MovieChat Forums > Red River (1948) Discussion > Another angle on the annoying chick

Another angle on the annoying chick

posted 19 years ago by luise-6
8 replies | jump to latest

I totally agreed with the thread bashing Joanne Dru's character (Tess Millay) until I read a piece by Sheila Ruzycki O'Brien comparing Red River to the story it was based on called "The Chisholm Trail."

In the translation to film, Tess loses her position as a calculating woman of her own means to become a weakened character of vague background with some power, conveyed mostly by emasculating the menfolk. O'Brien says: "Gone is the tale of Tess Millay's cut-throat drive to achieve her goals of money, social status, and Matt as a husband--a drive which echoes Dunson's." (But I don't think she means to say that Dunson wants to marry Matt. Or does he? {Please see posting "Monty and Cherry"} ; )

I totally recommend this piece if you can find it. The title is "Leaving Behind 'The Chisholm Trail' For Red River -- Or Refiguring the Female in the Western Film Epic" and the source is "Literature/Film Quarterly" v24 no2 p183-92 '96

The author points out details I hadn't noticed. The film is from the post Rosie-the-Riveter era, in the time when men returning from the war wanted women to leave the workplace and return to the "apple-pie lifestyle they had been told they were fighting for." Notice the disastrous out-of-control clattering of pots and pans that caused the stampede, those items being the traditional realm of the woman, now screwing up the important work of the men. Similar deal with the ending showdown scene--the men are literally overwhelmed by the female power associated with civilization.

[–] Mythicalreviewer 19 years ago

The problem with women today is that they haven't returned to the "apple pie lifestyle".

Women in the workplace have emmasculated men to the point that their mostly wimps. That and the women take away jobs away from men.

I think it all started with given women a right to vote......

[–] Jpuss 19 years ago

you can't honestly be serious...

[–] Mythicalreviewer 19 years ago

Yes.

Women are in general not happy unless they have a strong man to guide them and love them.

That is why John Wayne is so popular with the ladies.

And if women wore dresses instead of dressing like men they would attract more gentleman.

[–] joekiddlouischama 19 years ago

But Wayne was frequently vulnerable in the presence of women, with Red River being no exception.

[–] joekiddlouischama 19 years ago

That's an informative post, luise. There's definitely a "battle of the sexes" being worked out in Red River, albeit in muted, toned-down form. Had the women characters been allowed to articulate explicit feminist values instead of appearing sappy and sentimental, the film would have been even more daring. Unfortunately, the post-World War II milieu that sought to restore the male to dominance seemed to guard against the realization of some of the feminist concerns lurking vaguely underneath the film's surface.

[–] susy-7 19 years ago

That's an interesting thing to note, and I'd like to follow up and read the piece. But from a movie critique standpoint, I feel no need to psychoanalyze the character or delve into its historical gender development.

To my modern woman's mind, she is just plain annoying and a detriment to the storytelling.

[–] joekiddlouischama 11 years ago

To my modern woman's mind, she is just plain annoying and a detriment to the storytelling.

Many "modern women" would probably feel that way about the women in this film. But the irony is that there is a certain animating spirit to the female characters, with Tess Millay possessing a sense of vague power. Yet the power is not rooted in any kind of economic or societal dynamic, such as entrepreneurship. Instead, the filmmakers transferred that power away from a 'feminist' sphere and toward some sort of sensual spirituality.

[–] 11 years ago

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