The Women (Or is it?)

Gillian Rose's chapters on psychoanalysis and discourse analysis, paired with Gunther Kress's chapters on semiology and framing, provide the necessary tools with which to explore and deconstruct the film, The Women, directed and written by Diane English.  In case you are unfamiliar with the 2008 film The Women (adapted from the play, and later the 1939 film The Women (It's all about men!)) is a film about women, purporting to only have female actors the duration of the film.  The Women focuses on a group of four close women, Mary, Sylvie, Edie and Alex, and their nemesis, Crystal.  Principles and theories of psychoanalysis, discourse analysis, semiology and framing allow a further investigation and exploration of the male gaze and the theory of masquerade within psychoanalysis, in a movie that claims to be purely centered around women.  As a young woman living within a patriarchal society, and having feminist roots, I found the concept of this movie being purely about women and a "female" experience hard to believe.  While Diane English admittedly attempts to expel a male presence, it still exists and has a glaring presence created through its apparent "absence".  Having said that, however, English does manage to create an environment in which the presumed female viewer can feel as though this experience is purely feminine, without having to view the film through the typical masculine lens.  Despite English's efforts, it is incredibly difficult to expel masculinity completely when living within a male dominated society.

The trailer for The Women purports a movie of epic proportions, claiming that "When the women get together there will be no lies. No secrets. No warnings. The ultimate battle between every women and the other woman begins." 

The text from the trailer is fulfilled, at least within the trailer itself.  While it attempts to convey The Women  will be a story about a battle between the wife and the other woman, this is in fact, very misleading.  The movie itself centers around Mary, whose husband Stephen, has been cheating on her with Crystal, the Saks Fifth Avenue perfume spritzer, and Mary's ability to overcome betrayal on the quest of self-discovery.

While the trailer doesn't hint that there are no men in the movie, it is very explicit that this content is about women, for women.  After watching this movie carefully, there was not a single male actor or character visually present in the film.  This could purport to the audience that this movie will not have anything to do with men, but that alas, that is not the case.  The narrative centers around Mary's husband, Stephen, and their marital relationship.  Largely, The Women could be classified as a masquerade.  The concept of a masquerade within psychoanalysis suggests "... that since femininity is not natural but constructed ... there are ways of thinking about femininity as just that, a construction.  Femininity can be seen as a mask, a masquerade, performed by mimicking what being a woman is meant to be about" (Rose 123).  In this way, the characters and plot of The Women fall perfectly under the category of masquerade.  If we follow Mary's progression throughout the film, it is evident that an ideology of what a woman ought to be (from fashion/dress to personality and priorities) is being constructed and presented to the audience.

In the still image above, we see Mary, attempting to hail a cab.  Her curly hair is supposed to give the impression of "out of control", while her beige and brown patterned dress, black coat, and chocolate brown purse suggest her highly conservative, boring nature, stating that Mary is just floating through her life, not really caring about herself, her appearance, or what happens along the way.  In the background we can see another woman; young, with sleek, smooth hair, trim, stylish business attire, and high heeled shoes, also trying to hail a cab.

Unlike Mary, this young woman succeeds.  It is suggested that Mary is not reaching her true potential as a woman, or in her life, and that she is too preoccupied to notice these apparent failings.  Despite the fact that Mary's curly hair happens to be perfectly curled, her Burberry coat flawless over her designer dress, the audience is led to believe that this woman's life is in serious need of repair.  Mary's inability to even attract the attention of a cabby is carried throughout the film in Mary's inability to maintain her job, her husband's interest, or have a grasp on her own identity.  So, is The Women still about women?  Maybe, but there is more going on here than women gossiping and plotting revenge against their husband's mistresses.  The "problems" that Mary has (her hair, wardrobe, husband, self identity) have been developed and characterized as problems through a patriarch lens that has been adopted into every facet of our culture. It is clear that there is nothing wrong with Mary's hair or style, and that it is not her fault Stephen decided to be unfaithful - yet The Women construct a context in which it is Mary's fault.  As Rose explains, "femininity is not natural but constructed" (Rose 123), which is clearly the case in The Women.  Despite this, English's attempt to write and direct a film that perhaps, she thought, could escape patriarchy and the male gaze, elements of male oppression and feminine ideology are overwhelmingly present.  The absence of men only creates the illusion that The Women was made about women, from the views and ideology of women.  The illusion lies in the fact that concepts such as "womanhood" and "femininity" are constructed and developed by men, largely for men. 

