FEMINITY
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opophore — 20 years ago(July 26, 2005 09:14 PM)
i think the song was meant to be taken at face value consider obsequious songs like "i will follow him" and "its in his kiss" which are submissive to male dominance and place the male at the center of the relationship
sign of the times
try watching "a summer place" and tell me how dated that movie is -
moviewatcher2010 — 20 years ago(August 21, 2005 09:40 AM)
Bothered? Absolutely not. I thought the song was cute and a wonderful addition to this movie where Nancy and Julia are teaching Lallie Joy the "fine arts" on how to act like a girl to get Gilly's attention vs. being a tomboy.
Bear in mind that this film takes place during the mid-1920's, not to mention that this film came out in 1963. Even back in the early 60's, things were much different than they are today. -
sugar_quill — 20 years ago(September 11, 2005 12:57 PM)
But you don't have to date someone whose style you don't like. There's plenty of room for women whose real selves resemble what you're describing, and plenty of room for the rest. You should be able to get on fine without everybody being the sort that appeals to you.
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mash1_4077 — 20 years ago(October 11, 2005 10:11 AM)
that's how girls were treated in those days. that's how they thought they should act.
so if you know all that, then you should know that disney wouldn't have gotten any grief from anyone, therefor they allowed it. that's what they thought, that's what everyone thought. there really was no one who would bother them about it. -
karmala2 — 19 years ago(October 13, 2006 01:09 PM)
Yes, I agree with you. That always struck a chord with me as well. I am glad you put that out there. I think the songwriters were trying to capture the "quaintness" of that particular era. But, as you can tell by most of the replies here, there currently exists a backlash/hostility toward anyone (women) who expresses ANY opinion or takes ANY sort of exception to something they consider a little offensive or skewed.
(Boy, there seems to be alot of angry people out there, judging by the harshness and abundancy of the attacks illicted by one person pointing out a stupid song from a forgotten movie. Peace, people!)
"I told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes"! -
a_muffin_tree_called_edw — 19 years ago(November 18, 2006 08:04 AM)
To turn things on their head a little, would anyone be as shocked my a song telling men to be manly and look after their women? To put his coat down over a puddle, to act chivalrous, to tell her how beautiful she is and laugh at her jokes?
Quite frankly, I'd love a little chivalry! -
w22nuschler — 19 years ago(March 17, 2007 02:54 PM)
I cannot believe anyone can be offended by a wonderful song like "Femininity". This is one of my favorite songs that Hayley Mills ever sang. There is nothing wrong with that song at all. They are basially singing about how to act to get their man while hiding the "real you". The movie world has changed so much that you expect men to be bashed and to always be stupid and wrong. I would love to see it go both ways, that's true equality. I love all the old Disney films because they don't try to preach politics like Hollywood does today.
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Jadezuki — 18 years ago(March 22, 2008 09:15 AM)
I grew up watching this movie, and I never once took this song literally. Can people not take a joke? Sure, the 60's might have been worse for women than it is today, but they were clearly poking fun at the way things WERE, in the early part of the century. Think about how wild Hayley was in some of her other movies - Disney was NOT trying to send a message of a stifled woman, at least by 1960's standards.
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CaraMSchec — 18 years ago(March 26, 2008 10:45 PM)
I liked this song. It fits the image the movie is trying to portray, in my opinion in any case. I never thought it was shocking, or sarcastic. This movie takes place in the 1920's, and the song "Feminity" really does describe how a young lady was expected to act at a formal function. You might want to remember that the advice was to someone who knew the boy she was "after" pretty well by that point. And as to the fact that the other girls don't follow their own advice is because the advice is just the first step in "catching a bue" just like flirting is today. I mean really, do you think all women really show their true selves when they're flirting at a dance or whatever? The song doesn't mention anything about never showing the real you, just about how to get they guys attention.
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rebekahrox — 16 years ago(September 02, 2009 08:10 AM)
Not half as bothered by this as by Rodgers and Hammerstein's "I Enjoy being a Girl". That song give's me the Willies because it is meant to be taken dead seriously. "Femininity" is meant to be tongue-in-cheek,and lightheartedly ironic. Thus, it is very funny and succeeds wonderfully.
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LindaY — 15 years ago(April 12, 2010 12:40 PM)
Not only was the movie made in the 60s, but it takes place in the 1910s. Back then women were supposed to be decorative and mind only the house, and hang on a man's every word. Men were "in charge." But the song is funny because it shows the girls knew how to play the game in an era when they were the losers: you basically coaxed the guy along by making him think he was the greatest thing ever. Once he was hooked into the relationship, the woman's strong personality could shine through. Look at the Pophams' marriage! I'm sure Mariah buttered up Osh until the day they were married; then the tables were turned.