FEMINITY
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sweet_fanny_adams — 20 years ago(May 30, 2005 05:20 AM)
Yes, it could be seen as amusing and tounge-in-cheek, but it wasn't meant to be. That's what's so frustrating about it. I found it annoying - funny, but annoying (it even made me start to do those stupid fake boxing jabs you do when you're annoyed - sad, I know)
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vampyreangel — 19 years ago(June 02, 2006 03:03 PM)
how do you know how it was orginally ment to be? did you write the script? it was ment to be tongue in cheek and i can prove it. When Haley is sittiing in front of her mirror getting ready for the party she names off a list of famous women who were strong in will and mind and her mother tells her not to take too long deciding who she was from the list. Through out the entire movie Gillie's sister though soft spoken is also extremely physical even going so far as to beg Gillie to let her wind up the old truck and fix the flat tire. Haley's character through out the movie does as much if not more work on fixing up the little yellow house then Mr Popham. It was the 60 when women's lib was in full swing the reason Disney put out this movie was to show that they were with it and that you could still have fun. Plus in my personal opinion it wouldn't hurt women to act more genteel that doesn't mean when the situation calls for it that you can't change the tire on your car or hang a new light fixture in your house yourself it just means that you don't have to go around and act like a brute to get along in the world.
Believe in your dreams and forever alter reality -
darkhorse-4 — 19 years ago(August 04, 2006 10:06 AM)
Moreover, the cousin, who thinks she is "The Pink of Perfection" gets the first handsome man who comes along, but what do they have in common? Sounds like a marriage - built on first impressions and feminine furbelows - that might soon be empty and dry as dust. Hayley's character is saved from that fate. In the end, she gets the guy who admires her for her gumption and intelligence, and he is the real catch: intelligent, unconventional, handsome, and, well, rich (it IS a Disney movie). I saw this movie as an early teen and it told me to go out there and GO FOR IT, I wanted to be strong and sassy just like Hayley!
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klownboy — 20 years ago(June 24, 2005 04:59 AM)
You're not supposed to take the meaning of this song literally, I thought it was pretty obvious when they're giving advice like "Hide the real you" that it's blatently awful advice and the whole thing should be taken tongue in cheek. They also give the advice that you should always keep a man waiting whereas in a later scene Julia tells her man that she would NEVER keep him waiting. The song is bad advice and they don't even follow the advice themselves so just take it as an amusing song.
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Lets_talk_about_that — 20 years ago(July 22, 2005 06:21 PM)
Don't women constantly still do what that song makes explicit though? "Maximize your femininity. That's what every girl should know, if she wants to catch a beau." Women and young women today do that just as much as they ever have, both physically (e.g. emphasizing their figures/physical attributes), and in terms of the way they carry themselves when guys are around (flirtation). But yes, it is kind of shocking to have it made so explicit in the song; the truth sometimes hurts to hear. Ah well, it's still a great Disney classic and I love it, despite the un-subtlety of the song.
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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.