While I’m on the subject of film studies classes I’m taking this semester, here’s another story inspired by a film I watched at school yesterday. In Women in Film, which, in case you can’t tell, is a class on feminist film theory, we screened Marleen Gorris’ mind-numbing debut A Question of Silence (original Dutch title: De Stilte rond Christine M.). While bored from the obviousness of the film, which tells the story of three women on trial for the random murder of a boutique salesman, I thought about how much it reminded me of 9 to 5, a movie I would have much preferred to be watching (and not just because the music is soooo much better).

Then, as my mind kept wandering, I realized that three popular movies I loved as a small child were 9 to 5, The Incredible Shrinking Woman and Mr. Mom, all silly comedies made and set in the early ’80s (as was Gorris’ film), all obviously informed by the women’s movement of that time, which could each be given a serious reading from a feminist film theory approach. But since none of the films are really given enough credit, I’ll avoid attempting to write a scholarly paper on any of them. Instead I’ll use this as my outlet to expose what ran through my head, as I wished for the “real” feminist film to end.

Regarding 9 to 5, well, that movie mostly only popped into my head because, like A Question of Silence, it’s about three women taking revenge on a man. But in 9 to 5, the women know each other and the deed is premeditated and specifically targeted. And it’s anti-sexual-harassment message is pretty clear. While I haven’t seen it in quite awhile (I keep meaning to, though, so I’ll be ready for the new musical adaptation), I can’t think of any hidden subtext that’s worth further noting.

As for The Incredible Shrinking Woman, which I also haven’t seen in a long time (it tragically seems to be unavailable on DVD), I had never thought about the feminist theme of the movie, which is about a housewife/mother who literally shrinks in size after being exposed to a mix of household cleaning products. Apparently the feminist text is no secret, as one of its keywords on the IMDb is “feminist” and a quick Google search brought me to multiple capsule synopses describing it as “a feminist take on The Incredible Shrinking Man.” I guess the four-year-old Christopher Campbell is the only one who didn’t notice Tomlin’s character’s shrinkage is a metaphor. Now, though, I presume it was Betty Friedan’s favorite film of 1981.

Finally, there’s Mr. Mom, chronologically the last of the bunch, and, now that I’ve put too much thought into it, certainly the least worthy of feminist consideration. On the surface it may seem to be positive towards the women’s movement, even while concentrating more on the adventures of the stay-at-home husband (played by Michael Keaton) than his new-to-the-workforce wife (played by Teri Garr). But even those scenes that display the successfulness of the businesswoman are kind of degrading. Yes, Garr’s character gets ahead in the advertising company she works for. But how? By looking at marketing from a housewife’s perspective — she knows what women look for when shopping for canned tuna (It’s like that horribly sexist slogan “Choosy moms choose Jif”). We never really get a sense that she’s simply a smart and creative person. She’s still just a housewife, only now she’s one who applies that identity towards a different gig. At least she does punch Martin Mull in the face for being a sexual harasser.

Well, now that I’ve tackled that discussion, it’s time to think about the film I should actually write a paper about. Perhaps that classic maternal melodrama, Aliens, or maybe Ridley Scott’s feminist masterpiece (G.I. Jane, obviously).