characterized by a predominance of orcheslral colors associated wi t-h popular jazz such as
saxophones and muted horns; harmonically, by ¡he inclusion of unusual harmonies,
Kathryn Kalinak
The creation and persistence of female stereotypes in Hollywood film has been an issue
of particular interest to feminist film critics. One frequently overlooked component in the
process of stereotyping is th e function of the musical score. Usually regarded as merely in-
cidental or atmospheric, a film' s musical score can have a substanti act on the wa
the audience perceives ano responds to narrative n Wlt in a 11m. Because music
functlOnS su ¡mma y for most of the audience, it has been dismlssed as an important
structural element . In fact it is precisely because music works on a level that the audience
may ba rely be aware 0[, that affords it so much power to influence information perceived
on a more conscious plane.
An examination of scoring practices in Hollywood films reveals an intricate musical
language used ro characterize time and place, to fl esh out th ematic implicat ions, and ro
portray character. In particular, there dev~loped a body of musical conventions used ro
depict female sex uahty on th e screen. ~HI-t~ of instrumentation, melody, harmony,
and rhythm carne ro denote_certain tYPJ:.5-<lf.women. These musical stereotypes helped to
áet ermine thé- arrdi-eñce's res on evaluation of female cnaracters, a
signposts, ~lrected _ e audi ence t~wa ". rrect" estimation of a woman s character.
T he most obvlouSOf11'ieSemuslcal conventlons evo enote unacceptab le anaaE:
cepta ble modes of female sexual behavior. At one extreme was th e fallen woman (often a
prostitute) ; on the oth~r extreme was the virtu~us wife an.d mo.t her (or variation thereof,
such as sIster, or glrlfnend). M USICal codes WhlCh transffiltted mformation about femal e
characters' sexuality became familiar (either consciously ar subconsciously) to most au-
diences, and wielded a great deal of power in forming the audience's attitudes towards
them.
T he :a1len woman was characterized by a nucleus of musical practices which carried in-
decent ImplicatlOns through an association with so-called decadent musical forms such as
jazz, th e blues, honky-tonk , and ragtime. Instrumentally, the fallen woman was
76
chromaticism, and dissonance; rhythmically, by the use of dotted .rhythms and syncopa-
tion; and structurally, by the use of portamento and blues notes ~ \
The vinuous wife and mother, on the other hand, was characterized by musical prac-
tices with strong positive associations. Her instrument ation was orchestral, with lhe
violins usually carrying the melody; th e harmonies were lush, based on late nineteenth -
century models; the rhythms were even and lyrical; and the melodies oflen had an upward
move ment, or incJuded upward leaps in the melodic paltern.
One of the clearest examples of musical stereotyping on the basis of sexualilY can be
found in John Ford's THE INFORMER (RKO, 1935), scored by Max Steiner. The story con-
cerns the dim-witted but well-meaning Gypo Nolan (Vicror McLaglen), who betrays his
friend, Irish rebelleader Frankie McPhillips, for th e sum of twenty pounds. The two ma-
jor female roles are Katie Madden (M argot Grahame), Gypo 's girl frie nd, and Mary
McPhillips (Heather Angel), Frankie's sister.
Katie is a prostitute . Her first appearance in the film suggests the nature of her pro fes-
sion. She is posed under a streetlight with a shaw l covering her head. As a dapper
gentleman passes by and gives her the eye, she dutifully lowers the shawl LO uncover her
shoulders and show her wares. The musical score provides information to dispel any
possible ambiguity. Katie's theme exemplifies almost all of the musical practices
associated with the fallen woman. Rhythmically, Katie's lheme is built around a dotted
rhythm combined with syncopation. Melodically, its opening phrase emph asizes a minor
third, which becomes the highpoint of the melody. Instrumentally, her theme IS
characterized by low strings, woodwinds, and brasses.
Katie's Theme
The set of conventions composers used for the depiction of female sexuality \Vas never
formaUy articulated, nor was it promulgated as an unalterable set of guidelines. However,
these conventions were so much a part of Hollywood's musical apparatus that an or-
chestrator would know implicitly what type of instrumentat ion wo uld be appropriate fo r
particular characters and situations. Thus, in the conducLOr's copy of the score fo r THE
INFORMER, there is a handwritten note next to Katie's theme (presumably from or-
chestraror Bernard Cauen) to composer/ conductor Max Steiner reading: "Dear Max: Try
it with solo sax[;] I think it will make more sense[.]'" Katie's theme, scored in thal se-
quence for the flute, an instrument with a clear, bright tone, usually associated with vir-
tuous women, was changed to the Eb alto saxophone, the archetypal instrument of sexual
promiscuity.
Although Katie is a fallen woman, she is also a kind-hearted and dependable character
who is loyal, forgiving, reliable, and self-sacrificing. In fact, the film even offers an ex-
planation / apology for her position: she has turned LO prostitution in arder to survive (she
has no money to pay the rent or buy food). Despite the many admirable traits in her per-
sonality and her destitute situation, she is placed solidly in the tradition of the fallen
woman by certain visual codes for her profession and by the music which accompanies
her. Ultimately, Katie is judged on the basis of her sexuality alone: the subliminal message
reflected in the music is that she is promiscuous (and as a consequence, cheap and vulgar).
Certain changes in instrumentation during the course of the film suggest the extent to
which her sexuality is a determining factor in her musical accompaniment. Katie's theme is
played throughout the film in the typical instrumentation of the fallen woman-wood-
winds, brasses, low strings-but when she begs for Gypo' s Jife (and suggests that she
would sacrifice herself for him), her theme is played in ¡he ennobling instrumentation
I 77