Wednesday, August 1, 2012

There's No Business Like Men Business.

There was a time when "chick flicks" got studios so excited, they even allowed them to become the first movies to feature new technology. How to Marry a Millionaire was the first movie shot in the widescreen CinemaScope despite not featuring a single "epic" moment. 

This would've been the 1990s equivalent of allowing a Julia Roberts movie to be the first to be shot and projected digitally or the early 2000s equivalent of having the first 3D movie be a Nicholas Sparks adaptation (yes, I know...) so let's take a minute to celebrate a time when women sorta kinda-ish ruled the system.

Now, for my favorite shot...
How to Marry a Millioanire is extremely chick flick-y and you can certainly trace something like Sex and the City all the way back to it. Which is why, my favorite shot features the three protagonists literally becoming maneaters as they gulp down huge sausages. 

The sly shamelessness with which  Jean Negulesco shows us how these women defy all social norms and have come to own their sexuality is the more subversive because he sets this scene against a city backdrop and what are skyscrapers if not tributes to the male erection? Yet instead of turning the ominous structures into signs of peril, the film playfully suggests that all these men are only awaiting for these women to capture them. To top this joyful celebration of the women gulp down their hot dogs with champagne.

Truly, what's not to love?

This post is part of Nathaniel's Hit Me with Your Best Shot series.

5 comments:

Amir said...

Yes! I like that we both went for food themed shots. I like your choice.

On an unrelated note, when I was in school, I majored in infrastructure studies as part of my civil engineering program. I wrote a term paper on whether the idea that from a sociology point of view skyscrapers are a manifestation of male ego has any credibility to it or if vertical growth is a natural consequence of anti-sprawl infrastructure. Got one of my highest marks. You just reminded me of that, so thanks!

Andrew K. said...

I almost decided to talk about that shot of the sausages, but it didn't fit into my best shot. So, go you.

(Also, go Amir for being a smartie.)

Amir said...

LOL Andrew I totally didn't mean to show off. I just read his bit on skyscrapers and instantly remembered my paper.

NATHANIEL R said...

Amir, that sounds like a good paper, it does.

Jose -- love this choice. how did i not notice the prevalence of hotdogs given that I chuckled when that was all J.D. found in their fridge.

Notas Sobre Creación Cultural e Imaginarios Sociales said...

Amir - ha! I knew I wasn't seeing boners everywhere and I agree with everyone else, this paper sounds fascinating.

Andrew - you did use it among your shots.

Nat - thanks! In all fairness I was very hungry when I watched this.