Our discussion guide explores the challenges he faced in dealing while wrestling with racial discord and. The butler movie questions by teach peace live love tpt. The butler is a 20 american historical drama film directed and coproduced by lee daniels and with a screenplay by danny strong. In some ways daniels direction underserves the brilliance of whitakers performance. Showing top 8 worksheets in the category the butler. Despite notable performances by forest whittaker and oprah winfrey, the film failed to garner a single oscar nomination. Any white man could kill any of us at any time and not be punished for it. It doesnt have the majesty or emotional impact its trailer suggests. It is based on the life of eugene allen, a black butler in.
I think everyone will be able to relate to the generational shift in tactics and challenges. Here is the butler trailer with english and french subtitle. This twopage worksheet is intended to be used with the powerful movie, the butler. Director lee daniels movie, the butler 20, from the weinstein film company, is a historical film that portrays discrimination towards african americans from early to mid 20th century america. Best writing original screenplay danny strong for your consideration 20. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept american society during. English esl roald dahl worksheets most downloaded 17. The butler movie questions modern issues flashcards quizlet. The film tells the story of cecile gaines, a black butler who served under seven presidents at the white house while the battle for civil rights engulfed the us. At breaks during the showing or at the film s end, you will have an opportunity to make short notes in the spaces provided. The butler is an american historical film directed and produced by lee daniels, in 20. The film begins in 2009, where an elderly cecil gaines recounts his life story, while waiting in the white house.
He started working in the white house in 1952 and retired in 1986 as the head butler. The africanamerican civil rights movement was an ongoing fight for racial equality that took place for over 100 years after the civil war. The butler is a reflection of who we were yesterday and who we are today game changers. Explain what we learn about the characters and their life experiences from the way they speak. Such films explore the sorrows of being a negro in america with a cornball earnestness that could make you snicker at a lynching or at the. The film that accompanies this learning guide, cesar chavez. Characterization cecil eugene allen is the inspiration to the movie butler at the white house 34 years served 8 presidents retired as head butler in 1986 main character beginning.
Lee daniels the butler tells the story of a white house butler who served eight american presidents over three decades. The movie and worksheet are appropriate for high school united states history, civil rights history, social psychology, american government, and english courses. The butler by danny strong final draft the weinstein company butler films, llc. This movie features forest whitaker and oprah winfrey and was made in 2014, so it is a. Thats where the butler reaches into your chest and grabs you as a movie. Lee daniels the butler is a 20 american historical drama movie directed by lee daniels. Kennedy, lyndon baines johnson, richard nixon, gerald ford, jimmy carter, and ronald reagan. Lee daniels the butler tells the story of white house butler who served eight u. Rather than being a feat of smallscale naturalism, the butler is the kind of movie. The butler from the weinstein film company essay 1800 words 8 pages.
The butler is a movie that follows the life of an african american man serving as butler to many of our nations presidents. The film was inspired by a 2008 washington post story titled a butler well. While some of s 1,099 movie and video worksheets offer simple fillintheblank or matching exercises, others provide frameworks for games and activities, encourage students to listen and answer questions about what happens in video clips, or even spark openended discussions about their favorite movies and shows. It is inspired by wil haygoods washington post article a butler well served by this election. We went to see this movie as part of a project about segregation and civil rights throughout the 60s. Inspiring if not inspired, lee daniels the butler is a sort of readers digest overview of the 20th century american civil rights movement centered on an ordinary individual with an extraordinary.
This educational resource will help students learn about american history, but specifically about the civil rights movement. It can be applied as a while watching or after watching task. Directed by rob minkoff, the film is written by david berenbaum and stars eddie murphy, terence stamp, nathaniel parker, marsha thomason, jennifer tilly, and dina spybey. The butler is based on the true story of eugene allen, who served 8 presidents as a butler in the white house. Film study worksheet for a work of fiction read the questions before you watch the film so that you will know what to look for while you watch.
The film is an important reminder that there are many different ways to play a significant part in achieving that dream. This film is inspired by a true story, the life of eugene allen. The butler movie guide is based on the true story of eugene allen, who served 8 presidents as a butler in the white house. Some of the worksheets displayed are best writing original screenplay danny strong, identifying strengths interests abilities hopes and dreams, the domestic violence domestic survival violence workbook, for baker butler and pharaoh, my self care maintenance plan work, the first book, speech sounds, butler county building and. As cecil gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the white house, the civil rights movement, vietnam, and other major events affect this mans life, family, and american society. The life of that man, eugene allen, is the basis for lee daniels the butler, which debuts in theaters this weekend. The butler serves up a chronicle of the civil rights movement. Hotel restaurant middle of the night 1933 cecil creeps down the street through the pouring rain. The character of cecil gaines was based on eugene allen, who served as white house butler for over 30 years and 8 presidents. Movie guides for students search over 300 educational. It is based on eugene allen, who was a white house butler during eight american presidencies from 1952 to 1986. The butler full title lee daniels the butler is a 20 american historical drama film directed by lee daniels, written by danny strong, and featuring an ensemble cast. Much of the detail is fictionalized for this movie. What could have been a powerful story of race politics set in the white house is held back by the whiff of downton abbey.
It shows many of the struggles faced by african americans during the 1950s, 1960s until the present day. The hispanic comes from her mother, who is the grandniece of cesar chavez. The butler is above all else a family story that extends beyond race, color, or creed. Lee daniels the butler when steve martin uttered i was born a poor black child in the movie the jerk, he was sending up a subgenre of american film a friend of mine dubbed the why we be black movie. Search over 300 educational guides created for teachers by a teacher. Discuss with your students 11 highlevel short answer and essay questions by pausing at the designated times on the movie guide. The butler simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The butler is a film based on the life of eugene allen, who worked as a waiter and butler in the white house for 34 years. Lee daniels the butler depicts the effects of injustice, ignorance, hatred and fear that cecil and other africanamericans faced during his lifetime. Lee danielss the butler is a filmashistorytextbook. Our guides and lesson plans show teachers how to stress these messages and make them meaningful for young audiences. The nature of racism and its impact moral blindness to daily injustice development of personhood and personal voice discernment and ethical choices the importance of faith and hope solidarity in the face of injustice small acts of courage as a way to change. A collection of english esl worksheets for home learning, online practice, distance learning and english classes to teach about roald, dahl, roald dahl. With forest whitaker, oprah winfrey, john cusack, jane fonda.
Whitaker is a dramatic juggernaut as the film s title character, the solid and unwavering emotional center of the film. This movie guide will help students learn about american history, but specifically about the civil rights movement. I sat down to watch lee daniels the butler, unsure about what sort of film i was about to see. Lee daniels the butler is inspired by the life of cecil gaines. Pdf the butler is a historical fiction drama loosely based on the real life of eugene. Students answer questions as they watch the movie, the butler. Lee daniels, who directed the butler, also made precious, but the style and scope of this film is different. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The butler serves up difficult questions the oxford student. Respect for all invites the viewer to take a journey of discovery with genesis palacio butler, a 9yearold girl of africanamerican, apache, and hispanic descent. Following the story of cecil gaines, a black man who went from a slave to a butler in the white house, lee daniels the butler was a very exceptional film that depicted the hard truth of racism from the mid 1900s to the early 2000s.
The principal character is cecil gaines played by forest whitaker, his wife gloria gaines played by oprah winfrey, their sons. The butler movie guide questions the butler movie, this or that. Loosely inspired by the reallife of eugene allen, the film starsforest whitaker as cecil gaines. As cecil gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the.
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