4 Wednesdays, May 7 to May 28, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Instructor: Jennifer Fleeger, Ph.D., Ursinus College
Howard Hawks was not an intellectual, a revolutionary, or an outsider. His films didn’t fight for a cause or struggle for recognition. Yet Hawks rips apart settings mired in drudgery, giving us a glimpse of the world we could build if we had the courage to loosen our preconceptions and have fun.
This seminar will explore the importance (and delight) of Hawks’ contributions to classical Hollywood through four of his genre films—screwball comedy, film noir, Western, and musical—particularly noting his sustained interest in gender, role reversals, and extremes. With His Girl Friday (1940), we’ll pay tribute to the newsroom and the wise-cracking screenplay, then use The Big Sleep (1946) to consider Hawks’ relationship to his source material and his stylistic signature. Red River (1948) demonstrates the continued relevance of the Western, articulating a battle for control over the land, America’s future, and what it means to be a man, even while the film’s female roles harken back to the moral fortitude of Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday. Finally, with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) we’ll discuss Howard Hawks and the film star, touching on his representation of Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Throughout, we’ll pay attention to the relevance of Hawks’ biography on his oeuvre and the value of his working relationships with writers, cinematographers, and composers.
$100 for members, $140 for non-members
Schedule