“Powerful” individual-entrepreneur against “powerless” corporations: Anthropological analysis of the movie “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”
Keywords:
Preston Tucker,
Henry Ford,
“Big Three”,
American automotive civilization,
myth,
American Dream,
individual-entrepreneur
Abstract
This article presents the semantic analysis of the feature commercial film "Taker: Man and his Dream" (1988), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film talks about the life of Preston Tucker (1903-1956), American innovator and a car designer. It was pointed out on three basic paradigmatic relations indicated in the film. The first crucial paradigmatic relation, the relationship between individual entrepreneur and a large automotive corporations, is related to the power relations between these corporations and the American state, which is the second key paradigmatic relation. These relations arise from ideas and notions bind to the phenomenon of American automotive civilization. The third crucial paradigmatic relation, relation of the state toward individual-entrepreneur, is traced from the context of the analyzed film’s production and is associated with the phenomenon of American national myths. The aim of the research is to point out the meanings that film imagination builds by crossing ideas and notions bind to the phenomenon of American automotive civilization, with ideas and notions related to the phenomenon of American national myths, as well as to answer the question of whether and to what extent for this type of constructs can be said that they are "true".
References
Аrcher, Јоhn. 2014. The Resilience of Myth: The Politics of the American Dream. Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review 25 (2): 7-21.
Аntonijević, Dragana. 2007. „Merkantilne legende postindustrijskog društva“. U Antropologija savremenosti, ur. Saša Nedeljković, 76-92. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Banić Grubišić, Ana. 2013. Antropološki pristup medijima – kratak pregled (s posebnim osvrtom na igrani film). Antropologija 13 (2): 135–155.
Bezdranov, Svetlana. 1984. Filmom do ličnosti. Film kao vaspitno-obrazovni medijum. Beograd: Prosvetni pregled / Dečje novine / Institut za film.
Barger, Melvin D. 1989. The Tucker Car: Did the Big Guys Do It In? The Freeman – ideas on Liberty 39 (1): 4-8.
Borstin, Danijel Džozef. 2005. Amerikanci: Demokratsko iskustvo. Beograd: Geopoetika.
Cullen, Jim. 2003. The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea That Shaped a Nation. London: Oxford University Press.
Čakardić, Ankica. 2013. „Minimalna država i neoliberalne strategije kapitalizma“. U Kriza, odgovori, levica, ur. Ana Veselinović i ostali, 159-179, Beograd: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.
Dragin, Dušica. 2011. Preduzetništvo u kulturi. Studija slučaja muzičkog festivala. Kultura 130: 350-366. Beograd: Zavod za proučavanje kulturnog razvitka.
Flowers, Betty Sue. 2007. The American Dream and the Economic Myth. Essays on Deepening the American Dream. Kalamazoo: Fetzer Institute.
Harvi, Dejvid. 2012. Kratka istorija neoliberalizma. Novi Sad: Mediterran Publishing.
Hobsbaum, Erik. 2002. Doba ekstrema. Istorija kratkog dvadesetog veka 1914-1991. Beograd: Dereta. 366. Beograd: Zavod za proučavanje kulturnog razvitka.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2007. Sremski berberin u vremenima promena. Etnoantropološki problemi 2 (1): 111-28.
Kovačević, Ivan i Vladimira Ilić. 2013. Antropologija filma - Nova srpska antropologija, knjiga 1. Beograd: Odeljenje za etnologiju i antropologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu i Srpski genealoški centar.
Kovačević, Ivan i Vladimira Ilić. 2016. Antropologija filma u Srbiji. Etnoantropološki problemi 11 (1): 217-239.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2009. Urbane legende. Ogledi iz američkog folklora. Etnološka biblioteka. Knjiga 39. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2001. Semiologija mita i rituala III – Politika. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Luger, Stan. 2000. Corporate Power, American Democrasy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Morris, Michael H. (1998). Entrepreneurial intensity: Sustainable Advantages for Individuals, Organizations, and Societies. Westport: Quorum Books.
McShane, Clay. 1989. Review of the film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream. The Public Historian 11 (1): 65-67.
Nedeljković, Saša. 2007. Čast, krvi suze. Ogledi iz antropologije etniciteta i nacionalizma. Beograd: Zlatni zmaj.
Оmon, Žak i Mišel Mari. 2007. Analiza film(ov)a. Beograd: Clio.