In terms of discourse analysis, Foucault says "Discourse ... is powerful ... because it is productive.  Discourse disciplines subjects into certain ways of thinking and acting, but this is not simply repressive; it does not impose rules for thought and behaviour on a pre-existing human agent.  Instead, human subjects are produced through discourses" (Rose 143).  The Women, despite its elements of masquerade and inherent presence of patriarchy, creates a powerful discourse, which is not, as Foucault hopes, repressive.  While The Women does suggest an (man's) idealized style and female presence, it also advocates for strong, female characters choosing their own destiny, no matter what that destiny may be.

When initially confronted with her husband's infidelity, Mary is unsure what to do.  Her mother and friends all have different pieces of advice to share, but the end result is Mary choosing to separate from her husband, and seek independence.  Mary reaches this conclusion when she meets her husband's mistress, Crystal, for the first time.

Discourse analysis "... explores the rhetorical organization of their discourse to establish this way of seeing, ... how a particular discourse describes things, ... in how it constructs blame and responsibility, in how it constructs accountability ..." (Rose 156).  In the image above, Mary confronts Crystal in a lingerie boutique.  Within this discourse Crystal is portrayed as the uncouth, unfeeling mistress.  Her dark brown hair, olive skin, and outfit of black lingerie, ascribes her accountability in the demise of Mary's marriage, thus, simultaneously giving the blame and responsibility to Crystal.  While previously Mary was responsible and to blame for her apparent absenteeism in her life through her hair, wardrobe, personal and professional decisions, it is clear that her glowing blonde hair, light skin, and white lingerie garment absolve her of any blame or accountability in her husband's infidelity.  The fact that Mary has more clothing on, and therefore less skin showing, also suggests her innocence, where as Crystal reveals her body, displaying no shame or modesty for her actions.

This particular discourse also suggests a reliance and element of patriarchal ideals and constructions of women and femininity.  The stark contrasts of colour and clothing between Mary and Crystal, and their names - the name Mary acts as a symbol for the innocence of Mary Magdalen, where as Crystal, a modern name, does not purport the same qualities as "Mary".  It also demonstrates that Stephen, who committed the act of infidelity, is actually not to blame here.  Instead, the focus is reverted to Crystal, the other woman, implying that Stephen was lured in by Crystal's prowess.  These contrasts reveal how the discourse of The Women hopes to persuade the audience that becoming involved with another woman's husband is wrong, but also the importance of female relationships, primarily the relationship of "best friend".

Although the end of Mary's marriage is devastating, the most devastating loss Mary faces in The Women is the rift and apparent loss of her best friend, Sylvie.  Once they are reunited, order is restored to the world, and they can both (finally) continue their lives happily.  The Women places a heavy reliance upon female connection, and the necessity of having close girl friends.  In many cases, The Women gives the impression that all female experience is shared and relatable for other women.  While this may be true within the scope and confines of this film, it is impossible to apply The Women's theory of shared female experience in any other setting.

The films largely white (with the exception of Alex), upper-class female characters limits female experience and suffering to a minority of the female population.  The identity of the suffering female is locked into the image of white, upper-class women through the use of icons and indexes within The Women.

