Louise FitzGerald Negotiating Lone Motherhood: Gender, Politics and Family Values in Contemporary Popular Cinema. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Film and Television Studies University of East Anglia 21 st August 2009 © This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author, and that no quotation from the thesis, nor information derived therefrom, may be published without the author’s prior, written consent. 1 Abstract In 2001, four out of the five Academy Award nominations for best actress went to women who played the role of a lone mother, Juliette Binoche for Chocolat ( Lasse Hallsttrom : 2000) Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich (Steven Soderbergh: 2000), Laura Linney for You Can Count on Me (Kenneth Lonnergan: 2000) and Ellen Burstyn for Requiem for A Dream (Darren Aronofsky: 2000). The fact that these four films each prioritized a narrative of lone motherhood became a point of interest for cultural observers who saw the popularization of lone mother narratives as indicative of mainstream cinema’s policy of inclusion and diversity and reflective of a broader political acceptance of lone motherhood. And yet, despite the phenomenal political and cultural significance of the lone mother figure, little academic attention has been paid to the cultural prioritization of this oftentimes demonized female figure. This thesis offers a critical account of the cultural investment in mainstream cinema’s lone mother figure to argue that she plays a crucial role in shoring up postfeminist, neo- liberal and neo-conservative family values rhetoric in ways which highlight the exclusions on which postfeminism thrives. 2 Contents Title Page 1 Abstract 2 Contents 3 List of Images 4 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 9 Chapter One 33 Disposable Motherhood: A Cultural Overview Chapter Two 78 Baby Mamas and Welfare Queens: Filmic Representations of Black Lone Mothers Chapter Three 145 The Lone Mother and Her Son, or Ray Kisses a Man the Right Way Chapter Four 208 ‘It’s still the Casey and Mom show’ : The Lone Mother and Her Teenage Daughter. Conclusion 262 Bibliography 275 Word Count: 90,739 3 List of Images Fig. 1: Vicky Pollard, publicity still for Little Britain . 46 Fig. 2: Britney Spears, Q magazine. 53 Fig. 3.1: Dorothy, publicity still for Jerry Maguire. 57 Fig. 3.2: The Bride, publicity still for Kill Bill 2. 57 Fig. 3.3: Annie Wilson, publicity still for The Gift. 57 Fig. 3.4: Fiona, publicity still for About A Boy. 57 Fig. 4: Erin Brockovich, publicity still for Erin Brockovich. 64 Fig. 5: Vianne, publicity still for Chocolat. 65 Fig. 6: Mikey and James, publicity still for Look Who’s Talking. 75 Fig. 7.1: Audrey Burke, screen grab from Things We Lost in the Fire. 84 Fig. 7.2: Black Mamba, publicity still for Kill Bill. 84 Fig. 7.3: Rachel, publicity still for The Bodyguard. 84 Fig. 8: Book cover for The Re-Education of the Female, Dante Moore. 112 Fig. 9.1: Ricky, publicity still for Bullet Boy. 114 Fig. 9.2: Publicity poster for Boys ‘n’ the Hood. 114 Fig. 9.3: Jody, publicity still for Baby Boy. 114 Fig. 10: Luke and friend, publicity still for Bullet Boy. 116 Fig. 11: Jody, screen grab from Baby Boy. 118 Fig. 12: Jody and Juanita, screen grab from Baby Boy. 119 Fig. 13: Mel and Jody, screen grab from Baby Boy. 122 Fig. 14: Mel, screen grab from Baby Boy. 122 Fig. 15: Jody and Mel, screen grab from Baby Boy. 123 Fig. 16: Reva, screen grab from Boys ‘n’ the Hood. 125 Fig. 17: Leticia and Hank, screen grab from Monster’s Ball. 128 4 Fig. 18: Leticia, screen grab from Monster’s Ball. 134 Fig. 19: Tyrell and Leticia, screen grab from Monster’s Ball. 136 Fig. 20: Jack and Tyler, screen grab from Fight Club. 147 Fig. 21: Marla, screen grab from Fight Club. 150 Fig. 22: Jerry and Ray, publicity still for Jerry Maguire. 171 Fig. 23: Ten angry women, Jerry and Dorothy, publicity still for Jerry Maguire. 172 Fig. 24: Ray, Jerry and Dorothy, screen grab from Jerry Maguire. 173 Fig. 25: Jeremiah, publicity still for The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. 178 Fig. 26: Esteban and Manuela, screen grab from Todo sobre mi madre. (All About My Mother) 181 Fig. 27: Vincent Gray, screen grab from The Sixth Sense. 194 Fig. 28: Cole, screen grab from The Sixth Sense. 196 Fig. 29: Iris, publicity still for Taxi Driver. 199 Fig. 30.1: Fiona and Marcus, publicity still for About A Boy. 202 Fig. 30.2: Cole, screen grab from The Sixth Sense. 202 Fig. 31: Cole, screen grab from The Sixth Sense. 204 Fig. 32.1: Spice Girls, publicity poster. 213 Fig. 32.2: Charmed, publicity poster. 213 Fig. 32.3: Buffy, publicity poster. 