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It seems like at least a couple of the films are making fun of the concept, "Indiana Jones" for instance. And then there's The Man Who Would Be King (film). Although Rudyard Kipling was certainly a supporter of British imperialism and a racist (although it's more complicated than just that), his Hindu/Buddhist influenced personal philosophy rejected the idea that a person can save anyone else. See The White Man's Burden and If—. I don't know if the movie producers got this, but I think they did. Kitfoxxe ( talk) 14:23, 30 December 2014 (UTC)
To me Indiana Jones always seemed more like James Bond. He's more into beating the bad guys, not so much saving people. Although they both do save people. Not sure why Bond is not mentioned. Borock ( talk) 23:00, 30 December 2014 (UTC)
I removed original research as seen here because the write-up makes claims not present in the source. Writing "However, scholars like..." is weasel wording since the source is strictly from the named scholar. Furthermore, reviewing the material, it focuses on how "left-wing radicals" want to perceive Avatar specifically. It does not critique the white savior film label in general. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:11, 19 February 2015 (UTC)
There have been some rumblings about whether or not McFarland, USA is a white savior film. Here are some reliable sources commenting on this narrative:
Thanks, Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:20, 20 February 2015 (UTC)
Regarding the description of the topic, it is properly sourced, and per WP:YESPOV, the assertion is not "seriously contested" by reliable sources. Per WP:WEIGHT, "Neutrality requires that each article or other page in the mainspace fairly represent all significant viewpoints that have been published by reliable sources, in proportion to the prominence of each viewpoint in the published, reliable sources." The footnote that accompanies this passage specifically says, "The relative prominence of each viewpoint among Wikipedia editors or the general public is not relevant and should not be considered." This means that there needs to be a sociological counter-claim to the assertion. If you can provide that, we can include it. Otherwise, layperson contesting is not permissible. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:18, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
Please quote it to me where it mentions explicitly 'White savior narrative' pertaining to The Matrix. Tutelary ( talk) 18:09, 11 March 2015 (UTC)
User:Stumink, who was once involved in a dispute here, has since gone on a campaign to remove links to this article from the movies listed here. I thought regular editors of this page might be interested to know that. I came across it thanks to having one of the movies on my watchlist. Vanamonde93 ( talk) 15:11, 12 April 2015 (UTC)
Can we add a sub-section on television shows that embody this trope also? I particularly had Game of Thrones in mind, as Daenerys Targaryen clearly demonstrates this trope as a white woman who has to inspire POC to want freedom. 78.17.28.174 ( talk) 19:51, 1 July 2015 (UTC)
References to use. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 17:46, 24 August 2015 (UTC)
The Green Inferno (film) may be a candidate for inclusion. There are sources like this highlighting the matter. When the film comes out, we can look for specific sources that explore the narrative. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 21:52, 29 July 2015 (UTC)
Schindler's List exactly fits this trope - members of an oppressed minority are saved by a good member of the majority. Most viewers of the film are members of the majority (gentiles, not Germans) and so can learn about the historical injustice, while still feeling good about themselves. Schindler is the focus of the film, as much or more than JQ Adams is in Amistad, for example.
If it is objected that Jews are white, I would note that they have not always been so considered in American culture, and of course were considered racially alien in the time and place in which the film takes place - and that Arabs, other hand, are considered whites by the US Census Bureau, though Lawrence of Arabia is included here.
Ricardianman ( talk) 20:54, 7 August 2015 (UTC)
And if you want a source, see
https://books.google.com/books?id=lMGoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT22&lpg=PT22&dq=gentile+savior+films&source=bl&ots=5hFVLUUFle&sig=WRsvhF8_YhPdMK6MQZUis2jnZwY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAWoVChMIqc2IgO6XxwIVhDU-Ch1Q_g3h#v=onepage&q=gentile%20savior%20films&f=false
Film and the Holocaust: New Perspectives on Dramas, Documentaries, and Experimental Films
Aaron Kerner
Ricardianman ( talk) 20:58, 7 August 2015 (UTC)
I would add that The Life of Emile Zola belongs here too, though I do not have a source calling it a savior film.
