Relationships in Films “West Side Story” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Topic outline and explanation
The theme of the creation of relationships in the films
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Relationships play an important role in all types of narratives, including novels, films, musicals, songs, and poems. In the film industry, relationships between two or more individuals are often used to drive the plot. The purpose of this paper is to analyze relationships in films from two perspectives- the creation of relationships and breaking down of relationships.

The paper will review the American film “West Side Story” to examine the theme of relationship creation and its role in the plot. The paper will also review the theme of relationship breakdown by examining the film “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Topic outline and explanation

Creation of relationships is one of the most common themes expressed in most films. In most cases, relationships between characters help in revealing the content of the narration. The entire narrative may revolve around some relationship between characters. In western societies, love is believed to be a driving force for relationships. In literature, romantic love is often displayed, but it is difficult to develop its concise definition.

According to Jamieson (478), love and romance are used to justify marriage as well as partnerships. They also validate sexual activities between individuals, despite the prevailing social and cultural conditions. According to Langford (129), people are conditioned to think of love as a power that liberates or answers dissatisfaction.

Thus, love in most western societies, as conceptualized in the society, is believed to be a driving force that creates and maintains relationships. Closely related to this theme is intimacy, a factor that is widely understood to be a desirable or an ultimate goal for relationships, especially between members of the opposite gender.

However, men and women differ significantly in terms of their views, perceptions, and reaction towards relationships based on love and romance. For instance, Nelson and Robinson (279) argue that men are more idealistic about love than women because women are realistic, practical, and realistic about the power and nature of love and romantic relationships.

In film work, these aspects are often portrayed in various ways. For instance, most films depict love and relationship as a binding factor, not only between individuals but also between members of different and sometimes rival factions within the community.

The relationships developed in the film “West Side Story” provides evidence of the use of love to create relationships, which ends in the unification of two opposing factions. Also, it’s clear that romance plays an important role in consolidating relationships, although the final goal is not achieved (Strong, DeVault and Cohen 46).

The theme of the creation of relationships in the films

The theme of love in the creation of connection and its role in the film ‘West Side Story.’

Developed in 1961, the film ‘West Side Story’ revolves around the story of the rivalry between two youth gangs in Manhattan, the Sharks and the Jets, which are composed of Puerto Rican and Caucasoid youths respectively (West Side Story). While male members of the group fight over the control of the streets and the drug trade, most female members appear to be pragmatic and ready to change the rivalry for the sake of love.

The relationship between Tony Wyzek, a co-founder of the Jets, and Maria Nunez, the sister to Bernardo Nunez and the leader of the Sharks, plays an important role in the development of other themes in the film (Nixon 31). It is a romantic relationship justified by love but threatened by underlying factors, including the social, cultural, and ethnic differences between the two groups.

The creation of an intimate relationship between Tony and Maria is quite strange right from the start to the end. First, it is worth noting that the relationship begins when the two individuals meet in a dance, which was set to bring together the youths in the Manhattan area, including both gangs.

Despite the looming tension between the two groups, Tony spontaneously and accidentally finds Maria and the two immediately fall in love. This event becomes a major issue (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen 67).

According to the culture of the Puerto Rican immigrants in Manhattan, parents play an important role in choosing partners for their children’s future marriage. Each teenager is expected to marry the chosen partner. Failure to honor this expectation amounts to a violation of the culture and norms (Balio 23).

Nevertheless, the relationship built between Maria and Tony seems to be so strong that it interferes with Maria’s relationship with Chino, the man chosen as her future partner. It is evident that Maria does not love Chino, which makes it easy for Tony to win her love. For example, the relationship forces her to consider eloping with Tony.

Also, despite Tony being a member of the Jets, he is ready to enter into a romantic relationship with Maria, a member of the Sharks (Berson 152).

The creation of a romantic relationship between Maria and Tony proves successful when the two are shown making love in Maria’s room. Tony visits Maria’s house, despite having clear knowledge that Maria’s parents cannot approve the relationship between them and is likely to escalate the tension between his group and the Sharks.

