The (Mis)‎ representation of minorities in American films throughout the twentieth century : a historical retrospective

Abstract EN

Throughout the twentieth century, American cinematic productions have not only represented the American hero character but also his antagonist, I.

E.

the American “other” which refers to individuals from minority groups.

the later are categorized according to distinctive ethnic, racial, or religious groups and include Hispanics, black or African Americans, Asian Americans, native Americans, native Hawaiians and other pacific islanders, Arabs and other eastern Americans, and less commonly mentioned as minority groups but still were brought by immigration : Irish, Italians, polish and other roman catholic Europeans.

these representations have always been through the eyes of American directors ; commonly directors from a white Anglo-Saxon protestant origin who have always depicted a hero, from a wasp origin too and his “other,” most of the time an anti-hero from a minority group origin.

these representations mirror the political and historical contexts of their time.