Gold Diggers of 1933

Gold Diggers Of 1933 (1933)

#1. How does the film relate to Chapter 21 in Foner?

Two of the questions that come from Foner were addressed in this movie, "Gold Diggers of 1933." The first being "How did the New Deal benefits apply to women and minorities?" The second being "How did the Popular Front influence American culture in the 1930s?"

The New Deal benefits applied to women with examples like Frances Perkins and Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt transformed the position of First Lady into something completely new. She wrote an article and while it sometimes didn't agree with her husband's views, it was still allowed. She spoke out against public issues, and she put work in on the New deal with a concentration on the civil rights, labor legislation, and work relief (820). Women were also able to hold more jobs. This relates to the movie because the women, Carol, Trixie, Fay, and Polly didn't have men to support them at the time. As the film goes on we see that they all get the happily ever after that they want, and even end up with more money then they knew they would. 

Foner says on page 828, The "common man," Roosevelt proclaimed, embodied "the heart and soul of our country." During the 1930s, artists and writers who strove to create socially meaningful works eagerly took up the task of depicting the daily lives of ordinary farmers and city dwellers." This is the exact message that Barney was trying to depict in the second musical we see him directing.He wanted to capture the depression and everything that went along with it. He had the women who relied on the musical to pay their bills working for him, and music with acting by Brad. Who it is said only spend $25 a week or a month, and is secretly really rich. Another way this connects is the last musical number, "My Forgotten Man", about the speech FDR gave and how it relates to the man at the bottom of the to-dam pole. This musical is one of the most realistic of the movie, it's grim, dirty, and honest. It shows nothing glamorous about the life a woman and a man would lead at the time of The Depression. The woman is left home alone to fend for herself while the man is away, the women is the highlight in this piece, all by herself, looking longingly out a window. Even when he comes back he'd be waiting in line for hand outs because work was hard to come by at the time.

#2. How are gender roles and sexuality represented in the film? (select two characters to use as an example)

Gender roles and sexuality are represented through the manipulative woman Trixie, and J Lawrence portrays the speculative man. Trixie is the ring leader of the girls and is always out to provide for herself and the girls. She is seen as the "comedy" of the girls and makes the decision that Carol should pretend to be Polly, to mess with J Lawrence. She also decides to make the family lawyer Peabody fall in love with her. She manipulates him, and has him buy expensive extravagant things for her, while also stealing little things from him as well. She has a scene in the bath tub too, and it's shot very carefully but it's not lady like to leave the door open when there are guests in the apartment. She also is one of the girls in the play, and is shown very provocatively when the girls are changing behind the screen, and with "Pettin' In The Park". J Lawrence is the epitome of a man of times in the 1930s. He has money, and he's speculative of everyone wanting to use him for it. While he also plays the part of a cocky jerk by stealing his brothers "girlfriend" away from him. He dresses in the best clothes, and seems to look down on most people because they aren't of his ranking. When he's talking to the real Polly he makes a comment about how a girl with her up bringing should be with his brother because he finds her to act and be of a higher standing than the fake Polly. Even though he ends up falling in love with Carol, a show girl he eventually gets over it for love. Women in this movie are generally shown as poor, and in need of work, they dress in clothes of the time, hats are a big thing, and they are on the look out for a man to be with. Men are shown as working hard, rich or of middle class, intelligent and very protective of their money. Sexuality is shown more through the woman in the film, they wear the more provocative clothing and since they are show girls they wear clothes that show more skin then women of a higher class. Men and sexuality isn't shown as anything more than the appeal of a business man.

#3. Pick one of the musical numbers- "We're in the Money," "Pettin' in the Park", or "My Forgotten Man"- and first analyze what is happening in the scene and then explain what you think "message" is to the audience.