213 Fig. 33: Daphne and daughters, screen grab from Because I Said So. 232 Fig. 34: Daphne and Milly, screen grab from Because I Said So. 233 Fig. 35: Holly and mum, screen grab from P.S I Love You. 237 Fig. 36: Bill, Harry and Sam, screen grab from Mamma Mia. 240 Fig. 37.1: Donna and Sophie, screen grab from Mamma Mia. 243 Fig. 37.2: Donna and Sophie, screen grab from Mamma Mia. 243 5 Fig. 38: Donna, Rosie and Tanya, screen grab from Mamma Mia. 243 Fig. 39: Dancing Queens, screen grab from Mamma Mia. 247 Fig. 40.1: Firehouse, screen grab from Princess Diaries. 248 Fig. 40.2: Helen and Mia, screen grab from Princess Diaries. 248 Fig. 40.3: Helen, screen grab from Princess Diaries. 248 Fig. 41.1: Mia, screen grab from Princess Diaries. 251 Fig. 41.2: Mia, screen grab from A Royal Engagement: Princess Diaries 2. 251 Fig. 42: Helen, screen grab from A Royal Engagement: Princess Diaries 2. 254 Fig. 43.1: Joan and Casey, publicity still from Ice Princess. 256 Fig. 43.2: Casey, publicity still for Ice Princess. 256 Fig. 44: Mia, screen grab from Princess Diaries. 261 Fig. 45.1: Octomom cartoon. 263 Fig. 45.2: Octomom cartoon. 263 Fig. 46: Fathers For Justice Activists, publicity still. 268 Fig. 47: Will, publicity still for About A Boy. 269 Fig. 48: Will and Marcus, publicity still for About A Boy. 271 6 7 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Roberts Fund for awarding me a bursary without which I could not have completed this thesis. I would also like to thank the university’s Outreach and Aim Higher projects and the School of Film and Television for offering the opportunity for paid teaching work which provided me with additional means to complete my research. A great many friends, relatives and acquaintances have supported me in a variety of different ways over the last three years and to them I owe my heartfelt thanks and sincere apologies for being ‘unavailable’. These include David Senior, Ryan Powell, Emma Bell, Sharon Bulloch, Tottie Aarvold, Paul Stanbridge, Melanie Hines, Gina Dunn, Nicola Sloane Britten, Dr Su Holmes, Keith Johnston, Clare, Will Taitt, Susan Pearlman, and Oliver Gruner. To those I have forgotten to add, I apologize but I remain ever grateful for your help. I owe my deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Professor Diane Negra and Professor Yvonne Tasker. Your support and guidance have enriched this experience in too many ways to note here. Thank you. Thank you to my parents Judy and Barry FitzGerald, for providing a listening ear and the occasional outing. Most importantly, my everlasting thanks go to my three children, Holly, Tim and Millie who have lived with this thesis for three long years. Without your enduring support, love and help I could not have completed this thesis. I love you and am forever grateful to you. This is dedicated to you. 8 Introduction In 2001, four out of the five Academy Award nominations for best actress went to women who played the role of a lone mother, Juliette Binoche for Chocolat ( Lasse Hallsttrom : 2000) Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich (Steven Soderbergh: 2000), Laura Linney for You Can Count on Me (Kenneth Lonnergan: 2000) and Ellen Burstyn for Requiem for A Dream (Darren Aronofsky: 2000). The fact that these four films each prioritized a narrative of lone motherhood became a point of interest for cultural observers who saw the popularization of lone mother narratives as indicative of mainstream cinema’s policy of inclusion and diversity and reflective of a broader societal acceptance of lone motherhood. And yet, despite the emphasis on the cinematic lone mother figure in the popular media, little academic attention has been paid to cultural prioritization of this oftentimes demonized female figure. This thesis offers a critical account of the cultural investment in mainstream cinema’s lone mother figure to argue that she plays a crucial role in shoring up postfeminist, neo-liberal and neo-conservative family values rhetoric in ways which highlight the exclusions on which postfeminism thrives. In the introduction to his article ‘Oh Baby!: Representations of Single Mothers in American Popular Culture”, film scholar Robin Silbergleid writes, “If Hollywood is any indication, 2001 was the year of the single mom”. 1 According to Silbergleid the out-of- wedlock pregnancy of celebrities such as Camryn Meinham and Calista Flockhart’s adoption of a baby boy “placed single motherhood in the national spotlight” and was indicative of the public acceptance of the “new millennium family”. 2 Film scholar Sarah MacAdam’s similarly themed article ‘Tracing The ‘Sin’ in the Single Mom” also foregrounds the cultural 1 Robin Silbergleid. ‘Oh Baby’: Representations of Single Mothers in American Popular Culture’.