MY MAN AND I
US, 1952, 85 minutes. Black and white.
Ricardo Montalban, Shelley Winters, Wendell Corey, Claire Trevor, Jack Elam.
Directed by William A. Wellman.
My Man and I is a social drama of the early 1950s. It is very interesting in retrospect insofar as it focuses on migrants from Mexico and Central America and their status in American society. In later decades, the increasing number of migrants meant that the Hispanic population of the United States increased enormously – and has consequences in terms of American politics, American racism.
Ricardo Montalban plays a sincere young man, proud of his becoming an American citizen, with a letter to the president of the United States. He is employed by a farmer who swindles him of his money. He has worked hard and is angry at his being refused his payment. He threatens the farmer morally rather than with violence. However, he is arrested and charged with assault. The farmer lies in court as does his wife who has flirted with the Mexican. The farmer and his wife are played by Wendell Corey and Claire Trevor. The other significant character is played by Shelley Winters, a variation on her blowsy roles, a young woman adrift, alcoholic, low self-esteem, who is admired by the Mexican, supported, saved even when she was suicidal. She finally gives testimony for him in the courts. There is also a group of Mexican friends, including Jack Elam in a more sympathetic role than his usual villains. The camaraderie between the Mexicans is quite strong, their friendship, their mutual support.
The film was directed by William A. Wellman who had directed the first Oscar-winning film in 1928, Wings. He had a background in World War One with aviation and made a number of films on that theme including Lafayette Escadrille.
1. A film for the 1950s? The social concern? Immigrants? The workers in the southern states? Immigrants from Mexico? This issue in the retrospect of the late 20th century and early 21st century?
2. The black and white photography, the re-creation of the era, the American cities, the migrants and their rooms, the bars, work in the countryside and the farms, the properties? The courts?
3. The musical score and its tone, the use of Stormy Weather, the title coming from the song? Continually replayed throughout the film?
4. Ricardo Montalban as Chu Chu? The Mexican background, capacity for work, the group of friends, the new life in the United States, poverty, playing cards, the food, shared experiences, the jobs and payment? His helping the others? The importance of his citizenship? The president’s letter and his treasuring it? Especially when lending it for guarantee?
5. Ames and his wife, ordinary, their property, jobs, the downbeat life, Ames despising Mexicans, seeing them as losers? Chu Chu and his contract, thorough, the detail of his work? Ames’s wife, her flirting, her love for her cat, the death of the cat, his burying it, the flowers? Her being touched? Ames and his refusal to pay? The cheque and its bouncing? The effect for Chu Chu? The threats, the guns? Ames in himself, his amoral stances? In the court, his lies? His clashes with his wife, their mutual disrespect? The issues between husband and wife? Nancy, the encounter with Ames’s wife, her relenting?
6. Nancy, drifting, her age, drinking? In the bars, low self-esteem, meeting Chu Chu, the attraction? Moving in and out of his life? His continued help? Their talk, his leaving the prison, finding her? Her being suicidal? Going to the court, her testimony? Chu Chu and his love and fidelity?
7. Chu Chu in prison, the friendships, the escape, going to help Nancy, his being apprehended?
8. The friends and their personalities, the reality of life for the migrant workers?
9. The blend of social drama and melodrama? 1950s style? The message of tolerance and understanding – and the need for it in later decades?
