Trump has informed us for years that he is going to “Make America Great Again”. Mmmm!? But, as I have frequently argued, since America is the biggest player on the world's playground he will never make his country great again by being the playground bully which, as the last few months have shown, is Trump's and through him America's preferred modus operandi. When the biggest boy on the school playground thoughtlessly knocks over smaller children or uses his size to threaten and instil fear he is not respected and thought well of - he is feared and disliked in equal measure. With size and power comes responsibility and Trump will make America great and respected again only by making it good again – only in that way will America and Donald Trump earn the respect he craves rather than the fear and loathing that he and his country are currently subject to.
All of which brings me back to films. Last night we sat and thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful film – “A Man Called Otto” – starring that doyen of Hollywood stars Tom Hanks. This was Hollywood, Hanks, and America at its best. Anyone watching that film must come away with a positive view of the best of America. OK, it was pure fiction, a feel good movie, some might call it cheesy but it was beautifully acted, a strong story line, believable characters and with a strong message about people and the different worlds in which we all live. Tom Hanks, in my view, has never made a bad film, but I believe too, that he is so much more than a great American actor. In contemporary terms he possibly does more for America in terms of “soft power” - positively influencing people about America - than probably any other single person; I’m absolutely sure that anyone, anywhere in the world, watching any of the great Hanks’ films over the years – Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Sleepless in Seattle, The Green Mile……….and many others – could not be positively influenced about Hanks and America; they are about decency and doing the right thing; never gratuitous, but ultimately filled with optimism and goodness. I may be wrong but I have never heard of any “darker side” to Hanks – and although he’s getting on now he is, I suppose, one of those people who one might say every mother would like for a son and every father a son in law!
“A Man Called Otto” is another Tom Hanks winner and an absolute delight – anyone who doesn’t enjoy this and feel the better for seeing it has a problem – they’ve been born without empathy and humanity genes. Gentle, in places humorous, and beautifully observed throughout, it is both profound and poignant. As we watched we recognised so many of the light hearted but searingly touching little cameos and events as Otto struggled to cope with life after the death of his beloved Sonya and his own retirement from work. We laughed at Otto as he became increasingly frustrated with people, we empathised with him as he withdrew from everyday life and became resentful towards his workmates and neighbours and then, we cried for him as we slowly learned more about his life and understood why he no longer wanted to go on. But we smiled too, and silently cheered as his neighbours drew him back and made life again meaningful for grumpy Otto. And Hanks carried it off to perfection as, I would suggest, few if any other Hollywood star could do.
Watching the film I was reminded of that wonderful and yet profound little verse "Outwitted" by American poet and author Edwin Markham. The verse beautifully describes how we can draw people back into the fold when they have become isolated and bereft; just like Otto in the film:
"He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In!"
It was a film I’ll remember for a very long time; a gentle, touching film and one to make you feel good about the human race – and, surely, we need a shed load of that at the moment.
We watched it on Channel 4 – so if you haven’t seen it, it may be worth looking there.
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