Film & Theater studies

Women of the Year

            Hepburn in her film “The Women of the Year”, has been brought out in a different way from her previous films. In her previous films, she was depicted as an independent woman who stood on her own, made her own individual decisions and insisted that men should accept her as an equal. Hepburn was seen as a woman who concentrated so much on her career and when interviewed she always said that she had a disbelief in both marriage and motherhood. She was also a woman who made her own decisions, financed her own projects just like a man would do. On contrary, in the film “Women of the Year”, all her past is drained and we see a different character in Hepburn. In this film, she is believed to have taken her right place under the control of a man. In the film, she is humbled and humiliated in a way that she makes breakfast for her man while in bed. From her previous films, this was the last thing that could be expected of her. Other incidences that show the changes in Hepburn are; taking care of her husband’s ill health after engaging himself in drinking and she quits her job to be with her man. She could never have made these sacrifices before.

Despite the fact that Hepburn adopted a new way of life as depicted in her present movies, the other aspects of her life did not change. It was quite difficult to incorporate motherhood into the version of a career minded woman. Even though Hepburn assimilated some of changes in the film “Women of the Year”, Hepburn did not adopt motherhood as she adopted a child from an orphanage other than bearing a child for her man. Another incidence that is similar to her past life was the passion for her career. She is defined as a woman who is good at her work. Hepburn did not change her perception towards men when she believed that they were equals. This is evident as we see her challenging her male boss and also having some conflicts with her hero.

The differences in perception of Hepburn are important as they are used to show the image of a woman in the twentieth century. This is because she has shown how her life changes from her adolescence age to a grown woman. In her younger age she yearned for her freedom. It is evident when we find Hepburn having the desire to live on her own, free from the ties of relationships and the problems that come in between the relationships between a man and a woman. It is until Hepburn falls in love that she changes her life completely.  From this, we can say that love and freedom are not compatible. This message can be of great impact to the youth for they can learn the reason behind their attitude towards life. This is because it is informative in that they will eventually grow and understand life better.