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 Role of women in the movie ‘His Girl Friday’ is almost Bipolar, Hildy is shown once strong and independent, and also dependent on Walter at the same time. Mollie who was in love with the criminal, she was shown as weak and sad but in the end, she was displayed as strong and courageous. There is not even a role you could give to women in the movie ‘His Girl Friday’ because of how it switches all the time Unless the role for women is shown through Bipolarism. If we looked at it like this through the lens of the men in the movie like Walter and Bruce, we may know why they seem so controlling and certain. Walter has Hildy wrapped around his fingers and he would strategically do everything he could to keep that. Hildy thought she wasn’t in love and thought she was being strong and independent and at sometimes she was, but because of her Bipolarism, she came back at the end. Mollie was first introduced as someone who was in shock, dismayed, and saddened but later on due to her bipolarism we can see when her criminal boyfriend needed her she stayed strong for him and became independent. One could say that the role is love for them. Everything ties back to love, why Hildy chose Walter, why Molly was strong for the criminal, everything ties back to love. So maybe the role is love, for me its too hard to say what the role could be.
ReplyDeleteIn the film “Her Girl Friday '',Hildy Johnson is a newspaper writer for her ex-husband’s new outlet, A Morning Post. She was one of the only females in a very male dominated space, but despite this challenge she was one of the best writers, and it was said that no one was better than her in the newspaper business. This kind of lifestyle is very rare because women either desire to start a family or live a social life without being tied down to a job. Because of these reasons it is very difficult to find good and dedicated writers. Hildy tried to settle down and have a family with his new love interest Bruce in Albany, New York. But this plan was unsuccessful for Walter was able to manipulate her into staying and writing one more story. Hildy Johnson is only one main character, the other is Mollie Malloy, Mollie is the damsel in distress repeatably caught crying and very emotional while Hildy isn't afraid to find challenges and hold down a job. She isn’t emotional and constantly stands up to the other male newspaper. At first, Mollie was presented to be shocked and devastated but, later on, because of her bipolar disorder, we see a switch in her personality. She became more independent and helpful in aiding her criminal lover Earl Williams because of the love that she had for him. not afraid to find challenges and hold down a job. She isn’t emotional and constantly stands up to the other male newspaper writers.
ReplyDeleteHildy Johnson in the movie "His Girl Friday" (1940), directed by Howard Hawks, encapsulates the conflict of female career success in the 1940s in America which was a paradoxical and complex period. One thing that I like best is the fact that the film shows Hildy to be a pioneer since she is a successful woman who can even outperform the men who dominate the press. Her character is not in tune with the Victorian stereotypes as she is confident, career-minded, and smarter as compared to men in the society. This figure personifies the idea that with time, women started to be recognized as having another dimension in society and the workplace, one where they were starting to assert themselves as independent and competent professionals, something only men had ever been. On one hand, Hildy's character does show that she is best at what she does as she stands as a symbol of the modern woman. On the other hand, she demonstrates how such expectations and tensions are still present in society around the idea of the 'modern' women. Furthermore, Hildy's exceptional skills at work are unquestionable, but her desire to return to her domestic life, and her plan to get back together with her ex-husband, Walter Burns, show that the struggle between career and traditional female roles of marriage and family is still on-going. This dichotomy portrays the fact that though women made progress on career fronts, the biased rules and traditions related to marriage and family remained deeply rooted in the minds of several. In this way, Hildy Johnson plays the role of a magnifying glass to reflect the changing patterns of gender roles that were happening in America in the 1940s. The film, even though it's progressive in portraying a strong and independent female lead, it too makes a point of the complexities and contradictions of the modern woman during the era. It shows a society in the process of transition, where women were the first to break through the barriers and change the stereotypes, but they still had to fulfill the requirements of traditional mandatory roles. In this way 'His Girl Friday' presents a complex view of the functioning of women and sheds light on the dilemma between seizing the opportunity for personal fulfillment and sticking to the traditions and gender roles of a society.
ReplyDeleteWhile Hildy's assertive actions throughout 'His Girl Friday' initially portray her as a dominant woman, the culmination of her character arc reveals a nuanced portrayal, showcasing her as more submissive than commonly perceived, highlighting the complexity of her role in the film." In many scenes, it is shown that Hildy is snapping back at her ex-husband with her snappy dialogue and attitude that is shown to be against her ex-husband. Throughout the film, she shows her heart set on her present partner and wants to settle down and be a stay-at-home wife. As this scene shows her need to get away from her ex-husband which shows independence, it also shows the beginning of her conforming to gender norms which connects to her overall being a more summisive character. As the film progressed, the viewers saw Hildy’s persistence to leave the newspaper scene and settle down with her partner. As Hildy’s ex-husband gains knowledge of Hidy’s new goals in life, the manipulation starts as he tries to keep her with him and the newspaper business. The most interesting part is Hildy kept fighting him. As she used to be married to him, she knew how the way he was and what he could do. As the viewers and Hildy could see the ex-husband's manipulation he was showing, the other characters couldnt. Because the viewers saw the manipulation from her ex-husband, it was expected she would keep her dominant nature she was crushing him with the whole time. She always seemed to have a comeback and was the most confident woman in the film which went against many female standards during that time. Although she kept her dominant nature up the whole film, near the end she ended up flipping and got back together with her ex-husband. Even though Hildy seemed dominant the whole film, her end actions of getting back together with her ex-husband after he was repeatedly controlling and manipulative shows her true submissive nature.
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ReplyDeleteHoward Hawk’s 1940 film His Girl Friday sheds light on the exploration of women's roles, as illuminated through the character of Hildy Johnson. Hildy, a confident woman, regularly competes with men in the cutthroat world of journalism. Her prowess is realized as she is depicted as outshining her male counterparts, an act that challenged traditional gender norms during the time. While triumphs define her professional life, Hildy's character also weaves through the societal expectations of that era. The film presents Hildy as unapologetically ready to divorce if she is not treated right. While at the same time, Hildy yearns for the domestic joys of motherhood and caring for her partner. In the 1940s, these two ideas often worked against each other as women were independent and strong or homemakers and submissive. The resulting paradox mirrors the conflicting expectations placed upon women in the 1940s – the balancing act between professional success and fulfilling traditional roles. Moreover, Hildy becomes a microcosm of the broader societal discourse on the evolving role of women during that time. As the narrative unfolds, Hildy's return to her initial marriage adds layers to the exploration of gender dynamics in the film. It raises questions about societal pressures and whether true liberation for women meant breaking free from conventional expectations or finding a happy medium or balance. Therefore, "His Girl Friday" effectively becomes a poignant commentary on the complexity of "modern" women in 1940s America, showcasing the multifaceted challenges they regularly experienced.
ReplyDeleteThe film, His Girl Friday, is more misogynistic than feministic, even though the film does have some seemingly feministic traits the overarching story references the ideologies of women being inferior to men. At the beginning of the film, Hildy is portrayed as a strong independent woman who can fend for herself not letting other people control her decisions. This seems very feministic, especially for the 1940s right? But as the film comes closer and closer to the end Hildy becomes less independent and more dependent on Walter, the man she divorced and the man who “no longer had any control of her.” soon she falls into a trance, doing exactly what Walter wanted, again being controlled by him. By this, the film is saying no matter how much women try to excel, men will always be superior. Eventually ending the film with the remarriage of Walter and Hildy. Because of this marriage in the end no argument can be made that the film is feministic because Hildy ends up once again suppressed by the man who was controlling her and who she wanted to escape from.
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