POWER - TRAILER OF 'THE BUTLER'

THE BUTLER - TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUA7rr0bOcc

POWER - THE BUTLER, FILM POSTER

Film Poster : THE BUTLER

The hero is standing with his back to us. He is a butler, he’s wearing white gloves. he is in fact in the White House and he is looking out of a window. To the right  there is the American flag (the Star and Stripes) with a bald eagle on top and to the right, there is the president's flag. They are symbols of power, of the power of the US.

In the background, in the distance, there is a white building on top of a hill: it’s Congress, the seat of legislative power.

Between this building and the White house there is a crowd of people. Thye are protesting. We can see a peace sign so maybe they are protesting against the war in Vietnam.

The butler is just observing the scene, so he is not involved, he is not taking sides  he is just an observer

So, several forms of power are represented: symbolic power (the flag)

                                                                               Political power: the White House and Congress

                                                                               The power of the people who challenge authority

The film is based on the true story of an African-American butler who served at the White House for 30 years. He served 7 presidents: Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter,

POWER - DEFINITION

Places and forms of power

« Places » could be important buildings or institutions that represent a certain form of power, for example Buckingham Palace – a symbol of the British monarchy, the White – a symbol of the American presidency.

A place can also be a country or a state –  for example the USA is a state which is powerful enough to influence events throughout the world (superpower) and China is a major economic power in today’s world.

What exactly is power?

It is the ability to control others, events, or resources; the ability to make things happen despite obstacles, resistance, or opposition. This of course leads to conflict between those who have power and those who don’t.

Resistance to power

There are many examples of resistance to power:

– the African-American civil rights movement (Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Junior, Malcom X….)

– the struggle for liberation in South Africa (Apartheid, Nelson Mandela)

– the Suffragettes’ fight for women’s right to vote

-Women’s rights movement

 The ability to influence others

The power of the media

Writing a dialogue

HOW TO WRITE A DIALOGUE

1. Déterminez le niveau de langue demandé.

2. Vous pouvez, si vous le souhaitez, présenter brièvement le lieu, le moment de la scène, ainsi que les principaux personnages.

3. Dans ce cas, sautez une ligne entre l’introduction et le dialogue.

4. Respectez la ponctuation (guillemets, points d’exclamation, d’interrogation) et allez à la ligne pour chaque changement de locuteur. Pas de TIRETS !

5. Variez les verbes introducteurs (toujours au prétérit) et étoffez vos phrases avec des adverbes:

  NOTEZQU'IL N'Y A PAS D'INVERSION EN ANGLAIS: "...Dit-il" = ... HE SAID

Les verbes :

SPEAK	SPEAK IN A LOUD VOICE	SPEAK TO EXPRESS FEELINGS
He said – he added – he replied – he exclaimed – he retorted – he wondered – he declared – he asked – he answered – he repeated – he explained – he whispered (chuchoter)	He yelled – he screamed – he shouted	He laughed – he complained – he sighed (soupirer) – he sobbed (sangloter) – he insisted – he threatened (menacer)

body language

he frowned  (froncer les sourcils), he  nodded (faire un signe de tête, acquiescer), he smiled,  he stared at her(fixer qqn/qqch), he shrugged (hausser les épaules), he shook his head (secouer la tête)

Les adverbes

angrily, anxiously, bitterly (amèrement), cheerfully (joyeusement) curiously (avec curiosité), desperately, furiously, gratefully (avec gratitude), impatiently, kindly , calmly, (gentiment), loudly (d’une voix forte), proudly, quietly (calmement), sadly, scornfully (avec mépris), shyly (timidement), sincerely…

DIALOGUE

« Elliot ! Elliot ! You wouldn’t believe what just happened !” Dana said excitedly.

“What is it? Are you ok, Dana? You poor thing, you look terribly pale” her neighbour exclaimed, looking at her anxiously. 

“Yes, I’m ok. Well at least, I am now. The strangest thing just happened. I came back from the supermarket with two huge bags of groceries and also all my money for the rent. I had just managed get into the building when I heard this guy behind me say: “Give me all your money!”. Dana was still shaking as she told the story.

“Oh my gosh!” Elliot replied. He was almost speechless. 

“But then I started saying to myself, I can’t give this bloke all my money or I’ll have none left for the rent. So I said: “no, go away”, Dana added, more calmly now.

 “You didn’t. Oh dear, what happened next?”, Elliot couldn’t wait to hear the rest of the story.” 

I just kept saying “no, go away! I haven’t got any money. And then you know what happened?” Dana was now enjoying herself. She went on, “he just left, without another word”. 

Elliot stared at her. “Just like that?” He just couldn’t believe his ears.

 “Yes, just like that! Don’t you think that’s crazy? All I did was stay calm and controlled. I just couldn’t stop thinking: “I can’t give him my money, I need it.” And it worked.” Dana couldn’t help feeling rather proud of herself. 

“Wow, that’s really funny! Good for you for sticking up for yourself. He must’ve had a real shock. A vulnerable woman, faced with a knife, keeping it together,” Elliot looked at her admiringly. 

Dana blushed. “Now I’m going to pay my rent before someone else tries to steal it off me,” she said briskly.

 Her neighbour nodded. “Good thinking. And I’ll remember to call you anytime someone tries to rob me”! 

Dana burst out laughing. “ Any time! See you later Elliot”.