Also Gentleman's Agreement. — Preceding
unsigned comment added by
Ricardianman (
talk •
contribs)
20:44, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
Hotel Rwanda may belong as well, since it is about an apolitical Hutu who saves victims of the Rwandan genocide (who are mostly Tutsis - Hutus were targeted only if they had been opponents of the Hutu Power movement) and so makes the audience feel good (it might fit the trope more narrowly, since the white executives of Belgian company Sabenas help as does a white UN commander) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ricardianman ( talk • contribs) 20:42, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
The inclusion of The Magnificcent Seven is interesting - compare Seven Samurai, in which Samurai save peasants (whom they look down on) from bandits. Of course that is a class/caste distinction, not race.
Ricardianman (
talk)
20:47, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/white-savior-films-mcfarland-usa
I may try to include some things from this article (TPM is a reliable source, no?) when I have time, but since you know the topic so well, maybe you should take a stab, eric. Ricardianman ( talk) —Preceding undated comment added 20:59, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
Another TPM article about the narrative here, this time about how Straight Outta Compton could mark the end of it. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 12:08, 15 August 2015 (UTC)
"white protagonists having "racially diverse" helpers." So far the list does not include many films like that. But this seems to be a complain about films with diverse casts that still reserve the main role for a white. This is not limited to films with savior-type narratives. Any film with a non-white sidekick could still qualify. Dimadick ( talk) 16:39, 14 August 2015 (UTC)
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015 film) may or may nor fit the narrative; I wanted to mention it here. Vulture says, "Judging from this trailer, the movie mixes Clooney's liberal cynicism with the white-savior tropes of Bullock's The Blind Side." Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 17:44, 11 September 2015 (UTC)
Vanity Fair mentioned the narrative, so I've included the film in the list. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:12, 15 September 2015 (UTC)
Indiewire also mentioned it. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 16:19, 17 September 2015 (UTC)
Jenks24, see these sources as well for Our Brand Is Crisis. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 16:08, 7 February 2016 (UTC)
Question - how does The Blind Side fall into this trope, if it is based on the real events? Can the story of that guy's life be described as narrative in film or cinematic trope? -- BoleynSRB ( talk) 11:23, 21 September 2015 (UTC)
"lilies of the field" - black man saves white nuns "to sir with love" - maybe as well Perhaps this article needs renaming to something like "people of privelege who give it up and help the underpriveleged". Then this article becomes a subsection. I'm sure that internationally there are many examples of this sort of thing - note that most bollywood stars seem to have a certain look and feel. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.178.85.240 ( talk) 12:17, 21 October 2015 (UTC)
I reverted here a couple of unsourced additions: Beyond Rangoon and The Power of One (film). If sources can be found for these, they can be re-added. Thanks, Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 12:19, 6 November 2015 (UTC)
In the same vein, this mentions The Emerald Forest and A Man Called Horse as having this narrative. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:01, 9 November 2015 (UTC)
I have reservations about the name change. The scope of this article is limited to film and doesn't include other mediums such as televsion and literature. Unless the intention is to extend the scope of this article then I believe the title needs to be clear that the article only covers film Betty Logan ( talk) 06:49, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
It seems to me that a major failing in this page is no real differentiation between fictional film and those based - even nominally - on real events. Putting a fictional white protagonist into a fictional scenario where they "save" fictional non-whites is, it seems, somewhat different from the dramatic presentation in which a real white person or persons in a real life scenario affecting real-life non-whites. Maybe at the very least the list needs splitting. Nick Cooper ( talk) 12:27, 19 November 2015 (UTC)
@ 2600:8800:5100:38e:7133:3358:817a:2f18, 166.170.44.244, 2600:8800:5100:38e:fd0d:2d4d:bdda:36a6, 70.190.188.48: Regarding removal of 12 Years a Slave (film), reliable sources support its inclusion. See this and this. Beyond what is in the article, there is also this and this and probably more. It is pedantic to use the article title to try to exclude the film. If anything, you should be arguing for "White savior in film" or something of the like. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:49, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
