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There's Always a Woman

Name: There's Always a Woman
Director: Alexander Hall
Released: 1938
Duration: 81 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1938

Director

Alexander Hall

Runtime

81 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

There's Always a Woman operates as a typical screwball comedy from its era. Its key progressive element lies in the active role of the female lead, who transitions from a socialite to an investigator, breaking away from passive female roles. However, the film remains entrenched in the social and racial hierarchies of the 1930s. It lacks complexity in representing multiple aspects of identity, focusing mainly on a white-centric view of high society without challenging broader social structures. While the female lead's role is empowering, the film's overall diversity is constrained by its adherence to conventional social frameworks and a lack of representation across various identity markers.

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Category Breakdown

Does There's Always a Woman have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film adheres to traditional assumptions about straight relationships and gender matching assigned at birth. It does not include any characters with same-sex relationships or non-traditional gender identities.

How does There's Always a Woman portray gender?

Fair

The female lead takes a significant role in driving the story, moving from a socialite to an active investigator. However, the plot still revolves around romantic resolutions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is There's Always a Woman?

Minimal

The cast is primarily made up of actors from similar backgrounds, reflecting the time period's limitations. The film does not feature characters from diverse ethnicities.

How does There's Always a Woman represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story emphasizes the societal status and class distinctions of high society. It reinforces existing social structures without providing a critical perspective on Western institutions.

Does There's Always a Woman include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any characters with physical or cognitive disabilities. It does not address neurodivergence or disabilities as part of any character’s identity.

Present on Screen

The female lead breaks traditional archetypes by taking an active, intellectual role in the investigation.
The narrative empowers the protagonist with ability to act that disrupts male-dominated intellectual hierarchies.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks racial and ethnic diversity, maintaining a homogeneous cast.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or neurodivergence.
The story reinforces existing social and class hierarchies rather than critiquing them.

Official Synopsis

An investigator for the District Attorney's office quits to open his own detective agency. However, business is so bad that he finally decides to give it up and go back to his old job. As his wife is at his office closing up, a wealthy society matron walks in with a case: she wants to know if her husband is having an affair with his ex-girlfriend, who is now married. The wife accepts what looks to be an easy case, figuring than she can then persuade her husband to re-start the agency. However, when the client's husband is found murdered, she decides to investigate the murder herself. Her husband has also been assigned by the D.A. to investigate the murder, and he doesn't know that his wife is also on the case. Complications ensue.

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