Meet Me in St. Louis & Raging Bull :: essays research papers

The 1940s were a time when most were funding with the effects of war every day. Whether it be stomaching the violence of war or trying to deal with the absence of male family members in the family unit, every star was shaken by World War II. Therefore it is easygoing to see how a characterization such as take on Me in St. Louis was born. It takes us back to a time that is associated with whole more or less family values and a world with less major problems before war had directly affected Americans of modern multiplication. A photographic film of a different nature, Raging Bull, takes place in these violent times displaying to us not what the people of the 1940s longed for, rather showing some of what society lived with back then. These two movies seem as different as night and day when viewed together, yet they simply show different sides of the spectrum of the homogeneous themes. The source that led to the desire to produce such movies is one and the same, violence.Althoug h I am yet to write out serious effects of war, I know what it is like to want to escape from something and to find that escape in reflection a movie. For many people in the 1940s watching Meet Me in St. Louis was theyre escape from violence in society at that time. It makes perfect sense that a movie in which the biggest conflict is whether or not a family leaves their home together would be a victory in a time when family unity was not as easy to come by. Vincente Minnelli directed it and provided the audience with singing and dancing, themes of love and romance, and overall a great deal of good values. His film represents the importance of family and relationship and he is able to show us this very well on screen.Mise-en-scene was one method Minnelli used in displaying this sense of family unity and value. It is apparent in scenes of family interaction, whether it is conversation in the kitchen, celebrating holidays together, or sharing a family dinner together at the table. B ehavior in this movie revolves around being winning considerate family members no matter what the action. Any smiles or excitement not motivated by direction were utilized and helped keep with the movies themes. When Mr. Smith brings rough the conflict of the family having to move despite their wish to stay, almost immediately the family members dismantle and leave him to himself.