In addition, this does not mean that 12 Years a Slave is a bad film. It is simply part of the trend of having this kind of white role in films about slavery. Something like Selma, in contrast, is considered good and is conscious of avoiding depicting a white savior (in that particular case, President LBJ). Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:54, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
@ Dschslava:, the editor was blanking sourced content. I would have issued content-blanking warnings if the IP was consistent and reported the editor for persistent blanking. Feel free to comment on the issue stated above. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:58, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
Comment Looking at the back-and-forth I don't really see what there is to discuss. The IP is clearly invoking an WP:Original research argument, so what else is there to say on the issue? Watching a film and deciding it doesn't fit with some kind of personal interpretation is exactly the kind of response that WP:Original research is designed to deter. If there is a legitimate contrary interpretation put forward by reliable sources then that can be incorporated into the article. As an example, I recall a CNN article that once disputed the view that Lincoln was a "white savior" film, and effectively argued that it was an "anti-establishment" movie i.e. the film was a white man beating the system rather saving black men; that is the kind of counter-argument that can effect some kind of alteration to the article. Even if the IP came to the talk page to discuss the issue, I don't really see what other possible conclusion can be arrived at because a local consensus cannot override a core policy. Betty Logan ( talk) 21:21, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
Dschslava, the editor 70.190.188.48 is clearly disregarding this discussion and the new input that supports the inclusion of this film. See [1], [2]. There's no place for this POV-pushing on Wikipedia. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 22:11, 31 December 2015 (UTC)
Dschslava, I've warned the editor for their disruptive behavior. Feel free to escalate the warnings or to report the editor to be blocked. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 22:59, 31 December 2015 (UTC)
For everyone involved (@ Erik, 70.190.188.48, and Betty Logan:), DRN is here. Dschslava ( talk) 06:28, 1 January 2016 (UTC)
But we watch 12 Years knowing that Solomon's only way home is to gain the ear of a good-hearted white man. This is absolutely not a critique of the narrative, which is, for one, based on Northup's own memoirs. And as our own critic Annlee Ellingson notes, there really was no other way: 'As nuanced as Cumberbatch and Fassbender are in their performances, though, their respective archetypes as kindly and cruel are clear-cut, and when producer Brad Pitt shows up on the scene as a Canadian abolitionist, he's positively angelic, a downright savior—and white. (But then what other honest outcome could there be? This isn't a Quentin Tarantino revenge fantasy, after all.)'
For the kind of white protagonist (read: hero) that enables white voters to identify with films presenting black subject matter. Even 12 Years a Slave provided white characters that allowed contemporary mainstream audiences to relate, even if simply through an act of personal revulsion that allowed 21st-century liberals a measure of moral superiority.
Hollywood has become obsessed with revenge tales of bondage and servitude like 12 Years a Slave and The Butler. But why aren't depictions of blacks removing their own chains getting the big-screen treatment? ... Well, no knock on Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and the like for directing or portraying decent, redeemable white characters. But those films still require a sympathetic Caucasian hero to justify their existence.
...Solomon is liberated from slavery through the benevolence of a White carpenter named, Samuel Bass (Brad Pitt); a White savior.
We are fortunate to have McQueen's honest eye and take-no-prisoners approach to filmmaking on this subject, not to mention the willingness of Brad Pitt, doubling as 'white savior' in both his minimal role in the film and his role as a film producer, to finance it.
The film's use of actor Brad Pitt to satisfy Hollywood's desire for a 'white savior,' came off as self-serving. 'It's all so credibly enacted that once Brad Pitt (whose Plan B productions produced the film) arrives in a bit part as a kind-hearted Canadian who visits the plantation and speaks out against slavery, the character's messianic qualities seem like a bit much,' wrote Indiewire film critic Eric Kohn.
In 1841, New York-born freeman Solomon Northup was kidnapped and enslaved for 12 years before finally earning his freedom. His memoir was turned into Steve McQueen's biopic 12 Years A Slave. Northup tried over and over to prove who he really was but it fell on deaf ears until a Canadian carpenter risked his life to help him out.
