Women's Presence In Film... Or Lack There Of

            Women make up about 51% of the population in America, and yet are vastly underrepresented in Hollywood film (Benshoff and Griffin 214). The underlying sexism that is present in our culture manifests itself in Hollywood film. In fact, there are about “twice as many men on Hollywood screens as there are women” (214). Think about the classical Hollywood narrative form. Based on this storyline, the protagonist will be a male. It has become standard for Hollywood films to focus on men.

            We recently learned about the Bechdel test, which further supports the notion that women’s presence in film is lacking. According to the website Feminist Frequency, the Bechdel test is a method of testing the presence of women in film. To pass the test, a movie must meet three requirements: there must be two or more women characters with names, they must converse with each other, and finally, they must converse with each other about something other than a man. You’d think most movies would pass the test, right? Wrong. A large number of films do not pass this test. Some of my favorites that don’t pass the test include The Lord of the Rings 1, 2, and 3, Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, The Princess Bride, and The Big Lebowski.

            Wait, not one out of all three of The Lord of the Rings movies pass the Bechdel test? Those are some of my favorite films, and I’m honestly a little surprised. There are definitely multiple female characters with names, but this is as far as it gets. These characters never talk to each other in any of the films. Coming up in December, the first film of the new Hobbit series will be released, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (IMDb). Maybe it will pass the test. I’ve read the book though, and it’s highly unlikely.

I'm really doubting the possibility of this movie passing the Bechdel test.

            The equality between men and women is much more balanced than it was in the past. With the levels of inequality that women previously faced, it doesn’t surprise me that films from these generations would lack female presence. But despite the progress women have made, we still see many films being made that fail the Bechdel test (The Lord of the Rings films only came out about ten years ago). For example, in another video on the Feminist Frequency site, we learn about which films pass the test that were nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards in 2011. This gives us insight as to the current status of women in film (and highly regarded films for that matter). It turns out that out of the eleven films nominated for best picture in 2011, only two of them clearly pass the test.

            From the large number of films that do not pass the Bechdel Test, it’s easy to see how women go underrepresented in Hollywood film. We live in a society that favors the male sex. While women have made much progress in achieving equality, the presence of women in Hollywood film (or lack there of) is an example of how patriarchal ideologies remain in tact. 

Works Cited

Benshoff, Harry M. and Sean Griffin. America On Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. 2^nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.

“The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies.” Feminist Frequency, 7 Dec. 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2012.

“The Oscars and the Bechdel Test.” Feminist Frequency, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012).” Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com, Inc. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.

The Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy. Dir. Peter Jackson. New Line Cinema, 2001, 2002, 2003. Film

Charles Chaplin: So Much More Than Slapstick

            Before taking this course, I had only seen one Charlie Chaplin film: Modern Times. When we were required to watch it for the class, I hadn’t even remembered that I’d seen it before. It wasn’t until the scene involving Chaplin being the test subject for the “feeding machine” that I remembered watching it before.

            After watching Modern Times for a second time, I suddenly found myself extremely interested in Charlie Chaplin. I continued to watch some of his other films, including The Kid (1921), The Gold Rush (1925), The Immigrant (1917), and many other clips I found on YouTube. I’ve come to the conclusion that Charles Chaplin was so much more than simply a slapstick comedian. He was a man of many, many talents and a truly unique human being.

            We can see how Charlie Chaplin was so incredibly talented in his ability to make films. He was more than just an actor; in the majority of his films, Chaplin was not only the starring actor, he was also the writer, producer, and director. One thing I did not know before this taking this course was how he was also an accomplished composer, arranging the musical pieces for his films as well. Ever heard the song “Smile,” sung by Nat King Cole? It was originally composed by Chaplin and was used as the theme song for the film Modern Times (lyrics were later added).

            Working under film companies, such as Keystone Film Company, Chaplin was mainly restricted to the “knock-about slapstick his audience expected,” while he was actually wanting “to make subtler comedies” (Hollywood). After becoming an independent producer, Chaplin was given the freedom to make films how he wanted. In the 1921 film The Kid, we come to see Charlie’s serious side. Chaplin wrote The Kid in reflection of his own childhood; the story involves Chaplin raising an orphaned child he finds as a baby. Many aspects of this film show a more dramatic, serious Charlie Chaplin. For example, when Chaplin’s character and the boy are reunited after child welfare officials try and take him away. It was such an emotional scene; I was even tearing up a bit.

            Many of the films Chaplin wrote focused on social problems at the time. He was aware of the issues that people were facing, and as a person of celebrity, he addressed them. For this I applaud Chaplin, as many Hollywood producers, writers, and directors avoid tackling social problems.  Chaplin’s character that he developed for his films, The Little Tramp, in itself addresses the problems facing the lower class in a capitalistic society. His character is often on the road, looking for work. The Little Tramp “acknowledged the economic inequities that most Hollywood films either ignored or suggested could be easily overcome” (Benshoff and Griffin 177).

            Charlie Chaplin is known as one of the greatest silent film comedians, but his humor continued into sound films as well. In Modern Times, Chaplin’s voice is heard for the first time in the “non-sense” song sung towards the end of the film. I found this scene as an excellent way for his character to incorporate a voice for the first time. It was also absolutely hilarious. Chaplin also incorporated this sort of non-sense language into his next film, The Great Dictator (1940), only this time it’s German-like. The film, written before the full extent of the horrors of Nazi rule was known, is a parody of, and aimed as an assault on, Hitler. In my opinion, this film shows Chaplin’s comedic ability in sound. It’s well known he was a great silent comedian, but in this film he proved himself as a great comedian all around.

            Making The Great Dictator was a daringly bold move in a time when communist paranoia was running rapid. “The Great Dictator had enraged German and British diplomats posted in the United States and brought Chaplin to the forefront of celebrities harassed by the House of Un-American Activities” (Charlie). In 1952, Chaplin was denied re-entry into the U.S. He spent the rest of his life living in Switzerland.

            Charlie Chaplin was, in my opinion, remarkably talented. Given the freedom to make his own films, Chaplin showed audiences he was more than simply a slapstick comedian. Along with being an amazingly funny comic, he could also create wonderful films. 

Works Cited:

Benshoff, Harry M. and Sean Griffin. America On Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. 2^nd ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.

Charlie Chaplin: Official Website. Roy Export Company. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.

“Hollywood: A Celebration of the American Silent Film – 08 Comedy – A Serious Business.” YouTube, 13 May 2011. Web. 19 Oct. 2012.

Image: Harness, Jill. “Charlie Chaplin: Celebrating the Classic Comic.” Neatorama, 20 April 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.

Image: "The Gold Rush." Filmlinc.com. The Film Society of Lincoln Center. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.

Video: TheChaplinFilms. “Chaplin Masterpiece Trailer.” YouTube, 13 April 2011. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.