Aspects of Britain shown in British films, such as location and culture are more accurate and true to life than those shown by Hollywood’s American directors. This is perhaps because British directors know the country in a lot more detail, and generally show a wider variety of communities and people. The cultures shown in British films include a poor Pakistani family living in the 60’s, a young Heroin addict living in Glasgow in the 90’s and a ‘normal’ man from Notting Hill who falls in love with a film star, again in the 90’s.
East is East is set in Salford, a poor area near Manchester in the early 70’s.
Here is a basic outline of the story: at the beginning the children are on a Christian/Church parade and have to dodge their father by hiding in side streets. Nazir, George’s eldest son has a marriage planned for him by George. He goes to the wedding, but runs out as the service is starting. A couple of years later you see George talking to his Imam about his feelings. The Imam suggests George arranges marriages for Tariq and Abdul, and ‘conveniently’ knows a family desperate to marry their two daughters. The Children are all taken to the mosque and the Imam comments on Meenah not wearing her head scarf, she puts it on reluctantly and takes it off when he is gone. After Sajid’s circumcision Abdul, Tariq, Meenah, Maneer and Saleem are all at home-Maneer the only one not eating pork or bacon. The family go on a trip to Bradford in a minivan. George and his sons meet with some other men and Mr. Shah (His daughters are to marry Tariq and Abdul) in their living room. George’s sons are sent out of the room while the rest of the men discuss the marriage. Mr. Shah shows George the picture of his daughters, and George is visually displeased by the physical appearance of Mr. Shah’s daughters, but thinks the marriage must go on anyway, so he does not look bad in the Muslim community. The family go on a trip to a Pakistani cinema owned by George’s cousin, to see a particular film, but it isn’t showing that night. George’s cousin has the scheduled film changed half way through to the one George wants. Sajid tells the other children about George’s plans to marry Tariq and Abdul, and Tariq gets angry. He finds the wedding clothes and accessories and rips them apart. George and Ella have an argument about the marriage, George hits Ella. Tariq and Abdul argue about the marriage, and whether to go ahead with it or not, Tariq is adamant he will not marry a ‘paki’. The children go to visit their older brother Nazir, and tell him what’s happening at home. Nazir goes to see his mother, but realises there is nothing he can do about his father and leaves. Abdul tells his workmates about his marriage, and then goes drinking with them for the first time. Tariq has an argument with his father, which ends up with Tariq saying ‘I’m not a paki, I was born here’. The Shah family come to visit and Mrs. Shah offends Ella with comments on her house and lifestyle. Saleem brings his art project –female genitalia- downstairs and it ends up on Mrs. Shah’s lap, which horrifies her and the Shah’s leave. The family have an argument with George, and he leaves. The next day George and Ella reconcile in the chip shop.
The film is obviously set in a poor area close to Manchester, the community is tightly knit and everyone knows everyone else’s business. The sound track is mainly ‘English’ music and it is traditionally British music e.g. ‘Glory, glory, glory’.
The costumes are mostly ‘English’ style clothes: shirts, parkers and trousers. Except when they are at places with other Muslim families or people present.
Their house is a terraced house in Salford. Like most other families in the area, they have little or no toilet or bathroom facilities.
At this time in Britain support was beginning to grow for Enoch Powell and the conservative party. Enoch Powell blamed the problems with accommodation and health in the country on ‘immigrants’ and gave some stories about old women being harassed by black youths, and the public started to support him. With the publicity Enoch and his colleagues were getting came a substantial rise in racial attacks on black and Asian people. With the rise in unemployment at this time, white people blamed this on Black and Asian people as well.
There are many national and individual identities represented in East is east, here are some of them:
George - George is a traditional Muslim (When it suits him). George gives a good impression to the Muslim community, having two wives, he has his children circumcised and he goes to the mosque regularly. But behind closed doors George is a bully, he pressures his family to do things and if they refuse he disowns them (Nazir), hits them (Ella) or threatens them (Abdul).
Ella - Ella is a working class white woman who got married to George when she was young. Presumably she had one child and kept being talked in to it, so she has not had a lot of experience of life outside motherhood. Ella wears traditional Pakistani jewellery, but won’t wear the clothes or veils as she feels they are restricting and degrading. She is more laid back and lenient with the children than George e.g. She gave Saleem money to buy art materials when George thought he was studying Engineering, and allowing the children to eat pork and bacon behind George’s back. But on the other hand, she respects George’s beliefs enough to let him circumcise their children.
Nazir - Nazir is Ella and George’s eldest son. He was the first of their children to have a marriage planned for him, and when he ran away from it he brought shame on the family, because of this George disowns Nazir and claims he isn’t his son. Nazir despises Islam and it’s traditions, he also despises his father for forcing them on him.
Robin Jukes 11s
