How is masculinity portrayed in the film 'City of God'?
Script.
How is masculinity portrayed in the film ‘Cidade de deus’ (City of God)?
City of God is a 2002 crime and drama film, directed by Fernando Meirelles, based on true events that occurred in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. I chose to analyze this film, as it effectively represents the theme of masculinity, through the transition from boys to manhood. It demonstrates the perception of masculinity in the perspective of a thuggish life in a difficult area of Brazil, depicting the world of drugs and violence in contrast from the dramatized masculinity we are used to seeing on screens; from stereotypical rich businessmen, romantic lovers and comic book superheroes. I find that, due to this being based on a true story, it demonstrates a more accurate idea of how masculinity dominated at this time within certain demographics, in a more realistic approach that can be applied a real life patriarchal society.
In the opening of the movie, young boys are shown with guns and knives. Throughout the narrative we learn that this is seen as very normal, and most boys in the area had some sort of weapon in order to gain respect and to feel powerful, regardless of their age. Casual violence and strong language illustrates them as tough and fearless, and along with the weapons they carry, they see themselves as men in an authoritarian position. This is well demonstrated throughout the film in the character of Lil Ze, violent from a young age, becoming the ‘city of god’s’ most notorious killer and dealer, who was respected and feared by the other children. Lil Ze is often dressed in bright clothes and gold chains and carries weapons and guns, which make him seem imposing and dangerous, superior to others in the favelas through his appearance.
From watching the movie, I noticed the city consists of a mostly conformist society, with boys thinking they have to follow in the footsteps of the older gang members, and be violent and carry weapons in order to fit in and seem masculine. This is shown in the scene where the young boys talk about their admiration of Lil Ze, and wanting to be like him and murder people in ways he did. As Lil Ze notices them he violently attacks, despite their young age, which is an act of reassurance of his authority; he has a reputation to protect and showing them he is not their friend, but someone they should fear and respect confirming his status. Lil Ze makes one of the boys choose one of the remaining of his friends to kill, and despite his reluctance and clear discomfort with the idea of doing so, he does it in order to keep himself out of trouble, and Lil Ze praises him for doing so. The boy is unhappy and distressed, however contains his emotions to avoid looking weak in front of his ‘God.’ This sort of behavior and resistance of showing emotion is displayed numerous times throughout the movie, and is a clear representation of an element of masculinity.
Another example of masculinity is shown with the character of Knockout Ned. In the movie, Lil Ze raped his girlfriend whist forcing him to watch, and then further proceeded to shoot at his house along with his gang, resulting in the deaths of Knockout Ned's brother and uncle. Instead of crying about these occurrences, Ned expresses his grief and sadness through anger and revenge. This illustrates that in order to be masculine, these men and boys are expected to be violent and aggressive, and display no weakness no matter the situation.
In conclusion, the movie “City of God” demonstrates masculinity as being fearless, respected and violent. Children looked up to older drug dealers and gang members such as Lil Ze and Carrot, as they saw these elements of masculinity in them. They reproduced their behavior in many ways, from smoking and drug taking to dealing and killing, in order to be like them. They saw these leaders as ideal representations of what it was like to be a man; demonstrated in the phrase said by a young boy at one point in the film: “I smoke, I snort, I've killed, I've robbed, I’m not a child I'm a man”.
City of God is a 2002 crime and drama film, directed by Fernando Meirelles, based on true events that occurred in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. I chose to analyze this film, as it effectively represents the theme of masculinity, through the transition from boys to manhood. It demonstrates the perception of masculinity in the perspective of a thuggish life in a difficult area of Brazil, depicting the world of drugs and violence in contrast from the dramatized masculinity we are used to seeing on screens; from stereotypical rich businessmen, romantic lovers and comic book superheroes. I find that, due to this being based on a true story, it demonstrates a more accurate idea of how masculinity dominated at this time within certain demographics, in a more realistic approach that can be applied a real life patriarchal society.
In the opening of the movie, young boys are shown with guns and knives. Throughout the narrative we learn that this is seen as very normal, and most boys in the area had some sort of weapon in order to gain respect and to feel powerful, regardless of their age. Casual violence and strong language illustrates them as tough and fearless, and along with the weapons they carry, they see themselves as men in an authoritarian position. This is well demonstrated throughout the film in the character of Lil Ze, violent from a young age, becoming the ‘city of god’s’ most notorious killer and dealer, who was respected and feared by the other children. Lil Ze is often dressed in bright clothes and gold chains and carries weapons and guns, which make him seem imposing and dangerous, superior to others in the favelas through his appearance.
From watching the movie, I noticed the city consists of a mostly conformist society, with boys thinking they have to follow in the footsteps of the older gang members, and be violent and carry weapons in order to fit in and seem masculine. This is shown in the scene where the young boys talk about their admiration of Lil Ze, and wanting to be like him and murder people in ways he did. As Lil Ze notices them he violently attacks, despite their young age, which is an act of reassurance of his authority; he has a reputation to protect and showing them he is not their friend, but someone they should fear and respect confirming his status. Lil Ze makes one of the boys choose one of the remaining of his friends to kill, and despite his reluctance and clear discomfort with the idea of doing so, he does it in order to keep himself out of trouble, and Lil Ze praises him for doing so. The boy is unhappy and distressed, however contains his emotions to avoid looking weak in front of his ‘God.’ This sort of behavior and resistance of showing emotion is displayed numerous times throughout the movie, and is a clear representation of an element of masculinity.
Another example of masculinity is shown with the character of Knockout Ned. In the movie, Lil Ze raped his girlfriend whist forcing him to watch, and then further proceeded to shoot at his house along with his gang, resulting in the deaths of Knockout Ned's brother and uncle. Instead of crying about these occurrences, Ned expresses his grief and sadness through anger and revenge. This illustrates that in order to be masculine, these men and boys are expected to be violent and aggressive, and display no weakness no matter the situation.
In conclusion, the movie “City of God” demonstrates masculinity as being fearless, respected and violent. Children looked up to older drug dealers and gang members such as Lil Ze and Carrot, as they saw these elements of masculinity in them. They reproduced their behavior in many ways, from smoking and drug taking to dealing and killing, in order to be like them. They saw these leaders as ideal representations of what it was like to be a man; demonstrated in the phrase said by a young boy at one point in the film: “I smoke, I snort, I've killed, I've robbed, I’m not a child I'm a man”.