Mikey and Nicky is our first film directed by a woman, Elaine May. But does that mean this film has a feminist perspective? After all, it fails the Bechdel Test which states (roughly) that the movie has to have at least two women in the film who talk to each other about something other than a man.
So does this film have a feminist message -- or are there any elements in this film that might preclude or at least challenge a feminist interpretation?
At first glance, Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky is a movie about two guys in the mob. The viewer watches as Mikey and Nicky navigate the night and their own relationship which seemingly has nothing to do with women however at a deeper level the movie provides a large message on the conduct of men. Mikey and Nicky is a criticism of the worst of male behavior and thus leaves the viewer with a feminist message. How could a movie that doesn’t pass the Bechdel test have anything to do with feminism? Throughout Mikey and Nicky’s adventures through the city, navigating life at the bottom of the totem pole of the mob, their behavior could be best described as putrid. They are quite aggressive for example when a bus driver doesn’t let the duo, who were smoking throughout the duration of the ride, leave through the main entrance, they immediately resort to violence and beat the hell out of the bus driver. Another example of the two men’s toxic traits is their treatment toward women. When Mikey and Nicky visit Mikey’s girlfriend in the late hours of the night, Mikey, after many rejections, insists on making love to his girlfriend in front of Nicky and then inviting Nicky to do the same. When the woman bites Nicky’s lip in attempt to defender herself from Nicky’s unconsensual kiss, Mikey slaps her, yells at her, and leaves. There isn’t any times throughout the movie when a woman is treated well by Mikey or Nicky. Despite men being the focal point of the film, Mikey and Nicky puts a hard emphasis on one of the most important feminist topics: toxic masculinity.
ReplyDeleteThe movie Mikey and Nicky directed by Elaine May, this story describes the dynamic of friendship and the dynamic of the life of a Gangster. The two main characters Mikey and Nickey have been friends since childhood and grew up with each other like brothers, they were also in the mob together sharing experiences as friends and also mobsters. But this story is directed by a female director and the question is is this film feminist, and the answer is no. Not only does this film not pass the Bechdel Test, a test where they evaluate if a movie has sexist elements or is stereotypical. But just because a females create the movie doesn’t mean that it needs to be a feminist movie. Throughout the movie, there are many aspects of toxic masculinity where the duo shows a clear disregard for the feelings of other people, especially women. One example of this is around the ending of the movie, Mikey and Nicky go to a women’s house and this woman is portrayed as being a whore, who lets anybody have sex with her for the right price. However, this time, Nicky constantly tries to kiss the girl but is turned away every time but after multiple attempts Nicky is finally successful. As it is Mikey’s turn he is unsuccessful and has his lip bitten by the girl and is kicked out of her house after a physical altercation. Throughout the entire film, neither Mikey nor Nicky ever treats a lady well. Even though the movie is primarily about guys, Mikey and Nicky strongly highlight toxic masculinity, one of the most critical feminist issues. Even though a female directs this movie, this movie wasn’t focused on females but rather on the dynamic of a failing friendship. Also, the movie does pass the basic test on whether or not a movie and be classified as a feminist movie, the Bechdel Test.
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ReplyDeleteDespite being directed by a woman, Elaine May, "Mikey and Nicky" challenges its classification as a feminist film due to its portrayal of women. The absence of substantial female agency and the frequent depiction of women as victims or objects of male desire undermine any potential feminist message within the film.
Throughout the film, female characters are consistently put in situations where they are either subjected to physical harm or reduced to objects of male desire. As highlighted by the Bechdel Test, The lack of significant exchanges between women serves as another evidence of the movie's little examination of female agency and relationships beyond the male gaze.
One factor undermining a feminist reading of the film is the treatment of women as less than the main narrative of male friendship and betrayal. Female characters primarily serve as a channel for male character development, often existing solely concerning their male counterparts. This narrative positioning eternalizes traditional gender roles and reinforces the patriarchal framework in society.
Additionally, instances of sexualization further prove any potential feminist interpretation. Scenes featuring women are frequently shown with a sexualizing gaze, emphasizing their physical attributes over their inner lives or agency. Such objectification reinforces harmful stereotypes and contributes to the overall marginalization of female characters within the narrative.
In conclusion, the representation of women and their experiences in the movie complicated any simple feminist interpretation, even if Elaine May's directorial presence in Mikey and Nicky is noteworthy. The film's recurring themes of marginalization, objectification, and victimhood make it difficult to see it from a feminist perspective. Rather, Mikey and Nicky serves as a reminder of the difficulties in determining if a movie is in line with feminist principles and the value of in-depth examination that goes beyond director credit.
1970s film Mikey and Nickey, even though directed by female Elaine May, contradicts nearly all aspects of feminism with its crude portrayal of women during their conversations with Mikey and Nicky. The film fails even the most basic of tests, the Bechdel Test, which states that a movie must have at least two women in the film who talk to each other about something other than a man. The only time in which the film features any women is in conversations with Mikey and Nicky, during which they are grossly oversexualized and even dehumanized to an extent. When Nicky takes Mickey to Nellie’s house, the purpose of the scene is for Nicky to embarrass Mikey. Instead of having a simple form of embarrassment, May intentionally chooses to have the scene consist of Mikey and Nicky harassing and sexually assaulting Annie. May portrays women through Annie’s character as submissive and incompetent, completely derailing any potential connection to feminism. Similarly, when Nicky goes to his wife, Jan’s, house while trying to run from Mikey, it is made immediately apparent that his wife hates him. After what seems like an eternity’s worth of sweet-talking, Nicky convinces Jan to let him in due to his deep and profound “love” for her. Jan clearly knows that Nicky is bad for her, yet still lets him overpower her. In another one of the rare scenes with women, May yet again portrays the females as weak and unable to think for themselves. Mickey and Nicky is nowhere near being a feminist movie, and when looked at from a women empowerment perspective, the film takes several steps backward.
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