Early on in the film the audience understands that these female characters are more than just the average woman - they're not only beautiful and graceful, but are also wealthy and leading next to idyllic lives.  When we are first introduced to Sylvie, she is shown entering Saks Fifth Avenue, a well known high-end department store, holding her dog, with its Burberry leash wrapped loosely in her hand.  Icons such as Burberry and Saks are automatically associated with the brand, which then becomes a symbol of wealth and luxury.

Even their homes, located in rural Connecticut, are extravagant and fully equipped with servants.  The red brick of Mary's home, along with the while columns of her front verandah, symbolize stability and luxury. The red brick, white columns and window treatments and black shutters are icons of the idyllic American family life, associated with the patriarchal assumption of the much sought after nuclear family.

Kress discusses ideas of framing within his text Multimodalities, and their ability to define the world the audience is about to engage in (Kress 4022-31).  The Women's use of icons and symbols help to create and establish a frame of wealth, luxury and female co-dependence.  By creating a fictional world in which men do not make a visual/physical appearance, The Women frames a situation in which women are seemingly free from the oppressions of patriarchy, which is short lived.  The dialogue of The Women centers around men and heterosexual relationships, creating a frame upon which women are viewed as constructed identities of patriarchy, but also a frame in which the homosexual is limited and mostly ignored.  The exception to this would be Alex, the only lesbian character within The Women, but through which conversation is framed within a scope that it is inappropriate for Alex to hit on other women, or it is implied that she is missing something without a heterosexual (or male) relationship.

The use of the icons and symbols previously discussed, also creates a frame of relations, processes and connections, establishing conventionalized forms in modes used in society (Kress 4190-98).  The patriarchal presence not only creates conventionalized modes and ideals of what a woman should be, but also what women should aspire to obtain and achieve.  Alex's homosexuality is downplayed in comparison to the heterosexual relationship of Mary and Stephen, and is even portrayed as negative, establishing heterosexuality as a positive convention.

The above image is the audience's first and only introduction to Alex's girlfriend, Natasha, a super model, who is portrayed as highly dysfunctional.  The Women never clearly establishes if Natasha's negative portrayal is because of her sexuality, or because of her profession, but the last shot the audience sees of Natasha until the end of the film, is her trying to discreetly eat a napkin in the corner.  Since this is the only representation of a homosexual relationship within The Women, the movie is framing an idealized and conventional, heterosexual way of life, as the better, healthier and more natural choice.



Rose and Kress's theories of psychoanalysis, discourse analysis, semiology and framing allow the opportunity to deconstruct the modes and codes established within The Women.  Despite the initial facade of a film containing only women, for women, and purely about women, it is clear that outside of the male-centric narrative elements of masquerade, discourse, icons, symbols and frames are clearly articulated and contained within constructed ideas and ideals of patriarchy.  The constructed reality of femininity is appallingly clear in The Women, a film that attempts to demonstrate femininity as decided by women, not men.  The fact that that goal was unachievable, further demonstrates how engrained patriarchal and male ideology is, and to what enormous extent it constructs and structures a woman's place within society through idealized forms of behaviour, dress, sexuality, and relationships.

Works Cited

Kress, Gunther. Multimodality: A Social Semiotic Approach to Contemporary Communication.  Kindle edition, December 5, 2009.

The Women: Screen shot of Mary hailing cab. July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author.  JPEG file.

The Women: Screen shot of Mary losing cab. July 8, 2011.Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.

 

The Women: Screen shot of Mary and Crystal in dressing room.  July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.

The Women: Screen shot of Mary hugging Sylvie. July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.

 

The Women: Screen shot of Sylvie holding dog in Saks. July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.



The Women: Screen shot of Mary's home. July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.


The Women: Screen shot of Natasha eating napkin. July 8, 2011. Personal screenshot by author. JPEG file.



The Women movie cover. July 10, 2011. Source: http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/images_6/Women_Poster325.jpg&imgrefurl.  JPEG file.

Rose, Gillian.  Visual Methodologies. London, Sage Publications Inc., 2007.