Despite the efforts by members of both groups to avoid Tony’s relationship with Maria, the creation of the relationship is so strong that it overrides Tony’s interests in leading his group. Bernando separates his sister Maria and orders Chino to take her home to avoid Tony’s contact with her. Nevertheless, Tony decides to leave the party, but in praise of his newfound love “Maria.”

As the film progresses, the audience is introduced to a strange event in which a new relationship between some members of the two groups seems to improve. Tony’s relationship with Maria seems to drive Tony towards appreciating the cultural diversity in Manhattan. He seems to change his attitudes towards Puerto Ricans after finding love in Maria (Berson 129).

For instance, when the Sharks and the Jets hold a fistfight (The rumble) under a highway, Tony, acting under the influence of Maria, attempts to stop it. He is shown trying to stop a fistfight between Bernando and Ice, but members of his group restrain him.

Also, Tony refuses to fight back when Bernando and the Sharks mock him, displaying the theme of ‘power of the relationship’ between him and Maria. It appears that he no longer hates the Puerto Ricans after falling into a romantic relationship with one of them.

It is also clear that the female members of the gangs, with an exception of Anybody’s, are ready to allow a new relationship between their groups. In Act I, after Bernando sends away Maria to kill her relationship with Tony, other Puerto Rican girls confront him, arguing that Maria had the right and freedom to dance with Tony.

In comparing their ethnic differences, the Puerto Rican girls argue that freedom and their dreams are the most important aspects of their life (Hite 234). However, the boys are not ready to form a relationship between them and the Jets (Berson 154). They argue that prejudice and poverty (“America”) should be the main issues to be solved.

Towards the end of Act II, the relationship between Maria and Tony moves to another level when members of the two groups agree to work with each other, but not after the death of Tony. Tony kills Bernardo, Maria’s brother. On the other hand, Chino kills Tony, Maria’s lover. However, Maria blames all the members of the two factions and threatens to shoot them.

However, on kissing Tony for the last time before his death, she realizes that she has lost two close individuals- a brother and a lover. In sympathizing with her, the other members find it necessary to fit into a new relationship.

After death disrupts the relationship between Maria and Tony, a new relationship is formed between the two gangs. At the end of the film, the Sharks help the Jets lift Tony’s body and engage in a common funeral proceeding, showing evidence of a new relationship created between them.

Thus, it is worth arguing that the creation of a romantic relationship between Maria and Tony serves to sacrifice Tony and Bernando to form a good relationship between the Sharks and the Jets.

The 1993 American film “Mrs. Doubtfire” is a representation of the problems and issues facing modern American families. In particular, the film depicts the degradation of family relations, especially due to parental conflicts (Nixon 59). It depicts the plight of children caught between parental conflicts.

Also, it depicts the role of financial status and fame in the destruction of relationships within modern families (Lasch 76). Arguably, this film provides evidence of the modern trend, where families are faced with an increased rate of family breakages resulting from the destroyed love and relationships.

Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) has no decent job and is not famous, despite having an acting talent (Mrs. Doubtfire). His wife seems not ready to live with a dependent person, especially a male partner.

She accuses Hillard of inability to provide protection and financial support for his three children Lydia, Chris, and Natalie. Also, he cannot even discipline Chris, which annoys his wife Miranda (Sally Field). This greatly affects the relationship between Hillard and his three children.

The destruction of relationships in this film starts with Miranda’s perceptions of the “modern man”. She thinks that a responsible man should not only provide for his family but also protect and discipline the children. However, it is worth noting that the relationship is objecting to rejuvenate in case Hillard’s financial and social status change.

First, since Hillard does not have a decent job or social status, his relationship with the children is destroyed after the court gives Miranda the right to child custody. However, it is evident that the relationship between Hillard and the three children is quite strong, which makes Miranda seek a complete separation of Hillard and the children.

