Role of the Woman in Film - 1171 Words

Role of the Woman in Film For many years, feminists have believed that the success of classical film is based on portraying women as objects and something to be acquired by men, but I don’t think that is the case. While this hypothesis can be seen in some much older films when that type of thinking was accepted, I believe that women have actually played great roles in some classic films. In Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday, the whole film revolves around Hildy realizing that she plays a significant role in the workplace which negates the idea that she is simply something to look at. Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity actually does the opposite of what the feminist film theorists believe by having Phyllis be the true protagonist who is using Walter to suit her needs. The way that the women are portrayed in these two films contradicts what you would expect from them if the feminist theory were true . While some believe that in classical films, women are something to be looked at and acquired an d the men are the ones taking action, this is not the case in His Girl Friday. In this film, Hildy’s journey takes her in the opposite direction. In the beginning of the film, it seems as though she is going to assume the role that most would expect from her. She wants to get married again and stay at home and be a mother while her future husband is going to work and pay the bills. This would make one think that the rest of the film would be about Walter taking action and trying to winShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Beauty And The Beast 847 Words   |  4 Pagesmovie that depicts the gender role of men and women in society. The film is based upon a smart young female protagonist named Belle who is imprisoned by a self-centered young prince after he has been turned into a beast. They both learn to love each other in the end and throughout the film there are several examples shown portraying the roles of gender. In the film the main characters Gaston and the Beast portray themsel ves as rude, conceited and more important than the woman even though the main characterRead MoreWomen s Roles Over Time1158 Words   |  5 PagesFrom silent short films of the 19th century to full length films of the 1920s, women have played important central roles over time. Women have transitioned from submissive conservative roles to liberal something. A big part of this is due to the view of women changing in history. The 1800s was a time of, â€Å"advancement, invention and enterprise in the world of moving images.† Thomas Edison, with the help of his assistants, created and patented the Kinetograph and Kinetoscope in 1891. These tools laterRead MoreGender Representation Of Female Gender Roles Affect Society Through Social Oppression Of The Minority Group1110 Words   |  5 Pagesdoes not encourage the individual empowerment of women through separation of traditional gender stereotypes. In fact, Mulan emphasizes the roles between binary genders that ensure privilege of men over women. Additionally, the film shows how such stereotypical gender roles affect society through social oppression of the minority group. Throughout the film, it is obvious that, although it is possible to have gender performativity, there is disempowerment of women and a man’s life is that whichRead More Women in Film as Portrayed in the Movie, Double Indemnity Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesWomen in Film as Portrayed in the Movie, Double Indemnity Introduction American commercial cinema currently fuels many aspects of society. In the twenty-first century it has become available, active force in the perception of gender relations in the United States. In the earlier part of this century filmmakers, as well as the public, did not necessarily view the femaleâ€Å"media image† as an infrastructure of sex inequality. Today, contemporary audiences and critics have become preoccupied withRead MoreMaltese Falcon1645 Words   |  7 PagesThe Maltese Falcon, was not only a detective film, but a film that displayed many different aspects of the female and the male character in the movie. The film was more than a story, but a story that explored the ideas of the detective genre and the different characteristics of femininity and masculinity. It also brought forth subjects of sexual desires and the greediness of money. The characters and the visual motifs in the film contributed to the developing of the plot and assisted in creatingRead More Movie Review : Pretty Woman Directed By Garry Marshall1451 Words   |  6 Pages The movie being reviewed is a classic romantic comedy entitled Pretty Woman directed by Garry Marshall in 1990. Pretty Woman takes place in Los Angeles, California where a kindhearted prostitute Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) meets an out of town millionaire Edward Lewis (Richard Gere), and they find true love despite their differences in true fantasy fairy tale fashion and live happily ever after. This film is particularly relevant to many aspects of our American Popular Culture class because it addressesRead MoreWomen in Film1225 Words   |  5 Pageswomen in film. Women were and still highly sexualized and have a certain illusion that is consistent among them. Women often appear as an object to be looked at and acted upon. The male protagonist has a more active role within the narrative. They are seemed to be the more superior character while the women have a much more supporting role. The same is tru e to the 1940 comedy His Girl Friday and the 1958 thriller Vertigo. In both films, the image of the woman is important, as well as their role in theRead MoreWomen Being Influenced by the Portrayal of Their Roles in Film861 Words   |  4 Pagesthe portrayal of their roles in film Assignment 2A By Hoe Shuhui Joanne (S9132359A) Group No. 25 Academic Writing WRIT001/Term 2 – 2010/2011 I declare that this Assignment is my original work and all information obtained from other sources has been cited accordingly. Joanne Hoe 17/02/2010 Turnitin _______________________ Similarity Signature and Date Index % Course Instructor: Katherine Barg As the definition of being a woman has evolved to encompassingRead MoreThe X Men Series, And Avengers : Age Of Ultron1274 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s film culture, superhero films are very popular genre. Yet, woman are still objectified, over-sexualized, and given roles with little or no real merit within this genre. This has been shown since the beginning of the Wonder Woman comics and has progressed to the films we have today. Films like Supergirl, Catwoman, the Fantastic Four series, the X-Men series, and Avengers: Age of Ultron show these issues within our film culture. Their physical appearance, clothing, and sex appeal have moreRead MoreMovie Analysis : Harry M. Benshoff And Sean Griffin1177 Words   |  5 PagesHarry M. Benshoff and Sean Griffin provide detailed insight into the relationship between gender and film in their book America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. As a result of their investigation into the role of the f emale in the film industry, they assert, â€Å"†¦film texts reinscribing dominant [gender role] ideology usually sell more tickets than those critiquing it†¦because the industry itself is still mostly controlled by (white) men† (p. 611). In addition,