To "serve" has never meant weakness. To serve someone or something is to understand their needs and their desires and hopefully, out of respect, you shall also be served the same.
Lee Daniel's The Butler follows the life of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whittaker) as he escapes the cotton fields he was born into and rises to become butler to numerous Presidents of The United States.
The main and most obvious theme of The Butler is the conflict created between what Cecil Gaines and his son Louis (David Oyelowo) represent; Patience and compliance against determination and rebellion. Both of these strategies complete what their characters want; Cecil wants a decent job where he can support himself and stay safe in a harsh world and Louis wants to make change as quickly and prominently as possible for all african-americans. Whilst they're both successful both have drawbacks that are acknowledged by the characters themselves as occupational hazards, necessary risks or just a part of the life they have chosen but by seeing them surviving their personal struggles and the hardships that are the most difficult for them, we show the journeys of two men who dedicate their lives to serving their country.
The Butler also accomplishes a the incredible feat of juggling 4 protagonists at once, all of whom could have been the centre-point of this film as they each have an incredible journey within themselves and one of them isn't even human.
First, of course, is Cecil Gaines, whose childhood in the cotton fields and loss of his father sparks the familiar story of the escaped slave but, instead of vengeance or retribution, Cecil searches for peace after being saved by another african-american who gives him his first service job. We are witness to the never-ending patience and restraint that Cecil shows in the presence of his white employers and through this he gains immense respect from his friends, the staff and from the presidents themselves.
Second is Louis Gaines, Cecil's eldest son and almost complete opposite to Cecil whilst still searching for the same thing; survival amongst these harsh times. Louis sees his father's job as weak and subservient almost immediately and through Civil Rights meeting, the Black Panther party and even leading groups during the "Free Mandela" movement, Louis shows determination and strength but in a much more dangerous manner than his father. Louis represents the new generation that are always there, demanding change for themselves whilst some forget the origins that are so hard for the older generations to escape.
Third is Cecil's wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey). Gloria may appear to be just the supporting housewife for our main characters but her journey is so much more. She overcomes a debilitating drinking problem, mends her marriage after having an affair, raises two sons basically by herself and all of this whilst competing for her husband with his job that has supported herself and her family for so long. Gloria becomes the part of the story we often miss when the main character is so dedicated to their job, people forget that the family suffers and must overcome problems of their own.
Finally comes The White house itself, along with all the presidents that reside in it during Cecil's time there. Within the story, The White House becomes a force of change, shown by the numerous civil rights decisions that are made in front of Cecil's eyes, the ever-changing opinions of the presidents as they move through The White House and the effect that Cecil has personal on the building and it's staff, as well as the effect it has on Cecil's life. Surprisingly, when looking back on the techniques of this film, I find it strangely reminiscent of the storytelling of Shin Godzilla (2016); The Butler takes the re-occurring story of an african-american seeking peace and victory but it lays it out using a more political and accurate approach to how things were executed, as opposed to just being propaganda for rebellion, it's actually more realistic in it's more factual and calmer nature.
The main and most obvious theme of The Butler is the conflict created between what Cecil Gaines and his son Louis (David Oyelowo) represent; Patience and compliance against determination and rebellion. Both of these strategies complete what their characters want; Cecil wants a decent job where he can support himself and stay safe in a harsh world and Louis wants to make change as quickly and prominently as possible for all african-americans. Whilst they're both successful both have drawbacks that are acknowledged by the characters themselves as occupational hazards, necessary risks or just a part of the life they have chosen but by seeing them surviving their personal struggles and the hardships that are the most difficult for them, we show the journeys of two men who dedicate their lives to serving their country.
The Butler also accomplishes a the incredible feat of juggling 4 protagonists at once, all of whom could have been the centre-point of this film as they each have an incredible journey within themselves and one of them isn't even human.
First, of course, is Cecil Gaines, whose childhood in the cotton fields and loss of his father sparks the familiar story of the escaped slave but, instead of vengeance or retribution, Cecil searches for peace after being saved by another african-american who gives him his first service job. We are witness to the never-ending patience and restraint that Cecil shows in the presence of his white employers and through this he gains immense respect from his friends, the staff and from the presidents themselves.
Second is Louis Gaines, Cecil's eldest son and almost complete opposite to Cecil whilst still searching for the same thing; survival amongst these harsh times. Louis sees his father's job as weak and subservient almost immediately and through Civil Rights meeting, the Black Panther party and even leading groups during the "Free Mandela" movement, Louis shows determination and strength but in a much more dangerous manner than his father. Louis represents the new generation that are always there, demanding change for themselves whilst some forget the origins that are so hard for the older generations to escape.
Third is Cecil's wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey). Gloria may appear to be just the supporting housewife for our main characters but her journey is so much more. She overcomes a debilitating drinking problem, mends her marriage after having an affair, raises two sons basically by herself and all of this whilst competing for her husband with his job that has supported herself and her family for so long. Gloria becomes the part of the story we often miss when the main character is so dedicated to their job, people forget that the family suffers and must overcome problems of their own.
Finally comes The White house itself, along with all the presidents that reside in it during Cecil's time there. Within the story, The White House becomes a force of change, shown by the numerous civil rights decisions that are made in front of Cecil's eyes, the ever-changing opinions of the presidents as they move through The White House and the effect that Cecil has personal on the building and it's staff, as well as the effect it has on Cecil's life. Surprisingly, when looking back on the techniques of this film, I find it strangely reminiscent of the storytelling of Shin Godzilla (2016); The Butler takes the re-occurring story of an african-american seeking peace and victory but it lays it out using a more political and accurate approach to how things were executed, as opposed to just being propaganda for rebellion, it's actually more realistic in it's more factual and calmer nature.
The Butler, displays a mastery of holding together multiple leaders within one family, a plethora of historical events and the massively different ways in which change can be brought about.
4.5/5 - There are many ways to serve your country.
4.5/5 - There are many ways to serve your country.
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