Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution has been the subject of many films, with some focusing on the events of the US Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the creation of the document. One such film is the 1989 feature film A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation, which dramatizes the convention and the creation of the constitution, focusing on James Madison, who wrote most of the document. Other films include The American Constitution, a documentary by David Garrigus, which features a conversation between Garrigus and James Madison, portrayed by Louis Magill, and explores the historical context and creation of the constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | What the Constitution Means to Me |
| Director | Marielle Heller |
| Writer | Heidi Schreck |
| Actors | Heidi Schreck, Mike Iveson |
| Plot | A 15-year-old Schreck travels the country, competing in constitutional debates in American Legion halls. |
| Themes | Abortion, consent, domestic violence, and the failures of the US Constitution |
| Tone | Funny, compassionate, surprising, and optimistic |
| Similar Movies | A More Perfect Union, Lincoln, Cool Hand Luke, Shawshank Redemption, Dead Man Walking, Citizen Kane, Network, Good Morning Vietnam, All the President's Men, Private Parts, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Dirty Pictures, Clear and Present Danger, Air Force One |
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What You'll Learn
- 'What the Constitution Means to Me' (2020) explores the US Constitution's failures, particularly for marginalised groups
- 'A More Perfect Union' captures the spirit of the US Constitution framers, portraying their vision of a nation built on justice
- Films like 'Cool Hand Luke', 'Shawshank Redemption', and 'Dead Man Walking' centre convicted persons' rights
- 'Citizen Kane' and 'Network' are critical of the press, while 'Good Morning, Vietnam' and 'All the President's Men' are pro-media
- Post-9/11, films like 'Air Force One' depict a powerful president who can effect change single-handedly
'What the Constitution Means to Me' (2020) explores the US Constitution's failures, particularly for marginalised groups
Heidi Schreck's "What the Constitution Means to Me" is a 2017 play that was adapted into a film in 2020. The film, directed by Marielle Heller, captures the final weeks of its 2019 Broadway run with thoughtfulness and elegance. The play is partly autobiographical, with Schreck playing herself, recounting the story of how she travelled the country as a 15-year-old, competing in constitutional debates to earn scholarship money for college.
The play delves into the beauty, contradictions, and failures of the United States Constitution. Schreck explores the Constitution through multiple lenses: as a 15-year-old, a 20-year-old, a young woman, a grown woman, a daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter. She presents the audience with a deep dive into the Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments, discussing citizenship rights and what it means to be "American".
Schreck argues that the Constitution does not protect all Americans because it was not created to do so. It is largely concerned with negative rights and does not limit the actions of white men. She addresses themes of women's rights, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and immigration, sharing her own experiences with abortion and the fear of sexual assault during college. Schreck also discusses the abuse experienced by her mother and grandmother at the hands of her grandmother's husband.
The film concludes with a powerful debate between Schreck and Rosdely Ciprian, a New York high school debater. They discuss whether the US Constitution should be abolished and replaced, with the audience acting as the jury. "What the Constitution Means to Me" is a funny, compassionate, and surprising work that provides a bright flare of optimism. It offers a relevant, passionate, and surprising look at American history and the current state of the nation, encouraging conversation and varying points of view.
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'A More Perfect Union' captures the spirit of the US Constitution framers, portraying their vision of a nation built on justice
The film "A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation" captures the spirit of the US Constitution framers, portraying their vision of a nation built on justice. The 1989 film dramatizes the events of the US Constitutional Convention of 1787, which laid the foundation for the United States of America. The film was produced by Brigham Young University to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the drafting of the United States Constitution.
The film focuses on James Madison, who wrote most of the Constitution and took extensive notes during the convention's discussions and proceedings. Craig Wasson's depiction of Madison is moving and relatable, portraying a relatively young man whose sincere commitment and persistent enlistment of more influential men helped hold together a fragile and contentious group. The script is based primarily on Madison's writings, including the minutes he took during the Constitutional Convention, published as "Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787."
The film accurately depicts the difficult debates and laborious efforts to compromise during the Constitutional Convention. It showcases the spirit and determination of the framers of the US Constitution as they looked beyond their time to ensure a nation built upon justice, morality, faith in God, and empowered by the people themselves. Customers have praised the film for its historical accuracy, production values, acting quality, and educational value, particularly for middle and high school history classes.
"A More Perfect Union" was officially recognized by the Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution as "of exceptional merit." It serves as an admirable example of a well-made dramatization, providing a great educational tool for those interested in the history of the United States Constitution and the vision of its framers.
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Films like 'Cool Hand Luke', 'Shawshank Redemption', and 'Dead Man Walking' centre convicted persons' rights
Films like Cool Hand Luke, The Shawshank Redemption, and Dead Man Walking centre on the rights of convicted persons. These films explore themes such as prison life, the death penalty, and the maintenance of self-worth while incarcerated.
