East is East

[TheThreeHeadedBeast]

I have just had an argument with DD about this. I think it is a brilliant film, the conflict of cultures, children rebelling about expectations etc.
DD can only see the misogyny the racism the homophobia etc.
Yes it is all there, but that was life in the 70's. To me, what makes the film powerful is the fight against it, how difficult the challenges the wife and the children faced and what they had to endure.
I believe that a lot can be learnt by watching this film, it is not acceptable with today's values, but you can learn from the past.
So, you need to understand the past and learn from it.
What do others from different ages think - I am mid 50's

I do think that there is a belief in those in their teens and twenties that they are the first generation to be alive to social injustice and to do anything about it (even though much of that activity seems to be yelling at people on social media) and that previous generations are all nasty old bigots.

it's weird because i remember being an older teen fervent feminist (I claim 2nd wave Feminism). And i spent a day at Greenham Common with some of the protestors. And our feeling (we young 'uns) and their feeling was that our feminism, our activism, was building on that which had gone before. The feeling was more of standing on the shoulders of giants than reinventing the wheel, which is what the current crop of young people often seem to be doing.

I enjoy the film but it annoys me that some of the wallpaper is out-of-period - poor research.

Just because something is misogynistic and homophobic and racist doesnt mean we shouldn't watch it, as long as we are aware it is these things and why these things are unacceptable. Thats how we learn surely.

I don't think the film is racist, homophobic and misogynistic. I think it includes racism, homophobia and misogyny as part of the story. It's a bit odd your dd can't tell the difference.

It’s a brilliant film this is how it was then I love films set in the past.

This

I agree, @GCAcademic . I thought it was a brilliant film that honestly depicted the era. We shouldn’t forget what people endured, or pretend it didn’t happen.

The fact that we find it shocking is positive, because it shows that society has moved on-at least in some parts of the world.

I find it concerning that a large number of young people are determined to erase/ deny/ rewrite history and judge historical events and people by modern standards.
It seems that those of us who grew up in the 70s know nothing about racism, poverty, sexism, feminism. No life experience at all. Never experienced any challenges. Oh well.

I was a young mum in the 70s, I thought the film was brilliant (and funny) at the time, and is still relevant in terms of our history.

I absolutely love this film - it is nostalgic, poignant and makes me laugh and cry. In format it is very similar to Billy Elliot. The half a cup of tea, the difficult times that these families had , the strong women.... I have also see the sequel West is West too and I cried buckets at the scenes with his first wife. There's not many films that can make you laugh so much and cry so much. I'm in my 60s and love the music in it too.