Entry 10

The film Big Night is about two brothers Primo and Segundo who came to open an Italian restaurant in America. However, they aren’t finding success because the American public doesn’t want American food, they want the Americanized version, like spaghetti with meatballs. Primo doesn’t want to give in to what the people want, while Segundo does because he wants to run a successful business. 

The brothers in the movie seem to have a strained relationship at times because they have opposing views about how to run the restaurant. They are often arguing about the way things need to be done. Primo seems to have more say than Segundo because he is the older brother, throughout the movie Segundo constantly begs Primo to just give the people what they want, but Primo always gets the final say on how the restaurant ought to be run. Although their relationship seems strange it is clear that they are still close. It is easy to see how close they are at the end of the movie when they have their fight, but the next day Segunda makes breakfast, making sure to make enough for his brother when he enters. He makes Primo’s plate when he comes in, and they wrap arms around each other’s shoulders. The end scene shows that even when they fight, they are in it together. 

As first-generation immigrants they have a lot of problems to conquer in running their restaurant. The main problem is whether or not they are going to assimilate to American culture or preserve their own culture. The pressure to assimilate from patrons of the restaurant and the rival Italian restaurant almost drives the brothers apart and almost drives Primo back to Italy where people will appreciate what Primo cooks and where he won’t have to hide his culture.