Religion Through Film

Religion is a common theme in many movies. Although it isn't always directly seen, religion is often an underlying part of a movie plot. Often, a character is shaped by his/her religion. In the movie Fools Rush In, the clashing of religion is seen as a major theme. Isabel Fuentes is a character who comes from a strict Mexican-American, Catholic family and is impregnated out of wedlock by a Protestant, city business man. When they decide to get married, they realize just how hard it will be to combine their religions.

When the character Isabel found out she was pregnant, her biggest fear was telling her parents. She knew they would be disappointed in her because she was not married. Being Catholic, her parents believed pregnancy comes after a marriage. They believed that having a baby out of wedlock was a sin. She also worried that her parents would not accept the father of her baby, Alex Whitman, because he was not Catholic. In fact, he hardly practiced any religion. Alex was raised in a loosely religion home. His parents are Protestant, but do not practice any religion strictly. When these two decide to get married, both of their parents are less then thrilled. Not only do they need to compromise in tradition, but they also need to compromise in religion.

The drama of the joining of these opposites is the strongest when their families meet. Alex takes his uncultured parents to see Isabel's Mexican family in the south of Nevada. When they meet, the tension is high and grows stronger when they tell their families they are getting married. Immediately, the question of the baby's religion is brought up. Isabel's parents obviously believe that the baby will be Catholic and Alex's parents want the baby to be Protestant. After much fighting, nothing is resolved. This division in their relationship eventually leads to their seperation. Isabel believed that the different religions and beliefs were impossible to combined. She believed that she could raise the baby on her own the way her family wanted her to. Isabel also believes that they baby should be Catholic because she is much more active in her religion that Alex is. The pressure of her parents and the undeniable differences take a major toll on their relationship and they believe their best option is to end their engagement. Ultimately, the couple rekindles their relationship when their child is born. They realize that as long as they love