Title
Contesting Tears: The Hollywood Melodrama of the Unknown Woman,Used
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What is marriage? Can a relationship dedicated to equality, friendship, and mutual education flower in an atmosphere of romance? What are the paths between loving another and knowing another? Stanley Cavell identified a genre of classic American films that engaged these questions in his study of comedies of remarriage, Pursuits of Happiness. With Contesting Tears, Cavell demonstrates that a contrasting genre, which he calls 'the melodrama of the unknown woman,' shares a surprising number and weave of concerns with those comedies.Cavell provides close readings of four melodramas he finds definitive of the genre: Letter from an Unknown Woman, Gaslight, Now Voyager, and Stella Dallas. The women in these melodramas, like the women in the comedies, demand equality, shared education, and transfiguration, exemplifying for Cavell a moral perfectionism he identifies as Emersonian. But unlike the comedies, which portray a quest for a shared existence of expressiveness and joy, the melodramas trace instead the woman's recognition that in this quest she is isolated. Part of the melodrama concerns the various ways the men in the films (and the audiences of the films) interpret and desire to force the woman's consequent inaccessibility.'Film is an interest of mine,' Stanley Cavell has written, 'or say a love, not separate from my interest in, or love of, philosophy.' In Contesting Tears Cavell once again brilliantly unites his two loves, using detailed and perceptive musings on melodrama to reflect on philosophical problems of skepticism, psychoanalysis, and perfectionism. As he shows, the fascination and intelligence of such great stars asIngrid Bergman, Bette Davis, and Barbara Stanwyck illuminate, as they are illuminated by, the topics and events of these beloved and enduring films.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Contesting Tears'? A: 'Contesting Tears' explores the complex themes of marriage, equality, and the emotional isolation experienced by women in classic Hollywood melodramas.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Contesting Tears' is Stanley Cavell, a noted philosopher and film theorist.
- Q: What types of films does the book analyze? A: The book provides close readings of melodramas, specifically analyzing films such as 'Letter from an Unknown Woman', 'Gaslight', 'Now Voyager', and 'Stella Dallas'.
- Q: What is the publication date of 'Contesting Tears'? A: 'Contesting Tears' was published on February 1, 1997.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: 'Contesting Tears' contains 272 pages.
- Q: What is the binding type of this book? A: The book is available in paperback binding.
- Q: Is 'Contesting Tears' a new or used book? A: 'Contesting Tears' is listed as a new book.
- Q: What are the philosophical themes discussed in the book? A: The book discusses philosophical problems of skepticism, psychoanalysis, and perfectionism in relation to the melodramatic genre.
- Q: How does Stanley Cavell connect film and philosophy in this work? A: Cavell connects film and philosophy by using detailed analyses of melodrama to reflect on broader philosophical issues.
- Q: What makes this book relevant for those interested in film studies? A: 'Contesting Tears' is relevant for film studies as it offers a unique perspective on the genre of melodrama and examines the societal implications of character portrayals.