From Gilda to Rear Window: Defining "Beauty" in Classical Hollywood

In classical Hollywood, an era that included the 1940s and 1950s, the audience had a

common expectation of what actresses should look like. Neither Gilda (1947), by Charles Vidor, and Rear Window (1954), by Alfred Hitchcock, strayed from this expectation. Yet their presentations led to different results. While both Gilda (Rita Hayworth) and Lisa (Grace Kelly) typify the then basic perception of a woman's position in classical Hollywood's society, Gilda and Rear Window employ clearly different interpretations of the ideal female protagonist’s character. In this regard, Gilda illustrates a woman who blatantly ignores "female etiquette" through her promiscuous behavior. Through the use of shots, lighting, costume, and character(s), both Gilda and Lisa represent separate depictions of perfection. Nevertheless, Gilda’s character still preserves the prevailing ideal of female beauty of classical Hollywood. This ideal is even more apparent in Rear Window's Lisa Fremont.

Both Lisa and Gilda's first scenes within their respective films are shot specifically to en- hance the desirable qualities of their character. At first, their similarities are restricted to their physical appearances. While the two characters are vividly different, they still have the foundation of classical Hollywood's beauty. In Sequence 1 of both Rear Window and Gilda, techniques such as shot type, special effects, and costume are used to illustrate the generic beauty of the female character. Lisa and Gilda first appear on screen solely through their face. Both films introduce the characters at first through medium-close ups. At first glance, the women possess re- markably similar features. Firstly, both Lisa and Gilda have a moderate glowing effect emitted by their visage, illustrating an angelic quality in which their beauty is seen as incomparable, if not incorruptible. Secondly, Lisa and Gilda possess Transatlantic accents, commonly accepted as a mark of breeding and sophistication. Lastly, their facial features, including trimmed eyebrows, spotless skin, and the use of contrasting lipstick are magnified in close ups with the intention of portraying the perfect woman. These characteristics highlight the defining traits of women in Hollywood - beautiful, elegant, sexually appealing, perfect hair and flawless make-up. When this is combined with shallow focus (in which their background is blurred), the female character is seen as a product of perfection, far from the natural characteristics of an average woman in favor of one in Hollywood's image. Lisa and Gilda are both bounded by this quality, their appearance representing them more than anything else, and therefore they must submit to it. Yet, it is through their character or personality that we see two separate portrayals of female perfection displayed.

Although Lisa and Gilda are similar in terms of physical appearance, their similarities end there, as the audience delves deeper into their stories. Lisa Fremont essentially represents the ideal woman. One of beauty, elegance, and passion. Her motion to kiss Jefferies not only confirms her part (Jefferies’ love interest) in the plot, but also characterizes her devotion. Lisa's introduction to the audience correlates with the nature of her character. She begins to say her name, turning on several lamps with each word. This short sequence shows her elegance by depicting her love for theatrics. Her costume continues with her character. It illustrates Lisa's modesty without interfering with style. From this brief introduction, Lisa's character has developed past the boundaries of her physical appearance, yet at the same time she still represents Hollywood's idea of the perfect women. Lisa's outfit identifies her class, illustrating her importance to society, while at the same time is modest, deferring the idea of her being promiscuous. Her kiss with Jeff is one of passion and desire, specifically through the lack of music, by conveying the raw natural human interaction. Therefore, Lisa can be defined as a beautiful woman who is part of the elite, elegant, modest and devoted to her spouse. Together, these factors directly correlate with classi- cal Hollywood's expectation of the female protagonist. Gilda's introduction, on the other hand, both complements and foils this expectation.

Gilda's introduction emphasizes her seductive quality more than anything else. Unlike Lisa's introduction, Gilda's is quicker as she instantly flips her head up into the camera's frame. Her outfit, although stylish, represents a fragment of her seductive quality by revealing her in sheer clothing that lays bare her entire shoulder. Medium long-shots of her body are consistently displayed, implying the importance of her figure as a whole. Gilda's personality clashes with stereotypical Hollywood by contradicting expectations. Through Gilda's introduction we see a separate style of the ideal women in classical Hollywood, one that creates desire through the concept of femme fatale. Gilda's first appearance involves her dancing and smoking in slightly less modest attire. Her charm is dependent on her seductive quality, as she knowingly uses her beauty to undermine her foes. Gilda's independent and carefree nature presents a new form of the perfect woman, one that is based more on sex appeal than values.

