TOM CRUISE - THE UGLY AMERICAN IN MEXICO?
(From page 240, QUADALAJARA - The Utopia That Once Was)
This was not the Guadalajara, Mexico (or Villa Dulce) as depicted in Oliver Stone's movie 'Born on the Fourth of July.' The only portrayal of Mexican women in Stone's movie was unfortunately that of whores and prostitutes. This is a demeaning misrepresentation of the señoras and señoritas of our neighbors to the south.
Ron Kovic's experiences during the short time he spent in Mexico, as detailed in his autobiography by the same title, differ greatly from that of most who visited or resided there. Although many of us who spent time in one of the "gimp camps" did explore the seedy side of this wondrous city, not everyone spent the majority of their time inebriated in cantinas or whorehouses. Most of us explored all aspects of the city, including its rich history, culture, and wonderful people.
I only regret that I, or someone knowledgeable of this unique time in history, had neither the voice nor the fortitude to set the record straight earlier.
(I stumbled on to the following last night while 'surfing the net')
Tom Cruise the ugly American in México?
By Carlos Quintanilla
UTwatch.org (May 1990)
"A number of critics bemoan the Motion Picture Academy's denial of recognition to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. What has not been criticized however, is the Academy's "Best Director" award to Oliver Stone, whose Born on the Fourth of July contains a sequence unparalleled in its racism.
Born on the Fourth of July a good, powerful film, contained some objectionable scenes. But the shit-filled bedpans, sucking chest wounds, compound fractures, and vomit didn't bother me nearly as much as the film's racist portrayal of Mexicans.
It may seem a little late to review a film out as long as this one, (I spent my Spring Break afternoons in Austin catching up on movie viewing) so I'll skip the conventional mention of fine acting, masterful editing and cinematography, and terrific musical score to focus on one segment of the film, in which Ron Kovic, the paraplegic Vietnam vet, played by Tom Cruise, goes to México.
Once again, the media in this country portrays Mexico and the people who live there as beneath contempt.
Kovic is understandably distraught by war injuries that confine him to a wheelchair. Mistreated by the "system," degraded in a filthy V.A. hospital by a callous staff, (most of whom are Black)
Kovic becomes increasingly disillusioned and angry. He begins drinking, explodes in anger at anyone who will listen. To get away (and stop driving his family and friends to distraction) he heads for Villa Dulce a Mexican beachside town. There, he and numerous other paraplegic Vietnam vets, unable to readjust to life in the United States, gamble. They consume copious amounts of Mezcal, worms and all. They frequently pay the plentiful whores who for sixty pesos will sexually oblige anyone, no matter what their physical condition. (I realize that "prostitute" is more palatable than "whore"; but only the latter word is used, even in the credits.)
In one particularly telling scene, Kovic and fellow disabled vet, Willem Dafoe take an ill-fated taxi ride, presumably in search of more carefree alcoholic consumption and high-risk sexual activity. After fighting with the taxi driver, whom they suspect of trying to do them wrong, the two vets are ejected from the cab in the middle of the desert. Slobbering drunk, Dafoe vents rage, at Kovic, whores, and Mexico. "Fuck México!" he bellows, a line that fairly well typifies the feel of the whole sequence.
Once again, up on the silver screen, millions see our country of origin merely as a place where a gringo can satisfy any depraved desire. The film depicts the women as money-hungry sluts with too much blue eye shadow and the men as leering bartenders or taxi drivers who will cut or rip off anyone at the drop of a sombrero. Of course there are places in México where this happens. But the film gives us not one positive image of México or its people. Not since Under the Volcano has such a preponderance of thieving pimps and vicious prostitutes flickered across the screen.
Ron Kovic shares screenplay credit with director Oliver Stone. This really surprised me. I expected more from him. I read Kovic's book years ago and was familiar with his work as a Vietnam veteran/activist. I'm less surprised by Stone. His film Salvador carried more than its share of stereotyped Latino images and played fast and loose with historical fact.
Stone and Kovic show the underside of the John Wayne mentality - young men physically and emotionally wrecked in the name of patriotism. The movie makers negated all their good intentions by showing Mexico as a nation of scumbags. They might as well have emptied the contents of those bedpans over the entire movie."
(Maybe this should be re-titled: Oliver Stone - The Ugly American In Hollywood?...JT)
This was not the Guadalajara, Mexico (or Villa Dulce) as depicted in Oliver Stone's movie 'Born on the Fourth of July.' The only portrayal of Mexican women in Stone's movie was unfortunately that of whores and prostitutes. This is a demeaning misrepresentation of the señoras and señoritas of our neighbors to the south.
