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What's the Matter with Helen?

What's the Matter with Helen?

Representation Score

3.0/10

Limited

1971

G

Director

Curtis Harrington

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film excels in highlighting the psychological complexity and ability to act of its female characters, allowing their intellect and obsessions to drive the plot. However, it remains rooted in the demographic norms of its time, lacking multi-layered depth and diverse representation. Ultimately, while it offers a nuanced portrayal of women's ability to drive the story, its narrow social scope and lack of systemic critique limit its inclusivity.

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Category Breakdown

Does What's the Matter with Helen? have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a traditional framework that assumes everyone is straight or cisgender. There are no depictions of same-sex relationships or non-cisgender identities among the main characters.

How does What's the Matter with Helen? portray gender?

Good

The film highlights the psychological complexity and ability to act of its female characters. By focusing on their inner lives, it avoids portraying women as passive supporting roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is What's the Matter with Helen??

Minimal

The cast is primarily made up of white actors, reflecting a homogeneous social setting. There is a noticeable absence of significant non-Anglo-Saxon representation.

How does What's the Matter with Helen? represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story centers on the anxieties of the wealthy upper class, functioning more as a personal psychological study than a critique of societal institutions or religious morality.

Does What's the Matter with Helen? include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any significant physical or neurodivergent disabilities. Mental health themes are used as genre clichés rather than authentic representations of lived experiences.

Present on Screen

  • The film places female protagonists at the center of the narrative structure.
  • It emphasizes the complex internal worlds of its female characters.
  • The story challenges the cliché of women being passive secondary characters.

Limited or Absent

  • The cast lacks racial and ethnic diversity, remaining predominantly homogeneous.
  • There is no visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender characters.
  • Mental health themes are treated as genre devices rather than authentic representations of lived experience.

Official Synopsis

Two middle-aged women move to Hollywood, California after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder and open a dance school for children eager to tap their way to stardom.

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