Chicano cinema originated in response to the Hollywood’s stereotypical depiction of Latinos. Afterwards, Chicano film had experienced three waves. The first wave lasted from 1969 to 1976 and was aimed to depict the Mexican civil rights movement (el movimento). The second Wave of Chicano cinema is dated from 1977 to the present day. Unlike the First Wave, the Second Wave cinema explores ways to channel its rage and frustration to more accessible forms. 1981 Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez is one of the remarkable examples of the Second Wave Chicano cinema.
The plot of Zoot Suit is centered around a Sleepy Lagoon murder trial. It was a real-life case of Jose Gallardo Diaz who died in the hospital after being found with two stab wounds and a broken finger. The trial ended with incarcerating 9 young Mexican-Americans without valid evidence (Rios 57). This has resulted in Zoot Suit Riots, which started in 1943 in Los-Angeles. Although the film depicts injustice, which happened during the trial, there are no evidences of separatist ideas.
In the scene, which takes place in jail when Henry Reyna talks to El Pachuco, he complains about the crimes he is accused of, but has never committed. Due to these false accusations, Henry Reyna has to even be sent to Navy to fight the World War II. However, El Pachuco responds to Reyna’s complaints that the United States do not care about him and his problems. Moreover, he should not concentrate on foreign wars because there are more important wars to fight at home. This shows that although, the Mexican-Americans were not happy in the United States, they did not have an intention to separate from it (Kamel). They understood that in general the state did not care for them and the only option was to rebel.
Works Cited
Kamel, Amal Ibrahim. “Ethnic Identity between Assimilationism and Separatism: August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Luis Valdez’s Zoot Suit.”
Rios, Francine. “Zoot Suit: A Correction to American Public Memory.” American Papers (2018): 57.