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Feminist Fatale
March 27, 2013
— feminism, femme fatale, movies, pop culture
One of my gentle readers, Rick, brought the movie It’s Always Fair Weather to my attention in our discussion of the femme fatale archetype. This 1955 production features some superb dancing, including Gene Kelly doing an early version of Stomp, tap dancing with trash can cover on one foot. WWII changed social roles and put women into the workplace for the war effort. After the war they were expected to be housewives without careers, and without support other than from the man of the house. I can imagine how the most popular actresses who portrayed femme fatale roles must have envied by every housewife in America. Who did not want to be Marilyn Monroe? Cyd Charisse, dancing above, plays a powerful business woman in the movie. She vamps a bit in her dance with the boxers, but she is only a warm up for the real feminist power performance.
The amazing dance number Rick pointed out from the movie is much more outlandish than Diamonds are a Girl’s Best friend or anything Marilyn ever did. Midnight with Madeline is the funniest camp vamp tribute to this character stereotype I have ever seen. Dolores Gray is over the top marvelous in this spoof (??) on Broadway musical style. There had to be at least a few women who enjoyed watching her take control of all the guys in suits. A romp through Hollywood history shows us that the femme fatale role can include socio-political meaning, and satire. Thank you, Rick, for bring this to my attention. It is classic.
comments
I love these old films.
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Me too, so glad to find this classic.
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Do you have a forvorite scene/sequence in the Dolores Gray number?
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Rick
March 27, 2013
I do love the trap doors that she closes with her high heels…and her costuming in general is amazing. You are right about this one. I plan to see the whole movie. Thanks for the heads up.
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You are welcome. Thanks for the props. I agree about the costuming. I think that Dolores’ stunning appearance really is a key component in making the number such a smash. Her platinum hair, diamond earrings, and a finely engineered dress (By Helen Rose) that shows off her shapely legs (Her posing is relentless). All of this coupled with a heavy dose of glamour convincingly engages a typical man to the point where he loses control. As the number starts the men seem to ogle, be cool and in step but as the dance moves along they fall prey to Dolores’ lethal gestures. Finally, they are on their knees before her worshipping and accepting female dominion before she delivers the coup de grace. Anyway…..I find all this female power to be very legitimate.
Male victim point of view?
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