Pantić Conić, Danijela. 2017. Američki san kao najpoznatiji globalni mit modernog potrošačkog društva. In Medias Res 6 (11): 1725-1731.
Pearson, Charles T. 1960. The Indomitable Tin Goose: The True Story of Preston Tucker and His Car. New York: Harper and Row.
Ribić, Vladimir. 2011. Politička antropologija i moderni svetski sistem. Beograd: Odelјenje za etnologiju i antropologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu i Srpski genealoški centar.
Rupčić, Nataša i Ivana Frajman. 2013. Tajni dogovori u oligopolu. Praktični menadžment 4 (2): 127- 138.
Sagić, Zorica. 2016. Inovacije i preduzetništvo. Užice: Visoka poslovno-tehnička škola strukovnih studija.
Sasman, Voren. 1985. Kultura kao istorija. Preobražaj američkog društva u XX veku. Beograd: Edicija Pečat.
Stix, Gary. 1994. Pipe Dream. Scientific American 270 (2): 113-114.
Tzahor, Ze`ev. 1995. “Ben-Gurion`s Mytopoetics”. In The Shaping of Israeli Identity: Myth, Memory, and Trauma, Wistrich, Robert and Ohana, David (eds), 61-85. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited.
Tittenbrun, Jacek. 2015. The Myth of American Dream. World Scientific News 9: 1-16.
Traube, Elizabeth G. 1989. Secrets of Success in Postmodern Society. Cultural Anthropology 4 (3): 273-300.
Tadić, Darko. 2009. Propagandni film. Beograd: Spectrum Books.
Šundalić, Antun. 2012. Između društva rada i društva znanja. Media, culture and public relations 3 (2): 120-130.
Šumpeter, Jozef. 2012. Teorija privrednog razvoja: Istraživanje profita, kapitala, kredita, kamate i poslovnog ciklusa. Beograd: Službeni glasnik.
Walker, John A. 1989. Review of the film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”. Journal of Design History 2 (4): 299-302.
Žikić, Bojan. 2010. Antropološko proučavanje popularne kulture. Etnoantropološki problemi 5 (2): 17–39.
Žikić, Bojan. 2012. Popularna kultura: nadkulturna komunikacija. Etnoantropološki problemi 7 (2): 315–341.
Živković, Predrag. 2013. Preduzetništvo od kulta vrednovanja do aporije neoliberalizma. Sociološka luča 7 (1): 44-53.
Аntonijević, Dragana. 2007. „Merkantilne legende postindustrijskog društva“. U Antropologija savremenosti, ur. Saša Nedeljković, 76-92. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Banić Grubišić, Ana. 2013. Antropološki pristup medijima – kratak pregled (s posebnim osvrtom na igrani film). Antropologija 13 (2): 135–155.
Bezdranov, Svetlana. 1984. Filmom do ličnosti. Film kao vaspitno-obrazovni medijum. Beograd: Prosvetni pregled / Dečje novine / Institut za film.
Barger, Melvin D. 1989. The Tucker Car: Did the Big Guys Do It In? The Freeman – ideas on Liberty 39 (1): 4-8.
Borstin, Danijel Džozef. 2005. Amerikanci: Demokratsko iskustvo. Beograd: Geopoetika.
Cullen, Jim. 2003. The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea That Shaped a Nation. London: Oxford University Press.
Čakardić, Ankica. 2013. „Minimalna država i neoliberalne strategije kapitalizma“. U Kriza, odgovori, levica, ur. Ana Veselinović i ostali, 159-179, Beograd: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.
Dragin, Dušica. 2011. Preduzetništvo u kulturi. Studija slučaja muzičkog festivala. Kultura 130: 350-366. Beograd: Zavod za proučavanje kulturnog razvitka.
Flowers, Betty Sue. 2007. The American Dream and the Economic Myth. Essays on Deepening the American Dream. Kalamazoo: Fetzer Institute.
Harvi, Dejvid. 2012. Kratka istorija neoliberalizma. Novi Sad: Mediterran Publishing.
Hobsbaum, Erik. 2002. Doba ekstrema. Istorija kratkog dvadesetog veka 1914-1991. Beograd: Dereta. 366. Beograd: Zavod za proučavanje kulturnog razvitka.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2007. Sremski berberin u vremenima promena. Etnoantropološki problemi 2 (1): 111-28.
Kovačević, Ivan i Vladimira Ilić. 2013. Antropologija filma - Nova srpska antropologija, knjiga 1. Beograd: Odeljenje za etnologiju i antropologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu i Srpski genealoški centar.
