“Reversing Divorce: The Symptomatic Meaning of His Girl Friday and the Affects of Careers and Relationships on Feminine Values in 1940”
At the dawn of 1940's, war was brewing Europe, women were entering the workplace and the United States was starting to emerge from the depression and embrace the New Deal. All these things influenced Hollywood which manufactured hundreds of films a year. People went to the movies roughly 32 times a year. Roughly the same rate that young Americans now "Netflix and chill." In 1940, Howard Hawks and screenwriter Charles Lederer adapted the 1928 play, The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Hawks and Lederer swapped the gender of male reporter Hildy Johnson, played by Rosalind Russell. Hildy, became …show more content…
Instead Hildy sits at her typewriter furiously writing and Bruce comes in to get her to leave and she brushes him off. Bruce's final words to Hildy, "I see what you are now. You're just like him and all the rest." Bruce sees that he can never really remove Hildy from her masculinity, just like he cannot imbue her with more femininity. After Bruce leaves, Hildy echoes Walter's initial assessment of her idea to leave the business, "I'm no suburban bridge player — I'm a newspaperman." After the story is done and the loose ends tied, Hawks sets up Hildy's and Walters confrontation as a very quiet conclusion. Hildy offers to write the paper and Walter dismisses her, she's confused, and upset and jumps at the chance to answer the phone when it rings, just to get back in the press room. Bruce is locked up with counterfeit money and Hildy just breaks. The shot is at a seated level, shot as if the audience were sitting across the table. Hildy tearfully confesses that she thought Walter was just going to let go with Bruce and let her be. Hildy realizes that she cannot separate her masculine side from her feminine side just like she cannot separate her work as a journalist from her love for Walter. Walter calls the office back up and tells the other editor that they are on their way to the office, Hildy's staying and they are remarrying. The movie concludes with their second honeymoon getting cancelled in favor of covering a strike in Albany, and Walter wonders "If Bruce would put us
At the dawn of 1940's, war was brewing Europe, women were entering the workplace and the United States was starting to emerge from the depression and embrace the New Deal. All these things influenced Hollywood which manufactured hundreds of films a year. People went to the movies roughly 32 times a year. Roughly the same rate that young Americans now "Netflix and chill." In 1940, Howard Hawks and screenwriter Charles Lederer adapted the 1928 play, The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Hawks and Lederer swapped the gender of male reporter Hildy Johnson, played by Rosalind Russell. Hildy, became …show more content…
Instead Hildy sits at her typewriter furiously writing and Bruce comes in to get her to leave and she brushes him off. Bruce's final words to Hildy, "I see what you are now. You're just like him and all the rest." Bruce sees that he can never really remove Hildy from her masculinity, just like he cannot imbue her with more femininity. After Bruce leaves, Hildy echoes Walter's initial assessment of her idea to leave the business, "I'm no suburban bridge player — I'm a newspaperman." After the story is done and the loose ends tied, Hawks sets up Hildy's and Walters confrontation as a very quiet conclusion. Hildy offers to write the paper and Walter dismisses her, she's confused, and upset and jumps at the chance to answer the phone when it rings, just to get back in the press room. Bruce is locked up with counterfeit money and Hildy just breaks. The shot is at a seated level, shot as if the audience were sitting across the table. Hildy tearfully confesses that she thought Walter was just going to let go with Bruce and let her be. Hildy realizes that she cannot separate her masculine side from her feminine side just like she cannot separate her work as a journalist from her love for Walter. Walter calls the office back up and tells the other editor that they are on their way to the office, Hildy's staying and they are remarrying. The movie concludes with their second honeymoon getting cancelled in favor of covering a strike in Albany, and Walter wonders "If Bruce would put us