You are here:

The Great Heart

Name: The Great Heart
Director: David Miller
Released: 1938
Duration: 11 min

Representation Score

2.8/10

Limited

1938

Approved

Director

David Miller

Runtime

11 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Great Heart is a traditional biographical drama that upholds the social and religious norms of its time. It emphasizes Western religious ideals and the concept of the heroic outsider through conventional morality. While the film provides visibility to the lepers of Molokai, it does not challenge systemic power structures. The narrative aligns with the storytelling conventions of the 1930s.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Great Heart have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows the social structures of the 1930s, which assumed everyone was straight and cisgender. There are no LGBTQ+ identities or stories that question traditional norms.

How does The Great Heart portray gender?

Limited

The story is driven by a male protagonist whose role is shaped by his religious calling. His leadership and heroic actions are shown through a traditional masculine viewpoint.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Great Heart?

Fair

The film highlights the Hawaiian setting and includes a underrepresented community. However, the story focuses mainly on a Western religious figure's perspective.

How does The Great Heart represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story emphasizes Western religious morality and promotes a single idea of martyrdom. It portrays religious institutions as the main source of social order.

Does The Great Heart include disability representation?

Fair

The film centers on leprosy, making it a key part of the plot. However, it might use disability to highlight the protagonist's spiritual journey.

Present on Screen

Provides visibility to a underrepresented community through the depiction of the leper population.
Recognizes the specific cultural and geographic setting of Hawaii.
Offers a significant, historically specific portrayal of physical disability.

Limited or Absent

The narrative is viewed through a Western humanitarian lens rather than a local perspective.
Disability is primarily used as a backdrop for the protagonist's spiritual journey.
The film lacks representation of non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities or diverse gender roles.

Official Synopsis

This short film tells the true story of the heroic sacrifice of Father Damien, the Belgian priest who suffered a living death in order to bring hope and God's comfort to the lepers confined on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.

How are these scores produced? →