Lone Star Movie (1995) directed by John Sayles
Cornado was Spanish conquistador and he explored the continent from Mexico to Kansas. Another point is that some people in the community like Pilar’s mother, Mercedes identifies herself as Spanish claiming that her family ancestors are from the Spanish explorers and conquistadors. Pilar pins up a picture of the Alamo to the classroom bulletin board. The Alamo is an important reference point in history to the community. The Alamo is viewed from different perspectives depending on their culture. Pilar’s students are whites (European-American), African-America, Mexican and Native Americans and mixed race from intermarriages. Buddy Deeds is introduced as a good man and because he will not take a bribe, even though his boss Sheriff Dade orders him to pick up the money regularly. But Sam does not show that he feels his father was an especially good man. Compared to Sam, Buddy Deeds was not a good man, because he an affair while he was still married but the people of the town seemed to like Buddy’s style of being the Sheriff. Sam and Buddy did not have a good relationship, especially when Buddy prevented Sam from marrying Pilar.
Hollis and Cruz are set on renaming the courthouse after Buddy, but Sam is not excited about the plan. Sam’s body language even shows how is not comfortable with the courthouse being named after his dad. Naming the courthouse represents the theme running through the entire movie that no one agrees about anything because their opinions depend on one’s background and experiences. Hollis and Cruz are eating authentic Mexican food and listening to Mexican music, while ironically they see themselves as different from Frontera’s Mexican residents.
Buddy says to his deputy that he is “going to the other side.” Hernandez immediately asks “Republican?” because the deputy is all about gaining power through politics. Buddy meant he was going over to Mexico. The other side also reflects the various perspectives that town people have on issues.
Jimmy Herrara used to run the restaurant and he bribed Sheriff Wade so the Sheriff would not round up Mexicans working in the restaurant who did not have official paperwork. The scene shows that a lot of important details are not included in text books, for example the Mexicans were not allowed to stay because they had settled Frontera first; they were allowed to stay because of the bribe.
O’s was the only place in town where African Americans could feel comfortable because it was the only place in town that allowed African Americans.
Family problems are a big part of the texture of the movie, because although people seem categorized into their own small group, in fact the families are all inter-mixed in work or love or both. Sayles is trying to show that prejudice is a waste of time because people are all human beings. Sam and Pilar are half-brother and –sister but they were not raised in the same family as siblings so they are not doing anything wrong. The director is showing that families become all mixed regardless of their ethnicity and love can result. Also multi-racial relationships, families and communities cannot be avoided.
The Alamo and the Frontera courthouse both represent a type of border in the town an in history. The law represented by the courthouse separates the people between “legal” and “illegal.” The Alamo represents the “winners” and the “losers” and therefore who has the power in Frontera, a debate that continues.
I think a person living in Frontera would have to be good at communicating with different types of people with different histories. They would also have to be able to mind their own business. On the other hand living there would be fun and interesting.
Lone Star is definitely a western with the good sheriff (good) and the bad sheriff (Wade). The border between Texas and Mexico is a place where the law is carried out legally or illegally so that is an important ingredient of Westerns. Lone Star is better than other western type movies because the members of the community are not stereotyped.
The community members who have legal papers showing they are American are considered American by most of the people. Music is important because it shows that the culture is predominantly Mexican. I think it also acts as a back drop to Sam and Pilar’s romance.
Work Cited
Sayles, John (director). Lone Star. (Film). 1996. Columbian Pictures and Castle Rock Entertainment.
