The arts, especially films, have always functioned as mirrors of current conditions in society. Gerald Mast states that the reflection of social reality is the primary intention of commercial motion pictures (203). Film comedies, in particular, are able to deal with these conditions in an iconoclastic manner and can question or even expose “the shams of society,” because they use “the entertaining comic form” (21). After the imposition of the Production Code on American film productions in 1934, it appears the conservative values of gender, love and family become more consolidated in films. According to Jane Greene, the outcome of this suppression of, for example, explicit sexuality led to an all new genre - the “screwball comedy” (45). The iconoclastic quality of comedies during that time, hence, relied on a “unique aesthetic for destroying Hollywood assumptions while appearing to subscribe to them” (Mast 250). In particular, the screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938) breaks the classical gender roles and undermines male supremacy in the Hollywood conventions long before the second wave feminist movement of the 1960s. In particular, the female lead’s “screwball” actions can be read as a performance in sharp contrast to the Victorian role model of women. In the following analysis of specific scenes, the film’s use of the cinematic techniques of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and its opposing main characters in order to construct an equal gender image will be examined, drawing mainly on readings by scholars such as Gerald Mast, S.I. Salamensky, and Stanley Cavell.
Table of Contents
1. Bringing Up Equality
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to examine how the screwball comedy "Bringing Up Baby" (1938) challenges traditional gender roles and undermines male supremacy through cinematic techniques and the subversion of narrative conventions. The research investigates how the film constructs an equal gender image long before the second-wave feminist movement, analyzing the interplay between performance, power structures, and the genre's inherent iconoclasm.
- The role of "screwball comedy" as an ironic social commentary.
- Cinematic analysis of mise-en-scène and cinematography in establishing character power.
- The subversion of traditional male/female hierarchies and materialistic values.
- Gender as a performative construct within the context of 1930s Hollywood.
- The transition from comedic opposition to a "Comedy of Equality."
Excerpt from the Book
The Golf Course Scene and the Subversion of Male Supremacy
In the case of Bringing Up Baby, the lead female character Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) deviates greatly from the classic Victorian role model of the dependent and submissive woman, a stereotype that inhabited not only most Hollywood films but also society at that time. Salamensky supports that these screwball leads represent “early feminist trends” (264). Bringing Up Baby, in particular, inverts the gender roles between its main characters David Huxley (Cary Grant) and Susan Vance (Salamensky 271). This can especially be seen in the scene at the golf course. The scene introduces Susan’s character while it serves as the plot’s point of attack. At this point, the conflict is established with the opposing characters and the genders, meeting for the first time. The golf course serves as a stereotypical location of masculinity where David Huxley and Alexander Peabody talk and do business while practicing a patriarchal sport. Their male caddies accompany the two men and the costumes of all four almost perfectly blend with the environment. Thus, it appears that they perfectly fit in this masculine location. The first shot of Susan is a long shot that places her in the distance, but also in the center of the frame. Her bright white costume contrasts against the entire setting. She is an intruder and even takes over “the game” of Peabody and Huxley when she hijacks David’s ball. This portrays her strong femininity. Although she is the only woman in the scene, she is not intimidated and neither men could and would stop her in her steely determination to play with the balls she wants. She has no respect for the men’s game that is being played, hence, undermining the male privilege. The following shots keep her centered in the frame, suggesting she is the center of all the action with David and their caddies positioned on the edge of the frame as spectators.
Summary of Chapters
1. Bringing Up Equality: This chapter provides an introduction to the analysis of Howard Hawks’ "Bringing Up Baby," exploring how the film functions as an iconoclastic subversion of 1930s gender conventions and male dominance.
Keywords
Bringing Up Baby, screwball comedy, gender roles, Howard Hawks, Susan Vance, David Huxley, performance, cinema, subversion, feminist trends, mise-en-scène, equality, Hollywood, masculinity, materialism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper focuses on the screwball comedy "Bringing Up Baby" as a cinematic study of gender inversion and the subversion of traditional patriarchal power structures in 1930s Hollywood.
What are the central themes discussed?
Key themes include the destruction of materialistic values, the performance of gender, the subversion of male supremacy, and the transition toward a "Comedy of Equality."
What is the core research question?
The research explores how the film uses cinematic techniques, such as mise-en-scène and cinematography, to challenge classical gender roles and construct an image of gender equality.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The author employs a film studies approach, utilizing close textual analysis and applying theoretical frameworks from scholars like Gerald Mast, Stanley Cavell, and Judith Butler to interpret the film's visual and narrative structure.
What aspects of the film are examined in the main body?
The analysis covers the film's introductory scenes, the interaction between Susan Vance and David Huxley, the systematic destruction of David's materialistic possessions, and the "doubleness" of the narrative.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as screwball comedy, gender performance, cinematic subversion, early feminist trends, and the construction of gender equality.
How does the author interpret David’s "destruction" of possessions?
The author argues that the destruction of David's car, coat, and skeleton represents his liberation from the materialistic constructs of his male identity, leading him toward a fuller life.
What significance is attributed to the hotel restaurant scene?
This scene is presented as a critical moment where "doubleness" and the tearing of clothes force the characters into a literal and symbolic equality, moving them beyond traditional hierarchy.
Why is the film considered "iconoclastic"?
The film is described as iconoclastic because it destroys Hollywood assumptions about gender and social reality while appearing to subscribe to the entertaining comic form of the era.
What is the conclusion regarding Susan Vance's character?
The analysis concludes that Susan Vance acts as a precursor to female liberation, representing a strong, independent woman who disrupts patriarchal norms through her "madcap" performance.
- Quote paper
- Oliver Krause (Author), 2013, Bringing Up Equality: Gender in Howard Hawks’ Screwball Comedy "Bringing Up Baby", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/283509