Cool Hand Luke, released in 1967, is an American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It stars Paul Newman as Luke, a prisoner in a Florida prison camp who refuses to submit to the system and the established order among the prisoners. The film is based on Donn Pearce's 1965 novel of the same name and received favourable reviews upon its release.
The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 American prison drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, is based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, who is sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over time, he befriends a fellow prisoner, Ellis "Red" Redding, played by Morgan Freeman, and becomes involved in a money laundering operation led by the prison warden. The film explores themes of integrity and freedom, even in the confines of prison.
Dead Man Walking is based on the true story of Sister Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun who became the spiritual advisor to Patrick Sonnier, a convicted killer sentenced to death in Louisiana's Angola State Prison. Through her journey, the film and its source novel of the same name by Prejean explore the human consequences of the death penalty and the inequalities of the judicial system.
These films highlight the complexities of the prison system and the rights of those within it. They invite audiences to consider the treatment of prisoners, the impact of the death penalty, and the maintenance of humanity in the face of incarceration.
In addition to these films, the play-turned-film "What the Constitution Means to Me" by Heidi Schreck also touches on constitutional rights, including the failures of the United States Constitution with regard to women, people of colour, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
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'Citizen Kane' and 'Network' are critical of the press, while 'Good Morning, Vietnam' and 'All the President's Men' are pro-media
The 1941 film Citizen Kane and the 1976 film Network are both critical of the press. Citizen Kane, directed by and starring Orson Welles, is a quasi-biographical film that examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, a composite character based on media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. The film is a critique of the media and its power, and it caused controversy upon its release, with Hearst prohibiting any mention of the film in his newspapers. Similarly, Network, reviewed alongside All the President's Men by Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly, is described as having a "self-loathing take on the media".
On the other hand, Good Morning, Vietnam and All the President's Men are pro-media films. Good Morning, Vietnam, starring Robin Williams, is a comedy-drama that offers a captivating look at Williams' cinematic gifts. While the film does involve the press, it does not critique it. Instead, it tells the story of Airman First Class Adrian Cronauer, who arrives in Saigon to work as a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Service. He reads the news with a mix of irreverent humour and plays rock and roll music, which is frowned upon by his superiors. Despite this, he becomes well-liked by his colleagues and students.
All the President's Men, starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, is a biographical political thriller about the Watergate scandal that brought down the presidency of Richard Nixon. The film is based on the book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the two journalists investigating the scandal for The Washington Post. It showcases the power of journalism in speaking truth to power and raising important questions. Chris Nashawaty describes the film as "a victory lap for American journalism".
In conclusion, while Citizen Kane and Network offer critical portrayals of the press, Good Morning, Vietnam and All the President's Men take a more positive approach, highlighting the potential for journalism to expose the truth and hold power to account. These films provide a nuanced portrayal of the media, demonstrating its potential for both positive and negative impacts on society.
Additionally, a movie directly dealing with the constitution is the 2020 film What the Constitution Means to Me, which is based on Heidi Schreck's play. The movie is about Schreck recounting her story of travelling the country as a 15-year-old, competing in constitutional debates to earn scholarship money for college.
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Post-9/11, films like 'Air Force One' depict a powerful president who can effect change single-handedly
The 2020 film "What the Constitution Means to Me" is based on Heidi Schreck's play of the same name. The film adaptation is directed by Marielle Heller and stars Schreck, who recounts her story of travelling the country as a 15-year-old, competing in constitutional debates to earn scholarship money for college. The film dwells on the beauty, contradictions, and failures of the United States Constitution through various lenses, including Schreck's 15-year-old self, her 20-year-old self, and her perspectives as a woman, daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter.
"A More Perfect Union: America Becomes A Nation - The Making of the U.S. Constitution" is another film that deals with the constitution. It portrays the struggles of the Founding Fathers to write the Constitution and create a new form of government.
Post-9/11, films like "Air Force One" depicted a powerful president who can effect change single-handedly. The 1997 film stars Harrison Ford as President James Marshall, who attempts to rescue everyone on board Air Force One after it is hijacked by terrorists. Despite being praised for his performance as a tough and determined president, the film faced criticism for its far-fetched plot points, particularly regarding the president's physical abilities and his ability to outsmart the terrorists. Nonetheless, "Air Force One" was a box office success, receiving mostly positive reviews and becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1997.
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Frequently asked questions
Some movies that deal with the constitution include "A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation", "The American Constitution", and "The Trial".
This movie dramatizes the events of the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787 and is focused mainly on James Madison, who wrote most of the document.
The movie was filmed on location at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, in Williamsburg, Virginia, and at other historical sites.
Movies about the constitution are intended for anyone interested in learning more about the history of the United States and the creation of the constitution, including students and history enthusiasts.
