We watched a movie last. It was called Knives Out and, among others, featured Daniel Craig and Toni Collette. It wasn't a bad movie but suffered from the American obsession with expecting international actors to put on American accents. Daniel Crag's accent was ludicrous: over-the-top Southern, and Toni Collette's was barely adequate.
What is it that makes it OK to insist that people in movies, especially those in starring roles, have to be demonstrably American? Is it hubris, the idea that only Americans have the qualities to be heroes, or is it insecurity, the worry that other nationalities might have qualities that Americans lack? Or is it the worry that their potential audience of Americans might might not have the sophistication or education to understand what people from other countries are saying, or appreciate what other nationalities have to offer?
We hear a lot about American 'exceptionalism' but the more we read in the papers about the train wreck that is their idea of society, the more we thank our lucky stars that we live in a real outpost of civilisation.
What is it that makes it OK to insist that people in movies, especially those in starring roles, have to be demonstrably American? Is it hubris, the idea that only Americans have the qualities to be heroes, or is it insecurity, the worry that other nationalities might have qualities that Americans lack? Or is it the worry that their potential audience of Americans might might not have the sophistication or education to understand what people from other countries are saying, or appreciate what other nationalities have to offer?
We hear a lot about American 'exceptionalism' but the more we read in the papers about the train wreck that is their idea of society, the more we thank our lucky stars that we live in a real outpost of civilisation.
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