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

The 1940s were a time when nearly were living with the effects of fight 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 unmatchable was jolted by World War II. Therefore it is easy to see how a movie such as Meet Me in St. Louis was born. It takes us derriere to a time that is associated with wholesome family values and a world with little major problems before war had directly affected Americans of modern times. A film of a dissimilar nature, Raging Bull, takes place in these wild times displaying to us not what the people of the 1940s longed for, rather viewing some of what party lived with back then. These two movies seem as unlike as night and day when viewed together, yet they simply show different sides of the spectrum of the same themes. The source that led to the desire to produce such movies is one and the same, violence.Although I am yet to know serious effects of war, I kno w what it is like to want to escape from something and to find that escape in ceremonial occasion 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 encroach is whether or not a family leaves their home together would be a success 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 birth 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 discernible in scenes of family interaction, whether it is conversation in the kitchen, celebrating holidays together, or sharing a family dinner party together at the table. Behavior in this movie revolves around c osmos loving considerate family members no matter what the action. Any smiles or rubor not motivated by direction were utilized and helped keep with the movies themes. When Mr. smith brings about the conflict of the family having to move despite their wish to stay, almost right away the family members disperse and leave him to himself.