Section C: US Film

Robert Mulligan, 1962 Joel Schumacher, 1996

What makes the films similar?
Canton,
Mississippi
Maycomb,
Alabama
‘white supremacist
doctrine of southern
culture’
‘Ulrich Phillips define race as “the
central theme of southern history”’**
‘the centrality of race in southern culture
testifies to the profound influence of race
on southern identity…’
‘…the legacy of
institutionalized racism, first
in the form of slavery, then in
that of segregation, confers
to race a specific dimension
that cannot be ignored’
‘white lawyer as a
liberal hero’
Three genres ‘courtroom
drama, race movie,
southern film’
racial violence [constructed]
to link their criminality to
‘an inherent characteristic of
class rather than race’**
Confederate flag – a symbol of the
South’s separation from the North
and historic reluctance to abolish
slavery – in essence a symbol of
racism
All quotes taken from ‘Burning Mississippi: Race, Fatherhood and the South in A Time To Kill (1996) – by Helene Charlery

Key Themes
• Racism/ Racial Intolerance/ Racial Inequality
(Bigotry)
• Justice and the Law
• Perspective (Being in someone else’s shoes)
• Moral Courage/ Bravery
• Ethics (knowing right from wrong)

Racism/ Racial Intolerance/
Racial Inequality (Bigotry)
• Intolerance
• a. Unwilling to tolerate differences in opinions, practices, or beliefs,
especially religious beliefs.
• b. Opposed to the inclusion or participation of those different from
oneself, especially those of a different racial, ethnic, or social background.
• Tolerance
• The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs
or practices of others
• Bigotry
• The attitude, state of mind, or behaviour characteristic of a bigot;
intolerance.
• Bigot
• One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics
and is intolerant of those who differ.

• Black vs. White
• This film is not about whether a father should
kill his daughters’ rapists. It is about whether a
black man should ever be allowed to kill a
white man, under any circumstances. The
issue is not murder but bigotry, and it is
compounded by the fact that America is
primarily a white country.

• Black vs. White
• From the outset of the film the audience are
provided with sequences of film that make it
clear that even though the film is set within a
progressive time period Canton is a town that
still holds on to the ideas of the past.

• The music at the start of the film links in with
connotations of the Deep South this is further
compounded when we see Billy Ray Cobb and
Pete Willard (James Louis "Pete" Willard)
driving the pickup truck with the confederate
flag hanging in side – a perfect picture of
stereotypical rednecks

• Their confrontation with the black shop keeper signals
the racial divide in Canton – they talk down to him in
derogatory terms and the use of racial epithets. The
setting (mise-en-scene) of the black owned store also
represents the economic deprivation of the area but
the fact that Billy and Pete are shopping there shows
that they too are of a low social standing.

• This setting is in stark contrast to when we first meet
Jake and we are presented with an immaculate almost
historical looking house with a white picket fence and
his friend (Harry Rex) who comes to pick him up in a
convertible car. – Racial inequality is signalled through
the representation of ‘haves’ and ‘have not’
(economically)

• A sense of time moving on is signalled through the
presence of a black sheriff, who was voted in in a town
where the majority vote is white. But tensions are still
shown when Sheriff Ozzie Walls arrests Billy and Pete.
Words are exchanged such ‘nigger’ and ‘red neck’.
Walls arrests them in a bar that is clearly ‘white’ and
racist – confederate flag seen again.

• We are made aware that there is still racial
segregation in the town – because when
Sheriff Walls fetches Cobb and Willard from
the jail he says ‘if I get any trouble out of any
of you I’m going to integrate this jail’

• In the town racism is
signalled though the
fact that both Jake and
Buckley know that for
there to be a fair trial
there needs to be
change of venue.
• Buckley and his team - discuss that Jake will
file for a change of venue ‘he’d be a fool if he
didn’t’. If the trial stays in Clanton it will be an
all-white jury for sure – meaning no sympathy
vote and more chance of prejudice.
Institutionalised
racism

