You are here:

Hidden Power

Name: Hidden Power
Director: Lewis D. Collins
Released: 1939
Duration: 60 min

Representation Score

0.2/10

Minimal

1939

Approved

Director

Lewis D. Collins

Runtime

60 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Hidden Power is a mid-century domestic drama that adheres strictly to the conventional storytelling of 1939. The narrative structure prioritizes a singular, homogeneous social perspective centered on a traditional nuclear family. The film's conflict stems from professional obsession, reinforcing era-specific gender hierarchies. While the female lead exercises some control over her life through divorce, the primary momentum is driven by the male protagonist's intellectual pursuits. Ultimately, the film lacks depth in exploring multiple aspects of identity, focusing instead on individual moral failings rather than broader cultural or systemic issues. It functions as a standard period piece of its time.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Hidden Power have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a traditional nuclear family structure and does not include any non-straight or non-cisgender identities or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Hidden Power portray gender?

Limited

Dr. Garfield drives the plot through professional ambition, while Virginia reacts to her circumstances. Her decision to divorce shows some control over her life, but the overall hierarchy remains traditional.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Hidden Power?

Minimal

The narrative centers on a specific domestic unit without mentioning multi-ethnic elements. There is no indication of a diverse or non-Anglo-Saxon cast.

How does Hidden Power represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story emphasizes Western values regarding family stability and scientific progress. It frames conflict as a personal moral failing rather than a broader systemic issue.

Does Hidden Power include disability representation?

Minimal

Medical research into severe burns serves as a plot device for obsession. There is no evidence of characters with disabilities playing a leading role in the story.

Present on Screen

The narrative clearly explores the consequences of professional neglect on familial bonds.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds.
Gender roles remain largely traditional, with the male protagonist driving the central conflict.
Disability is used as a plot device rather than a meaningful exploration of lived experience.

Official Synopsis

Dr. Garfield gets so involved in his research for an antitoxin for severe burns that he completely neglects his wife, Virginian, and their young son, Steve. Virginia divorces him and takes the son with her. Their paths cross again in a life-or-death situation.

How are these scores produced? →