History Film / TheButler

* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in an odd way. The film was originally titled ''The Butler'' until Warner Bros. blocked The Weinstein Company at the MPAA title registration bureau based on the fact [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope that they released a very successful short film under that title]]... ''[[ForTheEvulz in 1916]]''. The MPAA ended up allowing the film to keep the title as long as they put director Lee Daniels' name in front of it.

''Lee Daniels' The Butler'' (previously known simply as ''The Butler'') is a historical film directed by [[Literature/{{Push}} Lee Daniels]]. It stars Creator/ForestWhitaker as Cecil Gaines (based on the RealLife figure [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Allen Eugene Allen]]), the head butler of the White House from 1952 to 1986, where he served under eight different Presidents, and bore witness to the changes in the political and racial landscape of the United States during his tenure.

%%* {{Adorkable}}: Charlie.

%%* BasedOnATrueStory
%%* BeenThereShapedHistory

* [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre Your Father Is Better Than You Think He Is]]: Essentially, what MartinLutherKingJr tells Louis is that his father, as a domestic servant, is contributing to the advancement of racial justice and equality in his own way.

* {{Adorkable}}: Charlie.
* AngryBlackMan[=/=]TheCynic: Louis becomes this after tiring of Martin Luther King's non-violent approach and joining Black Panther Party, which really encouraged a belligerent attitude that infuriated his parents. Eventually, he decides that the Panthers are going too far and decides to leave to fight the good fight with more reasonable means. These include getting elected into the US Congress and leading peaceful demonstrations to further social justice.

* BasedOnATrueStory
* BeenThereShapedHistory

* FaceHeelTurn[=/=]UsedToBeASweetKid: Carol goes from an idealistic freedom rider to, as Oprah puts it, "a low class bitch".

* GrayAndGrayMorality[=/=]GoodVersusGood: The central conflict between Cecil and Louis. On one hand, Louis is crusading for civil rights, but in reckless ways that endanger his safety, at which point the film tends to take Cecil's side. However, by the same token, Cecil's stubborn and set-in-his-ways (if not also well-meaning) personality ultimately hurts his entire family.

* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Howard.

* KilledOffForReal[=/=]DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Cecil's Father, Charlie, and Howard.]]

* OscarBait
* ParentalAbandonment: Poor Cecil

* RedOniBlueOni: Louis and Cecil respectively.

* TheSociopath: Thomas Westfall.

* WouldHitAGirl[=/=]WouldHurtAChild: The KKK and other racists show no compunctions about going after women and minors with nothing short of total sadism.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/poster-art-for-lee-daniels-the-butler_event_main_1042.jpg]]

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: How loosely? The [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed only member]] of the butler's family whose name is not changed is Charles. Film!Charles goes to Vietnam and is KIA. Real!Charles went to Vietnam and watched a private showing of this film.

[[caption-width-right:350:HeyItsThatGuy]]

[[caption-width-right:350:HeyItsThatGuy!]]

* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in an odd way. The film was originally titled ''The Butler'' until Warner Bros. blocked The Weinstein Company at the MPAA title registration bureau based on the fact that they released a very successful short film under that title... ''[[ForTheEvulz in 1916]]''. The MPAA ended up allowing the film to keep the title as long as they put director Lee Daniels' name in front of it.

''Lee Daniels' The Butler'' (previously known simply as ''The Butler'') is an historical film directed by [[Literature/{{Push}} Lee Daniels]]. It stars Creator/ForestWhitaker as Cecil Gaines (based on the RealLife figure [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Allen Eugene Allen]]), the head butler of the White House from 1952 to 1986, where he served under eight different Presidents, and bore witness to the changes in the political and racial landscape of the United States during his tenure.

* {{Adorkable}}: Charlie
** [[Series/RayDonovan Liev Schreiber]] is UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson.
** Creator/JohnCusack is UsefulNotes/RichardNixon.
** Creator/AlanRickman and Creator/JaneFonda are [[UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan Ronald and Nancy Reagan]].
** [[Series/TrueBlood Nelsan Ellis]] is Martin Luther King, Jr.
** Creator/LennyKravitz plays James Holloway.

* AllStarCast: To an absolutely absurd degree. For example:
** Creator/ForestWhitaker is Cecil Gaines, Creator/OprahWinfrey is his wife, Creator/MariahCarey is his mother, and [[Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes David]] [[TheLastKingOfScotland Oyelowo]] is their son.
** [[Film/MagicMike Alex Pettyfer]] and Vanessa Redgrave own the cotton farm where Cecil grew up.
** [[Film/IronMan Terrence Howard]] and [[Film/JerryMaguire Cuba Gooding, Jr.]] play friends of the Gaines.
** Creator/RobinWilliams is UsefulNotes/DwightEisenhower.
** [[Film/XMen James]] [[Series/ThirtyRock Marsden]] and [[Series/FridayNightLights Minka]] [[Series/{{Parenthood}} Kelly]] are [[UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy John and Jackie Kennedy]].