• No change of venue meant that Carl wasn’t
trialled by a jury of his peers. Buckley -
‘Without blacks on the jury Hailey hasn’t got a
chance in hell.’ Jakes application for
change of venue is thwarted at every chance.
They have their own racial prejudice
and the majority believe Hailey to be
guilty before the trial has even begun

• ‘Mr Brigance let me be frank, Mr Hailey’s case has far reaching
implications, Carl Lee’s acquittal for the killings of two white men
will do for the black people of Mississippi than any even since we
integrated the schools. His conviction on the other hand will be a
slap at us a symbol of deep seated racism perhaps enough to ignite
nation. See how important this case is?’
‘We raised that money for
these men to get you out of
here not for this cracker…’
NAACP

• Carl Lee Hailey found not guilty, this verdict cannot be
explained away by just stating that if shows the
progressive ideologies of the South because it doesn’t.
He was found not guilty because Jake got the jury to
imagine that Tonya was white – so in essence to forget
Hailey was black and in fact one of them – bigotry is
never taken out of the equation.
‘justice is and
will be colour
blind’
Jake Brigance

Black women took
jobs as live in
domestics
Bob and Mayella
Ewell – ‘rednecks’
The film is set in Alabama, in the Deep
South of America. Here racial intolerance is
woven into the fabric of society. This racial
intolerance and inequality permeates the
infrastructure of the legal system and is
institutionalised.
Bigotry is communicated as the key
narrative catalyst
Tom Robinson
INNOCENT
Atticus Finch
THE MORAL
COMPASS
His
summation
is keySegregation -
Courthouse

• During the Depression era, blacks were still highly
subjugated members of society. Blacks were not permitted
to commingle with whites in public setting. This is
exemplified in the courthouse, physical separation of races
and in the clearly distinct black and white areas of town.
Moreover, things like intermarriage were almost unheard
of, and sorely looked down upon.
Jem, Scout and Dill
Black
White

• Bob Ewell refers to Tom as a nigger when talking to Atticus “Captain I’m
real sorry they picked you to defend that nigger that raped my Mayella. I
don’t know why I didn’t kill him myself instead of going to the sheriff…” –
(the use of the word conjures up an atmosphere of hatred).
• Atticus makes it clear that he intends to defend Tom Robinson – Atticus
doesn’t seem to have time or patience for Ewell.
• Atticus ‘I’ve been appointed to defend Tom Robinson now that he has
been charged that what I intend to do’
• Clear class divide between Bob and Atticus
Ewell calls Atticus a
‘nigger lover’

• Scout: “Atticus do you
defend niggers?”
• Atticus: “Don’t say nigger
Scout”
• Scout: “I didn’t say it
Cecil Jacobs did, that’s
why I had to fight him”
• Atticus explains that he is defending a Negro, Tom Robinson, and
that Scout isn’t old enough to understand the situation, and
people are saying that he shouldn’t defend Tom. Scout wants to
know why he is defending Tom. Atticus says he wouldn’t be able
to hold his head up in town if he didn’t. He says that he couldn’t
tell her and Jem not to do something again – he lives his life in a
virtuous way to be an example to his children. He is the moral
compass of the town and for his family.

• “…She tempted a Negro. She
was white, and she tempted a
Negro. She did something
that, in our society, is
unspeakable. She kissed a black
man. Not an old uncle, but a
strong, young Negro man…”
• “She is the victim of cruel poverty
and ignorance. But my pity. does not
extend so far as to her putting a
man's life at stake, which she has
done in an effort to get rid of her own
guilt. Now I say "guilt,"
gentlemen, because it was guilt that
motivated her. She's committed no
crime. She has merely broken a rigid
and time-honoured code of our
society...”
Atticus’ summation is
key, because it spells out
to us, in no uncertain
terms the bigotry behind
the Ewell’s falsified
claims
She crossed the colour line

