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Audubon

Name: Audubon
Director: Al Reinert
Released: 2017
Duration: 56 min

Representation Score

0.8/10

Minimal

2017

TV-G

Director

Al Reinert

Runtime

56 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film opens with sweeping shots of American landscapes, framing nature as a vast, untamed canvas for human discovery. It sells the legend of John James Audubon as a rugged individualist who conquered the frontier through art and science, positioning his legacy as a cornerstone of American identity. The narrative treats traditional hierarchies—male dominance, private land ownership, and national pride—as natural and virtuous, with Audubon’s personal struggles serving as a backdrop to his monumental achievements. The ending reinforces this by celebrating his enduring fame, with his portrait in the White House symbolizing the triumph of individual merit over historical complexities. The film’s argument is clear: the American frontier was a space for self-made men to leave their mark, and Audubon’s story is the ultimate proof of that ideal.

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Category Breakdown

Does Audubon have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

No queer characters appear. The film depicts Audubon’s strictly heterosexual marriage to Lucy Bakewell. No other romantic or sexual dynamics are explored in this 19th-century naturalist documentary.

How does Audubon portray gender?

Limited

Women are framed as supportive partners. Lucy Bakewell stabilizes Audubon’s flamboyant life as a domestic anchor. The narrative centers male agency, with his artistic and scientific achievements driving the plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Audubon?

Minimal

Audubon’s Haitian birth and illegitimate status are noted. The slave rebellion in St. Domingue is mentioned as historical backdrop. The lived experience of enslaved people remains peripheral to the main narrative.

How does Audubon represent religion and culture?

Minimal

The film celebrates Audubon as an American icon. It treats 19th-century expansion and private land ownership as foundational virtues. The wilderness is framed as a resource for artistic and scientific discovery.

Does Audubon include disability representation?

Minimal

No characters with disabilities are depicted. Disability is not discussed as a theme. The film focuses on physical endurance and artistic skill, with no representation of impaired bodies.

Present on Screen

Audubon’s marriage to Lucy Bakewell is presented as a central relationship.
Historical context of the French Revolution and Haitian slave rebellion is included.
Audubon’s scientific contributions and artistic legacy are clearly detailed.
Visuals of American landscapes and birds are prominently featured.

Limited or Absent

No LGBTQ+ characters or relationships are present.
Minimal focus on Black or enslaved perspectives.
No representation of disability or neurodivergence.
Women’s roles are confined to domestic support.

Official Synopsis

Audubon: Naturalist and 19th century painter, John James Audubon was one of the most remarkable men of early America. A contemporary of Lewis & Clark and Davey Crockett, he explored the American frontier in search of ""the feathered tribes"" he loved and studied. A self-taught artist and ornithologist, he left a legacy of art and science that made him famous in his lifetime and endures to this day. His portrait hangs in the White House, his statue stands over the entrance to the American Museum of Natural History, and his name was adopted by the nation's first conservation organization. The program, filmed in locations where Audubon painted, brings to life his timeless paintings with dazzling footage of the living birds he immortalized - and celebrates visually the natural world he described in his writings. Interviews reveal the man, explore his art, and put his groundbreaking work in modern perspective.

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