Category Archives: 10/November/2017 Friday Film – Loving

Virginia in the 1960s

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The main thoughts I got from the movie Loving within the first half an hour is how differing ideas can lead to what seem like unnecessary frustration and suffering.  Richard, a white man, and Mildred, a black woman, drive out of Virginia and get married, since their marriage would be illegal in their home state, and then return to live with their families and assume their new lives with a marriage certificate.  Though when they return, they are still jailed and their matrimony is viewed as illegitimate, as their local sheriff arrests and separates both of  them.  His explanation for the separation is that people of different races were placed in different locations of the Earth, which he viewed as God’s intent for them to not marry and produce offspring together.  And this was the written explanation for the court ruling their marriage illegal.  Despite the work both groom and bride put into starting a new life together and finding a legal loophole, they were still ultimately required to leave the state, which they did together.

The film then shows their life once they’ve moved in such a way that made me appreciate it more as a story about a real relationship and not just about legal injustice.  As the couple raises their children, it is especially clear that Mildred is not happy so far removed from her family back in Virginia.  The burden of loneliness seems to strike her everyday as her husband is constantly working.  While this problem does seem like it would be fixed were they still living in Virginia, and is partially fixed once they move back, seeing the characters deal with stress from their new lives in a new location made them appear even more human on screen.

Even closer to the end of the film, there is still friction between the two in how they deal with the publicity that comes along with their legal case making it to the Supreme Court.  Instead of focusing the entire movie on solely courts, judges, and decisions, the movie’s creators seemed to show multiple sources of conflict that portrayed the relationship and struggles between Richard and Mildred Loving as organic and definitely made for an emotional two hours.

Loving

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I thoroughly enjoyed Loving. Although the last scenes that said the husband died in 1975 made me emotional, the movie was overall a happy ending and that satisfied me. I found a lot of similarities between Richard and Mildred’s love story and other struggles of the LGBT community. Of course, the Loving v. Virginia was used to justify gay marriage. I think it’s startling to think that interracial marriage was banned within our parents’ lifetimes, proving that only recently has legal racism been outlawed, meaning society has a long way to go.

It’s egregious to think that there was still such blatant discrimination so far after the civil rights movement. Even after the legalization of interracial marriage, a significant number of white Americans still view it as blasphemous. I think telling the story of the Loving family helps to show that the government has no right to interfere with our lives and that we should be able to love whoever we want to.

The Problem of Antiquated Laws

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The film “Loving” tells the real life story of how interracial marriage was against the law in Virginia, and many other states, due to legislation which had not been updated since the era of slavery. The law was clearly worded in such a way that there was no separation of church and state. In addition, the law cited strange beliefs about how the continents where separate so therefore the inhabitants of different continents shouldn’t be allowed to marry. Luckily the Supreme court overturned this law, but it is important that we as a society be vigilant for other laws which contain old-fashioned prejudices. Although times change, laws which were written by those in power stay the same. We are thus left with archaic rules which do not represent society’s morals or beliefs. It takes brave individuals, such as the Loving family, to expose these unfair and prejudiced laws. The film showed that it can be difficult when so many people are against you. The Lovings had to contend with racist police officers and judges, betrayal by neighbors, and even lawyers from the ACLU who had the best intentions but were not experienced in Constitutional law. The family overcame all the odds, and their case repealed an old law which was racist, providing future generations a better world to live in.

It only takes one

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“Loving” is a powerful take on the famous Supreme Court case that ended the prohibition of interracial marriage. Richard, a white man, and Mildred, a black woman, leave Virginia to get married, and they come back to a racist justice system that does not support their harmless act of marriage. In fact, the justice system forbids it. From the local sheriff to Richard’s own mother, time and time again people shake their head at Richard and mutter that he “should have known better”. Should have known better? Is it a crime to love someone else for who they are? Sadly, in this case the predominately racist general public says it is. So Richard and Mildred roll with the punches, leave the state, and raise a family. But as the Civil Rights Movement progresses, Mildred begins to realize that rolling with the punches isn’t right, and it isn’t fair. She writes a letter to Robert Kennedy and explains her situation. Though he doesn’t directly get back to her, a young lawyer reaches out to her. He wants to relieve Richard, Mildred, and their family of the injustice they’ve suffered, and he believes that together they can manipulate the justice system. He formulates a plan: bring it to their hometown, lose, then bring it to the state, lose, then bring it to federal court, lose, and then the case reaches the Supreme Court. But again, he’s a young lawyer, and he doesn’t have much experience. So he finds a prominent civil rights lawyer who, once he learns about Richard and Mildred’s situation, believes that Richard and Mildred have the chance to gain freedom not only for themselves but for all interracial couples. Well, their plan works. They do reach the Supreme Court. But as if Richard and Mildred’s entire struggle weren’t enough, the state of Virginia plots a heartbreaking, truly evil defense: use Richard and Mildred’s own children as witnesses testifying against their own parents. That is nothing but cruel. Fortunately, the Supreme Court answers with justice not only for Richard and Mildred but for all interracial couples. Interestingly, it didn’t take a march. It didn’t take a protest. It didn’t take an army. It took one couple to make a change for everyone.

