Racism is a social theme that has been explored in many films. A few of the films that have attempted to shed light on this issue include Come See the Paradise, Milk, Adam's Rib, Heat Wave, and Crash. The present examination will discuss two examples from films on the subject of racism, who gains from racism, how, and the possible roots of discrimination.
Crash is an award-winning movie that takes a critical look at race relations and racism in Los Angeles, California. The film contains many different plot lines that are intertwined in a complex story. One of the primary premises of the film is the idea that everyone is prejudiced, no matter what race. However one thing that the film does not confront is the fact that in a white-dominant society, racism was created by social structures and norms set up by Caucasian males to protect their power. The film does not display an understanding of the cultural history that led to these conflicts existing in the first place, only the present situation in which everyone finds themselves. In the film, Haggis points to fear as being the main cause of racism.
The film Come See the Paradise the main character is a projectionist who harasses theatres in New York City that are non-union. Jack, the main character must decide what to do when one of his associates takes things too far and starts a fire. After moving to Los Angeles, he falls in love with Lily, a Japanese-American. They are unable to marry due to California law, so they move to Seattle and give birth to a daughter. After World War II starts, Lily and their daughter are sent to Manzanar while Jack is away on a trip and drafted into the Army. In this story efforts to create change in the area of racism is not successful. Jack is sent to prison for the old arson charges and is unable to save his wife and child from the internment camp. One notable change is that Lily's father finally believes Jack's love for his daughter after Jac...