The White House saga

Frank Capra expressed his gratitude to the immigrant dream come true by creating a brilliant cinematic myth about the American political system, presenting it as an 'inherently good' when in the hands of honest and good people. His 'morality fairytales', 'fantasies of good w...

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Main Author: Daković Nevena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Akademija umetnosti Univerziteta u Novom Sadu 2015-01-01
Series:Zbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2015/2334-86661503009D.pdf
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author Daković Nevena
author_facet Daković Nevena
author_sort Daković Nevena
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description Frank Capra expressed his gratitude to the immigrant dream come true by creating a brilliant cinematic myth about the American political system, presenting it as an 'inherently good' when in the hands of honest and good people. His 'morality fairytales', 'fantasies of good will' imbued with belief in restoration of old-new principles, offer complex reflections on an idealised Americanism of the 1930s which have become the foundation of representations of the American political system. The Capraesque narrative - 'a blend of optimism, humor, patriotism, and, to those who really understand his work, (and) darkness, despair, and the need to fight for things you care about...' (Bassinger 1982: 48) - as a combination of all-American values, ordinary people and historical figures, a democracy myth - has been extended by an endless network of intertextual echoes in film and TV production. Following the developmental lines - through political melodrama, melodramatic politics and political soap opera - one will be led from Capra to the series The West Wing (1996 - 2006), House of Cards (2013 - 2015) and Madame Secretary (2014 - ); from the comprehensive Washington Postcard (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939) to the focal points at the White House; from Capra's comedy to the saga of the fight against terrorism led by the president and both ordinary and trained American citizens (White House Down, 2013, Roland Emmerich).
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spelling doaj.art-63bf493b5a0947c48715197d2a2416202022-12-22T03:57:02ZengAkademija umetnosti Univerziteta u Novom SaduZbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti2334-86662560-31082015-01-012015392210.5937/ZbAkUm1503009D2334-86661503009DThe White House sagaDaković Nevena0University of Arts, Faculty of Drama Arts, Belgrade, SerbiaFrank Capra expressed his gratitude to the immigrant dream come true by creating a brilliant cinematic myth about the American political system, presenting it as an 'inherently good' when in the hands of honest and good people. His 'morality fairytales', 'fantasies of good will' imbued with belief in restoration of old-new principles, offer complex reflections on an idealised Americanism of the 1930s which have become the foundation of representations of the American political system. The Capraesque narrative - 'a blend of optimism, humor, patriotism, and, to those who really understand his work, (and) darkness, despair, and the need to fight for things you care about...' (Bassinger 1982: 48) - as a combination of all-American values, ordinary people and historical figures, a democracy myth - has been extended by an endless network of intertextual echoes in film and TV production. Following the developmental lines - through political melodrama, melodramatic politics and political soap opera - one will be led from Capra to the series The West Wing (1996 - 2006), House of Cards (2013 - 2015) and Madame Secretary (2014 - ); from the comprehensive Washington Postcard (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939) to the focal points at the White House; from Capra's comedy to the saga of the fight against terrorism led by the president and both ordinary and trained American citizens (White House Down, 2013, Roland Emmerich).http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2015/2334-86661503009D.pdfWhite HouserepresentationAmerican politicscinemaTV
spellingShingle Daković Nevena
The White House saga
Zbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti
White House
representation
American politics
cinema
TV
title The White House saga
title_full The White House saga
title_fullStr The White House saga
title_full_unstemmed The White House saga
title_short The White House saga
title_sort white house saga
topic White House
representation
American politics
cinema
TV
url http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/2334-8666/2015/2334-86661503009D.pdf
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