You are here:

Josselyn's Wife

Name: Josselyn's Wife
Director: Howard Hickman
Released: 1919
Duration: 50 min

Representation Score

1.2/10

Minimal

1919

Approved

Director

Howard Hickman

Runtime

50 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Josselyn's Wife is a period-specific domestic drama that adheres to the social hierarchies of 1919. The narrative centers on a white, Western family and their interpersonal conflicts, offering little social subversion. The film lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities, racial diversity, or disability. It remains rooted in the traditional marriage and family dynamics of early Hollywood.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Josselyn's Wife have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships. It focuses on heterosexual relationships and family dynamics.

How does Josselyn's Wife portray gender?

Limited

The story follows traditional gender roles and domestic tensions. Women in the film do not have much influence over their own lives.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Josselyn's Wife?

Minimal

The movie centers on a white, Western family returning from Europe. There are no non-white characters or racial blending.

How does Josselyn's Wife represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film operates within a conventional Western framework, focusing on family sanctity without challenging Western institutions or social structures.

Does Josselyn's Wife include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information about characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Lillian's character slightly challenges the traditional stepmother archetype through her suspicious behavior.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks racial and ethnic diversity, focusing exclusively on a white, Western family.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth gender expressions.
The narrative fails to include characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Gender roles remain traditional, with women lacking a significant role in driving the story or leadership.

Official Synopsis

Bessie Barriscale and Nigel Barrie play Ellen and Gibbs Josselyn, a young married couple who have spent several years in Europe while Gibbs, an artist, developed his talent. When they return to the States, they stay with Gibbs' father (Tom Guise) and stepmother (Kathleen Kirkham). Gibbs had never cared much for his stepmother, Lillian, but now he warms up to her -- a lot. Lillian is much younger than her husband and begins spending a suspicious amount of time with her stepson.

How are these scores produced? →