Stereotypes Dominating the Movies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Searchers - Essay Example

The films Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Searchers are significant because of the stereotypes that they blatantly embrace over the of these stories. In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, gender constructs and stereotypes and the roles that are expected of individuals in society because of these stereotypes are widely prevalent, as most of the characters are guilty of living up to these stereotypes at various points during the plot. Lorelei Lee is a character who purposely lives up to certain roles that are expected of her in order to get what she wants out of life, while most of the male characters also follow along with the roles that are expected of them, making them appear as though a beautiful woman can get them to spend any amount of money that the woman desires. The Searchers, on the other hand, explores racial issues that were present during the primitive years of the United States and still continue on to this day. In this film, Native Americans are portrayed in a manner that makes them seem lower socially because of their savage and violent behavior, along with their inability to conform into the European society that was present in the United States. Because of these cultural differences, racist attitudes began to develop during this time. These attitudes are explored over the course of this film, which the Native Americans fulfilling the stereotypes that have been placed upon them throughout it. Each of these films is able to effectively explore the stereotypes that were prevalent during both the time periods that these film depict, as well as in present day society in the United States. By presenting these stereotypes throughout these films, however, the filmmakers take the risk of allowing for these stereotypes to continue through another generation. This is because the majority of the people who view these films will accept these stereotypes as being the truth, which can lead to certain values becoming a part of, and remaining a part of, contemporary society. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes makes it appear acceptable to be a gold-digger or a dumb blonde or a sex-crazed male, while The Searchers makes it seem acceptable to be racist against races that are deemed inferior by society. As with any stereotypes, these ideas take away from the value that is held by the truth and are a negative for any society of which they become a part. The film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, directed by Howard Hanks, explores the stereotypes that are present in both men and women and what it takes for each of them to make a relationship last. Marilyn Monroe’s character, Lorelei Lee, is a character who conforms to many stereotypes that are present about both blondes and females, although in much different ways. For much of the film, Lorelei shows a side of herself that conforms to the male fantasy of a dumb blonde. This is a male fantasy because it makes the male feel as though he is in control of the relationship, as the female does not seem capable of controlling anything. By appealing to the male fantasy, as represented in the dumb blonde stereotype, Lorelei is able to get what she wants out of life. Also, it can be argued that by casting Monroe, the film is able to highlight “the clusters of connotations already associated with a star and how these create resonances for the audience watching not just Lorelei Lee but also Marilyn Monroe”1 Cook, Pam, (1998), The Cinema Book, London: British Film Institute. P. 38. This means that since Monroe already had this dumb blonde stereotype attached to her, it was easier to portray the character as filling this role in society. In some ways this counters the stereotype that is present in society about blondes, but it also shows how prevalent it is in society. For example, Lorelei is never suspected of being the manipulative character that she actually is because the other characters do not expect that sort of cunning out of a blonde girl. Also, when she is finally suspected of stealing the tiara, the only thing that is remembered of her is the color of her hair, which shows that the other characters do not believe that she has any substance other than her physical features. She is stereotyped as being merely a physical specimen, without having any mental capabilities whatsoever. Lorelei is an interesting character because she embraces these stereotypes in order to manipulate people, which allows for her to get what she wants out of nearly every situation. Read More