Running head: RHETORICAL APPEAL

Rhetorical Appeal: Morals and Movies

Jesus Crespin

University of California-Berkeley

Accelerated College Writing R1A

RHETORICAL APPEAL 2

Rhetorical Appeal: Morals and Movies

Do morals entertain us? Director and actor, Sydney Pollack believes that American

morals have not been changed by movies; in fact, it is the other way around. Pollack starts his

speech by explaining how movies are products and exist to make a profit for the film studio;

however, toward the end of the speech Pollack explains that since there is no correct way to

produce a successful movie a filmmaker has no choice but to show the content the audience want

to see.

Sydney Pollacks spoke to a conference about the art of film making. His audience is

concerned about morality in the film industry. Pollack however inform his audience, which is

main conservative Christians, that the morality audiences are exposed to are a reflection of the

audiences morals. Pollack explains how film maker make movies to cater to the audience and

cannot force the viewer to have the same view as the filmmaker.

In his speech, Pollack starts by revealing how his excitement to speak turned into a

nervousness (para.1). Pollack then addresses his audiences main concern by asking which

American values have been affected by cinema. Pollack continues by explaining how

perceptions of love and the value of life have changed from the early 1900s. Pollack finally

states that the movie making process is so difficult because a director has to please the audience.

He concludes that a movies job is not to change societys morals but instead shed light upon

societal issues.

From the start of his speech, Pollack appeals to the logic of his audience by making two

points: movies are a product and filmmaking is controlled by the audience (para.12). Pollack

points out the complexity of movie making by comparing the filmmaking process to a formula

for soft drinks. He explains, Since we are in the democracy business, we cant tell people what
RHETORICAL APPEAL 3

they should or shouldnt hear, or supportThe market tries to cater to those choices, and we

have what we have (para.16). Pollack uses this statement to show his audience that as the

consumer they have the power to influence what values a movie will portray. His use of the word

democracy helps Pollack portray his message to the reader by ensuring them that as viewer

they have the power to change the film industry. There is also an appeal to their patriotism as

democracy is the key principle upon which our nation was founded. This plays upon the

emotions of his audience, making them feel that they themselves can change the values they see

in the film industry.

In a previous paragraph Pollack strengthens his statement with, the financers and the

makersthere is a tension between the them. Their goals are similar, but they do different

things. Financers are not in the business of philanthropy (para.12). In this statement Pollack is

reminding his audience that a movie is for entertainment and profit. He emphasizes the

relationship between a director and a funder by saying there is tension. Pollacks word choice

and comparison between a director and financer shows that movies are at their essence a product.

He reminds the audience that, Financers are not in the business of philanthropy. This further

strengthen his argument about movies being a product before they are considered masterpieces

(para. 19). Pollack shared the real reason why popular film cannot just be created by a formula.

Pollack, like many directors, faces a dilemma on how to make a movie appeal to an

audience while not telling the audience what to believe or how they should think. Pollack

informs his audience that values depend on how society feels and is not based on what a movie

depicted. Pollack appeals to the logic of his audience by reveling, I would not make a film that

ethically, or morally, or politically trashed what I believe is fair. I try hard to give each side a

strong argumentnot because Im a fair guy but because I believe that it is more interesting
RHETORICAL APPEAL 4

(para. 36). This statement is fabulous because it appeals to his creditability and to the emotions

of his audience. The audience is aware that he is a director however, as he informs them that he

would not trash a movie just to get views, he helps support his claim and easing his audiences

worries.

Pollack states the societys values have changed and that overall the morality expressed

in past films would not be appealing to the audiences of the present (para. 5). Pollack expands on

his statement by saying, the sanctity of human life doesnt exist in the same way, and that

fact is reflected in movies...their idea of love is a different love (para. 5-6). The author

informs the audience that morality is a spectrum to the audience what is virtuous one day may

not be as virtuous the next. Pollack offers an example, Dances with Wolves, a film which in the

past that would have tread on the values of most movie goers because the film questioned the

content in traditional Western films (para. 8). This is beautifully does to show his audience that

values depend on how society feels and is not based on what a movie depicted. Pollack appeals

to the logic of his audience by reveling, I would not make a film that ethically, or morally, or

politically trashed what I believe is fair. I try hard to give each side a strong argumentnot

because Im a fair guy but because I believe that it is more interesting (para. 36). This statement

is fabulous because it appeals to his creditability and to the emotions of his audience. The

audience is aware that he is a director however, as he informs them that he would not trash a

movie just to get views, he helps support his claim and easing his audiences worries.

Pollack is likely to be aware that these people may not believe his words but he expressed

that morality has changed over time and that a movie has the sole purpose to make profit for

production companies. Pollack explains how a financer and a director often have two different

goals but both want the move to succeed. Pollack also tries to ease the worried of his audience
RHETORICAL APPEAL 5

and states that as a filmmaker he does not purposefully try to take morals out of films but tries to

give both sides their own story. Maybe society needs to self-examine instead of blaming the film

industry for changing morality.

Works Cited

Pollack, S.(n.d) . The way we are.