The Karate Kid: Daniel & Ali's First Date

Title: The Karate Kid

Director: John G. Avildsen

Analysis:

    From the moment Ali’s parents drove around Daniel LaRusso’s mother’s car, there were contrasting class signifiers. His mother’s beaten up station wagon, the sleek silhouette’s the Mill’s gray car, the clean streets, and lack of noise and bustle. Then slowly, the camera pans up to the columned white house with pruned shrubbery, and clean brick walls. Ali emerges from two great white doors in a nearly all-white ensemble, and smiles brightly at Danny. She doesn’t hesitate presenting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mills, which reveals another short but nice view of their home.

“That’s a beautiful house you have.”

Mrs. LaRusso recognizes Ali’s economic standing to some degree. The camera work seems to suggest this as well. The Mills are seen standing on the porch showing their literal higher standing than most people. While Mrs. LaRusso is confined to an old beaten down car. Yet, what surprised me the most was how she acted after the statement.

She continues living.

She could have slumped back in her seat reminiscing on her daydreams of owning a big home. Or she could have complained about her conditions and sulked for a good thirty seconds, but she didn’t. Even when the car broke down, she laughed and fix it as if it was nothing.

Her reaction and actions are vastly different from the Mills. The two recognize Danny’s lower standing as the camera pans down to his mother’s car, literally showing they are at the bottom of the economic ladder. When they ask about where he lives and discover it’s most likely a less-than-reputable neighborhood, they become colder toward him. They didn’t talk to him and turned their daughter instead. They didn’t ask any more questions about him or to him.When the brick fell, they panicked because they didn’t want to show that they were broken. They wanted to remain put together and perfectly packaged.

I think the main insight the quote depicts is how the poor view wealth. Granted, this is one large generalization drawn from a movie, but it could apply to at least a few thousand people. LaRusso’s mother noticed Ali’s wealth but it didn’t appear to have an effect on her. She didn’t treat Ali differently and instead sort of let her “jump into her life” when the car broke down. Whereas the Mills noticed LaRusso’s lack of wealth and appeared to presume he wasn’t worth talking to.

Small details and what isn't said often reflects people’s  true nature better. This small scene does depict the “rich parents don’t like child hanging with poor child” trope, but it does a good job.

It even makes me a little interested in watching the movie. It’ll bring me a little closer to joining my older sisters’ 80’s parade. I’ll finally understand all her Ninja Turtle, Chuck Norris, and Karate Kid references.