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Jesus Crespin
University of California-Berkeley
Do morals entertain us? Director and actor, Sydney Pollack believes that American
morals have not been changed by movies; in fact, it is the other way around. Pollack starts his
speech by explaining how movies are products and exist to make a profit for the film studio;
however, toward the end of the speech Pollack explains that since there is no correct way to
produce a successful movie a filmmaker has no choice but to show the content the audience want
to see.
Sydney Pollacks spoke to a conference about the art of film making. His audience is
concerned about morality in the film industry. Pollack however inform his audience, which is
main conservative Christians, that the morality audiences are exposed to are a reflection of the
audiences morals. Pollack explains how film maker make movies to cater to the audience and
cannot force the viewer to have the same view as the filmmaker.
In his speech, Pollack starts by revealing how his excitement to speak turned into a
nervousness (para.1). Pollack then addresses his audiences main concern by asking which
American values have been affected by cinema. Pollack continues by explaining how
perceptions of love and the value of life have changed from the early 1900s. Pollack finally
states that the movie making process is so difficult because a director has to please the audience.
He concludes that a movies job is not to change societys morals but instead shed light upon
societal issues.
From the start of his speech, Pollack appeals to the logic of his audience by making two
points: movies are a product and filmmaking is controlled by the audience (para.12). Pollack
points out the complexity of movie making by comparing the filmmaking process to a formula
for soft drinks. He explains, Since we are in the democracy business, we cant tell people what
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they should or shouldnt hear, or supportThe market tries to cater to those choices, and we
have what we have (para.16). Pollack uses this statement to show his audience that as the
consumer they have the power to influence what values a movie will portray. His use of the word
democracy helps Pollack portray his message to the reader by ensuring them that as viewer
they have the power to change the film industry. There is also an appeal to their patriotism as
democracy is the key principle upon which our nation was founded. This plays upon the
emotions of his audience, making them feel that they themselves can change the values they see
In a previous paragraph Pollack strengthens his statement with, the financers and the
makersthere is a tension between the them. Their goals are similar, but they do different
things. Financers are not in the business of philanthropy (para.12). In this statement Pollack is
reminding his audience that a movie is for entertainment and profit. He emphasizes the
relationship between a director and a funder by saying there is tension. Pollacks word choice
and comparison between a director and financer shows that movies are at their essence a product.
He reminds the audience that, Financers are not in the business of philanthropy. This further
strengthen his argument about movies being a product before they are considered masterpieces
(para. 19). Pollack shared the real reason why popular film cannot just be created by a formula.
Pollack, like many directors, faces a dilemma on how to make a movie appeal to an
audience while not telling the audience what to believe or how they should think. Pollack
informs his audience that values depend on how society feels and is not based on what a movie
depicted. Pollack appeals to the logic of his audience by reveling, I would not make a film that
ethically, or morally, or politically trashed what I believe is fair. I try hard to give each side a
strong argumentnot because Im a fair guy but because I believe that it is more interesting
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(para. 36). This statement is fabulous because it appeals to his creditability and to the emotions
of his audience. The audience is aware that he is a director however, as he informs them that he
would not trash a movie just to get views, he helps support his claim and easing his audiences
worries.
Pollack states the societys values have changed and that overall the morality expressed
in past films would not be appealing to the audiences of the present (para. 5). Pollack expands on
his statement by saying, the sanctity of human life doesnt exist in the same way, and that
fact is reflected in movies...their idea of love is a different love (para. 5-6). The author
informs the audience that morality is a spectrum to the audience what is virtuous one day may
not be as virtuous the next. Pollack offers an example, Dances with Wolves, a film which in the
past that would have tread on the values of most movie goers because the film questioned the
content in traditional Western films (para. 8). This is beautifully does to show his audience that
values depend on how society feels and is not based on what a movie depicted. Pollack appeals
to the logic of his audience by reveling, I would not make a film that ethically, or morally, or
politically trashed what I believe is fair. I try hard to give each side a strong argumentnot
because Im a fair guy but because I believe that it is more interesting (para. 36). This statement
is fabulous because it appeals to his creditability and to the emotions of his audience. The
audience is aware that he is a director however, as he informs them that he would not trash a
movie just to get views, he helps support his claim and easing his audiences worries.
Pollack is likely to be aware that these people may not believe his words but he expressed
that morality has changed over time and that a movie has the sole purpose to make profit for
production companies. Pollack explains how a financer and a director often have two different
goals but both want the move to succeed. Pollack also tries to ease the worried of his audience
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and states that as a filmmaker he does not purposefully try to take morals out of films but tries to
give both sides their own story. Maybe society needs to self-examine instead of blaming the film
Works Cited