Too many of these films continue to rely on a regressive archetype known as the 'white savior,' a character who uses his or her elevated position of power to help blacks escape from poverty, servitude, or outright slavery. It's Emma Stone in The Help, Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side, or Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey in 42. Even a film as progressive as 12 Years a Slave cannot escape the trope. In the end, Solomon Northup becomes free due to the actions of a white contractor who visits his plantation and takes up his case.
David Oyelowo, who won a supporting actor award for The Butler, said this year's field of African-American centered films was incredibly strong. 'To have films like The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, Fruitvale Station and Mandela -- all that have black protagonists with no white savior character holding their hand through the movie is a huge stride forward,' he told THR.(This is the only contrasting source I found. I don't mind including it, but other sources would need to be referenced too to ensure due weight.)
Speaking of the White Saviors of Hollywood cinema, many will recognize its obvious influences on such films as Avatar and Dances with Wolves. To be fair, as frequently as the film praises his endeavors leading the Arabs, it also critiques it, commenting that a British foreigner came in and created a mess of the Arabs. But, that recurring thread of the Caucasian elite helping the vulnerable persons of color streams through such modern films as Elysium, The Blind Side, and Django Unchained. Even 12 Years a Slave finds its White Savior in Brad Pitt. But even then, these were all, to varying degrees, emotionally successful films.
On the other hand, the out-of-nowhere celebrity appearances, like Cuba Gooding Jr. and Martin Sheen as a lawyer and a judge, respectively, feel kitschy and distracting, if not as obtrusive as Brad Pitt's white-savior turn at the end of 12 Years a Slave.
'12 Years a Slave' won the Academy Award for best picture. However, doubts still lingered about its ability to truly bring about a newfound racial consciousness among a national, mainstream audience... The film also was a period piece that featured a happy ending ushered in by a 'white savior' in the form of Brad Pitt's character.
Additional sources I found. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 02:36, 11 January 2016 (UTC)
![]() | This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
Archive 1 | Archive 2 | Archive 3 | Archive 4 | Archive 5 |
It seems like at least a couple of the films are making fun of the concept, "Indiana Jones" for instance. And then there's The Man Who Would Be King (film). Although Rudyard Kipling was certainly a supporter of British imperialism and a racist (although it's more complicated than just that), his Hindu/Buddhist influenced personal philosophy rejected the idea that a person can save anyone else. See The White Man's Burden and If—. I don't know if the movie producers got this, but I think they did. Kitfoxxe ( talk) 14:23, 30 December 2014 (UTC)
To me Indiana Jones always seemed more like James Bond. He's more into beating the bad guys, not so much saving people. Although they both do save people. Not sure why Bond is not mentioned. Borock ( talk) 23:00, 30 December 2014 (UTC)
I removed original research as seen here because the write-up makes claims not present in the source. Writing "However, scholars like..." is weasel wording since the source is strictly from the named scholar. Furthermore, reviewing the material, it focuses on how "left-wing radicals" want to perceive Avatar specifically. It does not critique the white savior film label in general. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:11, 19 February 2015 (UTC)
There have been some rumblings about whether or not McFarland, USA is a white savior film. Here are some reliable sources commenting on this narrative:
Thanks, Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:20, 20 February 2015 (UTC)
Regarding the description of the topic, it is properly sourced, and per WP:YESPOV, the assertion is not "seriously contested" by reliable sources. Per WP:WEIGHT, "Neutrality requires that each article or other page in the mainspace fairly represent all significant viewpoints that have been published by reliable sources, in proportion to the prominence of each viewpoint in the published, reliable sources." The footnote that accompanies this passage specifically says, "The relative prominence of each viewpoint among Wikipedia editors or the general public is not relevant and should not be considered." This means that there needs to be a sociological counter-claim to the assertion. If you can provide that, we can include it. Otherwise, layperson contesting is not permissible. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:18, 1 March 2015 (UTC)
Please quote it to me where it mentions explicitly 'White savior narrative' pertaining to The Matrix. Tutelary ( talk) 18:09, 11 March 2015 (UTC)
User:Stumink, who was once involved in a dispute here, has since gone on a campaign to remove links to this article from the movies listed here. I thought regular editors of this page might be interested to know that. I came across it thanks to having one of the movies on my watchlist. Vanamonde93 ( talk) 15:11, 12 April 2015 (UTC)
Can we add a sub-section on television shows that embody this trope also? I particularly had Game of Thrones in mind, as Daenerys Targaryen clearly demonstrates this trope as a white woman who has to inspire POC to want freedom. 78.17.28.174 ( talk) 19:51, 1 July 2015 (UTC)
References to use. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 17:46, 24 August 2015 (UTC)
The Green Inferno (film) may be a candidate for inclusion. There are sources like this highlighting the matter. When the film comes out, we can look for specific sources that explore the narrative. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 21:52, 29 July 2015 (UTC)
Schindler's List exactly fits this trope - members of an oppressed minority are saved by a good member of the majority. Most viewers of the film are members of the majority (gentiles, not Germans) and so can learn about the historical injustice, while still feeling good about themselves. Schindler is the focus of the film, as much or more than JQ Adams is in Amistad, for example.