Gilda and Lisa's characteristics, although similar in nature, are used in contrary ways. In Sequence 2 of Gilda, Gilda proceeds to sing as Uncle Pio stares longingly at her. Gilda's voice, too, is a desirable characteristic that aims to capture the attention of men. A beautiful voice that has the ability to sing is a characteristic of Hollywood's ideal female - a tool to be used as a method of enchantment. Lisa's humming in Sequence 2 of Rear Window, although less prominent, follows the same protocol. Lisa is humming off-screen, unaware that Detective Thomas J. Doyle is present in the apartment. She captures his attention as he finds himself infatuated by her. When appearing, Lisa (also with Gilda) remains undeniably perfect. The two characters, no mat- ter their position, remain flawless in every physical aspect throughout the entire movie, never displaying a hint of unattractiveness. Lisa's voice manages to capture the amorous attention of Detective Thomas J. Doyle. Within both scenes the camera cuts between the man and the singing woman (or in Rear Window's case her shadow). By using the Kuleshov effect, both directors have managed to show the true grasp that the singing women have over the listening men. InRear Window, this grasp is truly realized when Doyle first sees Lisa as the Kushelov effect high- lights Doyle's mesmerized smile. Both Doyle and Pio display feelings of contempt, interest, and enchantment - illustrating the effect of the “perfect woman’s” voice.

A fundamental component in classical Hollywood for the female protagonist is to empha- size her desirability not only for the audience, but also for characters within the story. Medium-close ups are used in both films, highlighting the beauty of the women but also to use their expressions to highlight their personality. In Rear Window, Lisa can be seen to be standing up right in a very classy demeanor, while her face exhibits confidence and elegance. In Gilda, when there is a medium-close up, it helps to emphasize Gilda's seductive charm as she gives brief, sultry smiles. Lighting is used to highlight their most desirable features. In Rear Window, there is a direct contrast between the dimly lighted background and Lisa's literal glow. Her glow not only dramatically distinguishes her from her setting, but also highlights her unblemished face. In Gilda, lighting is used at first to emphasize and outline Gilda's figure by giving a clear visual of her legs, and also her face. As the frame zooms onto Gilda and Pio, an extra light is visibly placed over her. As a result, her hair reflects the light, giving it a shiny appearance distinct from the background. This works similarly to Lisa's glow as it is used to distinguish Gilda from her setting and accentuate her beauty. In order for the female protagonist to be deemed "worthy" enough for the male protagonist, she must prove it through admiration and infatuation from secondary characters. The use of singing illustrates a new dimension to their beauty, one that clearly displays the idea of the perfect female - a women attractive on many separate levels. Both Lisa and Gilda's flaws are disregarded in comparison to their desirable qualities.

The presentation of this trait (the ability to sing) differs in each movie in order to high- light the personality of the character while their interaction with the male listening on helps to elucidate the depth of their attractive quality. Lisa’s humming represents a form of innocence. It is non-diegetic and she has no awareness that Doyle is in the apartment, meaning she was simply humming as a regular action. Her song was never intentionally used by her as a form of enchant- ing, even though it had the effect. This reflects Lisa’s modesty, as she refrains from using her traits to capture the attention of man. In Lisa’s mind there is only one man for her and that is Jefferies. Women of the classical Hollywood period were expected to remain devoted to their man, abstaining from adultery and promiscuity. Their personalities were meant to represent the perfect housewife — one of innocence, modesty, and submission. However, Lisa's charm must, in that moment, also depend on sexuality. A perfect housewife was also expected to physically attract her husband. Lisa's clothing, which includes a shoulder-bearing sheer shirt and a tight-fitting skirt illustrate the use of costume to emphasize her body. Medium-long shots display Lisa lean- ing on a desk as the two men speak in the front plane. These are used to not only define her position within the conversation, but to illustrate her seductive quality. Her pose, although poised, helps to display her curvy body, promoting her sexual attraction. Yet, in order for Lisa to comply with classical Hollywood's standards, she must exert her sexuality unintentionally. Whenever Lisa poses in an attractive manor, such as when she lies down in front of Jefferies, the audience connects it to her easy going, innocent nature. Therefore, it is seen as charming, naive quirk. Lisa exerts sexual attraction, but still conforms to the standards of classical Hollywood. Gilda, on the other hand, escapes from this portrait by purposefully using her voice as a method of seduction. Her flirtatious smiles along with her sultry sound are intentionally utilized to define her sexuality. Long shots of her body as she plays guitar emphasize her strong posture, but also, with her costume, help to highlight her nude legs. Gilda's body parts are used to define her sexual appeal. In one close-up, her leg is aimed up high as she proceeds to put a stocking on. Within that shot, only her leg is seen at first, illustrating the importance of it in her seduction. Still, Gilda's personality has proven that she is aware of her desirability, consequently causing the audience to believe she uses it intentionally. Gilda’s image does not represent the housewife that is Lisa, but rather a sexually active, seductive woman who tends to play with the affections of men around her. Essentially, Lisa represents the societal standard of women deemed marriageable, while Gilda reflects the pure sexual desires of man.

