Flying Down to Rio truly felt like I was being taken to another country or another era after being primed with The Mark of Zorro in the prior week. Specifically the “culture shock” I am referring to is in regards to the depictions and social degradation of women in this film. From the very opening scene, the only way in which young adult women seem to be regarded is as sexual deviants who are incapable of fighting against their inner (inherently sexual) desires. To prime the audience’s expectations/understanding of women, the film opens with a scene in an American hotel in which all the women staff are standing in a line facing their male manager whom then asks them to turn around to show him their backsides. This image was clearly created to tease the audience into believing that the manager is looking at their rear-ends, but then reveals that he is assessing their stockings (although it is debatable whether that was all he was doing). The scene ends with him making a comment that one of the women’s stockings are inappropriate, and could be interpreted as him pointing out a sexual deviance as the cause.
As the film moves forward, not only is the objectification and sexualization of women perpetuated, but another layer is added; Brazilian women are depicted as dark, free spirited, and more sexually deviant than their American counterparts. I saw this as a way in which their foreign nationality was exoticized and used as a container for American male sexual fantasies of sexually deviant women. As discussed in class, it is much easier to put our desires onto a foreign other because there is less restriction in what we believe is possible. However, placing this sexualized image on Latin Amemrican women further objectifies them and therefore adds an enhanced oppresive force upon their demographic. Specific film examples that compare women’s sexual appeal by their nationality are such as when Belinha is initially regarded by Roger’s band mates as “the dark one” and show Roger literally falling over at the grasp of her beauty. Later when the American band goes to Brazil, they are introduced to a local Brazilian dance called the Carioca in which men and women literally touch cheeks through out the entire performance while performing somewhat sexually overt gestures. This depiction of “authentic Brazilian dance” not only encourages the perpetuated sexualization/deviance of Brazilian women, but also reinforces a notion of Latin America as more laid back in their approach to sex/socializing patterns between genders. One of the American band members literally stated ‘we can’t do this in our country,’ in regards to the sexually overt nature of the Carioca.
While the sexual depictions of women in this film was quite degrading in itself, what was probably the most dehumanizing was the way in which Belinha’s agency seemed to be stripped from her. Starting with her first scene in which she and Roger flirt across the dance hall, concern over her wellbeing by hotel staff is not communicated to Belinha but rather her aunt who is then lied to in order to get Belinha away from Roger. Later when Belinha is stranded on the beach with Roger, he attempts to serenade her with music. Belinha first stares into the sunset as he plays (likely for the audience’s enjoyment of her image) and then all the sudden she is kissing Roger. Not only is an abrupt shift for the audience, but Belinha her self is taken aback by her actions. It is as though she wasn’t in control of her own body and is shocked to realize that her sexual desires took hold of her. This line of suggestion continues throughout the rest of the film; Belinha is not seen as in charge of her own will but rather controlled by her sexual nature and therefore must be controlled by others. Rather than try to treat her with love and respect, both Roger and her arranged fiance, Julio, are battling for her hand in marriage. This is most obviously demonstrated in the last portion of the movie in which Julio is asked why he hasn’t married her already, when everyone is clearly aware that she is not completely interested in the marriage. There is no discussion or consideration of discussing the matter with her, or trying to convince her to love Julio. Rather, in the final scene of the movie, Julio, for a lack of a more suitable term, kidnaps Belinha and leads the audience to believe he is forcing her hand in marriage, as if to suggest that her sexual deviance will be reigned in by a legally binding partnership. Teasing the audience again, it is revealed that he is actually giving her to Roger, not only demonstrating that she is an object to be traded at will, but that she is expected to be happy with whatever the men in her life choose for her to do.
These observations only cover a small portion of the themes that were expressed in this film. Out of the three films we have watched so far, this one was definitely the most far fetched in my mind, which is ironic in some ways because a lot of elements of the film were accurate to the era. I look forward to the in-depth discussion tomorrow.
Belinha is indeed controlled by those around her. Her father, her two suitors, her relatives who must chaperone her constantly. Like the beaches and fabulous weather, she is an object used to sell exotic Brazil to an American audience growing accustomed to sexualized screen actors.