• “The witnesses for the State, with the exception of
the sheriff of Maycomb County have presented
themselves to you gentlemen, to this court in the
cynical confidence that their testimony would not
be doubted. Confident that you gentlemen would
go along with them on the assumption the evil
assumption that all Negroes lie, all Negroes are
basically immoral beings, all Negro men are not to
be trusted around our women. An assumption that
one associates with minds of their caliber…”
Atticus’ summation is
key, because it spells out
to us, in no uncertain
terms the bigotry behind
the Ewell’s falsified
claims

WHAT IS THE KEY LINK BETWEEN THE
TWO FILMS?
• Key link between the two films is
that they are both set in the Deep
South of America, in neighbouring
states Alabama and Mississippi.
Race is a ‘central theme of
southern history’ (historian Ulrich
Phillips) and is key to the link
between these two films but the
time difference allows us to
approach a discussion of whether
the messages and values have
changed. In the South… the legacy
of institutionalized racism, first in
the form of slavery, then in that of
segregation, confers to race
specific dimension [in both films]
that cannot be ignored . (Helene
Charlery)

Justice and the Law
How do these characters
represent the theme of
Justice and the Law?
Atticus Finch
Mayella & Bob Ewell
Boo Radley
Tom Robinson
Sheriff
Heck Tate
Ellen Roark
D.A. Rufus Buckley
Freddie Lee Cobb
Jake Brigance
Carl Lee Hailey
Sheriff
Ozzie Walls
Deputy Willie
Hastings
The Jury

Justice* and the
Law
Ellen Roark
D.A. Rufus Buckley
Jake Brigance- Takes the law into his own hands
- Joins the KKK – reign terror on Jake
and his family and Ethel
- ’10 years ago that nigger would be
hanging by the end of a rope with is
balls in his mouth, you tell me what’s
wrong with this country?’
You can win this case and
justice will prevail, but lose
and justice will also prevail,
now that’s a strange case
- Buckley ‘Without black on the jury Hailey hasn’t
got a chance in hell’
- Application for change of venue stopped at
every chance
- A contest of strategies more important than
unbiased presentation of evidence
- Jury selection
- Jake ‘justice is and will be colour blind’ – IRONY
- Refer to Jake’s summation – key lines would be
relevant to this theme
The film unsettles the
audience in tis depiction
of the ‘justice’ system at
work, spectators are
encouraged to question
what is justice?
- Takes the law into his own hands – but
this seems to be justified* through the
way the film uses the theme of
perspective and the use of film language
(the construction of the shooting and
the flag outside the court house)
- As he shoots music soundtrack gospel
song ‘Take my hand precious Lord’
Freddie Lee Cobb
- Tries to get evidence under false
pretences and then breaks and
enters to get it
Carl Lee Hailey
*JUSTIFIED
defensible, right, acceptable, correct, reasonable, warranted, necessary
*JUSTICE
Fairness, impartiality, honesty, integrity
No character expresses faith
in the justice system
Racism at the root of corruption

Justice and the Law
Atticus Finch
Boo Radley
Tom Robinson
Sheriff
Heck Tate
The film presents a judicial system that doesn’t
practice what it preaches
- Idealistically believe in the American
justice system and that justice will
prevail
- He believes strongly that despite social
inequalities, all men are equal in the
courtroom – compare with Jake
- Refer to Atticus’ summation – key lines
would be relevant to this theme
- Boo is never arrested for
the murder of Bob Ewell –
how is this justified?
- Is he corrupt for not
arresting Boo?
- Injustices of a racist judicial
system saw Tom go to jail
and believe the Ewell
falsified evidence
The blue jay is a very common bird, and
is often perceived as a bully and a pest,
whereas mockingbirds do nothing but
"sing their hearts out for us".
Metaphorically, several of the book's
(movie’s) characters can be seen as
"mockingbirds", attacked despite doing
nothing but good. The mockingbird
represents innocence, and to kill one is
to metaphorically kill innocence. Note
that several of the main protagonists are
named after birds: Scout, Jem, Atticus
Finch, and Tom Robinson.
Mayella & Bob Ewell

Moral Courage/ Bravery
• The majority of the themes encourage the
audience to question their beliefs and
judgement of what is right and wrong.
• With the theme of Moral courage/ bravery we
question which characters truly are brave?

