The American Dream by an Italian Director
“The Pursuit of Happyness” is about hope, overcoming odds, dreams… no matter what your circumstances are. The movie is about the real life story of Christopher Gardner. A man who wanted to break the cycle in his family of men not being there for their children.
The search began for just the right director to bring this real life story to life on screen. The producers, including Will Smith, started courting an Italian director for the job. Gabriele Muccino. The Italian had director many Italian films but had never directed an English speaking film. He could hardly speak English himself. (What were the producers thinking?) Well when they first met with him he said, “You have to be a foreigner to appreciate and understand the American dream.” He also said that, “Chris is the essence of an American man who wanted to make it, he makes it, and then wants to show to the world that he made it.” The producers were blown away by the Italian man’s understanding of and insight into the American dream. He got the job. In a sense that could have been a story of the American Dream itself.
The American Dream. An idea that we all are entitled to the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well upward social mobility that can be achieved through hard work.
The Declaration of Independence
“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness…”
When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he avoided defining happiness, choosing to leave it to the individual to determine his or her own meaning of the word.
So it is up to us to DEFINE OUR OWN HAPPINESS!! When you start writing your own definition of “happiness”, think about this…
The New Declaration of Independence
