Constructs of Gender and Female Sexuality in Post WWII American and European Cinema
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects CUNY Graduate Center 6-2021 Sartorial Semiotics: Constructs of Gender and Female Sexuality in Post WWII American and European Cinema Patricia Cabral The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/4392 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] SARTORIAL SEMIOTICS: CONSTRUCTS OF GENDER AND FEMALE SEXUALITY IN POST WWII AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN CINEMA by PATRICIA CABRAL A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New York 2021 ii © 2021 PATRICIA CABRAL All Rights Reserved iii SARTORIAL SEMIOTICS: CONSTRUCTS OF GENDER AND FEMALE SEXUALITY IN POST WWII AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN CINEMA by Patricia Cabral This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in satisfaction of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts _____________________________ _________________________________________ Date Eugenia Paulicelli Thesis Advisor _____________________________ _________________________________________ Date Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iv Abstract Sartorial Semiotics: Constructs of Gender and Female Sexuality in Post WWII American and European Cinema By Patricia Cabral Advisor: Dr. Eugenia Paulicelli Cinematic costume design functions as a system of visually-perceived, material and indexical signifiers, an effective and compelling language further informed by styling and embodiment. Sartorial semiotics support and inflect role characterization, while equally underpinning or subverting tropes generated by ideological paradigms. The following methodological approaches were adopted in scrutinizing this topic: Roland Barthes’ application of semiotic theories to the domain of fashion in The Language of Fashion, and Laura Marks’ discussion of the dialectics of optical and haptic visualities in apprehending film images in The Skin of Film: Intercultural Cinema, Embodiment, and the Senses. By examining the costume designs of Edward Stevenson for Murder, My Sweet (1944), Leah Rhodes for The Big Sleep (1946) and Key Largo (1948), and Yves Saint Laurent for Belle de Jour (1967), constructs of gender and female sexuality surface within the context of two eventful and transformative periods: the 1940s in the United States—as depicted in crime dramas belonging to the film noir genre—, and the late 1960s in France—as epitomized by Buñuel’s masterpiece of surrealist erotic cinema. Finally, this research addresses the collaborative dynamics between costume/fashion designers and actresses, and the permeable borders between cinematic costuming and mainstream fashion. v Acknowledgments I am deeply indebted to my wise and generous thesis advisor, Dr. Eugenia Paulicelli, for her continuous expert guidance, and enthusiastic encouragement. In addition, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my dearest mother and uncle, Hilda Conde Sturla and Pedro Conde Sturla, for their unflinching and loving support. vi Table of Contents I. Introduction ................................................................................................................... pages 1-7 II. The significance of costume design in film noir cinema, and beyond ........................ pages 7-9 III. Fashioning Trevor as the ultimate femme fatale in Murder, My Sweet .................... pages 9-17 IV. Costuming to effect sexual agency within fiction: Bacall in The Big Sleep .......... pages 17-24 V. Characterization by means of a single look: Trevor and Bacall in Key Largo ........ pages 24-36 VI. Partnering persona and fashion in Belle de Jour: the role of Séverine Sérizy performed by Deneuve and styled by Saint Laurent ........................................................................... pages 36-44 VII. Beyond window dressing: Buñuel problematizes moral/social conventions by overturning codified perceptions of outward appearance and deportment ...................................... pages 44-66 VIII. Conclusion ........................................................................................................... pages 67-70 Bibliography ................................................................................................................. pages 71-76 vii List of Figures Fig. 1: A first view of Helen Grayle .................................................................................... page 12 Fig. 2: Helen Grayle, Leuwen Grayle, Philip Marlowe, Ann Grayle .................................. page 13 Fig. 3: Helen Grayle and Philip Marlowe ........................................................................... page 15 Fig. 4: Helen Grayle in the final scenes .............................................................................. page 16 Figs. 5, 6 and 7: A comfortably-clad Bacall as Vivian Sternwood Rutledge ...................... page 20 Figs. 8 and 9: Vivian in a power suit ................................................................................... page 22 Fig. 10: Complicity between Vivian Sternwood Rutledge and Philip Marlowe ................. page 23 Fig. 11: Dramatic chiaroscuro shot of a bejeweled Trevor ................................................. page 27 Fig. 12: Bogart and Bacall in a casual hands-in-pockets pose ............................................ page 29 Fig. 13: Claire McCardell’s 1942 Popover dress ................................................................ page 31 Fig. 14: Bette Davis in the film June Bride (1948) ............................................................. page 33 Fig. 15: Jacket and skirt ensemble emblematic of Dior’s 1947 New Look ......................... page 35 Fig. 16: Deneuve at a gala hosted by Queen Elizabeth II ................................................... page 39 Fig. 17: Mathilde, Séverine and Charlotte at the brothel .................................................... page 42 viii Fig. 18: Pierre and Séverine riding in a horse-drawn carriage ............................................ page 49 Figs. 19 and 20: Séverine in her brown leather coat ........................................................... page 51 Fig. 21: Séverine in her bathroom ....................................................................................... page 53 Fig. 22: Séverine in her dark-grey double-breasted coat ..................................................... page 53 Fig. 23: Séverine’s black patent-leather pilgrim pumps ...................................................... page 54 Fig. 24: Séverine removing her black ciré trench coat ........................................................ page 55 Fig. 25: In a ciré trench coat, Séverine walks alongside Pierre .......................................... page 55 Fig. 26: Séverine in a short dark brown fur coat ................................................................. page 57 Fig. 27: Séverine in white undergarments at the brothel ..................................................... page 57 Fig. 28: Séverine, Pierre and Renée at the ski resort ........................................................... page 58 Fig. 29: Séverine in a pale yellow knit cardigan ................................................................. page 59 Fig. 30: Séverine in her tennis outfit ................................................................................... page 59 Fig. 31: Séverine taking off her coat to reveal the khaki-colored shirtdress ....................... page 61 Fig. 32: Séverine with her first client, Monsieur Adolphe .................................................. page 61 Fig. 33: Séverine aided by her uniformed and aproned maid ............................................. page 62 ix Fig. 34: Séverine taking care of Pierre ................................................................................ page 62 Fig. 35: Séverine wearing the white chiton ......................................................................... page 64 Fig. 36: Séverine lying in the coffin in the Duke’s manor home ........................................ page 64 Fig. 37: A rear view of Séverine’s high twisted chignon .................................................... page 65 Fig. 38: Séverine undoing her chignon ............................................................................... page 65 Fig. 39: Séverine in the nude ............................................................................................... page 66 Fig. 40: Séverine’s hair styled in a large sleek high bun ..................................................... page 66 1 Introduction “Sartorial Semiotics: Constructs of Gender and Female Sexuality in Post WWII American and European Cinema” probes the use of clothes and accessories created by costume and fashion designers (specifically Edward Stevenson, Leah Rhodes, and Yves Saint Laurent) as narrative/signifying devices in eliciting the aforestated themes. The focus of this thesis is the depiction and communication of fluctuating tropes of femaleness/femininity within the context of upgraded female agency during and after the war years in the United States, and the subversion of premises regarding female sexuality and desires