The 1933 film Gold Diggers was probably my least favorite of all of the films we've watched in class thus far. I'm not a fan of musicals to begin with, so I thought the "musical" aspect of the film was too cheezy. The placement of the songs seemed random to me; the beginning starting out with song and dance, then the entire middle chunk of the film was just acting/the story, then ended with a musical number to finish the film.
I found myself not knowing who exactly the story was supposed to be focusing on. I felt the story jumped around too much and I would have liked to see a major focus on one of the "couples" in the film.
What I did like about the film, though, were the humerous moments. For example, the scene in which the women convince the two men to buy hat's for them I found to be pretty entertaining.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Baby Face
I really enjoyed watching the film Baby Face for several reasons. I liked the idea of a woman being able to gain her way into high places, though I don't necessarily agree to the means by which Lily, the main character, achieved her success. Lily's strong-willed personality I found to be appealing and admirable, she wasn't like the sterotypical woman of that time period, and she didn't let men take advantage of her. In the beginning of the film when the politician is grabbing her and trying to kiss her, she shoves him off and breaks a bottle over his head proving that she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
I saw a major irony within the film. From the beginning of the story, it is established that Lily does not want to let a man have power over her, and that she plans on using her 'womanly powers' to, instead, control men. She definitely does so throughout the entire duration of the film, up until the ending. After sleeping her way up through the ranks of men, she finally reaches the 'peak' after marrying Trenholm. At first, she decides to keep her money when Trenholm asks for it as bail, but then realizes that she is in love with him when she gets on the train to leave him. She returns to him, and utters the last line of the film, "it doesn't matter now", referring to her half of a million dollars. After controlling and scheming men throughout the entire film, she eventually succumbs to the love that Trenholm has for her, and that she has now realized of him.
I saw a major irony within the film. From the beginning of the story, it is established that Lily does not want to let a man have power over her, and that she plans on using her 'womanly powers' to, instead, control men. She definitely does so throughout the entire duration of the film, up until the ending. After sleeping her way up through the ranks of men, she finally reaches the 'peak' after marrying Trenholm. At first, she decides to keep her money when Trenholm asks for it as bail, but then realizes that she is in love with him when she gets on the train to leave him. She returns to him, and utters the last line of the film, "it doesn't matter now", referring to her half of a million dollars. After controlling and scheming men throughout the entire film, she eventually succumbs to the love that Trenholm has for her, and that she has now realized of him.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Scarface: Glorified Criminal
While watching the film Scarface, it is apparent that the main character, Tony, has no respect for the law. The use of sarcastic humor is a common thread throughout the entire film. Tony's mocking and disrespectful behavior comes off as comedic. For example, when he first gets released from jail he lights a match off of a policeman's badge. Although the cop punches him, it shows that he has no fear of the consequences of his actions. His manner allows the audience to like and admire him, despite his criminal behavior.
The idea that this occurs, the love for a criminal, is somewhat of a mockery to law enforcement and political figures. In the film, cops discuss how disgusting it is that the public view of criminals is so glorified. We can see that this is true from the ending of the film, when Tony dies outside in a shower of bulletts, I found myself wishing he would have lived. Although, at the time of the film, it was not appropriate to glorify crime or criminals, the film managed to do so without trying.
The idea that this occurs, the love for a criminal, is somewhat of a mockery to law enforcement and political figures. In the film, cops discuss how disgusting it is that the public view of criminals is so glorified. We can see that this is true from the ending of the film, when Tony dies outside in a shower of bulletts, I found myself wishing he would have lived. Although, at the time of the film, it was not appropriate to glorify crime or criminals, the film managed to do so without trying.
Monday, January 18, 2010
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