Classic Hollywood and modernity: gender, style, aesthetics

In this essay I consider how the study of "classic" Hollywood cinema has shaped film studies and in particular gender film studies. I take the case of 1930s Hollywood cinema to show how cinema contributed in fundamental ways to represent the "modern American woman" and modern lifestyles. More specifically, the 1930s is a good example to show how Hollywood cinema has gone through formidable changes in the representation of femininity. While in the early 1930s the image of the self-assertive and emancipated woman still dominates the screen, in the second part of the decade cinema 's take on gender dynamics goes back to more traditional modes. I pursue this investigation by engaging both theoretical assumptions and historical frameworks, that is, by considering both the cinematic imaginary and film language.