Jonathan Mole is a little man with a little job, who hates people who are different and dreams of a world in which he is a judge, trying Jews, Indians and immigrants for daring to assault the ranks of native-born Canadians.... with no mention of the Quebecois, of course. That was a different and thorny problem in 1959 Canada.
Satire has a long history in literature. Its origins are Roman, and its very name is from the Latin word for stones, missiles to be cast at one's enemies. It is essentially a political form, and so the opponents of the satirist are often shown as stereotypes.... which this movie shows, in its portrayal of the bigoted people it mocks. They are stupid, thoughtless, unthinking and cruel. In the hands of a master, like Jonathan Swift, this can indeed be effective. His "A Modest Proposal", in which he urged the breeding of Irish babies as meat for English tables, is a metaphorical statement of the impoverishment of Ireland for the benefit of England, and a statement so outrageous that even those who were in favor of the literal situation denounced it. It was an inside joke which sparked debate.
Yet the weakness of poor satire is that it makes of ordinary people monsters of stereotyping. Given that is exactly what this movie decries, that is a very narrow path to walk. If the object of political writing is to convince one's opponents, then telling them they are idiots is not a useful way to begin. It may feel good to see them wince under a barrage of sharp rocks, and it may please those already in agreement. Preaching to the choir is a lot easier than converting the heathens. It also accomplishes less.
Satire has a long history in literature. Its origins are Roman, and its very name is from the Latin word for stones, missiles to be cast at one's enemies. It is essentially a political form, and so the opponents of the satirist are often shown as stereotypes.... which this movie shows, in its portrayal of the bigoted people it mocks. They are stupid, thoughtless, unthinking and cruel. In the hands of a master, like Jonathan Swift, this can indeed be effective. His "A Modest Proposal", in which he urged the breeding of Irish babies as meat for English tables, is a metaphorical statement of the impoverishment of Ireland for the benefit of England, and a statement so outrageous that even those who were in favor of the literal situation denounced it. It was an inside joke which sparked debate.
Yet the weakness of poor satire is that it makes of ordinary people monsters of stereotyping. Given that is exactly what this movie decries, that is a very narrow path to walk. If the object of political writing is to convince one's opponents, then telling them they are idiots is not a useful way to begin. It may feel good to see them wince under a barrage of sharp rocks, and it may please those already in agreement. Preaching to the choir is a lot easier than converting the heathens. It also accomplishes less.