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Bringing Up Baby

Name: Bringing Up Baby
Director: Howard Hawks
Released: 1938
Duration: 102 min

Representation Score

4.4/10

Fair

1938

Director

Howard Hawks

Runtime

102 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Bringing Up Baby is a progressive screwball comedy that challenges traditional gender roles. The female lead Susan Vance takes a dominant role in the narrative, which contrasts with the passive male lead. However, the film's demographic makeup remains limited, focusing on a predominantly white, upper-class setting. The film's narrative structure emphasizes personal liberation through the disruption of rigid social and academic norms. Despite this, the story lacks diverse representation in terms of ethnicity and does not delve deeply into mental health issues.

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Category Breakdown

Does Bringing Up Baby have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or explore non-straight relationships. The main romantic storyline focuses solely on a traditional heterosexual couple.

How does Bringing Up Baby portray gender?

Excellent

Susan Vance is portrayed as an assertive, intelligent character who drives the narrative forward. This contrasts with the 1930s norm by showing the male lead as passive and unstable.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Bringing Up Baby?

Minimal

The cast is primarily composed of white actors from an upper-class background. There is no indication of diverse ethnic representation in the main storyline.

How does Bringing Up Baby represent religion and culture?

Good

The film highlights the breaking down of formal social and academic boundaries, presenting this chaos as a pathway to personal freedom.

Does Bringing Up Baby include disability representation?

Limited

The movie does not feature any specific depictions of physical disabilities or neurodivergence. The male lead's psychological instability is used mainly for comedic purposes without deeper exploration.

Present on Screen

The film successfully upends traditional gender roles by placing the female lead in a position of dominance.
It effectively disrupts rigid social and academic structures, promoting personal freedom.
The narrative showcases the female lead as the primary driver of the plot.

Limited or Absent

The film should include more diverse representations of LGBTQ+ identities.
There is a need for greater ethnic and cultural diversity among the main cast.
Psychological conditions are used primarily for humor and could benefit from more nuanced exploration.

Official Synopsis

David Huxley is waiting to get a bone he needs for his museum collection. Through a series of strange circumstances, he meets Susan Vance, and the duo have a series of misadventures which include a leopard called Baby.

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