FOX
THe family man
"The honorable man, who achieves this sort of integrity, must display certain qualities,...his overriding duty is now to protect his new family and his flock. For their sake he may need to make compromises with pride and conscience. He must be clever, far-sighted, guileful, and will lie if he has to. Thinking of his family, he can no longer be as sensitive to insults, for a violent response now brings the risk of leaving his household without a head, his wife and children unprotected. None the less, he remains a man of honor. He displays manliness, andrismos. He is barbatos, well endowed with testicles. He must strut about as if his family concerns are of the greatest importance. His conversation is sharp, monosyllabic, designed more to assert than to communicate."
This excerpt from The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History perfectly outlines the protagonist, Steph, from Fox. His actions hit every single word in the definition of the honorable man to a tee, painting a cinematic masterpiece of what it means to be not only a "man" in a Greek family, but the man.
The quote is written to describe the Mediterranean man of the 1960s, but, as seen in Fox, still serves true today. The effect of Zorba’s release didn’t simply die overnight, but rather is still rippling throughout Greek society today. All throughout the 30 minute short written and directed by Jacqueline Lentzou, the audience sees how the concept of timé still has a resounding impact on especially young, Greek man.
While there is one parent in Fox, the mother cannot possibly fulfill the hole left by there being no father. She calls most of the shots in the first few minutes of the film, but Steph makes sure that he is heard. He angrily berates her, attempting to assert his dominance over her. Although he isn’t the leader of the family, Steph treats her as one of his children. He is in an awkward middleground between leader and subordinate, with no clear answer of which he should assume. Once she finally leaves, however, Steph undergoes the swift and radical transformation the Greek man must. With no true leader around, he assumes the role he has been training for his whole life.
However, what doesn't carry over is his harsh attitude towards his mother. She exits in tears while the angry Steph has sweat steam off of him, merging with the smoke of his cigarette. Yet, a few moments later, he is playful while eating pizza with his siblings. What was once a furious disposition now is an endearing sternness; a temperament that is short but filled with love. His behavior is definitely sharp like the aforementioned piece from The Corrupting Sea, but the audience can definitely tell it is out of love and not anger.
Towards the middle of the film, Steph really begins to embrace the qualities above. His family matters become his life, and he finds what it means to possess andrismos. He exhibits a tender love under a tough facade, beautifully showcased in the water hose dance scene. When he is playfully attacked by the others, he asserts his dominance onto the situation, taking the fun into his own hands. The others love it, and, for a brief moment, they all exist in a perfect resonance. They lie on their pool chairs as one collective unit; the family Steph has created and now will protect with all of his might. The once absent father figure is now replaced with the alive and thriving Steph, who mightily assumes the responsibility.
Not only does he proudly and wonderfully showcase his affection for his kin, all the while he is courting the young woman he lusts after. As head of the household, he needs his a woman to complete his masculinity. She is as vital to the family as the actual blood members, because without her, there is no counterbalance. Her presence alone gives him more purpose, as it is up to him to protect his loved ones. He may not be fully bearded, but he walks and courts like the well endowed man mentioned above. She holds her own against him, but Steph's dominance makes her happily concede.
The final part of the definition lies in Steph's ability to be far-sighted, clever, and level-headed. He proves that he embodies these qualities to the audience when the family's pet dies, and a tough decision must be made. While his family begs him to wait and not bury the animal immediately, he knows logically what he must do, and thus, he does it. He is able to look ahead at the future and know what needs to happen in order to make the present better, all without saying a word. He must protect the flock, and that means doing the deeds that most cannot bring themselves to doing. He does what we thinks he must, and everyone else accepts his will.
Whether or not it is morally "good" if Steph embodies this definition is up to the discretion of the viewer; however, there is no debate that Fox's interpretation is nothing short of marvelous. The beauty of Fox comes from its ability to completely paint Steph in a well-thought out and articulated version of a boy seeking timé in Greece. He is philotimos, and makes sure the audience knows it
This excerpt from The Corrupting Sea: A Study of Mediterranean History perfectly outlines the protagonist, Steph, from Fox. His actions hit every single word in the definition of the honorable man to a tee, painting a cinematic masterpiece of what it means to be not only a "man" in a Greek family, but the man.
The quote is written to describe the Mediterranean man of the 1960s, but, as seen in Fox, still serves true today. The effect of Zorba’s release didn’t simply die overnight, but rather is still rippling throughout Greek society today. All throughout the 30 minute short written and directed by Jacqueline Lentzou, the audience sees how the concept of timé still has a resounding impact on especially young, Greek man.
While there is one parent in Fox, the mother cannot possibly fulfill the hole left by there being no father. She calls most of the shots in the first few minutes of the film, but Steph makes sure that he is heard. He angrily berates her, attempting to assert his dominance over her. Although he isn’t the leader of the family, Steph treats her as one of his children. He is in an awkward middleground between leader and subordinate, with no clear answer of which he should assume. Once she finally leaves, however, Steph undergoes the swift and radical transformation the Greek man must. With no true leader around, he assumes the role he has been training for his whole life.
However, what doesn't carry over is his harsh attitude towards his mother. She exits in tears while the angry Steph has sweat steam off of him, merging with the smoke of his cigarette. Yet, a few moments later, he is playful while eating pizza with his siblings. What was once a furious disposition now is an endearing sternness; a temperament that is short but filled with love. His behavior is definitely sharp like the aforementioned piece from The Corrupting Sea, but the audience can definitely tell it is out of love and not anger.
Towards the middle of the film, Steph really begins to embrace the qualities above. His family matters become his life, and he finds what it means to possess andrismos. He exhibits a tender love under a tough facade, beautifully showcased in the water hose dance scene. When he is playfully attacked by the others, he asserts his dominance onto the situation, taking the fun into his own hands. The others love it, and, for a brief moment, they all exist in a perfect resonance. They lie on their pool chairs as one collective unit; the family Steph has created and now will protect with all of his might. The once absent father figure is now replaced with the alive and thriving Steph, who mightily assumes the responsibility.
Not only does he proudly and wonderfully showcase his affection for his kin, all the while he is courting the young woman he lusts after. As head of the household, he needs his a woman to complete his masculinity. She is as vital to the family as the actual blood members, because without her, there is no counterbalance. Her presence alone gives him more purpose, as it is up to him to protect his loved ones. He may not be fully bearded, but he walks and courts like the well endowed man mentioned above. She holds her own against him, but Steph's dominance makes her happily concede.
The final part of the definition lies in Steph's ability to be far-sighted, clever, and level-headed. He proves that he embodies these qualities to the audience when the family's pet dies, and a tough decision must be made. While his family begs him to wait and not bury the animal immediately, he knows logically what he must do, and thus, he does it. He is able to look ahead at the future and know what needs to happen in order to make the present better, all without saying a word. He must protect the flock, and that means doing the deeds that most cannot bring themselves to doing. He does what we thinks he must, and everyone else accepts his will.
Whether or not it is morally "good" if Steph embodies this definition is up to the discretion of the viewer; however, there is no debate that Fox's interpretation is nothing short of marvelous. The beauty of Fox comes from its ability to completely paint Steph in a well-thought out and articulated version of a boy seeking timé in Greece. He is philotimos, and makes sure the audience knows it