I felt the strongest Cuban culture was the macho attitudes of the men. Mariano was a trucker who portrayed a womanizer, having a different woman in each town he passed through. He didn't seem to love them, he just used them for his own pleasure then passed them aside. Woman were just a dispensable item to him. Even when he was reunited with, Gina, the only woman he really loved, he was kissing another woman at the train station.
Mariano's uncle, Ramon, thought he was a better man because he had a woman at home. One that was overweight and unattractive and wouldn't mind his infidelity . Someone to take care of him when he was old. Ramon stated, "there's nothing wrong with the extra woman here and there when you're on the road." Both men shared the same disrespect for woman.
Aldofo portrayed a different kind of macho attitude. He was mentally and physically abusive to his wife Gina. He hit, shoved, and pulled Gina anytime she disagreed with him. Thank goodness the Cuban culture is moving away from this kind of abuse toward woman.
Cuban travel was very peculiar to me. While Ramon and Mariano drove their truck they were required to stop at certain checkpoints. Passengers were waiting, it was comparable to the United States bus stop. A man running the checkpoint would announce the truckers destination and a multitude of people loaded into the truck, to be taken to the next stop. Literature states that this kind of travel still continues in Cuba today.
I was intrigued in the little girl that represented death but that is a separate blog altogether.
I give this film a thumbs down.
Elaine
ReplyDeleteI share the disappointment of the Cuban men during this film. Having such a great culture and such beautiful women they should embrace them, respect them and celebrate them every day! I believe that poverty and often turmoil in the country enables their self-esteem and does not encourage women to stand up for themselves. Their children growing up witness this kind of behavior and the tradition lives on…
But on the other hand, I loved this film. I found it to be an easy flowing comedy. I especially liked the mysterious little girl role. Like you mentioned, it is definitely a totally different blog, but I liked how it reflected the Cuban culture. I find this culture and all the Hispanic cultures to be very superstitious and the girl’s role was a good example. Only at the end of the film I realized who the little girl represented and it fascinated me how clever that idea was.
Cammy Reagan
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this film as it was quite comical to me. Just the mere fact that they had to take a body to its place of birth and that they had to make so many stops along the way was the key to the comedy. I agree that the Cuban culture was represented here with a bunch of womanizing men. It seemed to be commonplace to have a different woman at each stop they made. Adolfo was "the man" who ruled the roost and tried to make Gina obey him. He lashed out when she didn't. That has been the common thread in all of the movies we have screened this quarter. The men are in charge and the women are subserviant. I think the time these movies were set in also plays a role in the treatment of the women. I would hope they are more modern now and not so macho.