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Snow Falling on Cedars, directed by Scott Hicks, is a movie about love, memory, and letting go. This movie is set in 1950 on an island in the Pacific Northwest. Although presumed to be a love story, Snow Falling on Cedars is a movie about a murder trial, during which many memories are brought to thought. Ishmael Chambers, played by Ethan Hawke, is a reporter and is observing a murder trial. The man on trial is Kazuo Miyamoto, played by Rick Young. His wife, Hatsue Miyamoto, played by You Kudoz, has a past with Ishmael.
During this trial, many memories are remembered by Ishmael. Kazuo is accused of killing his childhood friend on a boat. The island on which all these characters reside is half white and half Japanese. The story is mostly flashbacks during the trial, flashbacks of Ishmael and Hatsue's' past, the past of the characters on the witness stand, and the flashback of the defendant. Ishmael and Hatsue's' relationship starts when they are children.
Starting out as friends, the friendship soon turns into an un forbidden love which is not accepted by any person on the island. The relationship is kept a secret, the two meeting in the forest and proving their love where no one will ever find out. Years later, the bombing of Pearl Harbor occurs, and every Japanese American is forced to leave their home and move into a concentration camp of sorts. Ishmael and Hatsue keep in touch with letter, but Hatsue soon realizes the affair can not go on any longer. She is forced to break off the relationship via mail. Ishmael is heartbroken.
During the movie, Ishmael tells Hatsue, "If I could just hold you once, I would never have to talk to you again. " Hatsue then tells Ishmael he must get on with his life, the way she has. As the trial resumes, many incidences come up that bear essentialism. One witness explains the murder victim treating Kazuo "just like any other white person. " This implies Japanese Americans were not treated equally and the Americas looked down on them. During the trial, the judge makes a statement about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He explains to the jury what the 9 th anniversary is the bombing of Pearl Harbor arriving and not to let that interfere with the trial. It seems that the reason why he mentions this is to remind them of the bombing.
It seems his intention was to do more bad While flashbacks of Ishmael and Hatsue take place, it is noticed how the school bus is separated. That is, the Japanese Americans were sitting on the left, the Americans on the right. Also noticed is Ishmael and Hatsue do In the end, Kazuo is released due to new evidence found by Ishmael. Outside the courthouse, when Ishmael is leaving, Hatsue rum out of the courthouse and says to Ishmael, "Can I hold you now?" She is extremely grateful for Ishmael proving Kazuo' innocence. Snow Falling on Cedars is not a romance movie. It is a movie about a segregation two young adults tried to beat, but lost the battle.
It is a movie about the unfairness of society, and the power society has over people. It is about trying to prevail in the battle of prejudice. Bibliography:
Free research essays on topics related to: murder trial, bombing of pearl harbor, snow falling on cedars, japanese americans, ishmael and hatsue
Research essay sample on Snow Falling On Cedars
