Strong Female Characters in "The Lady Eve"

The change of pace in characters was the first thing that I noticed in “The Lady Eve”. It was interesting to watch a strong female lead who was able to manipulate those around her especially the male lead. In most films the male lead is a strong and mart man who might be manipulated to an extend but not near as much as in this film. The excitement of the strong female lead soon died when I realized that her manipulation was equally due to the lack coming from the male lead. His stupidity regarding social settings made him easy prey and in some senses an unworthy adversary to Jean. The fact that she was able to convince him that she was an entirely different person even though she did not change her appearance in any significant way. It seems as if the writers thought that the only way for there to be a “strong” female then there needed to be a weak male character. It is disappointing that there were not two strong leads who could push each other and create a more entertaining film. This is a step forward compared to other films that we have watched and the change is more easily noticed due to the short amount of time that we are watching these movies in.

Getting Into Trouble in "Bringing Up Baby"

I loved how in “Bringing Up Baby” Susan, played by Katherine Hepburn, was always getting herself and others into trouble but was always determined to get them out of it as well. Another fun aspect of her character is that while she works to get herself out of situations she is also looking to have fun while she is doing it and to enjoy what she can. In so many older films the female lead seems to continuously get herself into trouble and then must be rescued by her male counterpart. A good example of this is when Susan climbed out of the window and hunted down the circus cat that she had mistaken for Baby. Eventually she is saved by David, but the idea of female hopelessness that seemed to be the norm was not a part of the film. Susan is determined to do what she wants and is not willing to conform because of something David says. In one scene Susan throws pebbles at a window when no one answers the door because she does not want to wait and would rather take care of the problem then and there. This does not end well and results in her and David running away, which provided a few laughs. After spending time with David and realizing that she is in love with him she choses to take it into her own hands to solve her problem, causing multiple unforeseen events to take place resulting in laughter.

Predictable Plots and Reality in "It Happened One Night"

After watching “It Happened One Night” it is clear why after so many years it is still seen as a strong example of the romantic comedy genre. The quick wit of the main characters and the change of feelings towards each other are what is now considered classic aspects of a romantic comedy movie. The relationship between Peter and Ellie seems to be the expected relationship of many couples in this genre. Viewers are no longer surprised when the two characters spend almost the entire film arguing and then admit their love for each other in the last few minutes. While this has become extremely predictable it is still embraced by the viewers.

The characters represent the time period and the differences between the treatment of women then and now is evident. Customs that we would consider unnecessary or demeaning are consistent throughout the film. The idea that a father could simply take his adult daughter away against her will is enough to send parts of society into an uproar today. However the constant reports on the hunt for Ellie in the newspapers parallels our reality TV. People are always wanting to know more about the lives of the rich and famous and have less regard for their privacy. "It Happened One Night" provides a good representation of how our expectations of how people should be treated has changed but as a society we still want to know the business of others who live in the spotlight.