Ramblings of a Liberal Arts Major: Are we 'Clueless' About Gender Inequality?

Are we Clueless About Gender Inequality?

Amy Heckerling’s Clueless (1995) provides viewers a carefully assembled representation of the disempowerment still faced by women in the modern world. By recasting Jane Austen’s 1815 novel, Emma in a modern context we are able to recognize the historic trend of female oppression. The empowerment of the ‘Modern Woman’ offered to protagonist, Cher Horowitz in the film is visually undermined by Heckerling’s consistent utilization of filmic techniques to visually isolate and disempower female characters. The motif of presenting woman consistently behind glass, within frames and reflections or within settings in which they are synonymous with consumerism illustrates via filmic conventions that we do not yet live in a genuinely post-feminist society.

A consistent visual motif in Clueless is the presentation of women behind glass. This could well be understood to be an allusion to the 20^th Century phenomenon of “The Glass Ceiling”. This visual motif goes towards reiterating a lack of feminine agency by physically presenting a barrier between women and the physical world. The phrase, “seen and not heard” springs to mind. One of the strongest examples of this is when negotiating her grades with Mr. Hall, Cher has the door closed on her and we are left with the image of her distorted silhouette banging upon the glass frame. Figure1. Again we see this image when Cher and Dionne orchestrate the romance between Mr. Hall and Miss Geist, hiding behind a window to observe the outcome of their plot. Figure2. This scene offers a neat and simplified synopsis of the role of women throughout history: women may possess the power to create action, but are isolated from it. This is visually articulated in the film by simultaneous female visual presence and physical isolation.

The visual motif of representations of women in either mirrors or the suggestion of representation by framing characters with mise-en-scene, in effect with the physical isolation but visual presence previously mentioned brings to light the thematic concern of the male gaze. As well as through filmic conventions, Heckerling also introduces this concern through mise-en-scene and dialogue. Early in the film we are shown a portrait of Cher’s mother “a total betty”, as well as a framed picture of Cher on her father’s desk, furthermore we hear Elton request a copy of the photographs taken by Cher. We also see this theme permeate through Heckerling’s directorial choices. The window shield of Cher’s convertible Jeep acts as a visual frame for the car’s occupants which are primarily women. This is seen again at the mall when Cher is expressing her concern regarding her report card. As her and Dionne leave the counter with their purchases their heads are framed by a store display. In the consumerist context of the mall this likens women to an owned commodity. This is particularly poignant when we are shown Cher and Dionne – both wearing hats – standing in front of a hat display, the merging of women and consumerism visually facilitates this reading. Figure3. The idea of women being disempowered by this synthesis is evident again when Tai has her “near death experience” at the hands of men which takes place in the mall, a site of consumption. In this scene women in the foreground are visually disempowered by a low camera angle, while Tai is framed (and made an object of the male gaze) by the rigid symmetry of the malls architecture. Figure4. The mall thus becomes an atypically constructed gendered space, (Massey, 185) which articulates masculine authority over feminine agency. Furthermore the opening sequence of the film which includes images of Cher shopping but focuses primarily on her and her female contemporaries is followed by Cher’s narration: “Alright, so you’re probably thinking ‘Is this like an Oxima commercial, or what?” furthering the likening of women to commodities by presenting them as synonymous with consumerism.

Unlike in Heckerling’s 1982 teen flick Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the male gaze in Clueless is not equally rivalled with a strong female gaze. While Fast Times at Ridgemont High objectified both men and women in order to achieve a gender balance, Heckerling instead strives to strengthen female characters in the face of the male gaze in a different way: through female awareness. Consistently throughout the film the audience is faced not just with female characters, but images of the female characters. As Cher picks her wardrobe out for school she objectifies herself through use of a computer screen, placing herself in a male gaze. Figure5. This is evidenced repeatedly, women watching themselves as men do. This idea is also propagated through the narrative tool of makeovers, by being aware and partially in control of the male gaze women are able to regain a sense of power. Dionne poignantly articulates this: “Cher’s main thrill in life is a makeover, okay. It gives her a sense of control in a world full of chaos.” The successful awareness of the male gaze is seen in the success of Cher and Dionne’s makeovers. After Miss Geist has her small, ambushed “improvement” she enters into courtship with Mr. Hall. After Tai’s makeover she enters a higher social class than she had previously been contained to. Although Cher’s attempted manipulation of the male gaze to seduce Christian had failed, she did procure the interests of Elton.

In spite of this vestige of feminine empowerment, Heckerling is careful not to allow her audience an illusion of gender equality. Her visual presentation of the male and the female gaze are vastly different. Aside from the opening scene and it’s allusions to women as commodities, Heckerling often presents women to the audience with a horizontal pan across the full bodies of women. These pans mimic the movement of eyes across the female body and often when this filmic technique is employed the representation of the women is at least partially sexualized. A key example of this is when we pan across the female class during physical education. Figure6. The tight fitting clothes and excessive skin exposure is heightened in sexuality in comparison by the introduction of Tai’s (as yet) un-sexualized character. This same horizontal pan is seen as Cher discusses her mark with her Sports teacher, this time the gaze is upon cheerleaders. Figure7. The pan highlights the sexuality of the female subjects in the film. Furthermore the female gaze is primarily cast open females through mirrors. The introduction of female characters is in direct contrast to the filmic techniques employed when introducing male characters. When the audience first encounter the characters of Mr. Horowitz, Josh and Murray they are only able to view their back, visually suggesting an omnipotence of masculine characters. This is particularly evident in the introduction of Mel Horowitz, the first male character we encounter. Our first image of him is in a setting which connotes great wealth and affluence, he begins in an elevated position at the top of the stairs and is given visual dominance over the setting. It should also be noted that a representation of women, the portrait of Cher’s mother is in this scene but is disempowered by the visual hierarchy employed by Heckerling. Figure8. Unlike Murray and Mel the introduction of Josh is not paired with a physical stride, which from the outset characterizes him as an atypical male.

Returning again to the fact that this film is a modern reinterpretation of Emma, an astute viewer is made aware of the progress of women’s equality by contrast to their endings. Unlike in Austen’s classic the female protagonist is not married at the end of the film. Heckerling however, flirts with the narrative convention of “happily ever after” by closing the film at the wedding of Miss Geist and Mr. Hall. Cher rather than being legally bound to a man ends in the film in a comfortable relationship with Josh. The atypical representation of Josh as a masculine figure throughout the film suggests a certain amount of liberation has been given to Cher in this pairing. She has ended up in a relationship in which she feels comfortable without her “binding” party clothes. Heckerling creates in Clueless a film which both celebrates the progress of women over history and their subsequent empowerment while simultaneously articulating through careful use of filmic conventions that this gender equality has not yet been fully realized. She utilizes the authority invested in her by female authorship to do this. (Speed) The film nods to both women of the past who have laid down the groundwork for us to enter a post-feminist society and also to the women of the present to continue in that direction. Heckerling subtly communicates through her directorial power that it is awareness and not sexuality which holds the most power for women.

Figure1. Figure2.