The song I want to analyze is "Pettin' in the Park", I picked this song not only because of the sexual nature in it, but because I feel like it gives you new insight into the new type of women that was allowed to be starting in the 1920s-1930s that didn't exist before. The scene starts off with Brad reading a book about love, which sets the mood for the upbeat tempo of the song, and the message behind it. The scene takes place in the park, like it states with Brad and Polly singing to each other on the bench with a quirky tap dance number. We are shown some touching and feeling from Brad, and with Polly's lines "Bad boy" it just leaves room for the idea that it's a sexual line.It then moves to the zoo because of her animal cracker box and shows two chimps being watched while being cute and kissing by the police officers. The scene pans out to multiple couples that are "pettin' in the park" being cute and intimate. It then shows how Polly was going to go home but is directed to a sign for "little girls who skate home" which, while she isn't a little girl she still needs to skate home because she's quite innocent. This then pans out into a skating number with the cops chasing a small child around, cutting to a snowball fight and eventually a large number of people "pettin' in the park".It's at this point a storm comes and drenches the women making them change, and the same mischievous child moves the curtain up trying to show a peak at some skin. This leads to the final scene of all the women wearing a type of armor that would deny the men from any "pettin' in the park" which makes the men throw their hands up in frustration. Brad is then given a small tool that will cut through Polly's armor and the scene ends before any skin is shown. A few line of the lyrics I want to point out include: "Underneath the starry skies, take someone like me along with you for a little exercise", that gives the impression that they'll be doing more than just looking up the stars since "exercise" is involved in it. "Pettin' in the park, (Bad boy!) Pettin' in the park (Bad girl!)", these two lines show that clearly there will be some sexual advance while in the park, and that it's actually going to be somewhat kinky. Then it continues on with "act a little shy; (aw, why!) struggle just a little, then hug a little. . . come on, maybe this i wrong". This whole verse which is pretty long to fit in here is the back and forth of two people sitting in a park pretty much getting it on, while the woman is trying to maintain some dignity and not wanting to partake. She puts up very little resistance clearly.
I found the message of this song to be 100% sexual. I understand that during the depression there were new things like birth control, and flappers. There was more freedom and people wanted to take advantage of that but singing a song about "Pettin' in the Park" is a very dirty way to do it. They also had a small child helping with the pettin' which doesn't seem exactly right. The message here was clear, as stated at the beginning of the song sometimes you need to relax, and yeah sex could be an answer but the song suggests you do it in the park. While it's a musical, it gives a upbeat tempo and it's a catchy song so many people could take the meaning seriously and actually try to do some pettin' in the park. 

#4. Are the issues of class and social status addressed in the film? Are any New Deal values about what it means to be an American reflected in depictions of class and social status?
In the film Gold Diggers class and social status are addressed in the film. The four main girls we meet are poor, and barely getting by. They steal milk from the neighbors, and worry about food and rent because of how little they have. They share clothing, because they only have so much. While on the opposite side of the spectrum we meet Brad, J Lawrence, and Peabody who are all well off. Brad doesn't bask in his wealth or really talk about it, while J Lawrence is pushing his money around. These men are of higher class and don't want to be scene with the show girls, yet they end up going out multiple times and spending a good amount of money on each girl except for Fay, she's not shown that much with the men.J Lawrence even brings up how he would like to pay Polly (Carol) off for not being of a good enough status for his brother. The musical also is able to be put on because of Brad giving $15,000 in it otherwise the girls wouldn't have any form of income.
The movie  does show some the first new deal, in recovery. Everyone is trying to recover from the baking crisis, and that's why the first show gets shut down. The lack of money is huge in this movie, and it's partially because of the banking crisis and partially because the main characters are poor. While the wealth is shown in J. Lawrence and Peabody. While the second new deal could be relative to the theater and other artists becoming more popular. I believe this is shown through Brad's character, even though he's well off, his talent is discovered and it's used in the play in two ways- acting and music. He has a scene in the movie where he's very much involved and doesn't like how the guy playing the lead is singing his song.