The Truth About Loving

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The film was loving was a moving and emotional story about the sacrifices and sufferings of an interracial couple living in 1960 Virginia. The movie was especially touching because of the depth with which the actors portrayed the raw emotions holding the relationship together. It is unbelievable to think that not so long ago marrying someone of a different race was an action you could be jailed for. Movies like these are necessary because they remind us of this countries ugly history. They put things in perspective and help to elucidate current social and cultural phenomenons.

Despite being a wonderful movie to watch and great lesson on the history of this country there were some things that were changed about the true story to make the movie more “hollywood ready.”

The movie was correct about where and when the Loving’s first met. It is also true that they traveled to Washington to get the Marriage license and become a couple. What was untrue, however, was that Richard’s mom advised the couple not to get married. In reality she only ever told her son not to go to Washington to get married. She advised him to stay in Virginia. She was never outwardly opposed to the marriage and she never told him “you never should have married that girl.” This was likely added to make the film more dramatic.

All in all the film was enlightening and a pleasure to watch and I learned a lot.

Politics and Society: The Potent Effect of Laws and Court Cases on Everyday Life

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Last Friday, I attended Rose’s screening of the historical, touching film Loving. It chronicled the incredible story of Richard & Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose efforts culminated in the famous Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, during which race-based restrictions on marriage were found unconstitutional.

I have always loved passionately debating and respectfully arguing with others; TV shows and movies showcasing court cases and trials have consistently interested me. Therefore, throughout the film, I was getting geared up to watch the final battle – a debate amongst educated lawyers in a courtroom, finding loopholes, making counterarguments, and stringing together both logical and emotional appeals to facilitate real change in our country. However, the film did not portray this groundbreaking Supreme Court case and, initially, this choice by the directors left me feeling disappointed and confused.

Nonetheless, after ruminating over the film for a few days, I finally have recognized that the movie’s purpose was not to show how the legal system works and how court cases are won. Loving instead sought to showcase how lives are shaped by the decisions of other people – judges and legislators. I’m not a politician, and I don’t reside in Washington D.C. nor do I live near my home state’s capital. Because I am far in distance from the political system, I often neglect to remember how much it affects me and the level to which it impacts our society. However, watching this movie reminded me of the magnitude of the effect a written law can have on a person’s way of life. Richard and Mildred were arrested multiple times for being involved in an interracial marriage, just because a few politicians decided that it wasn’t acceptable. The decision by a couple of judges to make laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional vastly changed Richard and Mildred’s lives, for the better. They could live in peace because people in D.C. said so.

As a woman, I have the right to vote and exert a form of power over my government because of a single Amendment written into the Constitution. My female ancestors did not have this same right because of ridiculous sexist laws conjured up by a few misogynistic politicians. It’s honestly insane to think about the potency of written laws and the decisions of a few judges/legislators. The great effect of laws and court cases on the human race makes it all the more important that we continue to fight for liberal laws that will make our lives better, and to fight against oppressive, inhumane, and unjust laws.

In the end, although we may feel distant from politics, we must recognize the impact of laws and court cases on our society and on our ways of life. We can’t ignore the government; we must instead work to improve it.

