Hadjikyriacou notes that one of the main characteristics of a traditional patriarchal society is the presumed “absence of homosexuality” [1]. In Goldfish, the father cannot even stand his son saying the word ‘gay’, and is deeply shocked and offended that his son named his goldfish after a gay Olympic swimmer. Similarly, in Negotiating Heteronormativity in the Family Melodrama: A Case Study of Gorges Katakouzinos’s Angelos/Angel (1982), the author claims that “Words like “despinis” (miss), “poustis” (fag) and “madam” (madame), which are used by different characters to address the main protagonist of the film carry with them histories and politics of meaning and demonstrate that the homosexual identity is vulnerable, shameful, and prone to punishment and discipline”[2]. This demonstrates the fact that homosexuality is incompatible with the traditional male gender roles of controlling women, male authoritarianism in the family, etc. However, as one can see in Goldfish, this is not the reality in a modern society – while it is unclear whether the little boy is gay or not, his creativity and expressionism are met with anger by his father. Furthermore, in Goldfish, the little boy upsets his patriarchal father by dancing in front of the TV – the father believes that dancing is only for women, unless it is done in an appropriate context.
Similarly, in Zorba, the Greek, Zorba expresses himself through dancing, telling Basil that it is his way of coping with stress, and that he does not need a specific reason or place to dance. Basil’s character is reflective of Western ideas about masculinity – a modern man is expected to always be rational and in control of his emotions, and that explains his confusion when he sees Zorba dancing. However, he breaks free of societal constraints in regards to how a man is expected to act in public by asking Zorba to teach him how to dance. In Zorba, the Greek, one can see two contrasting types of masculinities through the expressive character of Zorba and the more reserved character of his British companion Basil. Furthermore, Hadjikyriacou claims that the notion of masculinity is expressed and defined through male behavior in private and public spheres, and is closely connected to the concepts of male honor and reputation. The themes of private vs. public behavior, honor, reputation, as well as hegemonic heterosexuality are also prevalent in Goldfish and All In. In addition, Goldfish challenges the traditional meaning of masculinity through the behaviors of the little boy in a patriarchal household.
Hadjikyriacou argues that masculinity cannot be defined in just one way. The men in the films analyzed above each embody different ideas about masculinity. As our society develops with time, so does the need for new ways in which masculinity can be defined and expressed. The same logic can be applied to the definition of femininity. Due to modern feminist movements (also mentioned by Hadjikyriacou), a woman’s role today is not necessarily in the home under her husband’s supervision, and female independence is often celebrated. However, in more traditional societies, such as the rural society in Zorba, the Greek, an unmarried woman is publicly shamed. The Widow is killed for not reciprocating the love of a local boy, and she is unjustly blamed for his death. The local boy drowned himself as he found out that the Widow chose to have sex with Basil and not with him, so his honor was threatened, as everyone knew he was in love with her. Hadjikyriacou notes that “men’s honor depended on women’s shame which was maintained by an absolute code of sexual morality” [1] – the Widow was now considered to be an immoral woman by society, thus she was stoned.
In comparison to the women in Zorba, the Greek, Golden Dawn Girls portrays femininity in a very different light, looking at power dynamics through the framework of gender. In Golden Dawn Girls, the Golden Dawn political movement had really gained its success and popularity only after the men were imprisoned and their wives/daughters took over their positions. What is most interesting about that documentary is the fact that after the men were released from jail, the women happily stepped down to their traditional roles of wives and daughters, allowing men to be leaders again. One could argue that the women in Golden Dawn did not want to challenge hegemonic masculinity and were happier in their subordinate roles.
Love Me Not also explores power relations through the lens of gender. Fessas and Kosma note, “struggle over agency lies at the core of the noir as a genre, since these films, on the one hand, portray female characters as direct threats to the patriarchal order…”[1] – the married couple in Love Me Not used the provocative, openly sexual young surrogate only to murder her and receive money from the insurance company. The surrogate is portrayed as sexually deviant for the male gaze (the husband), as she willingly undresses herself in the swimming pool and somewhat attempts to seduce the husband. However, it becomes evident that she is simply a tool for monetary gain for the couple. Once the insurance company worker finds out about the couple’s scam, he exercises his masculinity over the wife by chaining and degrading her, thus the “female body becomes a site of inquiry and control”, [2]in this case, literally. When the husband comes home and sees what was done to his wife, he chooses to walk away unpunished instead of saving her – once again, the spectators see the male exercising his dominance when the life of a woman is in his hands.
[1] Fessas, Nikitas, and Yvonne Kosma. "The Crisis of Gender Identity in the Greek Film Noir: Sexuality, Paranoia and the Unconscious in Efialtis/Nightmare (1961) and O Ergenis/The Bachelor (1997)." FILMICON: Journal of Greek Film Studies, no. 4 (December 2017): 84-109. http://filmiconjournal.com/journal/article/pdf/2017/4/5.