* HilariousInHindsight: David Oyelowo would later be cast as Martin Luther King Jr in ''Film/{{Selma}}''

* SoundtrackDissonance: When [[spoiler:the soldiers come to tell Cecil and Gloria their son Charles has been KIA]], their reaction is accompanied jarringly by disco music (they were watching SoulTrain). Which only makes it that much worse.

* SoundtrackDissonance: When [[spoiler:the soldiers come to tell Cecil and Gloria their son Charles has been KIA]], their reaction is accompanied jarringly by disco music. Which only makes it that much worse.

** Creator/RobinWilliams is DwightEisenhower.
** [[Film/XMen James]] [[Series/ThirtyRock Marsden]] and [[Series/FridayNightLights Minka]] [[Series/{{Parenthood}} Kelly]] are [[JohnFKennedy John and Jackie Kennedy]].
** [[Series/RayDonovan Liev Schreiber]] is LyndonJohnson.
** Creator/JohnCusack is RichardNixon.
** Creator/AlanRickman and Creator/JaneFonda are [[RonaldReagan Ronald and Nancy Reagan]].

* InvisiblePresident: Mostly averted, but the presidencies of GeraldFord and JimmyCarter are rather glanced over via a news montage, presumably because their tenures weren't as important to the Civil Rights Movement. Richard Nixon comes close, getting only a very brief cameo.

* PetTheDog: RonaldReagan gets one when accepting Cecil's resignation along with [[spoiler:listening to Cecil's complaints of the pay gap and being willing to force Cecil's boss to give the same privileges.]] His wife gets one earlier when she invites Cecil and Gloria to dine with them as guests rather than as a butler and his wife.

** [[Film/IronMan Terrence Howard]] and [[Film/JerryMaguire Cuba Gooding, Jr.]] play friends of the Gaines
** Creator/RobinWilliams is DwightEisenhower

** [[Series/RayDonovan Liev Schreiber]] is LyndonJohnson
** Creator/JohnCusack is RichardNixon

** LennyKravitz plays James Holloway
* AngryBlackMan / TheCynic: Louis becomes this after tiring of Martin Luther King's non-violent approach and joining Black Panther Party, which really encouraged a belligerent attitude that infuriated his parents. Eventually, he decides that the Panthers are going too far and decides to leave to fight the good fight with more reasonable means. These include getting elected into the US Congress and leading peaceful demonstrations to further social justice.

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: Howard, at least as far as Gloria is concerned]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Cecil loses both his wife and one of his sons and ultimately resigns from his job after realizing how thankless it is, but he also reconnects with his other son and lives to see the first black President take office]]

* FaceHeelTurn / UsedToBeASweetKid: Carol goes from an idealistic freedom rider to, as Oprah puts it "a low class bitch".

* GrayAndGrayMorality / GoodVersusGood: The central conflict between Cecil and Louis. On one hand, Louis is crusading for civil rights, but in reckless ways that endanger his safety, at which point the film tends to take Cecil's side. However by the same token Cecil's stubborn and set-in-his-ways (if not also well-meaning) personality ultimately hurts his entire family.
* HappilyMarried: What Cecil and Gloria are for most of the movie. Gloria also pretty much lampshades this near the end of the movie

* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Howard
* KillTheCutie: [[spoiler: Charlie is one of the nicest and most endearing characters in the movie, but is ultimately killed in Vietnam]]
* KilledOffForReal / DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: Cecil's Father, Charlie, and Howard]]
* LightIsNotGood: The KKK, though having said that not all of them wear the trademark white uniform here.

