Introduction
Films have been used to not only entertain the audience but also inform and educate members of a community. They pass powerful messages meant to revolutionize a people towards a given path of development. The films Let the Church Say Amen, produced during the new millennium era, and The Great Dictator, produced during the talkies era, gives a perfect reflection of the challenges that ordinary people face in society. In both cases, the director uses specific characters to demonstrate the unique challenges that people go through due to the socio-economic and political forces. In this paper, the researcher seeks to use the hero’s journey to analyze these two films in connection to their time.
Comparative Analysis of the Films Using Stages of the Hero’s Journey
Hero’s journey provides stages that the protagonists go through in their quest to transform society. It outlines the pain and suffering they have to endure before they stand out as heroes in their societies. It is a useful tool widely used when analyzing different types of films. In this section of the paper, the focus is to analyze the two films based on this theory and how they are connected to their time and society.
Connection of Each Film to Its Own Time and How It Is Similar to Cultural Mythologies
The film The Great Dictator, which was released in 1940, focused on the events of the Second World War. This film specifically shows how a section of the community, Jews, suffered primarily due to their race. The Barber epitomizes the suffering that the minority faced in this community despite their fidelity to their nation. When he is finally mistaken for Hynkel, the ruler, and given an opportunity to address the nation, he gives a passionate speech about the need for brotherhood and unity. The Barber says, “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if possible, Jew, Gentile, black man, white” (The Great Dictator). The statement seeks to promote unity among people of different races, religions, and other demographical classifications.
It is important to take note of the emphasis he placed on racial unity. Being a Jew, he knew the pain that the minority went through at the hands of the dictator. He was determined to influence the masses to embrace democracy and unity in society. He says, “Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed” (The Great Dictator). He believes that the current hatred can only destroy society instead of developing it as the dictators had promised.
Having been a soldier, he understands that the power of their dictators lies in the loyalty of the soldiers. Approaching the end of his speech, he directly addresses the soldiers. He tells them, “Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men!” Having suffered in the hands of these soldiers, he even had an opportunity to ridicule them in the speech, telling them that they are not cattle” (The Great Dictator). The film fits perfectly well in its time, a period when society was still struggling with a global war.
The film goes through typical stages of the hero’s journey, from the call for adventure when The Barber joins the army to the struggle when he comes back home to become a barber. He goes to the third stage of a test of his will, abilities, and endurance, where he risks his life to impersonate Hynkel and gives a powerful speech about democracy, reconciliation, and integration (Murdock and Downing 56). He gets rewarded when he is recognized as the ruler, while the ruler is mistaken for the Barber and taken to prison. Finally, there is the return, where he speaks directly to Hannah, his girlfriend, and promises her a better future.
The film Let the Church Say Amen is a recent movie that presents the struggles of the current society. It focuses on an African American family where the father is also a pastor at a local church. He is committed to his church so much that he fails to understand the sufferings of his family members. His daughter had a child out of wedlock; a son is a thief who even dares to steal in church, while another son is gay. These are things that the church disapproves of, and it was not expected that a pastor would be so unlucky to raise such irresponsible children. In one of the conversations with the grandchild, his commitment to church over family is demonstrated:
JORDAN. Are you still going to take me to the aquarium later? Can’t I wait to see the big sharks?
SIMON JACKSON. Actually, little fellow, we are going to have to reschedule. I am going to meet with the youth this afternoon, but maybe your mum can take you.
JORDAN. But she is broke (Let the Church Say Amen).
The film observes some of the stages outlined in the hero’s journey. Simon Jackson responds to the call of adventure when he becomes a pastor at a local church. He gives himself to the church as he tries to meet family needs. He faces the struggle when he realizes that all of his children are not following the Christian values that he teaches at the local church. His world crumbles when he realizes that his wife, who has been a bedrock of the family, is terminally ill. He is also facing rebellion from a section of church members who feel he is not fit to lead them because of his failure to lead his family.
Ways in Which the Films Diverge from the Hero Myth
The film The Great Dictator does not diverge from the hero myth, as explained above. It follows every single stage, from the call for adventure to the return, where the hero comes back home to make the life of his people better. He endures all the suffering, but in the end, he brings them to hope at a time when they had despaired. However, it is important to note that in the film, there are some deviations from the stages outlined in the hero myth. The third stage is “the test of a hero’s will, abilities and insurance” (Let the Church Say Amen). At first, he seems to pass this test when he constantly corrects his children, whom he believes are not embracing Christian principles. However, when he realizes that his wife is terminally ill, he is broken and gives up, unlike what is expected of a hero.
The next stage is the ordeal and the reward, and the hero in this film goes through part of it. His ordeal is demonstrated by the pain of having irresponsible children who do not follow his Christian teaching. It is also demonstrated when his wife dies after secretly battling a terminal disease for some time. However, he does not enjoy any reward as he has lost his authority at the church. The last stage is the return, which is demonstrated in the field. He comes back to the family and realizes the significance of giving them his attention despite the desire to concentrate on church activities. However, his return is not as triumphant as that of a hero. His wife is dead, and his children have decided to take paths in life that he never expected.
Conclusion
These two films share various themes based on culture and cultural changes. They both emphasize the need for those in power to understand their subordinates. Being self-centered and failing to understand the unique needs of others may cause disaster in a family or society. The films also emphasize the need for those in leadership to understand and cherish diversity. They outline the unique challenges that the minority faces in society. However, there are some differences in the films that also reflect the culture and cultural changes. In the film The Great Dictator, the global society was still fighting the Second World War, but there was a desire for peace, unity, and democracy. People had seen the dangers of dictatorship, and there was a need to promote a society where people chose their leaders. In the film Let the Church Say Amen, society was politically stable, but religion had taken center stage in African American lives. Religious leaders were willing to sacrifice their family’s well-being to serve the church, something that the film’s producer was keen on discouraging.
Works Cited
The Great Dictator. Directed by Charlie Chaplin, Charles Chaplin Film Corporation, 1940.
Let the Church Say Amen. Directed by Regina King, The Boxoffice Company, 2013.
Murdock, Maureen, and Christine Downing. The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness. Shambhala, 2020.