Fundamentals of the film Stella Dallas
First of all, I would like to highlight some fundamentals of the film Stella Dallas. The film appeared in 1937. I would like to point out that it was the last scene, which became rather significant, and marked some general attitudes towards females. In my opinion, the film’s main idea is the relations between the mother and the daughter. On the other hand, the film depicts the situation as rather complicated as Laurel Dallas (Stella’s daughter) is ashamed of her mother’s economic conditions and taste. Thus, Laurel can’t even tell her friends that Stella is her mother because Laurel’s friends once mock Stella’s appearance.
Another interesting point I would like to highlight is the impact of economic issues on interpersonal relations. It seems that people in family relations must support each other all the time; they are to protect and respect family ties, but not to repudiate a parent. I suppose that the film discloses various stages of the relationship between the mother and the daughter. A drama discovers relations between Stella and her daughter from Laurel’s birth to her marriage.
Diana Bilbao thinks that “This image of self-sacrificing motherhood is key to the maternal melodrama of the 1940s and its inscription of women in patriarchy” (5). In other words, the mother’s role is considered to be completely isolated. Stella is focused on her daughter’s happiness. Of course, one can conclude that there is nothing terrible that Stella’s only aim is to organize her daughter’s life; however, such self-sacrifice is mostly associated with negative aspects, as the woman spoils her own life. She sees no perspectives for herself. This means that Stella doesn’t live but exists. Stella is unhappy, as she feels no support or friendship from the side of her daughter.
I suppose that the feminine mode of communication is one of the critical issues the film discloses. In my opinion, the relations between the main characters (the mother and the daughter) are to be analyzed from the psychological point of view. Jane Flax is sure that “Since gender identity develops originally and most deeply through preverbal and nonrational experience, an understanding of unconscious processes is crucial for feminist theory” (p. 3). In my opinion, these unconscious processes are mostly associated with the daughters’ desire to develop a stronger identity. Taking into account this point, one can explain Laurel’s desire to live with her father. Looking for a more assertive personality, Laurel decided that economic conditions are to be regarded on a priority basis.
Dance, Girl, Dance
So, another film I would like to discuss is Dance, Girl, Dance. The film appeared in 1940. In my opinion, the main idea of the film is the feminist movement. In other words, I would like to point out that it is a female subjectivity, which is recognized to be one of the primary issues the plot of the film highlight. Joan Braverman is of the opinion that “terms like femininity and masculinity are representations of their subjects’ genders. The women’s movement would need to strip such representations of their apparent transparency” (196).
In my opinion, feminist films are not so easy to understand, mainly when complicated gender issues are discussed. Thus, there are numerous aspects, which are to be analyzed. As far as the subject of gender is recognized to be extremely important, numerous productions tend to clarify certain aspects. On the other hand, the films, which are related to the women’s movement, disclose the history of socialization.
To my mind, the film Dance, Girl, Dance is mostly associated with the process of women’s socialization. I suppose that the so-called socialization determines personality development. Dennis O’Neil states that “While much of human personality is the result of our genes, the socialization process can mold it in particular directions by encouraging specific beliefs and attitudes as well as selectively providing experiences” (par. 2). For this reason, women’s socialization is also a vital point of the female movement.
While talking about the Oedipal structure, I have to point out that the female movement can be regarded in respect of human behavior, unconscious defense mechanisms, and interdependence between a person’s development and his or her childhood memories. When analyzing the film in relation to the Oedipal structure, there is a need to point out that the critical aspect is recognized to be the competition.
Sigmund Freud’s theory, as related to the Oedipal complex, is basically saying that we humans are ruled “deep down” by animalistic sexual drives. The key here is to understand that he was saying that these drives are derived from our primitive ancestry and are hidden deep within our subconscious (Darlene par. 1).
So, one can suppose that a person’s needs are to be dominant. In this respect, the female movement can be explained, relying on Freud’s theory notes about id and superego; these issues depend on Ego. Thereby, all the actions people do or want to do are determined by intrinsic motives.
Works Cited
Bilbao, Diana. Female Subjectivity and Feminist Aesthetics in Revisions of the Maternal Melodrama, n.d. Web.
Braverman, Joan. Feminism and Video: A View From the Village, 2007. Web.
Darlene, Allan. Oedipus Complex Archive. 1997. Web.
Flax, Jane. Mother-Daughter Relationships: Psychodynamics, Politics, and Philosophy, 1985. Web.
O’Neil, Dennis. Socialization, 2011. Web.