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An Ideal Woman

Name: An Ideal Woman
Director: Jean Durand
Released: 1929
Duration: 130 min

Representation Score

3.6/10

Limited

1929

Director

Jean Durand

Runtime

130 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

An Ideal Woman is a traditional period drama reflecting its time. The narrative emphasizes romantic melodrama and established social hierarchies common in 1929 cinema. The film adheres to conventional storytelling, focusing on Western European identities and traditional moral frameworks. It lacks the depth of modern cinema that explores multiple aspects of identity. While the plot touches on themes like disability and religious transition, these are addressed through historical clichés rather than modern explorations of personal ability to act or systemic critique.

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Category Breakdown

Does An Ideal Woman have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a heterosexual relationship between Angel Caal and Mercédès. It does not include any characters with non-straight identities or challenge the idea that everyone is straight.

How does An Ideal Woman portray gender?

Fair

Mercédès demonstrates a strong influence through her care for the protagonist, but her development revolves around romantic discovery. The story follows typical gender roles without challenging existing hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is An Ideal Woman?

Limited

The film is set in Seville and involves a Parisian businessman, emphasizing Western European identities. It lacks diverse ethnic perspectives and a multicultural cast.

How does An Ideal Woman represent religion and culture?

Limited

The plot transitions from religious devotion in a convent to secular temptations. It upholds the social norms of the 1920s without questioning Western institutions.

Does An Ideal Woman include disability representation?

Limited

Blindness is a key element driving the plot. However, the character’s recovery through caregiving might suggest that disability is a condition to be resolved through romantic involvement.

Present on Screen

The narrative offers a clear development for Mercédès as she transitions from religious life to urban temptation.
Using blindness as a central plot element creates a focused, high-stakes dramatic tension.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on outdated clichés that treat disability as a condition to be cured through romantic involvement.
The story lacks ethnic and LGBTQ+ diversity, focusing almost entirely on Western European straight-centered structures.
Gender dynamics remain traditional, focusing on female experience through the lens of romantic devotion rather than broader systemic issues.

Official Synopsis

Based on a novel by José Pérez de Rozas. In Seville, Angel Caal, a Parisian businessman, escapes blindness after a car accident, thanks to the dedicated care of Mercédès, intended for the convent. They fall in love and Mercedes soon discovers the temptations of Paris.

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