Representing Gender in Film

Essential Questions

• What are the types of representation of male and female as well as masculine and feminine in film?
• How has cinema constructed masculine and feminine types?
• What impact do these representations have on the individual in society?

Double Indemnity

• Specific film noir techniques the director uses
• Representations of masculinity and femininity
• Film noir male, femme fatale, and other character representations

Wed 4/26
cont. Double Indemnity

HW:  Google classroom response

Thurs 4/27
cont. Double Indemnity

Fri 4/28
Double Indemnity

• Specific film noir techniques the director uses
• Representations of masculinity and femininity
• Film noir male, femme fatale, and other character representations

Fri 4/29
Finish Double Indemnity 

“No picture shall be produced which will lower the moral standards of those who see it.  Hence the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil, or sin” (qtd. in Studlar 382)

• Released in 1944 (2nd year of US involvement in WWII)
• What view of society does this film represent? Consider the film as a whole.
• Does Phyllis have agency (the ability for a character to act for his or herself)? If so, must she be punished for being so?
• Does Walter have agency? What might the director and writers be suggesting about his agency or lack of?
• What view of men and women does this film seem to represent?

Mon 5/1
Drop

Tues 5/2
Assign Journal #7

Short response to Double Indemnity

Intro to Casablanca

• In what ways Casablanca a classic Hollywood film?
• What influences do you see from film noir?
• How do Rick and Elsa fit the archetypes of the fated, flawed male and the femme fatale in film noir?
• How do they challenge those representations?

Wed 5/3
Casablanca

• What influences do you see from film noir?
• How do Rick and Elsa fit the archetypes of the fated, flawed male and the femme fatale in film noir?

Thurs 5/4
continuing Casablanca

HW:  Response on google classroom

Fri 5/5
finishing Casablanca

Comparing Double Indemnity and Casablanca

Mon 5/8
Journal #7 Due 

Intro to Jean-Luc Godard and Breathless 

• How and for what purpose does Godard use the reproduction of Hollywood cinema in Breathless?
• Where are the influences of film noir in the film?
• Does the story matter?  Why or why not?
• What is Godard saying with his representations of the male and female characters?  How does he represent masculinity and femininity?
• In what ways does Godard change the language of cinema?  Compare with Casablanca and Rear Window.

Tues 5/10
Breathless 

HW:  Get started on that journal!

Wed 5/11
Breathless cont.

Thurs 5/19
finishing Breathless

• How and for what purpose does Godard use the reproduction of Hollywood cinema in Breathless?
• Where are the influences of film noir in the film?
• Does the story matter?  Why or why not?
• What is Godard saying with his representations of the male and female chacters?  How does he represent masculinity and femininity?
• In what ways does Godard change the language of cinema?  Compare with Casablanca and Rear Window.
• Does this film assume the male gaze?  Use scenes to support your response.

HW:  Prepare for in-class writing assignment tomorrow

Fri 5/20

In-class writing assignment comparing Breathless to Double Indemnity and Casablanca

HW:  journal due Monday