* PetTheDog: RonaldReagan gets one when accepting Cecil's resignation along with [[spoiler: listening to Cecil's complaints of the pay gap and willing to force Cecil's boss to give the same privileges.]] His wife gets one earlier when she invites Cecil and Gloria to dine with them as guests rather than as a butler and his wife.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Cecil gives one to Louis during the dinner scene, mixed with TranquilFury
* RedOniBlueOni: Louis and Cecil respectively

* TheSociopath: Thomas Westfall
* SoundtrackDissonance: when [[spoiler: the soldiers come to tell Cecil and Gloria their son Charles has been KIA]] their reaction is accompanied jarringly by disco music. Which only makes it that much worse.
* TheStoic: Frequently Cecil, in contrast to his son [[AngryBlackMan Louis]]
* TokenRomance: Louis and Carol. [[spoiler: It doesn't last, and Louis even winds up doubting if Carol ever loved him at all]]
* TooDumbToLive: Louis from Cecil's perspective. [[spoiler: Also Charlie who goes to Vietnam seemingly on a whim...and gets killed]]
* TranquilFury: Cecil to Louis at the fateful dinner scene, before becoming [[IHaveNoSon not so tranquil]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: The Black Panthers. Also the teacher who first gets Louis and Carol into the Freedom Riders, putting them through TrainingFromHell to prepare them for what they will face and being completely unsympathetic to potential recruits who are afraid of being killed.
* WhatTheHellHero: Cecil and Louis both suffer from this from a couple different people, including (and most prominently) each-other.
* WouldHitAGirl / WouldHurtAChild: The KKK and other racists show no compunctions about going after women and minors with nothing short of total sadism.
* [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre Your Father Is Better Than You Think He Is]]: Essentially, what MartinLutherKingJr tells Louis that his father as a domestic servant is contributing to the advancement of racial justice and equality in his own way.
* YouKilledMyFather: Averted. Cecil never gets an ounce of closure for his parent's being cruelly taken from him.

** Creator/Forest Whitaker is Cecil Gaines, Creator/OprahWinfrey is his wife, Creator/MariahCarey is his mother, and [[Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes David]] [[TheLastKingOfScotland Oyelowo]] is their son.

''Lee Daniels' The Butler'' (previously known simply as ''The Butler'') is an historical film directed by [[Literature/{{Push}} Lee Daniels]]. It stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines (based on the RealLife figure [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Allen Eugene Allen]]), the head butler of the White House from 1952 to 1986, where he served under eight different Presidents, and bore witness to the changes in the political and racial landscape of the United States during his tenure.

** [[TheLastKingOfScotland Forest Whitaker]] is Cecil Gaines, OprahWinfrey is his wife, MariahCarey is his mother, and [[Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes David]] [[TheLastKingOfScotland Oyelowo]] is their son.

* AlphaBitch: What Carol turns into. [[LampshadeHanging Gloria even calls her a bitch]].

'''''Lee Daniels' The Butler''''' (previously known simply as '''''The Butler''''') is an historical film directed by [[Literature/{{Push}} Lee Daniels]]. It stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines (based on the RealLife figure [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Allen Eugene Allen]]), the head butler of the White House from 1952 to 1986, where he served under eight different Presidents, and bore witness to the changes in the political and racial landscape of the United States during his tenure.

* [[spoiler: AssholeVictim: Howard, at least as far as Gloria is concerned]]

* [[spoiler: BittersweetEnding: Cecil loses both his wife and one of his sons and ultimately resigns from his job after realizing how thankless it is, but he also reconnects with his other son and lives to see the first black President take office]]

* [[HeroesLoveDogs Presidents Love Dogs]]: A RunningGag with President Johnson is that he is almost never seen without his dogs.

* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in an odd way. The film was originally titled ''The Butler'' until Warner Bros. blocked The Weinstein Company at the MPAA title registration bureau based on the fact that they released a very successful short film under that title... [[ForTheEvulz in 1916]]. The MPAA ended up allowing the film to keep the title as long as they put director Lee Daniels' name in front of it.

* [[spoiler: KillTheCutie: Charlie is one of the nicest and most endearing characters in the movie, but is ultimately killed in Vietnam]]
* [[spoiler: KilledOffForReal / DroppedABridgeOnHim: Cecil's Father, Charlie, and Howard]]

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: At least white humans anyway.

* PetTheDog: RonaldReagan gets one when accepting Cecil's resignation. His wife gets one earlier when she invites Cecil and Gloria to dine with them as guests rather than as a butler and his wife.

* AllStarCast: To an absolutely absurd degree, in keeping with it's being OscarBait. For example:

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: As with most other race struggle movies, white people are with few exceptions portrayed this way, particularly the KKK. Averted with the Presidents and their families though, as well as one of the Freedom Riders. Somewhat justified given that large portions of the movie take place in TheDeepSouth, where the Civil Rights Movement was at it's most tense and violent.

* Adorkable: Charlie

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: As with most other race struggle movies, white people are with few exceptions portrayed this way, particularly the KKK. Averted with the Presidents though, as well as one of the Freedom Fighters. Somewhat justified given that large portions of the movie take place in TheDeepSouth, where the Civil Rights Movement was at it's most tense and violent.