Freedom

Freedom

World War II has a significant impact on American culture. The post-war period marked a transformation period where most citizens had to abandon most of their lifestyles to adopt new ones. Before the war, American society had relevant social norms that guided the way of life of the citizens. Some of the cultural norms restricted gender freedom. Women did not have the liberty to select their life partners or engage in masculine activities. Males held the dominant position in the society where they defined the code of behavior. However, the post-war period saw women gain significant control over their lives. Although the films “All That Heaven Allows” and “Singin’ in the Rain” portray freedom among females characters, they present the concept differently in terms of the role of a woman.

The film “All That Heaven Allows” represents the social changes that occurred in the United States during the post-war period. The director used a widow from the bourgeois class, who fell in love with a gardener (Sirk 02:00-10:00). The depiction reveals the classification that dominated the American culture in the mid-twentieth century. Society expected people to socialize concerning their social class. For example, the setting of the scenes in the film shows a contrast between the rich and the working class (Sirk 11:00-12:00). In this case, Sirk compares the oppressive trappings of success in Cary’s family with a simple way of life that Ron and his friends. However, courage portrayed by Cary to challenge the social beliefs held by those from the upper class reveals a sense of transformation. Therefore, the film “All That Heavens Allows” shows a case of social change in American society during the postwar period.

In the same way, the motion picture “Singin’ in the Rain” shows the transformation in the American culture where the women took an active role in entertainment. The repeated scenes of women dancing implies a sense of self-reflexivity (Donen and Kelly 1:02-20:05). These scenes allow the audience to focus on new forms of entertainment. Probably, the director intended to create unique views that would help people to forget about the past war. The setting of the scene, showing how each star graces the red carpet, creates a wave of excitement that enhances the concept of transformation in the entertainment industry (Donen and Kelly 20:10-23:45). The panorama implies that most Americans had to change their perception towards the traumatizing period of war. Instead, they had to embrace humor and happiness as a way of leading a successful life. Therefore, the film “Singin’ in the Rain” demonstrates a transformation in the American entertainment industry where women took an active role in entertaining the audience and allow people to forget about the traumatic period of war.

The film “All That Heaven Allows” shows the freedom gained by American women during the postwar period. For instance, Cary decides to fall in love with a commoner despite the opposition from her close family members (Sirk 02:00-10:00). The décor in her bedroom, which includes a plant branch given Ron, depicts the extent to which Cary had fallen in love with her gardener. Besides, the scene reveals her resilience in defending her relationship with Ron. The beautiful camera shot that involves Cary’s children’s reflection appears in the dressing mirror, and distracting her attention from the vase containing twig given by Ron reveals a predicament in the rest of the film (Sirk 6:00-6:30). In this case, Cary portrays looks and gestures that express the sexual charge between her and Ron. The willingness to defend her emotions despite the opposition from the convections of her small town reveals the new position taken by a woman. The director uses the screen scenes that depict Cary as a protagonist who challenges the social norms set by her community.

Correspondingly, the film “Singin’ in the Rain” depicts a situation where women gain freedom by challenging the norms in the American community. The girls who dance with short dresses confront the cultures that required women to dress decently and adopt a subordinate position in society (Donen and Kelly 1:02-20:05). The directors in this film intended to show that females had a significant role to play in transforming the beliefs that surrounded the dressing code in the American culture. Besides, appearing in unacceptable attire to entertain the public depicts a new position of the females in the society. For instance, the lighting in the scene of a womanly shriek from a man creates humor and reflects the concept of feminism (Donen and Kelly 30:05-30.09). The directors in this motion picture intended to show that the male characters supported their female colleagues. The depiction reveals the new position that the Americans were beginning to take in the American entertainment industry. The film “Singin’ in the Rain” implies that women gained the freedom to take an active part in the entertainment industry during the postwar period.

On the contrary, the two films show a difference in the role taken by women in American society. For instance, Cary takes an active role in influencing the family structure (Sirk 02:00-10:00). Her actions to engage with a gardener imply a change in the females’ duty in shaping the marriage decisions. In contrast with the period before the Second World War, Cary showed that women had a significant mandate in choosing a marriage partner. The second film, “Singin’ in the Rain,” reflects on the role of women in the entertainment industry (Donen and Kelly 30:05-30.09). This motion picture implies that girls would pursue different occupations as opposed to raising a family and doing home chores. The incidence reveals the autonomy of a female in deciding the fate of her life. The two movies show contradicting roles of women in America during the postwar period.

In summary, the films “All That Heaven Allows” and “Singin’ in the Rain” portray freedom among females. “All That Heaven Allows” depicts Cary as having the willingness to choose a life partner. The second film reveals that the ability of girls to break away from the restrictive norms in American society. However, they present the concept differently in terms of the duties of a woman in the postwar period.

Works Cited

Donen, Stanley, and Gene Kelly. “Singin’ in the Rain.” Www.Imdb.Com, 1952, www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/?ref_=vp_back. Accessed 5 Mar. 2020.

Sirk, Douglas. “All That Heaven Allows.” Www.Imdb.Com, 1955, www.imdb.com/title/tt0047811/?ref_=vp_back. Accessed 5 Mar. 2020.

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