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Tell It to the Bees

Name: Tell It to the Bees
Director: Annabel Jankel
Released: 2019
Duration: 106 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Limited

2019

TV-MA

Director

Annabel Jankel

Runtime

106 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Tell It to the Bees is a thoughtful period piece that challenges the stability of historical social norms. It effectively critiques the oppressive nature of traditional gender roles and religious morality, focusing on the lived experiences of women. However, the film is limited by the demographic homogeneity typical of its 1950s setting. The lack of racial diversity and the absence of LGBTQ+ identities result in lower scores for characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its exploration of the tension between personal truth and societal expectations within a restrictive historical context.

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Category Breakdown

Does Tell It to the Bees have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film adheres to a mid-century framework that assumes everyone is straight and cisgender. It doesn't include non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities or same-sex intimacy.

How does Tell It to the Bees portray gender?

Good

The story offers a detailed look at the gender roles and pressures of the 1950s. It focuses on a woman's struggle with her reproductive rights and the societal constraints she faces.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Tell It to the Bees?

Limited

Set in a rural Cornish community of the 1950s, the cast is mainly Anglo-Saxon, reflecting the homogeneity of the time.

How does Tell It to the Bees represent religion and culture?

Good

The film questions traditional Western institutions by showing how small-town religious morality can be judgmental. It highlights the importance of individual truth over strict community norms.

Does Tell It to the Bees include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the film.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced critique of mid-century gender hierarchies and domestic expectations.
Effectively challenges traditional stereotypes of passive and pure women.
Critiques how religious and social institutions can be oppressive.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.
Features a lack of racial and ethnic diversity.
Does not address physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Dr. Jean Markham returns to the town she left as a teenager to take over her late father's medical practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands Charlie in her surgery, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and tell his secrets to the bees, as she once did. The new friendship between the boy and the bee keeper brings his mother Lydia into Jean's world.

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