If it is objected that Jews are white, I would note that they have not always been so considered in American culture, and of course were considered racially alien in the time and place in which the film takes place - and that Arabs, other hand, are considered whites by the US Census Bureau, though Lawrence of Arabia is included here.
Ricardianman ( talk) 20:54, 7 August 2015 (UTC)
And if you want a source, see
https://books.google.com/books?id=lMGoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT22&lpg=PT22&dq=gentile+savior+films&source=bl&ots=5hFVLUUFle&sig=WRsvhF8_YhPdMK6MQZUis2jnZwY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAWoVChMIqc2IgO6XxwIVhDU-Ch1Q_g3h#v=onepage&q=gentile%20savior%20films&f=false
Film and the Holocaust: New Perspectives on Dramas, Documentaries, and Experimental Films
Aaron Kerner
Ricardianman ( talk) 20:58, 7 August 2015 (UTC)
I would add that The Life of Emile Zola belongs here too, though I do not have a source calling it a savior film.
Also Gentleman's Agreement. — Preceding
unsigned comment added by
Ricardianman (
talk •
contribs)
20:44, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
Hotel Rwanda may belong as well, since it is about an apolitical Hutu who saves victims of the Rwandan genocide (who are mostly Tutsis - Hutus were targeted only if they had been opponents of the Hutu Power movement) and so makes the audience feel good (it might fit the trope more narrowly, since the white executives of Belgian company Sabenas help as does a white UN commander) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ricardianman ( talk • contribs) 20:42, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
The inclusion of The Magnificcent Seven is interesting - compare Seven Samurai, in which Samurai save peasants (whom they look down on) from bandits. Of course that is a class/caste distinction, not race.
Ricardianman (
talk)
20:47, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/white-savior-films-mcfarland-usa
I may try to include some things from this article (TPM is a reliable source, no?) when I have time, but since you know the topic so well, maybe you should take a stab, eric. Ricardianman ( talk) —Preceding undated comment added 20:59, 13 August 2015 (UTC)
Another TPM article about the narrative here, this time about how Straight Outta Compton could mark the end of it. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 12:08, 15 August 2015 (UTC)
"white protagonists having "racially diverse" helpers." So far the list does not include many films like that. But this seems to be a complain about films with diverse casts that still reserve the main role for a white. This is not limited to films with savior-type narratives. Any film with a non-white sidekick could still qualify. Dimadick ( talk) 16:39, 14 August 2015 (UTC)
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015 film) may or may nor fit the narrative; I wanted to mention it here. Vulture says, "Judging from this trailer, the movie mixes Clooney's liberal cynicism with the white-savior tropes of Bullock's The Blind Side." Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 17:44, 11 September 2015 (UTC)
Vanity Fair mentioned the narrative, so I've included the film in the list. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:12, 15 September 2015 (UTC)
Indiewire also mentioned it. Erik II ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 16:19, 17 September 2015 (UTC)
Jenks24, see these sources as well for Our Brand Is Crisis. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 16:08, 7 February 2016 (UTC)
Question - how does The Blind Side fall into this trope, if it is based on the real events? Can the story of that guy's life be described as narrative in film or cinematic trope? -- BoleynSRB ( talk) 11:23, 21 September 2015 (UTC)
"lilies of the field" - black man saves white nuns "to sir with love" - maybe as well Perhaps this article needs renaming to something like "people of privelege who give it up and help the underpriveleged". Then this article becomes a subsection. I'm sure that internationally there are many examples of this sort of thing - note that most bollywood stars seem to have a certain look and feel. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 1.178.85.240 ( talk) 12:17, 21 October 2015 (UTC)
I reverted here a couple of unsourced additions: Beyond Rangoon and The Power of One (film). If sources can be found for these, they can be re-added. Thanks, Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 12:19, 6 November 2015 (UTC)
