Scott C

What do you notice about the interaction between the characters in these two scenes? Please give specific examples. Interestingly enough, Eddy and MacDonald's roles are reversed in these two scenes. In the first, MacDonald is the quiet and confident one, while Eddy anxiously performs in the hopes of gaining favor with his audience. In the second scene, it's quite the opposite. Eddy is the more confident and relaxed one, enjoying the company of others and being at ease. MacDonald, however, is very uncomfortable, failing in her attempts to capture her audience, while also feeling a sense of embarrassment. If you have seen either or both of these actors in other films or television shows, please share your perceptions about them. As my experience in the world of musicals is on a rookie level, this is the first time that I have seen and heard from the two actors. What do these clips tell you about the male/female relationships as they are depicted in the films during this era? What norms might you expect are supported under the Hollywood Film Code? I can definitely see the more male-centric aspect of the times. MacDonald is portrayed as the pretty young lady, not knowing who she should be with, and having the heart that needs won over by the man. That is a theme that was very prevalent not only in the movies of this era, but in society as well. I believe that this falls right in the wheelhouse of the Hollywood Film Code, with the man having a more favorable position or image, and the woman being subservient in some ways. This would have ruffled nary a feather in those days, which is precisely what the studios were going after.

Do you agree that the clip exhibits a brighter perspective of life than might be realistic? Why or why not? I feel that it does present a brighter perspective, in that these businessmen would obviously have a lot riding on the acquisition of a new leading lady for their shows. However, all that's exhibited is a playful race to see who she'll talk to first, assuming that after one talk, the other guy wouldn't stand a chance. What themes or approaches might you anticipate from this clip in other Depression era musicals? I would certainly expect to see much fancier dresses and suits that would leave everything underneath to the imagination. I would also expect to see a lot more of these dilemmas i.e., competing business ventures and quests for love, played out in a very softened and playful tone. Since this is a musical that was made after the motion picture code was enforced, how might you imagine it might have been filmed or scripted differently if it had been pre-code? Give specific examples. There certainly wouldnt have been as many jokes. For example, when Ziegfeld gives the bellman 5 pounds, I imagine he would have corrected the mistake, and given a lesser amount ("Is that so? Sorry old pal, let me fix that."). Another certainty, in my opinion, is that Miss Held's outfit would have been much more showy and revealing (bare midriff, lots of sequins, etc.). Lastly, you would have seen both Mr. Ziegfeld and Mr. Billings race down there with flowers or candy in hand, with perhaps a couple of snarky barbs exchanged between the two.