Latino refers to individuals of Latin American origin. During the time of the great depression, Latinos were unfairly blamed and made to suffer the economic hardships that affected the majority of Americans.
Despite their citizenship, Latinos faced decreased employment prospects and restricted access to government assistance programs. Nevertheless, despite harboring mistrust towards the American government, a considerable number of Latinos still heeded the call to serve in government positions during World War II. The Good Neighbor Policy, which was instituted by F.D. Roosevelt's administration prior to the war, marked a pivotal moment in U.S. foreign relations as it rejected imperialism, ethnic and racial stereotypes, military interventions, and occupations. The surge in industrial development brought about by the war created new employment avenues for Latinos that were previously unattainable.
The anticipation of good neigh
...bors for friendship and positivity motivated filmmakers to portray more compassionate Latino characters. The creation of The Three Caballeros in 1944 was specifically designed to promote companionship between American and Latino children (The Three Caballeros. Walt Disney Studios, 1945). The film was a response to a request made by Roosevelt to Walt Disney and his company to produce a series of animated movies about Latin America. The Three Caballeros is an outcome of this initiative by Roosevelt and serves as a propaganda film, depicting Latinos with stereotypes of being sexual and hot-tempered. Disney aimed to accurately and respectfully portray Latinos and their culture through the medium of animation, and chose to premiere the film in Mexico City.
The use of animation served the purpose of the Good Neighbor strategy by creating a contrast between the imagery and the Latinos against the romantic landscapes. Additionally, animations mad
the film more appealing and accessible to young children. The Three Caballeros heavily emphasizes romanticism, portraying sexual and carnal imagery through animation. The live actresses in the movie dress in revealing clothing, wear bright red lipstick, and dance on screen, singing and seducing the animated birds, particularly Donald Duck, in an inviting manner. The female lead in the film is Miranda’s sister, who interacts with Donald Duck and receives reciprocal responses from him, highlighting the portrayal of Latin actresses and women in general.
This portrayal of Latin women is demeaning and reduces them to mere sex objects. It perpetuates the stereotype of Latinos as sexually bold individuals with insatiable desires (McPherson, Alan, 623). Speedy Gonzalez, the cartoon character from Looney Tunes, is a positive representation of Latinos as it was the first Latino superhero, and Latino communities advocated for its return on Cartoon Network. Lopez's cartoons offer criticisms of American racial hierarchy and strongly condemn racism, making him unpopular among white audiences but highly embraced by Latinos (Barrier, J M, 2007). He effectively combines stereotypes with empowering messages.
Although he is not being impolite to the Latinos or any other group, he is merely attempting to be honest. Stereotypes, while they can be harmful, can also provide people with a sense of comfort, as Lopez does. Following the war, discrimination against Latinos in housing and education came to an end, and the post-depression period witnessed the formation of unity leagues and community service associations aimed at safeguarding Latino rights. The primary objective of the good neighbor policy was to encourage trade and preserve positive relations between the United States and Latin America (Bernardi, Daniel, 2001).
Although Roosevelt's administration
aimed to benefit economically from Latin America, it presented the initiative as supporting progressive foreign policy ideals in the region. Roosevelt promised to pursue peaceful actions in Latin America and promote ideals that would be advantageous for Latin Americans. The characters in the movie Oliver and Company, including Tito the Chihuahua who is portrayed as Latino, exemplify Parenti's argument that working-class individuals are often depicted negatively. In a scene where Dodger and his friends attempt to rescue Oliver from Jenny's house, they encounter Georgette, a high-class dog. Tito then changes his focus from rescuing Oliver to pursuing a romantic relationship with Georgette. Tito is physically portrayed as disheveled, wearing a dirty bandana on his forehead and speaking with a heavy Latino accent. These portrayals reinforce negative stereotypes associated with lower social classes. When Tito tries to impress Georgette by kissing her hand, she rejects him and angrily tells him to leave. These depictions create a negative perception of Tito in the eyes of viewers (Oliver and Company).
Walt Disney Studios, 1988).
Work cited
- Bernardi, Daniel. “Dolores Del Rio, Uncomfortably Real.” Classic Hollywood, Classic Whiteness. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota, 2001. N. Pag. Print.
- McPherson, Alan. “Herbert Hoover, Occupation Withdrawal, and the Good Neighbor Policy.” Presidential Studies Quarterly.
44.4 (n.d.): 623. Web. Oliver and Company. Walt Disney Studios, 1988.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007.
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