SummaryThe first Mardi Gras in America was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama in 1703. In 2008, it is still racially segregated. A fascinating investigation into our nation's history and traditions, this acclaimed, award-winning documentary illuminates the complexities of race relations in 21st century America. [The Cinema Guild]
Directed By:Margaret Brown
Written By:Margaret Brown
The Order of Myths
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79
User score
Generally Unfavorable
3.0
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
79
92% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
90
An invaluable portrait of us-and-them America, a smart, generous, poignant, quietly disturbing movie about secrecy and hospitality, and how easy it is for a tradition of separateness to flourish when the stakes are as deceptively frivolous as an eye-popping yearly party.
90
Smartly edited, utterly engrossing, and as intelligent an examination of American race relations as I've seen.
83
So The Order Of Myths' central question remains tantalizingly unanswered: When a society respects its old-growth trees so much that they let the roots crack the sidewalks, are they being noble or ignorant?
78
"They have their Mardi Gras; we have ours," the explanation goes on both sides, but everyone seems to realize it's just a rationalization aimed at covering over Mobile's docile perpetuation of segregation.
70
Gracefully explores Mobile's Mardi Gras celebrations and profiles the young people playing at royalty at these ceremonies' hearts.
70
Quietly shocking, The Order of Myths is a deft, engrossing cross-section of Mobile life, heavy on local color and insight.
60
Order of Myths looks good, and its characters are memorable. It's important to know that the "traditions" extolled by both sides of Mobile involve keeping people apart. But it's not clear at all that Brown is bringing them together.
User score
Generally Unfavorable
3.0
25% Positive
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
75% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Sep 7, 2014
3
Order of Myths reminds me of something produced by the Film Board of Canada that you might be forced to watch in a high school social studies class. It has high production values and the teacher might care about the topic, but as a documentary it is utterly forgettable if you aren't somehow invested in the American Deep South. I'm also docking a few points because I get the impression that some average people agreed to be interviewed and assumed good faith, but they were made to look stupid with snide editing. (eg: Unnecessary comments about dress tailoring, the guy talking about how handicapped children enjoy the show, the girls talking backstage, etc.)
Production Company:
- Folly River Films
- Lucky Hat Entertainment
- Netpoint Productions
Release Date:Jul 25, 2008
Duration:1 h 37 m
Website:
Awards
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 4 Nominations
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Sheffield International Documentary Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