• We see Carl entering the
courthouse and finding a
place to hide
• Birds eye shot is used to show
him walking across the
painting on the floor – an
eagle, the US flag and the
motto of Mississippi "Virtute
et Armis“
• Zoom out from dead Cobb and
Willard to birds eye shot to
view the painting on the floor
again (2)

• This Mississippi state motto is a Latin motto and
in English it means “By Valor and Arms”. "Valor"
may be interpreted as 'courage' and the intended
meaning of "arms" may be 'strength'.
Interestingly, the Mississippi motto may have its
roots and inspiration from another motto with a
subtle, but somewhat different message. This
motto created by Lord Gray De Wilton: "Virtute
Non Armis Fido" (I trust in virtue not arms).
• How does the mise-en-scene work to justify
Carl’s actions?
VIRTUE: Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness.

• Jake at home with family – sitting down to watch him
on TV – he says on news report ‘justice is and will be
colour blind’
• Threats via phone made to Jake ‘Brigance you nigger
lovin’ son of a bitch, you won’t live if the nigger walks’
(3)
• Jake talking to news reporters seen on Cobbs TV – he
says that he wants to show that people in the south
can see past colour
• Jake: ‘Some folks think that a black man cannot receive
a fair trial in the South, …look past colour and see the
truth’. (4)

Jake speaks with his in-laws they are
concerned – after a church service, reporters
are outside, says he will speak with them, his
wife says it’s not the time, he goes anyway.
Clearly she is concerned about how caught up
her husband is getting with the case. Also Jake
says that their number has been changed to
an unlisted number – due to threat they have
been getting. (4)
Rex: ‘Your marriage is on the
rocks, you’re about to have an
affair, your career is in ruins if your
luck and if not your dead, don’t get
me wrong me friend what you put
into this case you even inspired
me, and I’m uninspriable, do everyone
a favour though, drop the case.’
Jake: ‘… I quit now and all of this is for
nothing.’ (7)

• Wife: ‘About what? That you weren’t home when some
practically burned our house down? That you missed
supper and didn’t bother to call? Or that lately you
have become much more interested in getting g your
face on the news than what’s going with your family?
Or that Hannah comes home bawling because of other
kids calling her nigger lover? What exactly are you
sorry about Jake?!’ (4)
• Jake’s wife’s out burst encourages the audience to
question if Jake really is brave or just guilty?
• – ‘…it’s not just Carl Lee I’m trying to get off’ (6)

• Jake visits Judge Noose at home, (the old
south still apparent e.g. domestic house
workers are black)
• Judge has denied the motion to change venue
and has covered all bases so that Jake can’t
appeal, he alludes to the fact that if Jake
carries on with this case he will be throwing
his career away (5)

• Atticus takes on Tom’s case even though he knows the town will be
against him (Herculean task - requires tremendous effort, strength)
Atticus is brave to defend a black man in the face of criticism and
threats of violence
• when facing the mob of men outside the jailhouse.
• Atticus doesn’t react to Bob Ewell, to Atticus withholding violence is
one of the highest forms of bravery.
• Bob Ewell represents the greatest cowardice, as he both lies in the
courtroom to protect himself and resorts to attacking children in the
darkness in order to make himself feel more of a man.
• Maudie’s comment on Atticus “There’s some me in this world who are
born to do our unpleasant jobs for us, your father’s one of them”
• Atticus struggles on with case because he believes that one day good
will prevail over the evils of racism and racial equality will exist
(summation)
Apart from Atticus who else shows moral
courage/ bravery?

DO THEY HAVE SIMILAR MESSAGES
AND VALUES?
The themes can be said to be a
conduit for the communication
of the messages and values of
the films. The themes that can
be said to be shared by both
film are:
• Bigotry, which can be said to
cover racism, racial
intolerance and racial
inequality,
• Justice and the law,
• Perspective
• Moral courage/Bravery
• Ethics.

