie that seems to have bitten off more than it can chew. The Butler (2013) - JFK Assassination scene - YouTube. What looks like passive obliviousness is just a black man playing one of the only roles that granted him upward mobility in the 20th Century, the unquestioning servant. Compiled by Prasanna Ranganathan for OWNers, Sign up for the oprah.com live your best life newsletter, Get more stories like this delivered to your inbox. 9 Small Financial Steps That Will Pay Off Big in the Future. In fact, it is in these smaller, more personal moments that the movie excels, as it paints a picture of America’s turbulent history through realistic people and stories. ... shown as both a hero for passing the most important civil rights ... while Reagan is given many likable moments behind the scenes. August 28, 1963. The Butler - The Freedom Bus [Özgürlük Otobüsü] - YouTube. NEVER HAPPENED. Black Butler is one of the most popular animes out there, and for good reason. It is inspired by Wil Haygood's Washington Post article "A Butler Well Served by This Election".. August 16, 2013 5:49 AM EDT. His mother is raped by the white plantation owner and the father is shot dead immediately following. Him and his dad end up forgiving each other. 15. With Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda. ( Log Out / Info. The Butler (2013) - JFK Assassination scene. Parents need to know that Lee Daniels' The Butler is a sweeping look at the history of African-American life in the United States, as witnessed by a black butler (Forest Whitaker) who spent three decades working in the White House.Since the movie chronicles the history of the civil rights movement, there are many scenes that portray hate crimes -- like two lynched men hanging from a tree … It's not just about him. ( Log Out / Forest Whitaker is seen alongside co-stars James Marsden and many more in these scenes from the upcoming biopic, in theaters August 16th. Watch later. OPRAH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF HARPO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2021 HARPO PRODUCTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Butler Timeline February26,1962 1969 to 1974 April 30, 1970 Eisenhower orders federal troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to end the school desegregation crisis. 5 Clips from Lee Daniels' The Butler. CECIL Gaines, the titular butler of the movie, is taught early in his career that as an African-American working as domestic help, he needs to cultivate “two faces”: his real self, and the one he shows the white people he serves. Share. As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society. The Butler, 2013. Having spent his childhood in a cotton farm in Georgia, where he witnesses his father being shot, Cecil has indeed perfected his two faces, and it is what makes him so good at his job. ( Log Out / Sound The final Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. THREE - The real life butler never had a second son at all, let alone one who was a Black Panther as depicted in the film. These cross cuts help characterize this overwhelming, busy, and important period of development of Cecil's life. As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events … The film is an important reminder that there are many different ways to play a significant part in achieving that dream. Loosely based on the real-life story of an African-American butler who served in the White House, The Butler tells the story of Cecil (Forest Whitaker), who works for eight different American presidents (from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan) over the course of three decades, a period that coincides with the beginning and evolution of the nation’s civil rights movement. -The Butler: A Witness to History "It's important to understand," says Danny Strong, who penned The Butler script, "there's a reason why the character's name is Cecil Gaines. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It’s not surprising that some broad creative license was taken with Allen’s life. Diving into the world of cinema, one review at a time. Cecil is then trained to be a houseman, eventually running away and learning how to become a butler. Add to this the electric chemistry he shares with Oyelewo, and the fine work by actors like Cuba Gooding Jr and Lenny Kravitz (both as Cecil’s fellow butlers), and already you have a film worth catching. By Kyle Buchanan. Here is a lost of such films -- those that I watched and recalled. Although the real life butler's son did serve in Vietnam, he is alive and well today. 10 Memorable Quotes from. Lee Daniels' The Butler is a historical drama film depicting the life of Cecil Gaines, an African-American who served as a White House butler under eight presidents. The Forrest Whitaker movie, The Butler was on Showtime the last night and I taped it and watched it in two parts today. But to really pay homage to black history, a cultural memory is required on our part. Working from the true story of Eugene Allen's rise from field hand to longstanding White House butler, Daniels and screenwriter Danny Strong attempt to "Forrest Gump" African-American history. The leaders of the major civil rights organizations led a nonviolent march from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. ( Log Out / Change ), This entry was posted on Saturday, September 28th, 2013 at 11:06 am and tagged with. The Butler, based on the story of long-time White House butler Eugene Allen, hits theaters Friday. The civil rights movement takes the film from the Presidency of Dwight Eisenhower (Robin Williams) to Ronald Reagan (Alan Rickman). Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. There’s an incredible amount of funny, meaningful, or just generally great scenes in this series. Shopping. Despite its preachy undertones, excellent performances and powerful scenes help to tell an important story. WTOP Film Critic Jason Fraley reviews Lee Daniels "The Butler." CECIL Gaines, the titular butler of the movie, is taught early in his career that as an African-American working as domestic help, he needs to cultivate “two faces”: his real self, and the one he shows the white people he serves. It's a funny thing -- I watched an old movie the other day, a "whodunit," and there the butler was the killer -- … Take, for instance, the way he juxtaposes Cecil serving a formal dinner in the White House while his son is manhandled during a sit-in at a diner, or a short but potent speech King makes to Louis about the pride he should feel in his father, or even Cecil’s reaction when he hears of Kennedy’s assasination. Here’s my list of what I think are some of the best moments to rewatch. These quotes show the trajectories of the characters' stories throughout the film, explore the emotional landscape of their respective journeys and articulate the historical context of the film. Version, the latest from Oprah 's world and more Out / Change ), You are using. End up forgiving each other Cecil ’ s journey Washington Post article `` a Butler Well Served by Election. 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