Bruce says: “Like
other films about outsiders in the world of cinema – such as HOLLYWOOD
CHINESE and THE CELLULOID CLOSET – CINEMABILITY easily makes its
disparate points. Each film shows its subject as a victim of mass
discrimination. And each illustrates how the power of film, the visual
image, can transform attitudes in Western culture. CINEMABILITY is
loaded with film references. Fortunately few are obscure; the balance
is well lodged in the collective memory of those who share even a mild
interest in film.
“First CINEMABILITY deals with stereotype and stigma. Early films
featured disabled characters as one -dimensional: (i) beggars, (ii)
sweet innocents, (iii) obsessive avengers. If the characters were
essentially good, they would be cured; if bad, they would be killed
off. Howard Russell in THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES was made to
appear helpless and less of a man than his full-bodied counterpart.
Other films used to illustrate these points included THE HUNCHBACK OF
NOTRE DAME (Charles Laughton, 1939); JOHNNY BELINDA (Jane Wyman, 1948);
WEST OF ZANZIBAR (Lon Chaney, 1928); and THE MEN (Brando, 1950).
“Although the general rule of Hollywood is to stick to the tried and
true and give the public more of what they’ve already seen, things
began to slowly change in the post-Viet Nam era. Shortly before that,
films like THE MIRACLE WORKER (1962), WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967) and THE
HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER (1968) began to popularize the concept of
dealing more realistically with disability on the screen. On
television, Raymond Burr played IRONSIDE form a wheelchair. Then BORN
ON THE FOURTH OF JULY and COMING HOME forced the public to face
disabilities as a societal problem, not just as an individual problem.
Many people feel that legislation such as the landmark Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 could never have been passed without first
changing the perception of disability. Films such as MY LEFT FOOT
(1989), SCENT OF A WOMAN (1974), CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD (1986), and
MASK (1985) may have played a part in the process.
“And for anyone who thinks the disability battle has been won,
CINEMABILITY touches on other issues. When Marlee Matlin won her Oscar
for CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, many critics claimed that she won out of
sympathy. Hilary Swank’s character pursues her dream in MILLION
DOLLAR BABY only to receive a death sentence for her courage.
TROPIC THUNDER uses ‘the retard’ as a cruel illustration of
insensitivity. On the brighter side THE
SESSIONS raises awareness that the disabled are functionally the
same as able-bodied people; they just have specific issues. LIFE GOES
ON was a groundbreaking TV series portraying Down syndrome in a
positive, authentic manner.
“Mention is made that Hollywood allows for no diversity behind the
camera. The film does not properly touch upon the issue of employing
disabled actors to portray characters for which disability is merely a
fact of life, not a plot device. Director Gold employs many talking
heads that often dilute her excellent narrative arc. 4 cats” |
