Dan
Probably not the film that you're looking for, but worth a mention as a film
that effectively demonstrates the way in which mainstream Hollywood
reinforces patriarchal ideology - Mystic River - watch the way the camera
follows Annabeth through the crowd in the closing sequence . Pasted below
extract from entry in my 'sometime' film diary.
Final scenes of an otherwise excellent movie let this film down seriously.
Jimmy's wife, Annabeth, consoles him and implicates Dave's wife, Celeste, as
accessory to his death. Sean does not arrest Jimmy (he does not have
evidence at this stage); Celeste is left not knowing what has happened to
her husband, her child is estranged not knowing what has happened to his
father, Annabeth and Jimmy are together, Sean is reunited with his estranged
wife. In the final scene as the parade moves through the town, Celeste
moves through the crowd, her eyes search for her husband. The others look
knowingly at one another. Patriarchal Hollywood norms are reinforced,
establishing an understanding between men, woman must have a man, and the
single woman, who is perceived to have been disloyal to her man, is excluded
from society. She is the bearer of original sin, responsible for the sin
for which he remains uncharged. OUTRAGEOUS!
What about Walk the Line - strong woman standing by her man etc. This is
the film that convinced me of Reese Witherspoon's talent as an actress.
Also, think the women in Closer are interesting
Respiro (2002) dir. Emanuele Crialese. Grazia (Valeria Golino) very
beautiful mother of three lives in the oppressive patriarchy of Sicilian
fishing village. Her life is defined by the patriarchal community within
which she lives and Grazia increasingly oscillates between mania and
depression. Her husband and his family think she should go to hospital in
Milan for psychiatric treatment. This is the final straw with the help of
her devoted son Pasquale she attempts to leave the community and her husband
Pietro. A beautiful film that demonstrates the relationship between mental
illness and the oppression of women.
Million Dollar Baby, Jules et Jim or John Baxter's Love on the Dole (1941).
I seem to remember that the female characters in Closer were interesting,
especially as both men eventually desire the beautiful older woman, Julia
Roberts, in preference to the very young, very beautiful Natalie Portman.
up.s.Desperate Housewives is wonderful!
Lucy
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:47:13 -0400
From: "Shaw, Dan" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: A request for inspiration
Perhaps a little more background about what I am looking for will help. Pat
and Mike is a relatively healthy pre-feminist take on equality.
Thelma and Louise is an anti-feminist film in feminist guise, as a male
buddy picture with the roles reversed. The Piano is a controversial case,
with no clear consensus on the question of whether its liberating or
repressive. Antonia's Line is a bit too much of a polyglot of styles for my
taste. It is easy to find studies of strong women repressed...Frances
is a good example, but I already do Bad Timing in my Freudian section. The
Hours also seems problematic, as it is too much about the subject of
suicide. I seek a film that stirringly celebrates a strong woman, and
not as a labor activist (as in Norma Rae, Silkwood, Erin Brokovich and North
Country)
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