10 Classic Films Whose Themes Still Ring True Today

7. ¡Alambrista! (1977)

¡Alambrista! This is quite possibly the most universal film on this list, perhaps ever made. It's a film that literally every person can relate to, past, present and future. It's set in the American Southwest and features Roberto, a Mexican man who decides to try his luck as a migrant worker in the states after his wife gives birth to their firstborn. At its core it's a film about a man who's seeking an opportunity to better his and his family's lives. It's about a Mexican illegal immigrant but it's such an American film. All of our ancestors migrated to this country at one point or another seeking what? Opportunities and better lives. Even us now, whether we're second generation American or our families arrived on the Mayflower, we are seeking opportunities to better ourselves. Roberto represents not just the American individual, but America itself. During his travels he stumbles and nearly forgets his mission, comes near to neglecting his wife and child back home for a more permanent home in Stockton, California. It's only until a dramatic element is introduced that he actively returns home, remembering what it is he's laboring for. We are much the same, as individuals and as a whole society; we stumble and forget our path and only a serious knock on the head can right us again. For as long as their are people looking for opportunities, whether immigrants or born citizens, this film will maintain relevance. There is not a single doubt that writer and director Robert M. Young knew this while making the film.
Contributor

Kevin Terpstra hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.