Ballad of an Unsung Hero Vs. Break of Dawn

"Ballad of an Unsung Hero" vs. "Break of Dawn"

When comparing the two films, "The Ballad of an Unsung Hero" with the film, "Break of Dawn," there are many similarities and yet also many differences. The similarities do not come by surprise due to the fact that "Break of Dawn" is what Hollywood calls, "a true story." Not only will it become very apparent as to what the similarities and differences are in these two movies, It will also be explained as to how these two films relate to the topics, issues and materials that have been covered in the class. Mexican History, Chicano History, Chicano philosophy, and the role of women in social change are topics that will be briefly yet precisely covered.

The film, "Ballad of an Unsung Hero," is a very straight forward documentary of the life of Pedro J. Gonzalez. He seems almost blithe about it, but Pedro J. Gonzalez lived, and suffered, and survived so much that he now stands as a symbol of the Mexican-American experience. The cinematic story of his life portrays not just his experiences while making an impact on American society through radio broadcast, but also his struggles before his popularity. In those days Poncho villa was a very stern leader for the Mexicans. Pedro first felt Villa's legendary reign when he was imprisoned due to accusations of perjury. Pedro worked in the media as a telegraph operator and was accused of informing their troop movement to the enemy. Pedro spoke in his documentary about this time, about the struggles of war and the men that were killed. This film, apposed to "Break of Dawn," was a much more thorough explanation as to what had happened during his life. He explains in his film that after the Mexican Revolution had ended in 1917 many Mexicans fallowed Poncho Villa north to Americas in search of work, and political prosperity. Pedro's fame and impact started after coming to the U.S. The impact that he had on the radio started the day he answered an ad for a Spanish speaking singer in the newspaper. In the other film it portrays that Pedro went in to the station with his own idea of broadcasting the sponsors in Spanish. Apparently that did not seem to be the case. After his start in radio he got the chance to not only speak to the Spanish speaking residents of California, he also was given the chance to sing. As a singer of corridors (Mexican ballads), a commercial announcer and an outspoken commentator on U.S. discrimination against Mexicans, Gonzalez and his band of troubadours, "Los Madrugadores (The Early Risers), radioed a daily wake-up call to LA's growing Latino community. But with the onset of the Great Depression in the 193Os, he began to use his radio show more and more to protest such events as the deportation to Mexico of a half-million Latinos, many of them U.S. citizens who had become scapegoats to a stagnant economy. Gonzalez wielded instant power over his Latino listeners. When, for example, he announced on the radio that workers were needed to clear some land, hundreds of Latino workers arrived two hours later in downtown Los Angeles with picks and axes, ready for work.

Police, assuming they were armed for some kind of uprising, responding by throwing many of them in paddy wagons. Anglo establishment fears were noticed about Gonzalez' potential as a rabble-rouser and attempts were made to cancel his broadcasting license.

Finally, at the height of his popularity in 1934, he was sentenced to from one to 50 years in San Quentin on trumped-up charges of raping a young girl. Soon after the