Anonymous asked: Curious, but how is The Artist not a feminist movie?
I suppose one could close-read it as a feminist film (the way one could read The Family Man or Matchstick Men — no idea why I chose Nicolas Cage films, but okay — as feminist films).
Personally, I just don’t think the females in the film were all that well-drawn or all that interesting. I mean, in a movie where a dog has better scenes than the female lead.. just didn’t ring the feminist bell for me. But that isn’t even a criticism of the film, necessarily. I didn’t enjoy it all that much for other reasons.
So, I just didn’t see it as a feminist film — which, I don’t think it was trying to be, but I just felt was worth pointing out for myself and the few interested feminists that might be following me (there are not many).
EDIT: By mention of the Peppy Miller (I think that was her name) saving Valentin.. I suppose I just felt like it didn’t make much sense to me? I don’t feel like she was characterized all that well after her first few scenes. I loved her in the beginning and even thought for a moment she’d break through a lot of stereotypes but then she pretty much vanished (at least in story, her face was everywhere) for a good chunk of the film.
But I suppose I am going to watch the film again and think about it more.