In the same vein, this mentions The Emerald Forest and A Man Called Horse as having this narrative. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 20:01, 9 November 2015 (UTC)
I have reservations about the name change. The scope of this article is limited to film and doesn't include other mediums such as televsion and literature. Unless the intention is to extend the scope of this article then I believe the title needs to be clear that the article only covers film Betty Logan ( talk) 06:49, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
It seems to me that a major failing in this page is no real differentiation between fictional film and those based - even nominally - on real events. Putting a fictional white protagonist into a fictional scenario where they "save" fictional non-whites is, it seems, somewhat different from the dramatic presentation in which a real white person or persons in a real life scenario affecting real-life non-whites. Maybe at the very least the list needs splitting. Nick Cooper ( talk) 12:27, 19 November 2015 (UTC)
@ 2600:8800:5100:38e:7133:3358:817a:2f18, 166.170.44.244, 2600:8800:5100:38e:fd0d:2d4d:bdda:36a6, 70.190.188.48: Regarding removal of 12 Years a Slave (film), reliable sources support its inclusion. See this and this. Beyond what is in the article, there is also this and this and probably more. It is pedantic to use the article title to try to exclude the film. If anything, you should be arguing for "White savior in film" or something of the like. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:49, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
In addition, this does not mean that 12 Years a Slave is a bad film. It is simply part of the trend of having this kind of white role in films about slavery. Something like Selma, in contrast, is considered good and is conscious of avoiding depicting a white savior (in that particular case, President LBJ). Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:54, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
@ Dschslava:, the editor was blanking sourced content. I would have issued content-blanking warnings if the IP was consistent and reported the editor for persistent blanking. Feel free to comment on the issue stated above. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 19:58, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
Comment Looking at the back-and-forth I don't really see what there is to discuss. The IP is clearly invoking an WP:Original research argument, so what else is there to say on the issue? Watching a film and deciding it doesn't fit with some kind of personal interpretation is exactly the kind of response that WP:Original research is designed to deter. If there is a legitimate contrary interpretation put forward by reliable sources then that can be incorporated into the article. As an example, I recall a CNN article that once disputed the view that Lincoln was a "white savior" film, and effectively argued that it was an "anti-establishment" movie i.e. the film was a white man beating the system rather saving black men; that is the kind of counter-argument that can effect some kind of alteration to the article. Even if the IP came to the talk page to discuss the issue, I don't really see what other possible conclusion can be arrived at because a local consensus cannot override a core policy. Betty Logan ( talk) 21:21, 30 December 2015 (UTC)
Dschslava, the editor 70.190.188.48 is clearly disregarding this discussion and the new input that supports the inclusion of this film. See [1], [2]. There's no place for this POV-pushing on Wikipedia. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 22:11, 31 December 2015 (UTC)
Dschslava, I've warned the editor for their disruptive behavior. Feel free to escalate the warnings or to report the editor to be blocked. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 22:59, 31 December 2015 (UTC)
For everyone involved (@ Erik, 70.190.188.48, and Betty Logan:), DRN is here. Dschslava ( talk) 06:28, 1 January 2016 (UTC)
But we watch 12 Years knowing that Solomon's only way home is to gain the ear of a good-hearted white man. This is absolutely not a critique of the narrative, which is, for one, based on Northup's own memoirs. And as our own critic Annlee Ellingson notes, there really was no other way: 'As nuanced as Cumberbatch and Fassbender are in their performances, though, their respective archetypes as kindly and cruel are clear-cut, and when producer Brad Pitt shows up on the scene as a Canadian abolitionist, he's positively angelic, a downright savior—and white. (But then what other honest outcome could there be? This isn't a Quentin Tarantino revenge fantasy, after all.)'