DO THEY HAVE
SIMILAR MESSAGES
AND VALUES?
Messages and values are communicated
through the use of themes. The themes
are used as part of the films constructions
to provide a wider commentary on society
in general this is usually linked to
contextual issues and reflects issues
during the period of time the film was
made.
MESSAGE = Lesson/ moral
VALUE = Principle
These films are saying something about
wider society – specifically American
society
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW:
• What are the themes of the films?
• How are they communicated?
(compare)
• What messages and values are being
communicated
• What commentary is this providing
about American society?

DO THESE MESSAGES AND VALUES
REFLECT THE TIMES THE FILMS WERE
MADE?
• To Kill a Mockingbird –
1962
• A Time to Kill – 1996
• What was happening at
these times?

ROBERT MULLIGAN, 1962
Set in the
1930s made
in 1962
What is
happening in
1962 that
would reflect
the messages
and values of
the film?
The Civil
Rights
Movement
(1955 – 1968)
The Civil Rights Movement
was characterised by major
campaigns of civil resistance
serving the purpose to
outlaw racial discrimination
and freedom from
oppression by white
Americans
During the Civil Rights
Movement tens of
thousands of people
of all races risked not
just their standing in
the community, but
also their lives, in the
hope of building a
coalition for racial
equality.
This ideology of the Civil Rights Movement can
be said to be reflected in the messages and
values of To Kill a Mocking Bird the film has
been described as a progressive, enlightened
60s message about racial prejudice, violence,
moral tolerance and dignified courage
1. How are the messages and
values communicated in
the film?
2. Provide textual examples
of how the film reflects
messages and values of
the early 1960s? (themes!)

JOEL SCHUMACHER, 1996 Set in the
1995 made
in 1996
What is happening
in the 1990s that
would reflect the
messages and
values of the film?
released four years after an all-white jury acquitted
the four LAPD police officers who assaulted the
black driver Rodney King in 1992 [which lead to the
Los Angeles riots], and two years after a mostly
black jury found O.J. Simpson not guilty of the
charges pressed against him during his criminal trial
in 1994, while a mostly white jury found him guilty
during the civil trial.
Since January 1995, more
than 100 churches have
been burned. The burnings
were predominately in black
congregations. . “the church
burnings were symptomatic
of the larger racial problem
in America”
Race relations are prevalent in
1996, and the film portrays the
injustices that are happening in
the community of Alabama. The
rural areas seem to hold the most
extreme amount of racial tension.
Rural areas contain a great deal of
joblessness and lack of economic
opportunity. It seems that
economic hardship exacerbates
racial tensions in many areas.
There are also studies going on about how the
judicial system is controlled by affluent white people
who are not willing to treat African American people
fairly. The judicial system is being called “the new
enslavement of coloured people.”
In 1963, Martin Luther King described Mississippi as “a
desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and
oppression.” The sobering question suggested by the film
is how much has Mississippi really changed?
1. How are the messages and
values communicated in the
film?
2. Provide textual examples of
how the film reflects
messages and values of the
1990s? (themes!)
The key is to think about what parts
of the film reflect the reality of what
was going on at the time

EXAM QUESTION
With reference to your chosen
American films, compare the extent
to which their messages and values
reflect the times in which they were
made
All knowledge applied to specific questions can be interchangeable and in applicable to all

EXAM QUESTION
How far do your chosen
American films portray
themes and ideas in
similar ways?

How far do your chosen American films
portray themes and ideas in similar ways?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST HOW KEY
THEMES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED IN
TKAM & ATTK
• WRITING REVISION NOTES
• For the ‘how’ think about is it through…
- The story/ narrative?
- The use of characters?
- Film language?
- a combination of the above?
• What messages/ morals are being communicated through
the use of that theme?
• To what extent is the message communicated in the same
way across the two films?
• Does the context (time period) make a difference to how
each film communicates it’s theme?

Section C: US Film

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Section C: US Film

Editor's Notes