Hildy Johnson is a confident career woman who can compete with men (and defeat them) in the dog-eat-dog world of journalism. She is even willing to divorce her man if he doesn't treat her right. Yet, at the same time, she seeks the domestic joys of children and caring for her man -- and in the end returns to the rascal whom she left in the first place. What is the role of women in this film? Does it tell us anything about "modern" women in 1940's America?
The portrayal of Hildy Johnson in the film “His Girl Friday” highlights the complexities and contradictions of being a woman in 1940s America and how it was hard for them to balance their personal and professional lives. She is shown as a confident and dominant woman in the workplace of journalism, which was primarily male-dominated in the 1940s, depicted as just as capable, if not more so, than her male counterparts as she is not afraid to speak out for what she believes in. One such scene is when Hildy is introduced in the film; she is seen chasing down a story while aggressively questioning sources. However, the film also shows that she is not immune to the expectations of being a woman in the 1940s. Her wanting to marry Bruce, have kids, and live a domestic life is also illustrated as it paints her desire for her personal life. Hildy is torn between her professional ambitions and desire for a stable life, revealing the double standard women in the workplace face. Symbolized by her two partners Bruce, who suggests she be a housewife, and Walter, who suggests she be a strong independent woman. In this way, the film does a perfect job of supporting the argument of what women encounter through the single character of Hildy; it highlights the societal expectations they faced, which forced them to choose between their professional and personal lives.
ReplyDeleteThe main character, Hildy Johnson, in the film His Girl Friday, is portrayed as a strong independent woman, but one who has to give up a domestic lifestyle in order to pursue her career. Through the film, we see that Hildy can hold her own in a male-dominated field. The opening scene is her interacting with her ex-husband, and it contains countless witty remarks and swift comebacks, and she can easily navigate this field as an equal. The central conflict Hidly faces is unrelated to Journalism; it is deciding which man to pick, either Walter, a coworker at the paper publisher she worked at and her ex-husband, filled with the same wit and passion as her, or Bruce, a nice man who can give Hildy the domestic life she has been craving. Throughout the film, Walter is constantly trying to win Hildy back. He makes countless remarks on how journalism is the life Hildy is meant for and being a mother will never satisfy her. He fully believes that the domestic life Hildy wants isn't achievable while pursuing a career, and this was a belief held by the majority of the population at the time. Instead of making a statement, the film has Hildy choose Walter, as her passion for journalism is reignited by a thrilling story. She gives up Bruce and her domestic dreams with him and remarries Walter, showing that, as a woman, it is either your career or a domestic life.
ReplyDeleteHoward Hawk's seminal screwball comedy "His Girl Friday" comments on the role of women in the modern world as somewhat incapable by giving Hildy Johnson a dominant and independent role, yet ultimately putting her in the place of a foolish and dependent person. Hildy Johnson is a newspaper reporter who recently divorced fellow reporter Walter Burns and is now engaging Bruce Baldwin, a boring and milquetoast man. Hildy, along with the other reporters in the film, is portrayed as very quick-witted and intelligent. From the very first scene, we can see her arguing with Walter, giving quick and smart rebuttals to everything he has to say. It is clear that the movie does not intend to portray her as stupid, but the "screwball" nature of the film points toward the idea that perhaps a woman with wits such as Hildy is a point of comedy. The film does not take itself seriously in its portrayal of a strong, clever woman, and instead uses it as an unexpecting twist to bring out a few laughs from the audience. The conclusion of the movie reinforces this point that the movie does not actually take Hildy's strength seriously. In the final scene, she decides to leave Bruce and re-marry Walter, despite Walter manipulating and tricking her throughout the entirety of the film. This shows that after the movie has "had its laugh" about an intelligent woman, it ultimately falls into the pervasive belief of the early 1900s that a woman is not only foolish, but she is dependent on a strong-willed man like Walter.
ReplyDeleteThe role of women in this film is one of strength and independence. Hildy is a competent and professional journalist who is able to stand up to her male colleagues and can take care of herself. At the same time, she also desires the domestic joys of motherhood and caring for her family. This reflects the changing role of women in 1940s America, as women increasingly moved away from traditional roles and began to be seen as more independent and capable. The film also demonstrates that, despite these changes, traditional gender roles still hold some sway, as Hildy finds herself drawn back to her traditional family life and her husband. Throughout the movie, Hildy tries removing herself from journalist life to become more involved in domestic activities. Sadly, she is drawn back to journalism in the end because of the rush of adrenaline it brings. Although she is very independent, she is also easily manipulated. For the entirety of the movie, Walter was slowly manipulating Hildy through kind gestures to persuade her to stay. Walter takes advantage of her addiction to journalism by forcing her out, knowing she will be back for the rush. These pieces are meant to characterize women as unintelligent, or unable to take care of themselves. Along with this, the plot of the movie is based around which husband she will choose to stay with. This also proves that the general consensus at the time was that women needed a man to take care of them and that they were not ok on their own. In the end, this movie provides insightful progressiveness for the time, but still manages to pull in 40's social norms.
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