
Call Her Savage
1932

1923
PassedDirector
John Francis Dillon
Runtime
90 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
When Mona Frentiss dies, she has her confidante "Doctor Bobs" watch over her family, especially her youngest daughter Patricia. The family has been raised in a most unconventional manner, with Mona having a much younger lover and the father Ralph keeping his own lover on the side. As Patricia grows older, she attracts the attention of her mother's former lover, the much older (than Patricia, who in the book is in her early to mid teens) Carey Scott. Patricia tempts fate with her wild ways, nearly loses her virtue to a musician aboard an ocean-going boat, and is saved in time by Carey. Realizing that he is the man for her, she settles down into an experimental marriage.
Overall Score
Fair
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film explores non-heteronormative domesticity through a family defined by infidelity and unconventional romantic attachments. While it lacks explicit queer identity, it challenges standard heteronormative ideals by centering a household built on non-traditional relationships.
Gender Representation
The narrative centers on the 'flapper' archetype, showcasing Patricia's high agency and social experimentation. It subverts traditional female passivity by portraying the modern woman's autonomy as a central plot driver rather than a mere moral failing.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The film focuses on middle-to-upper-class social circles, which historically favored a homogeneous white cast. There is no evidence of racial blending or non-white protagonists within the narrative.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The story critiques the sanctity of the nuclear family through themes of moral relativism and experimental marriage. It prioritizes individualistic social exploration over rigid, traditional Western moral codes and religious orthodoxy.
Disability Representation
There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the film's narrative.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Flaming Youth stands as a fascinating study of the transition from Victorian morality to the era of the 'New Woman.' The film's strength lies in its willingness to dismantle the trope of the stable, moral household, replacing it with a complex look at social non-conformity. While the film makes strides in depicting female agency and unconventional family structures, it remains limited by the social norms of its time. The lack of racial diversity and explicit queer identities keeps the score from reaching a higher tier. Ultimately, the film is a progressive artifact for 1923, focusing on the tension between traditional virtue and the burgeoning autonomy of a new generation.

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