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The Pelican

Name: The Pelican
Director: Gérard Blain
Released: 1974
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

1.9/10

Minimal

1974

Director

Gérard Blain

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Pelican is a character-driven film set in mid-20th century Europe, emphasizing psychological depth and existential struggles. It centers on the breakdown of a traditional family and the complexities of personal morality. While the film offers a sophisticated look at how socioeconomic factors influence criminal behavior, it lacks diverse representation. The cast and themes reflect the era’s social realism, offering limited racial or LGBTQ+ diversity.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Pelican have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story focuses on a traditional, fractured family where everyone is assumed to be straight. There are no characters who explore LGBTQ+ identities or challenge the idea that everyone is straight.

How does The Pelican portray gender?

Limited

Gender conflicts arise from a wife's desire for material possessions and her remarriage. The film examines the consequences of traditional domestic expectations and the role of the male provider in a family.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Pelican?

Minimal

The film seems to have a cast that reflects a homogeneous European society from the 1970s. There is no indication of a racially diverse cast or characters from different backgrounds.

How does The Pelican represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative presents a nuanced view of criminal behavior and moral ambiguity. It questions social stability by showing the protagonist as a victim of economic conditions.

Does The Pelican include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities who play central roles in the plot or demonstrate specific ability to act.

Present on Screen

Provides a sophisticated, nuanced exploration of individual morality and the complexities of crime.
Offers deep psychological realism regarding the protagonist's sense of victimization and alienation.

Limited or Absent

Could benefit from more diverse representation and intentional demographic diversity.
Depends heavily on traditional gender roles and a homogeneous cast.

Official Synopsis

Paul has been imprisoned for ten years for passing counterfeit money. He feels victimized enough, both for the prison time and for the crime which led to it; he committed the crime to give his wife the nice things she asked him for. When he discovers that she has remarried a quite wealthy man, he is outraged. However, his ire is not due to her disloyalty to him; he loved their only son to distraction, and now the boy has no knowledge or memory of him.

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