The Female And Male Of Romantic Comedy

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The Female and Male of Romantic Comedy The classical romantic comedies produced in the years of 1934 – 1944 were considered the “Golden Age” era of filmography for many reasons. These romantic comedies served as an escape for many viewers. It gave them a sense of hope, faith, and comic relief – which was much needed at the desperate and uncertain post-depression era. Some of the popular movies that set many standards for romantic comedies are My Man Godfrey, It Happened One Night, Bringing up Baby, Roman Holiday, Adam’s Rib, The Awful Truth, and The Lady Eve. These romantic comedies all share a common element of the roles that women and men portray. The romantic comedies of that time attracted audiences because the male/female roles were often exaggerated and comedic to watch. The men and women may not share equivalence of social standing or money in a post war era, but in the romantic comedy realm, women are trying to make a change. The woman character is usually stronger and more likely to take initiative. She depicts the “madcap heiress” role; rich and spoiled like Irene in My Man Godfrey. The female is always dressed classy and elegant- draped in pearls and gowns. A common female trend in romantic comedies is the use of insults and other language with indirect sexual context. The female lead replaces sexual behavior through other means- such as minor physical aggression and verbal battles. This common theme of forthright behavior demonstrates that the female is battling for equality in a male-dominated world. In the romantic comedy realm, the male character is often of lower social status – much unlike the current reality. The male is characteristically made to look foolish. They are sometimes seen cross-dressing like David Huxley from Bringing Up Baby. The male role was often depicted as being passive and submissive like Godfrey Park in My Man Godfrey.
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