For the kind of white protagonist (read: hero) that enables white voters to identify with films presenting black subject matter. Even 12 Years a Slave provided white characters that allowed contemporary mainstream audiences to relate, even if simply through an act of personal revulsion that allowed 21st-century liberals a measure of moral superiority.
Hollywood has become obsessed with revenge tales of bondage and servitude like 12 Years a Slave and The Butler. But why aren't depictions of blacks removing their own chains getting the big-screen treatment? ... Well, no knock on Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and the like for directing or portraying decent, redeemable white characters. But those films still require a sympathetic Caucasian hero to justify their existence.
...Solomon is liberated from slavery through the benevolence of a White carpenter named, Samuel Bass (Brad Pitt); a White savior.
We are fortunate to have McQueen's honest eye and take-no-prisoners approach to filmmaking on this subject, not to mention the willingness of Brad Pitt, doubling as 'white savior' in both his minimal role in the film and his role as a film producer, to finance it.
The film's use of actor Brad Pitt to satisfy Hollywood's desire for a 'white savior,' came off as self-serving. 'It's all so credibly enacted that once Brad Pitt (whose Plan B productions produced the film) arrives in a bit part as a kind-hearted Canadian who visits the plantation and speaks out against slavery, the character's messianic qualities seem like a bit much,' wrote Indiewire film critic Eric Kohn.
In 1841, New York-born freeman Solomon Northup was kidnapped and enslaved for 12 years before finally earning his freedom. His memoir was turned into Steve McQueen's biopic 12 Years A Slave. Northup tried over and over to prove who he really was but it fell on deaf ears until a Canadian carpenter risked his life to help him out.
Too many of these films continue to rely on a regressive archetype known as the 'white savior,' a character who uses his or her elevated position of power to help blacks escape from poverty, servitude, or outright slavery. It's Emma Stone in The Help, Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side, or Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey in 42. Even a film as progressive as 12 Years a Slave cannot escape the trope. In the end, Solomon Northup becomes free due to the actions of a white contractor who visits his plantation and takes up his case.
David Oyelowo, who won a supporting actor award for The Butler, said this year's field of African-American centered films was incredibly strong. 'To have films like The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, Fruitvale Station and Mandela -- all that have black protagonists with no white savior character holding their hand through the movie is a huge stride forward,' he told THR.(This is the only contrasting source I found. I don't mind including it, but other sources would need to be referenced too to ensure due weight.)
Speaking of the White Saviors of Hollywood cinema, many will recognize its obvious influences on such films as Avatar and Dances with Wolves. To be fair, as frequently as the film praises his endeavors leading the Arabs, it also critiques it, commenting that a British foreigner came in and created a mess of the Arabs. But, that recurring thread of the Caucasian elite helping the vulnerable persons of color streams through such modern films as Elysium, The Blind Side, and Django Unchained. Even 12 Years a Slave finds its White Savior in Brad Pitt. But even then, these were all, to varying degrees, emotionally successful films.
On the other hand, the out-of-nowhere celebrity appearances, like Cuba Gooding Jr. and Martin Sheen as a lawyer and a judge, respectively, feel kitschy and distracting, if not as obtrusive as Brad Pitt's white-savior turn at the end of 12 Years a Slave.
'12 Years a Slave' won the Academy Award for best picture. However, doubts still lingered about its ability to truly bring about a newfound racial consciousness among a national, mainstream audience... The film also was a period piece that featured a happy ending ushered in by a 'white savior' in the form of Brad Pitt's character.
Additional sources I found. Erik ( talk | contrib) ( ping me) 02:36, 11 January 2016 (UTC)