SSC Film Studies

How does the way men are represented in get carter reflect the time in which it was made

In the "swinging sixties" the Pill was released, and was supposed to liberate women sexually, however this was not the case, as it instead, made men become more dominant, as with use of the pill Men could have sex with more women with less consequence, and view women as nothing more that objects of pleasure. 

The myth in the sixties was that women were becoming liberated all over Britain, however this is not true, as it only really happened, in main towns such as London. The scenes with Edna reinforce this fact, as the film is set in Newcastle, and she is an independent, hard working woman, until men arrive in her home. Carter only sees her as an object of pleasure, and a source for food and shelter. when he arrives Edna becomes a domestic woman, which is what men saw women as in the sixties. once she is done bringing him food and tea, he uses her for sex. "I know you wear purple underwear," he is basically saying, that he can ruin her career, if she doesn't have sex with him. after he has sex with her, we literally never see or hear from her again, this further reinforces the fact that women were seen as nothing more that objects of pleasure, as he has sex with her, then forgets her. 

Annas phone sex scene in the film is another perfect example of women being used as nothing more that sexual objects in the sixties, as the only purpose she is in the film is to please Carter, and The spectators of the movie. in the scene we see Carter pleasure her through the phone, but we also get to see her naked. this is just to reinforce the fact that men only saw women as objects, as we the audience see her,but Carter doesn't. when she says, "I'll come sunday," and Carter retorts, "no wait until Tuesday when i return," he means the sexual innuendo for an orgasm, and is saying that she can't have one without him, this reflects the time in which it was mad, as because the women were becoming more liberated, they could start doing things for themselves and men started to feel threatened, therefore Carter would feel threatened if she can give herself an orgasm without him. 

The scene between Carter and Margaret reflects the time in which i was mad perfectly, as we see Carter use Margret, for nothing more that an object to get Kinnear. first we see Carter tell Margaret to undress, this is not necessary at all, it is simply for Carters pleasure, we see the scene via P.O.V of Carter, therefore we are being forced to view Margaret, and all women as nothing more than sexual objects. Carter then injects her with Heroin to kill her. the significance of the heroin is that, in the sixties, men would use heroin on women, so that they could pimp them out to other men, and if they refuse, they would take the heroin away from them, as punishment; so he uses the Heroin to get back at kinnear, because this was the business that Kinnear was running. Therefore, Margaret was just an object to ensnare Kinnear, and nothing more.

In the same scene we see Kinnear at a party, surrounded by women, again the women aren't necessary, but in the sixties having lots of women represented a mans power and status. all the women in Kinnear's house are just sitting around, doing nothing, this show women as being nothing more than decorations to men. 

so in conclusion, The sixties states that Women were becoming more liberated throughout Britain, and that men were starting to view them as equals; but this film challenges this myth by stating that men only viewed Women as sources of sex, food, water and shelter; basically viewed women as domestic beings that would do anything for men.