} Crítica Retrô: #TheResistance at the movies: how we can destroy the Mr Potters of the world

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Friday, April 28, 2017

#TheResistance at the movies: how we can destroy the Mr Potters of the world

Nas três últimas edições de The Great Villain blogathon, eu escolhi focar em vilões divertidos – ou ao menos admiráveis. Assim, escrevi sobre dois vilões interpretados por Peter Lorre, os vilões da Disney através do tempo, e o inigualável Professor Fate!

For the past three editions of The Great Villain blogathon, I chose to showcase villains that were fun – or at least admirable. This includes two villainous roles Peter Lorre played, Disney villains through time, and the one and only Professor Fate!

Agora as coisas mudaram. Eu ainda adoro os vilões do cinema, mas o mundo fica cada dia mais cheio de vilões reais – e alguns até obtém poder político! Por isso eu escolhi um vilão muito real, um que pode ser encontrado em qualquer cidade e é muito perigoso. Ora, ele foi responsável por quase acabar com a vida maravilhosa de George Bailey – então pode ter certeza de que se trata de perigo real.

Now things changed. I still love movie villains, but the world gets fuller with real villains every day – and some even got political power! So I chose a very real villain to talk about, one that can be found in any city and is very harmful. Well, he was responsible for nearly ending George Bailey's wonderful life – so we're talking about real danger.
Mr Potter was considered the 6th worst villain of all time by AFI
Henry F. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) é um banqueiro e o homem mais rico de Bedford Falls. A primeira vez em que ele entra em confronto com George Bailey (James Stewart) é quando ele tenta dissolver a Bailey Brothers's Building and Loan, empresa da família de George. Goerge convence os investidores a votarem contra a dissolução, mas tem de se tornar o co-administrador da Building and Loan, algo que ele nunca havia pensado em fazer.

Henry F. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) is a banker and the richest man in Bedford Falls. He first clashes with George Bailey (James Stewart) when he tries to dissolve Bailey Brothers's Building and Loan, the company owned by George's family. George convinces the investors to vote against the dissolution, but he has to become the co-administrator of Building and Loan, something he had never dreamed of.
George sacrifica muitos sonhos para manter a Bailey Brothers's Building and Loan funcionando, incluindo dar o dinheiro de sua lua-de-mel para a empresa, e trabalhando noite e dia. A Building and Loan ajuda as pessoas a construir a casa própria e sair dos supervalorizados barracos de propriedade de Mr Potter. Como George diz, para Mr Potter, as pessoas são como gado.

George sacrifices many dreams in order to keep the Bailey Brothers' Building and Loan working, including giving his honeymoon money to the company and working night and day. Building and Loan helps people build their own houses and move away from the overpriced slums owned by none other than Mr Potter. As George says, for Mr Potter, people are cow.
Na véspera de Natal de 1945 a tragédia parece acontecer quando o outro co-administrador da mepresa, tio Billy (Thomas Mitchell), perde 8 mil dólares (equivalentes a mais de 100 mil dólares hoje) e eles caem na mão de Mr Potter – que, obviamente, não tem intenção de devolver o dinheiro. Desesperado, George vai atrás de Mr Potter e pede um empréstimo, oferecendo seu seguro de vida como garantia, ao que Mr Potter responde: “você vale mais morto do que vivo”. Há coisa pior para falar para um homem desesperado?

On Christmas Eve, 1945, tragedy seems to strike: the other co-administrator of the company, uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell), misplaces 8,000 dollars (equivalent to more than 100,000 dollars today) and they end up exactly in Mr Potter's hands – that won't give the money back, of course. In desperation, George goes after Mr Potter and asks for a loan, offering his insurance policy as a guarantee, to which Mr Potter comments: “you're worth more dead than alive”. Can you think about something worse to be said to a desperate man?
Nós sabemos o que acontece a seguir: George decide cometer suicído, mas seu anjo da guarda, Clarence (Henry Travers), o faz desistir da ideia ao mostrar como o mundo seria sem George. E então George chega a Pottersville – ou o que bem pode ser os Estados Unidos ou o Brasil num futuro próximo.

