Misogyny In The Film "Witnesses"
Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 2:23 am
Reading the reviews for DCP's magnum opus I noticed there were a couple of reviews that mentioned there were no positive female characters in the film. I've also wondered why the women characters are either portrayed as scared, helpless, evil, conniving or silly and brainless.
From the first scene that shows David Whitmer's wife helplessly cowering in fear, to portraying Lucy Harris as an evil mastermind and portraying all of Lucy's friends as gossipy, shrill and silly, DCP's film drips with misogyny. I don't know if there are any women in the entire film with any redeeming qualities. Even Emma Smith is portrayed as a one-dimensional character written to only serve Joseph's needs as a prop.
Why did DCP portray the women as silly and/or villains in his film? Is that really how DCP views women? Much has been written about DCP's misogyny and maybe the misogyny in Witnesses is merely a reflection of DCP's deeply held biases?
Regardless, I hope that 'Six Days In August' doesn't portray Emma as a one-dimensional villain who tried to wrest control of the Church from Brigham Young to her sons, but I'm not holding my breath. If DCP is actually able to get funding to make "Six Days In August' it will probably also be filled with misogyny.
You can do better DCP. You can be better. It's not too late.
From the first scene that shows David Whitmer's wife helplessly cowering in fear, to portraying Lucy Harris as an evil mastermind and portraying all of Lucy's friends as gossipy, shrill and silly, DCP's film drips with misogyny. I don't know if there are any women in the entire film with any redeeming qualities. Even Emma Smith is portrayed as a one-dimensional character written to only serve Joseph's needs as a prop.
Why did DCP portray the women as silly and/or villains in his film? Is that really how DCP views women? Much has been written about DCP's misogyny and maybe the misogyny in Witnesses is merely a reflection of DCP's deeply held biases?
Regardless, I hope that 'Six Days In August' doesn't portray Emma as a one-dimensional villain who tried to wrest control of the Church from Brigham Young to her sons, but I'm not holding my breath. If DCP is actually able to get funding to make "Six Days In August' it will probably also be filled with misogyny.
You can do better DCP. You can be better. It's not too late.