New Showbiz

You are here:
This Thing Called Love

This Thing Called Love

1940

Approved

Director

Alexander Hall

Runtime

98 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Two professional people marry, but the wife insists that they be celibate for the first three months to make sure they are truly compatible.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

2.7/10

Limited

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film adheres strictly to 1940s heteronormative social structures. There is no evidence of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy.

Gender Representation

Good

The female lead demonstrates significant agency and intellectual parity. By dictating the terms of her marriage, she subverts traditional gender hierarchies and domestic authority.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The cast is predominantly homogeneous, reflecting the era's systemic constraints. The setting reinforces a narrow, Anglo-centric social norm without characters of color possessing high agency.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

The narrative prioritizes traditional social structures and conventional morality. It functions as a romantic resolution rather than a critique of Western institutions or the family unit.

Disability Representation

Minimal

No visible or invisible disabilities are portrayed. Characters are depicted within the typical physical and neurotypical standards of the era's romantic leads.

Strengths

  • The female lead demonstrates significant agency and intellectual parity.
  • The plot subverts traditional gender hierarchies through the wife's authority.

Areas for Improvement

  • The cast lacks racial and ethnic diversity, remaining predominantly homogeneous.
  • There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative gender expressions.
  • The film lacks any portrayal of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

AI Analysis

This screwball comedy succeeds in disrupting gendered power dynamics by granting the female lead authority over the relationship's terms. Her intellectual parity and agency provide a refreshing departure from typical submissive femininity. However, the film is limited by the era's systemic homogeneity. It lacks racial and cultural breadth, focusing instead on a narrow, Anglo-centric high-society environment that offers little intersectional depth. Ultimately, the film is a period artifact that prioritizes romantic negotiation over broader social representation, remaining tethered to the conventional studio system of 1940.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.