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The More the Merrier

Name: The More the Merrier
Director: George Stevens
Released: 1943
Duration: 104 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1943

Approved

Director

George Stevens

Runtime

104 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film focuses on the social cohesion of the American home front during World War II. It captures the domestic life and economic struggles of the time without challenging the status quo. While it presents nuanced characters dealing with wartime scarcity, it adheres closely to the social norms of 1943. Ultimately, it reflects a singular cultural perspective typical of its era.

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Category Breakdown

Does The More the Merrier have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film strictly follows the social structures of the 1940s, where everyone is assumed to be straight and cisgender. There is no indication of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities.

How does The More the Merrier portray gender?

Fair

Connie Milligan drives the plot by managing both domestic and economic challenges. Women in the film show practical competence, but the story ends with traditional romantic expectations.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The More the Merrier?

Minimal

The cast mainly features white, middle-class characters living in urban settings. The film does not intentionally include diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the demographic homogeneity of the time.

How does The More the Merrier represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story emphasizes Western institutions and patriotism through themes of social cooperation and domestic stability. It portrays these elements as stabilizing forces without questioning traditional structures.

Does The More the Merrier include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent characters with visible or invisible disabilities that play key roles in the narrative or define central traits.

Present on Screen

The film centers on Connie Milligan's logistical and economic management, highlighting women's ability to drive the story.
Women in the film demonstrate practical competence and resilience in the face of wartime resource scarcity.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks racial and ethnic diversity, presenting a predominantly white, middle-class perspective.
The story adheres to traditional gender roles and romantic expectations.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth romantic subtext.

Official Synopsis

It's World War II and there is a severe housing shortage everywhere - especially in Washington, D.C. where Connie Milligan rents an apartment. Believing it to be her patriotic duty, Connie offers to sublet half of her apartment, fully expecting a suitable female tenent. What she gets instead is mischievous, middle-aged Benjamin Dingle. Dingle talks her into subletting to him and then promptly sublets half of his half to young, irreverent Joe Carter - creating a situation tailor-made for comedy and romance.

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