Guest: Matthew Donovan, founder of The Future Left and co-host of the Neoliberal Hell podcast. They discuss Heaven's Gate's depiction of law enforcement favoring property owners to eradicate the immigrant underclass. They delve into the film's troubled production and the clash between class traitor and class apologist.
Heaven's Gate exposes the dark side of capitalism, patriarchy, and law enforcement in the American West.
The film emphasizes the importance of solidarity in resisting injustice and oppressive systems.
Heaven's Gate provides a brutally honest depiction of class war and the marginalization of poor immigrants in America.
Deep dives
The Historical Context and Relevance
Heaven's Gate explores the time of heightened inequality, European immigration, and the expansion of American capitalism. It highlights the struggles of European immigrants on the Western frontier, focusing on the conflicts between wealthy land barons and the immigrant class. The film challenges the romanticized image of the American West and exposes the dark side of capitalism, patriarchy, and law enforcement. It portrays the devastating consequences of the unholy trinity and the inevitable violence perpetuated by these systems.
Solidarity and the Politics of Survival
Heaven's Gate delves into the concept of solidarity and the politics of survival. It captures the complex dynamics among various groups, including the immigrant settlers, the wealthier merchant class, and the law enforcement hired to kill the immigrants. The film emphasizes the importance of unity and standing together in the face of oppression and violence. It showcases how solidarity can be a powerful force in resisting injustice and fighting back against oppressive systems.
Realism and Symbolism Portrayed
Heaven's Gate is known for its attention to realism and symbolism. The film meticulously recreates the historical context, capturing the complexity of immigrant experiences and the struggle for survival on the frontier. It juxtaposes the labor of the immigrants, particularly women, who work the land and the labor of women in the brothel, highlighting the exploitation and ownership of both bodies and land. The characters, such as Ella, embody the defiance and resilience against capitalist and patriarchal systems. The film's imagery and cinematography capture the beauty of the American landscape while exposing the harsh realities of American capitalism.
The Brutally Honest Depiction of Class War
Heaven's Gate is a film that provides a brutally honest depiction of class war in film. It explicitly portrays the conflict between the wealthy landowners, painted as villains, and the immigrant class, who are depicted as peasants trying to survive. The movie conveys clear political messaging, highlighting the system as the perpetuator of violence and oppression. It reveals the reality of poor immigrants being marginalized and targeted for ethnic cleansing. The film's political themes were often overlooked at its release due to the drama surrounding its production, but it has since been reclaimed as an important film about class war.
The Controversial Production and Complex Characters
Heaven's Gate had a controversial production, with a director given significant freedom and resources after the success of his previous film. The production faced numerous challenges, including extensive delays and budget overruns, ultimately resulting in the film becoming a major financial flop. However, the film's political messages were overlooked at the time due to the focus on the production drama. It was only later recognized by film historians and leftists as an important commentary on class warfare. The complex characters in the film, particularly Jim Avril and John Hertz, add layers of complexity and class analysis to the story. Avril, born into wealth, chooses to side with the immigrant class, while Hertz grapples with his decision to maintain his class position. The film offers nuanced depictions of characters navigating the social and political landscape of the time.
Rivka and Frank are joined by Matthew Donovan — founder of The Future Left and co-host of the Neoliberal Hellpodcast — to discuss Michael Cimino’s epic 1980 Western Heaven’s Gate. They discuss the film’s depiction of law enforcement aligning itself with property owners in order to violently eradicate the immigrant underclass, the dichotomy of the class traitor vs. the class apologist, and the film’s infamous production.
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