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The two films House of Cards and Reds give us two very broad while detailed views into two very different political worlds; one showing the drive and motivation one must have to step up British party ranks to become Prime Minister, and the other showing the dedication and perseverance one must exhibit to start a new party in efforts against an inevitable war. Through the films we see two very distinct forms of politics that make and shape the different stories and characters. House of Cards takes place in the center of London, where Francis Urquhart, a wise old politician, battles and plots his way forward in an effort to become head of the British Republican Party. In Reds we see the story of a liberal writer from New York, who through his writing and travels becomes sparked with political ambition in the American World War I era. The politics that the two men, Urquhart and Reed, exhibit are very different in motivation and action, however they are very similar in that politics are politics and havent really changed over the ages. The issues at stake and the values of the two cultures are different, but what these men must do is the same.
Politics is more than a game, a job or even a reputation; it marks a social society and a way of life all its own. It is as complex and deep as personality and in order to succeed in politics the players must adapt and live out the politics they preach. House of Cards opens with shots of London and we see the landscape as old and traditional through the architecture of the city. Everything seems set and fixed in straight lines and corner, almost framed simply by these buildings. The bridge and the palace are bright and glorious but leave shadows throughout the streets and lower levels.
This is much how we see the entire movie. The political life is placed on a pedestal. The filming is all done very straight forwardly with no cinematic tricks. This is very crucial for the film to work the way it does because the characters and actions are not straight forward at all. In fact, everything we see in the characters and story line is well thought out and deliberate. The other setting the movie has, although we really dont see it much, is the country estate of Urquhart.
Here is themed the affair between Francis and Mattie, as they can only be together when the wife leaves for the country. Other foul political play takes place here as well when Urquhart poisons Roger ONeil. In this location everything is removed and private like the country would suggest and like a politician might need. A final visual theme that the movie sets up is the repeated showing of rats in the city.
It highlights two important things one being that the streets are represented by dirt and filth that is very real, and the other being that there is a rat in the party. The politicians take the party very seriously and the fact that there is a leak in the inner circle gives everyone room for suspicion. In the story, the party is trying to figure out who will become the next Prime Minister. The film gives us a firsthand look at the relationships and institutions in this political world. We see a big social distinction between the politicians and the people of the press who cover them. We see rules and inside strategies for being a good politician.
Through Francis character we see a man led by ambition and self-interest. He says at one point, everyone can be valuable. His character is always thinking ahead to the next move and how every relationship he has can be useful to get what he wants. Another common happening in the film is sex, and more importantly sex for power. The wives of these men are not concerned with affairs as long as they can gain power from them or have no threat of loosing reputation.
To these people it is all about status and not at all about how you get it. The politics in House of Cards is corrupt in this respect. People act for personal gain rather than political issues. We see this everywhere in the movie. Francis always keeps a calm front on the outside so that people trust him and confide in him. His actions, however, show no shame, as he does whatever he has to so that he may have what he wants.
Mattie plans ahead to benefit herself as well. She is a journalist and wants to be published and make a name for herself. She will sleep with people and carry a tape recorder to get ahead. Even getting stories published in the newspaper is political in the movie. There is a created hierarchy within the staff and we see this everywhere in the film. Who can help you or hurt you and how?
This question brings up the main themes of this movie. The first is that of morality in politics, or a lack there of in some cases. Another theme is the idea of duty or job versus self-interest. We see that things change quickly in politics and that politics brings about change. Party orientation and social life always come into play with politics, and with all the relationships and desire for self-gain, we see that for characters to be successful they must live their politics through their social lives. We see this perfectly with Francis Urquhart.
His entire social life is devoted to bettering his political stance and that is why he succeeds. Things are never what they seem with him, or in the rest of the film. This idea is repeated a lot through the story line itself and through the characters and their motivations. The film uses a lot of repletion to make points and exemplify these themes. It is used cinematically, politically and verbally; You may think that, but I couldnt possibly comment. This is Francis trademark line in the film.
He knows exactly what he is doing but leaves his interpreter...
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Research essay sample on Politics In Films House Of Cards And Reds
