Ms Kathleen's

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The ending is 1930 morality still steeped in patriarchy, after all, the Tigress can be wild and free as long as she is tamed in the end by a so-called ‘Real Man’. But I doubt if the audience bought it in 1930 and I know audiences today will identify with the Alison of the first 40 minutes of the film.

So check your progamming guide and if you ever see “Female” being shown again on Turner Classic Movies, you might want to record it and watch it. You may not find it physically erotic when compared to today’s Hollywood portrayals of dominant and powerful woman, but I think you will appreciate the intellectual eroticsm of “Female”.

The first 40 minutes are the best when it celebrates female empowerment. However, the prevailing social order of the 1930’s is restored by the film's end; as this dominant woman is finally tamed by a man, or at least her love for a man. Nevertheless, the plot and the fast-paced dialogue make “Female” a ground-breaking film when it comes to the portrayal of a dominant and powerful woman. As you watch this film, you must remember that this film was released in 1933. Such a female character today would not raise an eyebrow because we have come accustomed to seeing powerful female executives and assertive women, both in real life and in movies. But “Female” is about a powerful woman who likes to sleep around and she uses her position of power to facilitate her sexual conquests.