Im writing a midterm paper for my race and gender in popular film and television class. The topic I chose is how film pits women against each other rather than unites them. Fatal Attraction was shown in class (the good wife vs the pyshcotic one night stand) and we are to chose another film to compare and contrast, so I chose Working Girl (The female executive vs the secretary) I also chose Working Girl because I can draw a nice comparison of the idea that women who choose career over family (Glenn Close and Sigourney Weaver) are punished by the system to be lonely and unwanted.

So my question is if anyone knows some good readings on this topic, or these films in paticular. Thanks.

good women vs women film is death becomes her

backlash by susan faludi talks about working girl and fatal attraction a lot in the movie chapter

if you've ever seen the john ford film 'mogambo' from 53 with clark gable, grace kelly, and ava gardner, the two women against each other emerges as a theme.

however, in that film, the good intentions of one of them ends up uniting them and resolving the film in a positive way for teh both of them. so it turns around. its not like they have a bitter hatred for each otther at any point though, its more of a passive competition despite their better judgement.

all about eve is another classic that is about woman vs. woman. that one is alot more bitter though. one of the characters has so little true humanity, though her false humanity appears very genuine in the beginning. very back-stabby.

so what conclusion are you to draw out of it? women vs women scenes are demeaning? good for society? sexist?

thank you.