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Reaching for the Moon

Name: Reaching for the Moon
Director: Edmund Goulding
Released: 1930
Duration: 73 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1930

Director

Edmund Goulding

Runtime

73 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Reaching for the Moon reflects the demographic and social norms of early 1930s Hollywood. The narrative focuses on traditional romantic pursuits and socioeconomic status within a homogeneous social group. While the female lead offers a slight subversion of gender norms, the overall story reinforces the era’s social and romantic hierarchies. The film prioritizes individual success and romantic fulfillment over systemic critique or diverse representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Reaching for the Moon have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows early 1930s romantic traditions without showing same-sex relationships or non-traditional gender identities.

How does Reaching for the Moon portray gender?

Fair

The female lead shows ambition and plays a significant role in pursuing stardom, moving away from submissive feminine roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Reaching for the Moon?

Minimal

The cast and setting are primarily white and Anglo-Saxon, lacking significant racial or ethnic diversity.

How does Reaching for the Moon represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story centers on class mobility within a traditional Western framework, using socioeconomic shifts as a backdrop for personal drama.

Does Reaching for the Moon include disability representation?

Minimal

Characters are portrayed as able-bodied, with no representation of physical, sensory, or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

The female protagonist demonstrates professional ambition and plays a significant role.
The film provides a departure from purely submissive feminine roles.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks racial and ethnic diversity, remaining predominantly white.
There is no representation of physical, sensory, or neurodivergent disabilities.
The narrative lacks LGBTQ+ representation or non-traditional gender identities.

Official Synopsis

Wall Street wizard, Larry Day, new to the ways of love, is coached by his valet. He follows Vivian Benton on an ocean liner, where cocktails, laced with a "love potion," work their magic. He then loses his fortune in the market crash and feels he has also lost his girl.

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