Therefore, the destroyed relationship between Hillard and Miranda affects the relationship between the father and the three children. Although Miranda knows that she cannot keep the children by herself, she is willing to see the broken relationship between her and Hillard result in a complete separation between Hillard and the children.

Thus, she decides to seek the help of a hired housekeeper. The relationship between the father and the children is destroyed. However, unknown to Miranda, the destroyed relationship between the father and the children reincarnates, albeit in a different form. When Hillard and his brother use Hillard’s talent to act more than one voice, the existence of a new relationship between the children and Hillard emerges.

However, this only occurs with the sacrifice of Hillard’s natural self to “Mrs. Doubtfire.” The new relationship between the children and the father is comical. Mrs. Doubtfire is also faced with destruction because Hillard cannot go for a long time in his acting behavior.

While drunk and unable to change from oneself to another, Mrs. Doubtfire finally reveals his identity as Hillard, which results in the destruction of the relationship between Mrs. Doubtfire and the children. In a court ruling, the judges find Hillard’s action unorthodox and insane, which results in a destruction of the relationship between him (as Mrs. Doubtfire) and the family.

This event provides evidence that Hillard, on his part, is the victim of the modern trend that is affecting familial relationships. The court, for instance, cannot see or consider the determination in Hillard. For instance, for an individual to live his entire life in disguise, it takes a lot of effort to conceal his identity. Also, Hillard sacrifices his free life to live like a woman and take orders from his former wife and children.

Rather than looking for another life, he decides to live almost like a slave. However, the destruction of relationships is a strong theme in the US, given that even the judicial system cannot recognize the impact of this trend on individuals like Hillard. Hillard is left heartbroken and oppressed after losing his fight to retain his relationship with the family, especially the children.

It is also clear that the film attempts to depict the competition between the forces for the creation of relationships in families and the forces responsible for its destruction. For instance, despite Miranda’s vow to separate with Hillard, the film finally shows Miranda is looking for Hillard to form a new relationship after realizing he had assumed the life of a celebrity.

It is evident that Miranda wants to be associated with a famous or wealthy person, regardless of the relationship between them. After finding that Hillard has used his acting to talent to launch his TV program “Euphegenias House,” Miranda seeks to reconcile with him. Eventually, the film shows that the forces social forces that hold or destroy relationships are derived from financial, social, and personal grounds.

Conclusion

This paper has reviewed the creation and destruction of relationships as represented in the film work. In western society, relationships are prone to form and cease due to the existing social, cultural, financial, and personal aspects.

The relationship between Maria and Tony in “West Side Story” moves from an intimate relationship between two individuals to the formation of a new relationship between two fighting groups. On the other hand, Mrs. Doubtfire shows evidence of dynamism in family relationships that are destroyed at any time, with the legal and social systems supporting these breakages.

Works Cited

Balio, Tino. United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry. Wisconsin: Uni of Wisconsin Press, 2007. Print.

Berson, Misha. Something’s Coming, Something Good: West Side Story and the American Imagination. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2010. Print.

Hite, S. Women in love: A cultural revolution in progress. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2011. Print.

Jamieson, Lynn. “Intimacy transformed? A critical look at the pure relationship”. Sociology, 33.3 (2010): 477-494. Print

Landford, Wendy. Revolutions of the heart: Gender, power and the delusions of love. London, Routledge, 2009. Print.

Lasch, Christopher. Haven in a heartless world. The family besieged. New York: Basic Books, 2007. Print.

Mrs. Doubtfire. Dir. Chris Columbus. New York: 20^th Century Fox. 2008. DVD.

Nelson, Adie and Robinson, Wilson. Gender in the 1990s: Images, realities and issues. Ontario: Scarborough, 2009. Print.

Nixon, Marni. I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story. New York: Billboard Books, 2010. Print.

Strong, Bryan, Christine DeVault and Theodore Cohen. The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

West Side Story. Dir. Jerome Robbins and Natalie Wood. New York: United Artists. 2010. DVD.

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