We know what happens next: George decides to commit suicide, but his guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), dissuades him from the act by showing him what the world would be like without him. And then he arrives to Pottersville – or what could well be the US or Brazil in a near future.
Você conhece alguém como Mr Potter – que só se importa com lucros, e não com pessoas? Claro que sim: aquele-que-não-deve-ser-nomeado e é atualmente presidente dos EUA (o mesmo poderia ser dito do presidente ilegítimo do Brasil!). Bem, se ele é Potter, nós somos todos George Baileys. Um exército de George Baileys.

Do you know anyone who is just like Mr Potter – caring about profits, not about people? Of course you do: that-who-must-not-be-named and is now president of the US (the same could be said about the illegitimate Brazilia president!). Well, if he is Potter, we're all George Baileys. An army of George Baileys.
Baily é honesto, mas puro demais. Eu sinceramente queria que ele tivesse descoberto que Potter roubou o dinheiro e que o banqueiro mesquinho fosse punido e destruído. Eu gostaria de ver os Mr Potters de hoje punidos e destruídos.

Bailey is honest, but too pure. I sincerely wished he could have discovered it was Potter who stole the money, and have the greedy banker punished and destroyed. I'd like to see the Mr Potters of today punished and destroyed.
Nós podemos ser como George Bailey? Eu acho que não. Ele é como um príncipe encantado, e por isso não há como alguém ser tão perfeito quanto ele. Mas nós podemos aprender algo com a jornada dele: cada um de nós conta na #Resistência. E cada uma de nossas ações também conta para destruirmos os Mr Potters do mundo.

Can we be like George Bailey? I don't think so. He's like a prince charming, and therefore nobody can be as perfect as him. But we can learn something about his journey: each one of us counts at #TheResistance. And each one of our actions counts, too, to destroy the Mr Potters of the world.


This is my contribution to the 4th Great Villain Blogathon, hosted by Ruth, Kristina and Karen at, respectively, Silver Screenings, Speakeasy and Shadows and Satin.


6 comments:

Caftan Woman said...

Potter is a heartless individual who, through his power, chooses to make life miserable for many people. Yes, he is a true movie villain and, as you said, there are those who emulate him in the real world and they are getting easier to spot. We have to keep our guard up and fight.

Silver Screenings said...

To me, the only real disappointment in "It's a Wonderful Life" is we don't get to see Mr Potter's comeuppance. He isn't punished for what he did and likely never will be. But I guess that makes it more like real life, sadly.

Potter is a perfect choice for the blogathon. He certainly deserves a place in the Villain Hall of Shame! ;)

Unknown said...

You are so right about the focus of too many real villains in the world today. Great pick for this Blogathon. Mr. Potter dirty dealings makes tragedy for the whole community. We need more people like George who has a big heart and willing to take on the Mr. Potter's of the world. But, he can't do it alone. Thank you for putting a"real" spin on this. I love this film but I cry every time I watch this lovely classic 😊

angelman66 said...

So true, Mr. Potter is chillingly real. Jimmy Stewart describes him perfectly as a warped, frustrated old man who hates seeing others prosper or achieve happiness.

But as the movie shows, the Potters of the world never win, even if they seem to for a moment. Love and family are so much more precious, and more valuable, than money. I love how the lost money becomes a nonissue at the end of the movie because those who love the Bauley family come together to cover his losses...the power of love is so much more omnipotent than hate...
One of my top movies of all time, thank you for your wonderful bilingual essay!!
- Chris

Stephen Reginald said...

It's not important for Potter to get his comeuppance in the movie. As I learned a long time ago in Sunday school, "there's a payday someday." Potter may be the richest and most powerful man in town, but he's miserable and without friends. All the power and wealth in the world cannot change that. The George Bailey's of the world need to get to the task at hand and not be consumed with revenge and someone's outward appearance of success and influence.

Kristina said...

Great point in the comments about the Potters of the world being punished by stewing in their misery, while good folks enjoy life! Great way to look at it. Great post and thanks so much for being part of the blogathon.

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