[2] Ibid., p. 88
[1] Ibid., p. 15
[1] Ibid., p. 21
[2] Chairetis, Spyridon. "Negotiating Heteronormativity in the Family Melodrama: A Case Study of Gorges Katakouzinos’s Angelos/Angel (1982)." FILMICON: Journal of Greek Film Studies, no. 4 (December 2017): 7-28. http://filmiconjournal.com/journal/article/pdf/2017/4/2.
Similarly, in Zorba, the Greek, Zorba expresses himself through dancing, telling Basil that it is his way of coping with stress, and that he does not need a specific reason or place to dance. Basil’s character is reflective of Western ideas about masculinity – a modern man is expected to always be rational and in control of his emotions, and that explains his confusion when he sees Zorba dancing. However, he breaks free of societal constraints in regards to how a man is expected to act in public by asking Zorba to teach him how to dance. In Zorba, the Greek, one can see two contrasting types of masculinities through the expressive character of Zorba and the more reserved character of his British companion Basil. Furthermore, Hadjikyriacou claims that the notion of masculinity is expressed and defined through male behavior in private and public spheres, and is closely connected to the concepts of male honor and reputation. The themes of private vs. public behavior, honor, reputation, as well as hegemonic heterosexuality are also prevalent in Goldfish and All In. In addition, Goldfish challenges the traditional meaning of masculinity through the behaviors of the little boy in a patriarchal household.
Hadjikyriacou argues that masculinity cannot be defined in just one way. The men in the films analyzed above each embody different ideas about masculinity. As our society develops with time, so does the need for new ways in which masculinity can be defined and expressed. The same logic can be applied to the definition of femininity. Due to modern feminist movements (also mentioned by Hadjikyriacou), a woman’s role today is not necessarily in the home under her husband’s supervision, and female independence is often celebrated. However, in more traditional societies, such as the rural society in Zorba, the Greek, an unmarried woman is publicly shamed. The Widow is killed for not reciprocating the love of a local boy, and she is unjustly blamed for his death. The local boy drowned himself as he found out that the Widow chose to have sex with Basil and not with him, so his honor was threatened, as everyone knew he was in love with her. Hadjikyriacou notes that “men’s honor depended on women’s shame which was maintained by an absolute code of sexual morality” [1] – the Widow was now considered to be an immoral woman by society, thus she was stoned.
In comparison to the women in Zorba, the Greek, Golden Dawn Girls portrays femininity in a very different light, looking at power dynamics through the framework of gender. In Golden Dawn Girls, the Golden Dawn political movement had really gained its success and popularity only after the men were imprisoned and their wives/daughters took over their positions. What is most interesting about that documentary is the fact that after the men were released from jail, the women happily stepped down to their traditional roles of wives and daughters, allowing men to be leaders again. One could argue that the women in Golden Dawn did not want to challenge hegemonic masculinity and were happier in their subordinate roles.
Love Me Not also explores power relations through the lens of gender. Fessas and Kosma note, “struggle over agency lies at the core of the noir as a genre, since these films, on the one hand, portray female characters as direct threats to the patriarchal order…”[1] – the married couple in Love Me Not used the provocative, openly sexual young surrogate only to murder her and receive money from the insurance company. The surrogate is portrayed as sexually deviant for the male gaze (the husband), as she willingly undresses herself in the swimming pool and somewhat attempts to seduce the husband. However, it becomes evident that she is simply a tool for monetary gain for the couple. Once the insurance company worker finds out about the couple’s scam, he exercises his masculinity over the wife by chaining and degrading her, thus the “female body becomes a site of inquiry and control”, [2]in this case, literally. When the husband comes home and sees what was done to his wife, he chooses to walk away unpunished instead of saving her – once again, the spectators see the male exercising his dominance when the life of a woman is in his hands.
[1] Fessas, Nikitas, and Yvonne Kosma. "The Crisis of Gender Identity in the Greek Film Noir: Sexuality, Paranoia and the Unconscious in Efialtis/Nightmare (1961) and O Ergenis/The Bachelor (1997)." FILMICON: Journal of Greek Film Studies, no. 4 (December 2017): 84-109. http://filmiconjournal.com/journal/article/pdf/2017/4/5.
[2] Ibid., p. 88
[1] Ibid., p. 15
[1] Ibid., p. 21
[2] Chairetis, Spyridon. "Negotiating Heteronormativity in the Family Melodrama: A Case Study of Gorges Katakouzinos’s Angelos/Angel (1982)." FILMICON: Journal of Greek Film Studies, no. 4 (December 2017): 7-28. http://filmiconjournal.com/journal/article/pdf/2017/4/2.