Movie: The Butler

Why this isn’t as big as say, Titanic is beyond me. In the capacity of an important history lesson rather than the best film ever made.The story told through a real life White House butler, name changed to Cecil Gaines for the film, who served several US, presidents from to JFK, to Nixon and Reagan. I’ve always thought myself to be pretty conscious of the civil rights movement and recently I’ve been more of the opinion that we should move on, live and let live, it was all a long time ago.But it wasn’t, was it?It’s in the living memory of our parents and grandparents. The current President of the free world wouldn’t have had the privilege (sic) of being able to sit on any stool in a café, but as a child, he would have had to sit in the ‘coloured’ area, use separate bathrooms or at the very least separate wash basins and sit in a separate part of the bus.And now he is the democratically elected President of the USA. Things have changed but at what price? How many fellow human beings were tortured, imprisoned and killed just for being a different colour, which for decades meant second class citizens.Nancy Reagan (Jane Fonda) even personally invited Gaines (Forest Whitaker) to a black tie dinner – as a guest, a first. In the film he was amusingly served by his butler colleagues and whereas his wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey) loved it, he felt uncomfortable showing his ‘other’ face.From when he first left his Mum and the cotton plantation, where as a child he saw his Dad shot in front of him for seemingly just showing distaste for the white man who had just condescendingly abused his wife, the boy Gaines was taught to have a second face. (We just heard the screams. I approve of keeping this film about the emotion, values and the history rather than being graphic when we know there was so much violence and abuse through the years).The first face is what he shows his family and friends (black people) the other is the face he shows his employees and this fancy dinner was just confusing.The second face is what’s shown when people spit at them, throw hot coffee in their face and burn their freedom bus they are in. Although they are taught to never look anyone straight in the eye of course, back from the days when they were still slaves.

A large part of the storyline refers to the Gaines' elder son risking his life by campaigning with the civil rights movement and a small part follows the butler's attempt to obtain equal pay with the non-coloured staff who are paid 40% more.The love story between Gaines and his wife is followed throughout from when their two boys were young through, the Freedom Fighter years, dancing at house parties in the 1970s and through to old age, supporting Obama’s campaign. Sadly Mrs Gaines died shortly before the election but we see Mr Gaines see President Obama being elected.I too remember that night; I was in New York at the time trying to stay away as the election results were coming in and receiving texts from friends who were at election night parties. I’m glad I stayed in to watch the momentous occasion unfold on TV with the attention it deserved and a tear in my eye. Very much like Gaines in this film.The next night, I saw the Empire State Building lit blue in honour of this history breaking news. I still don’t think people realise just how important it is.9/10Smile factor 8/10Coffee rating: Americano