Films that broke barriers
by Paul Booth
For a film to make this list, it had to be a film that broke barriers or discussed a taboo subject. After these films, writers and directors no longer had to follow a production code. After these films–although the studios did make them–the days of censoring filmmakers was over. It was now up to the audience to decide to see a movie or not. The list is not about stars, or meant to only mention Oscar-winning films. This list is a reflection on America’s conservatism changing (content, not Politics).
1) The Lost Weekend (1945)
The 1945 Best Picture was the first film to deal with alcoholism. This controversial film held nothing back as it examined the effects of alcohol on the lead character. The studios thought it may be too depressing, but it struck a chord with America and also snagged Best Director for Billy Wilder (Some Like it Hot).
2) Gentleman’s Agreement (1946)
The fearless head (and co-Founder of 20th Century Fox Studios) Daryl F. Zanuck would use Gregory Peck in the story of a journalist who goes on an undercover assignment to expose anti-semitism. The film was released within a few years of the Holocaust. Once again, story and guts prevailed, bringing Zanuck a Best Picture Oscar.
3) The Pawnbroker (1962)
This film broke the rules by showing flashbacks of the Holocaust in the memory of its main character played by Rod Steiger. In a despicable time when some doubted the Holocaust even happened, this film was big no-no. The film’s director Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men) pushed the censorship rules with scenes of internment camps and barking dogs. Aside from the subject matter, the film is also worth noting, as the beginning of Quincy Jones career as a film composer.
4) The Graduate (1967)
The Graduate told the story of a young man sleeping with an older woman (taboo with a capital T in those days). The arrival of Dustin Hoffman and second time director Mike Nichols was perfect for this legendary film that has influenced almost every filmmaker since it was made.
5) In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Not only was it the Best Picture winner, but it boldly examined racism in the South and was released at America’s peak of Civil Rights and racial tension. The scene that terrorized conservative audiences was when Sidney Poitier slapped a Police officer. That was fine, the problem was that Poitier was black and the cop wasn’t. This film is a grim reminder of how sick this country was in 1968.
*****
6) Easy Rider (1969)
The heroes of the film are drug-dealing hippies with long hair. The brilliant cinematography and changing times launched this film from B-movie biker flick to a landmark in American cinema. One of the first movies made outside the studio, although released by Columbia. Some historians argue this was one of the films to birth Independent cinema. At the time Jack Nicholson was not Jack Nicholson.
7) Midnight Cowboy (1969)
The first movie to win Best Picture with an X-rating. Jon Voight (Coming Home) plays Joe Buck, a man who heads to NYC from Texas and quickly ends up down on his luck and must become a male prostitute. It could not have stirred more guff, because it treated gay men with humanity.
8) The Wild Bunch (1969)
This film with its machine guns and blood, broke down any question of is a film too violent? After The Wild Bunch there was no more censoring violence and any good film with violence owes The Wild Bunch a thank you. We also have this film to thank for the never-ending debate of “do movies cause real violence?”
9) Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Hollywood was riding high on box-office giants like Jaws and Star Wars and before the industry turned into an ’80s greed festival (like everything in America), the business awarded Best Picture to the first film to deal with Divorce. This is the film that faced what a crumbling marriage and custody battle can do to a man, woman and child. Oscar wins for Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.
10) Philadelphia (1993)
It was about time, after just over a decade of the AIDS epidemic it was finally being acknowledge as a disease anyone could have, not only gay people. The studio allowed Tom Hanks to play a dying AIDS patient who is wrongfully terminated from his law firm and decides to sue his former bosses. His lawyer is Denzel Washington (Training Day) in the only on-screen bigot character I have ever tolerated his opinions. Denzel played a gay-intolerant heterosexual man who must understand AIDS and himself. This is one of Denzel’s best performances, even though Hanks (and an Oscar win) is what most people remember about Philadelphia.