Ron Kovic's experiences during the short time he spent in Mexico, as detailed in his autobiography by the same title, differ greatly from that of most who visited or resided there. Although many of us who spent time in one of the "gimp camps" did explore the seedy side of this wondrous city, not everyone spent the majority of their time inebriated in cantinas or whorehouses. Most of us explored all aspects of the city, including its rich history, culture, and wonderful people.
I only regret that I, or someone knowledgeable of this unique time in history, had neither the voice nor the fortitude to set the record straight earlier.
(I stumbled on to the following last night while 'surfing the net')
Tom Cruise the ugly American in México?
By Carlos Quintanilla
UTwatch.org (May 1990)
"A number of critics bemoan the Motion Picture Academy's denial of recognition to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. What has not been criticized however, is the Academy's "Best Director" award to Oliver Stone, whose Born on the Fourth of July contains a sequence unparalleled in its racism.
Born on the Fourth of July a good, powerful film, contained some objectionable scenes. But the shit-filled bedpans, sucking chest wounds, compound fractures, and vomit didn't bother me nearly as much as the film's racist portrayal of Mexicans.
It may seem a little late to review a film out as long as this one, (I spent my Spring Break afternoons in Austin catching up on movie viewing) so I'll skip the conventional mention of fine acting, masterful editing and cinematography, and terrific musical score to focus on one segment of the film, in which Ron Kovic, the paraplegic Vietnam vet, played by Tom Cruise, goes to México.
Once again, the media in this country portrays Mexico and the people who live there as beneath contempt.
Kovic is understandably distraught by war injuries that confine him to a wheelchair. Mistreated by the "system," degraded in a filthy V.A. hospital by a callous staff, (most of whom are Black)
Kovic becomes increasingly disillusioned and angry. He begins drinking, explodes in anger at anyone who will listen. To get away (and stop driving his family and friends to distraction) he heads for Villa Dulce a Mexican beachside town. There, he and numerous other paraplegic Vietnam vets, unable to readjust to life in the United States, gamble. They consume copious amounts of Mezcal, worms and all. They frequently pay the plentiful whores who for sixty pesos will sexually oblige anyone, no matter what their physical condition. (I realize that "prostitute" is more palatable than "whore"; but only the latter word is used, even in the credits.)
In one particularly telling scene, Kovic and fellow disabled vet, Willem Dafoe take an ill-fated taxi ride, presumably in search of more carefree alcoholic consumption and high-risk sexual activity. After fighting with the taxi driver, whom they suspect of trying to do them wrong, the two vets are ejected from the cab in the middle of the desert. Slobbering drunk, Dafoe vents rage, at Kovic, whores, and Mexico. "Fuck México!" he bellows, a line that fairly well typifies the feel of the whole sequence.
Once again, up on the silver screen, millions see our country of origin merely as a place where a gringo can satisfy any depraved desire. The film depicts the women as money-hungry sluts with too much blue eye shadow and the men as leering bartenders or taxi drivers who will cut or rip off anyone at the drop of a sombrero. Of course there are places in México where this happens. But the film gives us not one positive image of México or its people. Not since Under the Volcano has such a preponderance of thieving pimps and vicious prostitutes flickered across the screen.
Ron Kovic shares screenplay credit with director Oliver Stone. This really surprised me. I expected more from him. I read Kovic's book years ago and was familiar with his work as a Vietnam veteran/activist. I'm less surprised by Stone. His film Salvador carried more than its share of stereotyped Latino images and played fast and loose with historical fact.
Stone and Kovic show the underside of the John Wayne mentality - young men physically and emotionally wrecked in the name of patriotism. The movie makers negated all their good intentions by showing Mexico as a nation of scumbags. They might as well have emptied the contents of those bedpans over the entire movie."
(Maybe this should be re-titled: Oliver Stone - The Ugly American In Hollywood?...JT)
posted by Jack at 8:45 PM
5 Comments:
I thought the movie showed the American vets in a much worse light than the Mexicans attempting to make ends meet in their own country. I didn't find this a racist portrayal.
James, I´m from Guadalajara, well, I live in Zapopan, next to Guadalajara, but it's almost the same thing. I want to thank you the good references you give from our city and yes, sometimes the stereotypes don't allow people to see the good things a community can offer. I saw Born on the fourth of July and I tried to watch those images thinking on them only with artistical and metaforical purposes, as a representation of loneliness and perdition. I hope all people could visit our town at least once in their lifetime only to see Guadalajara is much more than the images represented in the movie. Again, thanks for the good things you said about Guadalajara and you are welcome, this is your house. Sorry if I wrote wrong some words or misspelled them.
Sorry Jack, I wrote James because I saw the other post, sorry for the mistake
Before thinking of having a plastic surgery, one must seek a surgeon of high reputation. We should remember that there's no coming back once you've had one.
I think that Carlos' take on the way Oliver Stone portrayed Mexico is way off base, from start to finish. A very dishonest acct., compared to what I just watched for the first time in a couple decades.
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