Kovačević, Ivan i Vladimira Ilić. 2016. Antropologija filma u Srbiji. Etnoantropološki problemi 11 (1): 217-239.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2009. Urbane legende. Ogledi iz američkog folklora. Etnološka biblioteka. Knjiga 39. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Kovačević, Ivan. 2001. Semiologija mita i rituala III – Politika. Beograd: Srpski genealoški centar.
Luger, Stan. 2000. Corporate Power, American Democrasy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Morris, Michael H. (1998). Entrepreneurial intensity: Sustainable Advantages for Individuals, Organizations, and Societies. Westport: Quorum Books.
McShane, Clay. 1989. Review of the film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream. The Public Historian 11 (1): 65-67.
Nedeljković, Saša. 2007. Čast, krvi suze. Ogledi iz antropologije etniciteta i nacionalizma. Beograd: Zlatni zmaj.
Оmon, Žak i Mišel Mari. 2007. Analiza film(ov)a. Beograd: Clio.
Pantić Conić, Danijela. 2017. Američki san kao najpoznatiji globalni mit modernog potrošačkog društva. In Medias Res 6 (11): 1725-1731.
Pearson, Charles T. 1960. The Indomitable Tin Goose: The True Story of Preston Tucker and His Car. New York: Harper and Row.
Ribić, Vladimir. 2011. Politička antropologija i moderni svetski sistem. Beograd: Odelјenje za etnologiju i antropologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu i Srpski genealoški centar.
Rupčić, Nataša i Ivana Frajman. 2013. Tajni dogovori u oligopolu. Praktični menadžment 4 (2): 127- 138.
Sagić, Zorica. 2016. Inovacije i preduzetništvo. Užice: Visoka poslovno-tehnička škola strukovnih studija.
Sasman, Voren. 1985. Kultura kao istorija. Preobražaj američkog društva u XX veku. Beograd: Edicija Pečat.
Stix, Gary. 1994. Pipe Dream. Scientific American 270 (2): 113-114.
Tzahor, Ze`ev. 1995. “Ben-Gurion`s Mytopoetics”. In The Shaping of Israeli Identity: Myth, Memory, and Trauma, Wistrich, Robert and Ohana, David (eds), 61-85. London: Frank Cass and Company Limited.
Tittenbrun, Jacek. 2015. The Myth of American Dream. World Scientific News 9: 1-16.
Traube, Elizabeth G. 1989. Secrets of Success in Postmodern Society. Cultural Anthropology 4 (3): 273-300.
Tadić, Darko. 2009. Propagandni film. Beograd: Spectrum Books.
Šundalić, Antun. 2012. Između društva rada i društva znanja. Media, culture and public relations 3 (2): 120-130.
Šumpeter, Jozef. 2012. Teorija privrednog razvoja: Istraživanje profita, kapitala, kredita, kamate i poslovnog ciklusa. Beograd: Službeni glasnik.
Walker, John A. 1989. Review of the film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”. Journal of Design History 2 (4): 299-302.
Žikić, Bojan. 2010. Antropološko proučavanje popularne kulture. Etnoantropološki problemi 5 (2): 17–39.
Žikić, Bojan. 2012. Popularna kultura: nadkulturna komunikacija. Etnoantropološki problemi 7 (2): 315–341.
Živković, Predrag. 2013. Preduzetništvo od kulta vrednovanja do aporije neoliberalizma. Sociološka luča 7 (1): 44-53.
Published
2018-12-30
How to Cite
Zarić, M. (2018). “Powerful” individual-entrepreneur against “powerless” corporations: Anthropological analysis of the movie “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”. Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology, 13(4), 1113–1139. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21301/eap.v13i4.10
Section
Scientific Articles
All articles in Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology are published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License which allows authors and users to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the article under the same conditions as in the licence.
The CC BY SA license permits non-commercial and commercial re-use of an open access article, as long as the author is properly attributed.
Copyright on any research article published by Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology is retained by the author(s).
Authors grant to the Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology the right to publish the article, to be cited as its original publisher in case of reuse, and to distribute it in all forms and media. Copyright and source must be acknowledged and a link must be made to the article's DOI.
Open Access
DOAJ - Directory of Open Access Journals
ROAD - Directory of Open Access Scholarly Resources
World Cat 
AnthroSerbia
![Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>.){kind=link}