When life gives you no reason to smile – Movie Review: Killer of Sheep

The movie “killer of Sheep” tells the story of Stan, a slaughter house worker, and a few families he is related to. While showing how his family’s endless routine intertwines with the interruptions of random events, the movie also casts light on the poverty-related problems among the African Americans in Chicago. 

The movie begins with a father blaming his boy for not doing anything to protect his brother. His mother simply slaps him across the face. It somehow suggests that children there are fed on the idea about having to fight for survival, and violence is accepted as a solution to problems. Schooling, on the other hand, is not an important consideration. In fact, boys are seen doing nothing all day but running wild about, causing trouble and playing war games. Girls, though seemingly more docile by comparison, are unguarded against adult conversations, resulting in their prematurity and lack of moral training.

The adults have their own problems. When somebody gets beaten up, triggering hatred and enmity, the result is often violence and bloodshed. The word “niggers”, still a racist insult, is now also used as a swear-word among the African Americans themselves, an indication of their blunt style, often sliding into coarseness and vulgarity.

In reality, several parallels can be observed in the description of the problems involving the two generations. There are scenes alternating between the two, thus showing that their problems are somehow related. There is a repeated scene showing a few boys cycling or street-surfing speedily between moving cars and no one seems to find anything wrong with it. And not to be ignored is the fact that there is no interference from traffic cops, either. In reality, I do not remember seeing one!

Unlike many of the other African Americans, however, Stan, the sheep killer, hates violence. He is intent on getting adapted to the life situation as it is, always reminding his boy to stop calling his mom “my dear”, a common practice in the rural south, which he refers to as "back home". He manages to stand firm in the face of moral dilemmas, declining a repeated job offer from an ill-intentioned white woman and also refusing to get involved in a planned murder in spite of the lucrative reward promised.

Sarcastically, it is his job is to kill! Imagine the agony he has to go through while working in the slaughter house! Probably, to put emphasis on his pain, there are close-ups of the innocent looking flock of sheep being driven to death. This is obviously a resemblance to the bewilderment of the African Americans about their future when they were moving to the north from the south. Then close-ups of the dissected parts of the slaughtered sheep, bloody and disgusting, hanging on hooks, are reminiscent of the bloody, violent scenes of the human world itself. 

He may have taken his sadness home after work, a probable cause of his unhappy marriage. He also laments his non-church-going life since his departure from the south. It is small wonder that even his wife remarks on his lack of smile.

The undramatic story aside, the movie captivates the audience with its beautiful background music and songs, mostly adapted, including songs of solace and west end blues. While enhancing the story, the songs get into the emotions of the characters. They work very well, too, to evoke certain emotions with the audience.

The song “The house I live in”, for example, accompanying the street scenes with the kids going wild, is representative of the African Americans’ lack of a purpose in life, their doubt about their own future highlighted with the lyrics “What is America to me? A name, a map, or a flag I see?” 

When Stan’s wife is preening herself with the expectation of a night of romance, the song “Reasons” with the lyrics “longing to love you, just for a night” well serves the purpose. But it struck me as unusual that the director has chosen to put the song in her little daughter’s mouth. Perhaps, the girl’s obvious familiarity with the song is intended to put emphasis on the long -standing unhappy marriage.

 “This bitter earth”, a melancholy song, is played while Stan is dancing with his wife. The lyrics “What good is love that no one shares” well depicts the absence of love between the couple. On the other hand, the same song is played towards the end of the film when Stan is seen going about his slaughtering job. His broad grin, in stark contrast with the sad look that he used to wear on his face, is well matched by the lyrics to show his ignited hope about life. 

The movie may not have strong dramatic elements to attract viewers looking for entertainment. Yet for those interested in a down-to-earth story in the city of Chicago, this is the right choice.