Politics in Films House of Cards and Reds
Uploaded by spootyhead on Feb 19, 2007
Politics in Films: "House of Cards" and "Reds"
The two films House of Cards and Reds give us two very broad while detailed views into two very different political worlds; one showing the drive and motivation one must have to step up British party ranks to become Prime Minister, and the other showing the dedication and perseverance one must exhibit to start a new party in efforts against an inevitable war. Through the films we see two very distinct forms of politics that make and shape the different stories and characters. House of Cards takes place in the center of London, where Francis Urquhart, a wise old politician, battles and plots his way forward in an effort to become head of the British Republican Party. In Reds we see the story of a liberal writer from New York, who through his writing and travels becomes sparked with political ambition in the American World War I era. The politics that the two men, Urquhart and Reed, exhibit are very different in motivation and action, however they are very similar in that politics are politics and haven’t really changed over the ages. The issues at stake and the values of the two cultures are different, but what these men must do is the same. Politics is more than a game, a job or even a reputation; it marks a social society and a way of life all its own. It is as complex and deep as personality and in order to succeed in politics the players must adapt and live out the politics they preach.
House of Cards opens with shots of London and we see the landscape as old and traditional through the architecture of the city. Everything seems set and fixed in straight lines and corner, almost framed simply by these buildings. The bridge and the palace are bright and glorious but leave shadows throughout the streets and lower levels. This is much how we see the entire movie. The political life is placed on a pedestal. The filming is all done very straight forwardly with no cinematic tricks. This is very crucial for the film to work the way it does because the characters and actions are not straight forward at all. In fact, everything we see in the characters and story line is well thought out and deliberate. The other setting the movie has, although we really don’t see it...