Compare how gender is represented in one sequence from each of your chosen films. Refer to one character from each film. [20]
This essay will explore the different ways that gender is represented in the films 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' by looking at McMurphy's reaction to the voting of the baseball game and 'Vertigo' by looking at Judy's response when Scottie manipulates her appearance to look like Madeleine.
In One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest masculinity is represented as passive in contrast to stereotypical cinema representations, as the male characters are seen as weak and vulnerable because of their illness and by how Nurse Ratched oppresses them. McMurphy progressively changes the view the male characters carry in this film, as he begins to show his power through rebelling against the female character, when McMurphy challenges Nurse Ratched.The nurse denies the patients access to watch the baseball game even though they have majority votes by the patients. By denying the male characters they become 'metaphorically castrated ' this strips McMurphy's masculinity away from him as he is left powerless by Nurse Ratched when he says 'now i want that television set turned on, right now! '[ Nurse Ratched slides the glass panel across the front of the Nurse's station, shutting out his protest] .But further on in this sequence and the film masculinity isn't shown as passive as the patients all in someway gain dominance and control as McMurphy influences them and shows them they don't have to be subservient. McMurphy begins to commentate the baseball game by pretending that it is being shown on the TV, by doing this he is rebelling, showing defiance against Nurse Ratched showing his dominance and how she can not take away his masculinity. Also in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest when McMurphy and the other patients escape to go fishing, McMurphy becomes less passive as he has obtained his freedom from the manipulation of Nurse Ratched, he has gained back his masculinity and so feels more powerful because of this.Gender is also represented in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by when McMurphy throws a leaving party for himself and for chief, he shows his dominance by rebelling against all authority figures as he plans his escape.
In Vertigo, gender representations resemble the way stereotypical cinema is represented, as the main female character shows her obedience to Scottie when he tries to manipulate her appearance so she is the duplication of Madeleine. In the sequence when Scottie manipulates her appearance Judy doesn't disobey him, so this shows her inferiority compared to him. Judy shows her weakness when she says " if I let you change me , will that do it ? If I do what you tell me, will you love me?” Scottie: “Yes—yes.”
Judy: “Alright then, I’ll do it. I don’t care anymore about me.” this supports the stereotype that is given to women as Judy in this sequence is seen as weak, passive to Scottie because she wants to be loved by him because of this she loses femininity because she is seen as an object that the male characters are used to 'look at'. Another sequence in Vertigo when gender resembles stereotypical cinema is when Scottie buys madeleine clothes. This shows that Scottie is trying to dominate Judy by controlling what she wears, but Judy doesn't care that Scottie is trying to change her as long as he loves her.This shows that Judy is passive and acquiescent because she is complying to Scottie.
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