Responsibility

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After watching Loving, I thought a lot about how the lawyers failed to tell the Loving couple the full truth (such as the fact that both lawyers knew they could not save the couple if the couple were to be arrested again). Obviously, knowing all the risks that the Loving couple are putting themselves (and their children) through would deter them from continuing to pursue their case in court. The lawyers had more than just the Loving couple’s interest in mind – they were interested in the possibility of making a huge difference. Still, I felt like the lawyers needed to give the Loving couple full disclosure before proceeding with the case. In this example, everything went well and they were able to change the law. But things could have easily gone wrong at multiple points and I felt like it was unfair for Loving family to not know the details of what they were getting themselves into. What would the lawyers have done if things took a terrible turn for the worse? This was a regular couple trying to lead a happy and healthy life for their children. They had already been through a lot – having to move out of the home they cherished and having to adapt to a new lifestyle. It would be devastating to imagine what would happen if the couple was sent to jail again or even something worse.

Therefore, should the lawyers have been more responsible in how they handled the Loving couple’s case? I definitely think so.

The Case of Loving v Virgina

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Last Friday we gathered to watch a movie covering the case of an interracial couple who had to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court. What I found interesting about the movie was that it was not framed like a traditional movie at all, but instead offered snapshots of the couple’s life together and their struggles. In fact, the movie focused so much on their difficulties that I sometimes forgot that the couple was in love. At one point, the husband even seems to consider his friend’s advice that he simply divorce his wife. However, the couple makes it through in the end and triumphs with a court ruling in their favor.

This movie relates pretty well to two ongoing issues that we struggle with today: marriage equality and racial inequality. Some of the same arguments used against interracial marriage back then are still used today. It’s disheartening to see that some things haven’t changed at all. Similarly, the court case that legalized marriage equality nationwide is still faced with opposition. Although this movie was set in the 60s, a lot of the themes are still relevant.

The fact that themes from this movie are still relevant today makes me wonder where we will be 50 years down the line from now. Will people still be faced with prejudice based on their race and sexuality? Sadly, it wouldn’t surprise me if that will be the case. We love to watch futuristic sci-fi movies where social inequality is antiquated and unthinkable, but more and more the ideal utopia of social equality seems to be out of reach.

Hope?

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After watching Loving last night the message of one person (or in this case on couple) can make a difference. We often think we need an entire movement to make a difference (and in many cases it is helpful) but the fact that this couples case in the supreme court changed the lives and laws of the United States is inspiring. Despite the odds they were able return to Virginia. Virginia has come a long way. Danica Roem was the first openly transgender person to be elected to Virginia Legislature. This is exciting on a national level because the only other openly transgender person to be elected to state legislature in the US was in 2012 when Stacie Laughton won a seat in the New Hampshire House. She did not take office however because she never disclosed her felony conviction and it cause a public uproar. Althea Garrison came out during her term in the Massachusetts house after being elected in 1992 but lost every election after coming out. (source: New York Times) The fact that a transgender democrat was able to win a seat in Virginia gives me hope that we will eventually be able to move forward as a country despite the current state of the executive branch.

The Power of Loving Persistence

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I really loved this story. The Loving’s story really captures how sometimes change is brought about when people simply live their lives by what they know is right in their heart. Richard and Mildred persisted. Refusing to let other people steal their joy, they found a way to build the life they wanted to live surrounded by people they love. Richard and Mildred embodied this silent strength, and by continuing on and doing what they believed they should have the right to do, changed the course of American history and ensured that every couple that came after them would have the right they had the courage to secure for themselves. One of the most powerful lines of the movie, I think, is when Mildred explained that they may “lose the small battles, but win the big war.” This line is so powerful because when we are in the middle of striving for change or working towards some goal, sometimes it is difficult to see the small battles as part of a larger war. It is often all to easy to admit defeat the first time we are told “no” or the first time we fail. Starting to plan the next battle and believing that the war has yet to be won takes both incredible courage and wisdom. The Loving story is a testament to the that fact that even when the outcome of a battle seems most definitive, the war cannot end if its soldiers keep persisting. The Loving story serves as a reminder not to underestimate the power of our own human spirits and the change we can effect just by harnessing this power and standing firmly in our beliefs. Also, I think another point that the Loving story illuminates is that when we see people in our lives or even across the country or world entering into these battles, we should compassionately listen to their stories and join the battle. Mildred pointed out that she and her family had their “enemies” and their “friends.” The Loving story reminds us that we need to listen to people’s stories—not make judgments about what these stories are or should be based on the color of their skin, who they love, where they are from, or anything else—and share their stories when they need to be heard, being a friend and helping them to win the larger war they had the courage to put in motion.