Realism & Melodrama in Film

It is difficult to determine the difference between Realism and realistic. It seems that often times, the terms are used interchangeably. However, the key difference is that Realism is a specific style of playwriting and production used in theatre, and realistic is an adjective used to describe elements of the production that contribute to the aforementioned style. Realism is a rejection of Romanticism; it attempts to show the social, economic, and psychological problems apparent in daily life. In order to accomplish this task, realistic elements are included in the production. For example, if a character in a play is from the deep South, it would not be realistic for them to speak in a poetic style with a British accent. Instead, they would speak in a prose style with a Southern accent.
Furthermore, elements of melodrama in film or theatre often include realistic elements. Melodrama is an ornamental style that brings more emotion to the situations than seems to be required. It is associated with Sensationalism and Implausibility, often using music and special effects to add to the heightened emotion of the scene. One example of melodrama that incorporates elements of Realism can be found in The Last Samurai. Tom Cruise’s character, Nathan Algren, is a military officer who was commissioned to train an American-style army in Japan, but he develops a deep attachment and respect for the Samurai way of life and decides to fight on the side of the Samurai. Towards the end of the film, he is running up a hill with a few Samurai warriors at his side, in an attempt to attack a large and powerful American army. A military officer commands his troops to fire at Tom Cruise’s character. The camera focuses on the faces of the troops, visibly upset that they have to fire on their former leader; then, the guns are shown firing. There is a huge cloud of smoke, and Tom Cruise’s character appears unharmed—the soldiers all intentionally missed. Though the scene was melodramatic, magnifying all elements of emotion with music and close-ups, realistic elements were present. The dress of the American soldiers and the Samurai were extremely realistic. The swords of the Samurai and the weapons of the American soldiers were also realistic. It seemed realistic to see Tom Cruise’s character fighting on the side of the Samurai, essentially against his own people, in the context of the film.