People With Disabilities in the Frida Movie

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Introduction

Media, books, and films often portray people with disabilities in ways that may influence how society views them. The movie Frida presents the case of a young lady who suffers chronic pain following an accident that leaves her crippled. The essay provides a brief summary of the story and responds to several questions regarding how society and individuals deal with and view people with disabilities.

Summary

Frida Khalo was born to a German-Jewish father and a Mexican mother and spent most of her childhood in Mexico alongside her parents. At the age of eighteen years, she was involved in a tragic accident that left her crippled (Miramax, 2014). Her father bought her a canvas to paint on as a way of taking away the pain. Since she loved art from her childhood, Frida used this opportunity to paint her suffering in beautiful portraits. Later on, she got married to Diego, from whom she required loyalty, if not fidelity. However, both were involved in several infidelity cases, with Frida being presented as bisexual and, at one point, having an affair with the same woman as her husband (Miramax, 2014).

The marriage between Diego and Frida was not smooth and at some point, the two decided to divorce but remarried after a while. Unfortunately, Frida’s health status continued to deteriorate and she contracted bronchopneumonia, causing the amputation of one of her legs and leaving her bedridden. Frida’s bed was carried from her home to the museum to attend her first solo exhibition.

What Happened to Frida in the Accident

Frida was in a traumatic accident at the age of eighteen involving a bus that collided with a street car. During the accident, her back was shattered and her spine damaged, making her undergo various orthopedic and medical procedures that left her in pain for all her life.

How Frida Coped with Her Disability

Frida used artistic drawings of herself to cope with the pain and trauma of the accident. After the accident, her father bought her a canvas that she would use for painting because she loved art and was an artist, helping her cope with her disability. Additionally, she engaged in relationships with both men and women although most of them were unstable and led to more pain.

How Frida’s Family Viewed her Future

Frida’s family was very supportive of her artistic work and wanted her to spend little time focusing on her physical and psychological pain. However, they understood that her condition would not improve but they helped her go through her treatment procedures. Her husband also understood her helpless status and spent most of the time with other women and was not faithful in their marriage (Miramax, 2014). The family knew that Frida would spend all her life in pain and denial.

How the Injuries Follow Her Through the Movie

Frida suffered injuries throughout the movie both physically and psychologically. First, she was in a traumatic accident which left her back shattered and unable to walk. As she recovered from this pain, Frida had her toes removed by the doctor after they were found gangrenous. Unfortunately, her physical pain did not end as she was diagnosed with bronchopneumonia and had her leg amputated which left her bedridden. On the other hand, Frida suffered psychological injuries throughout the movie. She struggled with relationships, for example with her husband, and was severely involved in extramarital affairs with both men and women. Frida also struggled to accept her body and painted portraits that depicted her sad state (Miramax, 2014). Lastly, after her alleged lover was assassinated in the city, her husband Diego was suspected to have committed the crime. Unfortunately, Frida was arrested as the police could not find her husband.

Frida was Burdened by her Disability

Frida was burdened by her disability and did not seem to overcome her state of being crippled. Her condition worsened when she became bedridden after being amputated. She spent all her days painting artistic portraits that depicted her pain and often were overwhelmed by the experiences. Although she channeled the pain to her passion, Frida spent all her time trying to run away from reality.

A Realistic Portrayal of Disability

The movie Frida is a realistic portrayal of disability as it clearly shows how people suffer both physically and psychologically. It shows her physical condition and how it worsens as time progresses. She starts by having an accident that affects her back but ends up bedridden after her gangrenous toes are removed and her leg amputated. It also shows how society views people with disabilities, for example when her father buys her a canvas to paint and hide her pain. Her painting artwork, although done passionately, gets overshadowed due to her disability. Therefore, the film is a realistic portrayal of disability.

People with Disabilities Portrayed in a Negative Light

Frida is portrayed in a negative light throughout the movie. First, she is unable to sustain a healthy relationship with her husband and is severely involved in affairs with other people. She also struggles to accept her body and is constantly affected both physically and psychologically following her accident and other conditions she suffers thereafter.

The Depiction of Disability was not Accurate

The disability depicted in this movie was not accurately portrayed. First, there are too many characters used in the film and often attention was drawn away from the main character, thus failing to show much of her disabled life. Additionally, the focus was more on the personal life of the characters and did not give more attention to disability.

Understanding the Disability from the Film

People watching the film Frida may fail to better understand the disability presented since there is a mix-up of different forms of disabilities. The first form of disability that Frida suffers is an accident that affects her back and spine. She later has her toes after they were found gangrenous removed and her leg amputated. She also has a condition called bronchopneumonia and she ends up being bedridden. All these conditions point to different types of disabilities and the film does not extensively explore one kind. Therefore, people watching the film will not understand the disabilities being presented.

Conclusion

The film depicts Frida’s disability in a negative light by highlighting her continued struggles with life. Frida failed to accept her disability and lead a normal life, choosing to be bitter and exist in pain. While her family understands Frida’s pain, their efforts to help her live a fulfilling life failed as demonstrated in her paintings. The negative depiction of her disability is portrayed in the failure to embrace her new condition, failed relationships, and the lack of acceptance of her new body after the amputation.

Reference

Miramax. (2014). Frida | Official Trailer (HD) – Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Alfred Molina | MIRAMAX [Video]. YouTube. Web.

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