Both films then use secondary female characters in order to exhibit the rare perfection of Lisa and Gilda, respectively. All other female characters in Gilda follow the societal standards of women back then. In the casino, a majority of the people are men, while the few women present are accompanied by a male companion. Gilda’s maid, Maria, contrasts the beauty and sexuality of Gilda’s character. At one point, Gilda even exclaims “I think that's good business to surround yourself with ugly women and beautiful men,” almost as if she’s mocking the standards required for secondary female characters. These flawed women help to present Gilda’s qualities - making her character seem truly unique. Lisa too represents a character that contradicts her fellow female characters. She’s beautiful, yet assertive. This contradicts Miss Torso who is only idolized for her body. Lisa is desirable, but not desperate - distinguishing her from Miss Lonelyhearts. Lastly, Lisa is formal and respectable - differentiating her from the wife who sleeps freely on the fire escape above Thorwald’s apartment. This technique helps to alleviate the flaws of the female character by comparing them with secondary characters who seem to only represent negative qualities. By displaying a seemingly perfect woman in a sea of imperfection, their positive char- acteristics become almost exaggerated.

Both Lisa and Gilda have the job of portraying the desirable, however they differ in terms of the type of desire. Every part of their character promotes this difference. In terms of clothing, Lisa’s outfits remain modest while stylish. Gilda tends to dress in tight-fitting dresses that sparkle. When required, Lisa’s outfit is more revealing, yet she still remains the modest factor. When Gilda is not in tight dresses, her outfits highlight a specific body part, promoting fetishism. Lisa’s mannerisms are formal and respectful, while Gilda’s are seductive and sultry. Both women are desirable, yet they target the separate desires of men. It is Gilda’s refrain from societal standards that makes her charming and likable. Just as James Dean was appreciated for his “rebel” status, Gilda too is admired for her difference. Gilda represented a diverging trend in classic Hol- lywood: a woman to be admired for her sexual confidence, independence and assertiveness. However, Gilda has societal limits: her promiscuous character is simply to cover her ordinariness or in other words her similarities with Lisa.

Firstly, Gilda was never truly a femme fatale. Gilda helped to popularize the character, but, considering it was still in the introductory phase when Gilda was released, directors had to be cautious with the slowly developing audience. In essence Gilda was not a grand manipulator, but rather a rebellious person who wanted to free herself from society’s cage. A true femme fatale is one who is manipulative and not merciful. Gilda, as the leading woman, had to be desired. Her persona had, thus, to be altered as a censored version of a real femme fatale. In order to remain likable, Gilda had to show her devotion to a man, reminding the audience that she was as dependent as independent. This is proven when it is revealed that Gilda never was truly promiscuous, but faithful the entire time. This simple truth illustrates the boundaries of women in cinema in classical Hollywood. Although Gilda was advertised for her sexuality and uniqueness, she too must comply with the key standard expected in all women - devotion. Gilda’s promiscuity is revealed to be an act - reversing her character’s individualized development and connecting her more to Lisa. Although her sexuality was what made her different, it also made her undesirable to the main male character - Johnny Farrell. At the moment of revelation, Gilda is married to Johnny and therefore must conform to the characteristics of a house-wife. Her desirability through sexuality was only necessary for Johnny Farrell to feel enamored. Once Johnny and Gilder were married, her character had to conform to the standard of females represented by Lisa. Her promiscuity had to become honesty, her sexuality had to become innocent beauty, and her independence had to become dependence. Gilda, once different, then falls back into the generic category of classical Hollywood females. Her femme fatale status is revealed to be a ruse, covering her compliance with Hollywood's expectations.

Gilda and Rear Window both attempt to capture the perfect women. Although their results differ on the surface, they still follow the fundamental principles of desire as dictated by classical Hollywood. Their characters are connected by this root and despite the difference in character, the result is comparable. Gilda and Lisa both end up as loyal women to their respective male partners — illustrating the then boundaries of women in cinema. Therefore, despite Gilda and Lisa targeting different desires, they must still adapt to the general concept of the classical Hollywood’s “perfect woman”.