"You stuff someone into the American Dream, and it becomes a prison. " -Craig Thomas
Rocky
Rocky is an American film classic, illustrating a boxer starting at the bottom , but through hard work, making his way to the top. This movie is a perfect example of a rags to riches story, taking place in America. The main character Rocky Balboa starting out his boxing career in the slums of Philadelphia, struggling to get by. After a rare chance of a lifetime, Rocky gets the opportunity to box for a national championship. This artifact goes against Craig Thomas' quote because Rocky was free to box his way to greatness without cheating or doing anything illegal. He had freedom, and wasn't stuck in a prison, like Thomas suggests. After countless training sessions, Rocky becomes physically and mentally strong, and ready for the big fight. Nicknamed the Italian Stallion, Rocky was picked for the big fight to show that immigrants could come over to America, and succeed. This film shows that with hard work, and integrity, anybody can succeed in their personal American Dream. Also, it shows that when you focus on your dream, and put a lot of effort into it, then it will be achieved, easier, and with more precision. Rocky went from fighting just to barely make it, to being the number one boxer in America, achieving his American Dream.
American Hustle
American hustle is a example of the dirty shortcuts people take to achieve the American Dream. Taking place in the late 1970's and the early 1980's, the main characters posses a sense of fake perfection. Opening on a character carefully fixing his fake hair, it shows that in this time of America, many people were fake, solely for the purpose of success. Quite like the American Experience, the main characters do there best to succeed in America, doing whatever it takes. Many of the characters are con artists and to succeed in the American Dream, they do something very much illegal. This movie goes with Craig Thomas' quote because through hustling and coning, the main characters become stuck in prison like ideal in America. They weren't free to do whatever they wanted in a free country because it was too late for them. They became involved in something illegal, and they couldn't achieve the true American Dream, but a dangerous and dirty version of it. Irving, one of the main characters, thinks that if somebody has a perfect appearance, and acts appropriately, then they can fit into society better. Irving also says that when he was a kid he tried to be the least like his dad as possible, and tried to branch off from his original family branch. This loosely relates to the early American Dream of immigrants leaving behind their old traditions and lives, and starting up a new one, just like Irving did with his family.
The Wolf Of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese's The Wolf Of Wall Street is a example of how the rich control America, and sometimes limit the dream succession of middle to low class citizens. Opening on a wealthy group of people partying, the film sets the stage for the rich and how they can get what they want easily in America. After a economical crisis for the main character Jordan Belfort, he starts to create a successful business on the stock market, using hustling and salesmanship to build his way to a wealthy individual. This movie goes against what Craig Thomas has to say because these people, wanting to be rich , build up from being middle class, many people's American Dream. Belfort is not stuck in a prison like Thomas says, but he is free to attempt to get to the top. In this movie, the things the businessmen do to get rich is morally and characteristically wrong, insulting the middle and low class. Before, these men were middle class men struggling to hang on, but after they become rich, through hustling and scandal, they are at the "top" of American society standards. A system that allows men to get to the top quickly, and not in a legal way, is not balanced, and makes the people that are actually working farther away from their dreams. Earlier in Martin Scorsese's career, he exemplifies the American Dream through mobsters getting to the top through killing and drugs. Now, Scorsese makes Wall Street crooks seem even worse, as they traffic their way through America's economic system, and get more money than they need. These rich people are spending their money on booze, drugs, and luxurious items, that middle class Americans cannot afford.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a very popular movie internationally, and it perfectly describes the successes and failures of the American Dream. Following key points in American history, Forrest goes through the American Dream, as well as seeing Americas problems. In a time when the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and many U.S presidents take office, Forrest sees a lot of diversity in America. Starting out in a small town, Forrest has many dreams and aspirations to accomplish. In his early life, Forrest was made fun of for his disabilities, but this doesn't stop him. This artifact goes against what Craig Thomas says, because through the movie, Forrest does what HE wants to do, not what he's told to do. Though life gave him a disability, Forest doesn't give up, and achieves medals and awards for his bravery and character. Many odds were against Forest in this movie, but he still managed to do the best he could, and succeed his goals. Forrest fell in love, and throughout the story, he is seen struggling with that concept. At the end, he gets a child from his "true love", and then loses wife from illness. Also in this movie, Forrest is seen running cross country just for the fun of it. Forrest had a dream to do what he wanted, and at that point in the movie, he wanted to run, so he did. This movie is summed up by Forrest Gump doing what he wanted, when he wanted. He is not in a prison of the American Dream like Thomas' says, but he is free to do what he wants. From growing up in a small town, Gump meets the president, gets the purple heart, starts a successful shrimp business, all while dealing with the struggles of life. Many Americans have the dream of what Forrest does, and by doing what he did, he set an example for his fellow Americans in this film. Forrest Gump is a great example of the American Dream, and is a very well liked film internationally.
Scarface
In Scarface, the main character Tony Montana achieves what many consider the American Dream. Starting from the bottom of success, Montana uses his knowledge on the streets to quickly climb to the top of the American social settings. After getting a green card from the government, Tony Montana goes to Miami, and starts a goal to be the biggest drug lord in Miami. Quite like The Corleone's in the Godfather, Montana kills anybody or anything that stands in his way, on his quest for power. Thomas' quote says that being put into the American Dream, causes it to become a prison. Montana started his dreams by going down the wrong path, and when he was too far in the business, it led to his downfall. Like many Americans, a dream of starting at rock bottom, and becoming very powerful at the top is common between The American Dream and Tony Montana. Many Americans don't chose to go down the dangerous path of Tony Montana, because once stepping foot in the business of drug cartels, it leads to death and revenge. By lying his way into America, he causes disaster through corrupt acts. Living a criminal lifestyle, Montana gains enemies, but being stuck in a "prison", he cannot escape them. After getting attacked by a rival drug gang, Montana's dark life is ended, and his American Dream, which was successful, had ended.
The Godfather
Throughout American history, many millions of families have been moving to America in search of better opportunities, and finding the American Dream. In the story of The Godfather, a middle class Italian family, moves to America to gain wealth and power. To achieve this, they used the dark and devious path of America, to achieve wealth. After starting a successful family business, the Corleone's do whatever it takes to maintain their power. This exemplifies Thomas' quote because once they got into the American Dream, they couldn't get out. To gain power, this family used murdering and drugs, to stay in the highest social placing possible. Many immigrants throughout history have goals of moving to America and starting a new life, and being wealthy, which is what the Corleone's do in this film. Once a non wealthy Italian family, the Corleone's use the dark path of the American Dream to gain power and go to the top. When they are generations in their dirty business, it is too late to stop. They are stuck in it, just like a prison, as Craig Thomas says. Quite like a prison, the murder and drugs that the Corleone's do is illegal, which would result to them going to prison if they were caught. Their American Dream was a lot different then some of the fictitious characters in "American Dream" novels. Most of them wanted to get a job, a house, and raise a family, but the Corleone's just wanted power, power that would eventually lead to their downfall. The dirty business more often than not always leads to a failure, and the Corleone's dream was dead, after generations of it being very much alive. This movie supports Thomas' quote about the American Dream being a prison.