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The Feminine Touch

Name: The Feminine Touch
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Released: 1941
Duration: 97 min

Representation Score

1.4/10

Minimal

1941

Approved

Director

W.S. Van Dyke

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film explores gendered power struggles within a traditionalist setting. While it offers a nuanced look at women's ability to drive the story through characters who challenge male intellectual ideals, it lacks characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity. The dynamics are contained within a broader framework of racial homogeneity, reinforcing conventional Western social norms without critiquing the institutions it depicts.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Feminine Touch have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses exclusively on heterosexual relationships and male attention, adhering to the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender. There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer subtext.

How does The Feminine Touch portray gender?

Fair

Women play a significant role in driving the story, particularly through emotional and tactical conflicts. Julie is portrayed as a proactive and scheming force who challenges male intellectual dominance.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Feminine Touch?

Minimal

Casting is overwhelmingly homogeneous, reflecting the era's tendency to center white, upper-middle-class experiences. There is no evidence of significant non-Anglo-Saxon characters.

How does The Feminine Touch represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative reinforces traditional Western social structures and the sanctity of nuclear marriage. It celebrates material success within high-society publishing and fashion environments.

Does The Feminine Touch include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature characters with visible or invisible disabilities. Disability is not utilized as a narrative device.

Present on Screen

Female characters are portrayed as intellectually and tactically capable agents.
The narrative challenges traditional domestic hierarchies by giving women significant roles in driving the plot.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks meaningful racial or ethnic diversity in its casting.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer subtext.
The story lacks any depiction of characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A college professor who believes there's no place for jealousy in modern marriage, John Hathaway (Don Ameche) moves with his wife, Julie (Rosalind Russell), to New York where he plans to publish a book on the subject. Meeting with publisher Elliott Morgan (Van Heflin), who falls head over heels for Julie, John is assigned to his assistant Nellie (Kay Francis), who only has eyes for her boss. Working closely with Nellie, who Julie thinks is after her husband, John continues his high-minded ways while his angry spouse schemes to make him so jealous he'll knock Elliott's block clean off.

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