A Movie as a Teaching Tool
In a movie that is cast entirely with women and directed by a woman, one critic says he came away feeling like it was actually a movie that was sexist – against women! He cites writer/director Diane English’s portrayal of the film – which was made originally with Joan Crawford in 1939 – as full of gossip, women hating each other, babies, being passive aggressive, spending too much money, body image issues, careers vs. family, marriage, daughters, mothers, infidelity.
The premise of the movie has Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) finding out that her husband is cheating on her – and it chronicles the ways her family and friends tell her to deal with this revelation, and the decisions she has to then make.
The problem with this feminine sexism – whether perpetrated by a movie or in the “real world” - is that it further contributes to the stereotypes of women, in an age where we are finally starting to re-think some of our assumptions about gender roles and femininity. Take, for example, the fact that many women now work outside the home, and of these, a growing number are the breadwinners in their family. And this means that – among other things – women are becoming more assertive in their ability to take care of themselves financially.
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