Representation Of Women In Get Carter

How do representations of women in Get Carter reflect the time in which it was made?

The 60's were a time of liberation and freedom for women as they fought for equality and changes were made, women were being treated as equals to men, started going into higher education as more women became part of the workforce but Get Carter reflects a different view of women's liberation. Get Carter is set in 1971 but it holds late 50's ideologies of women and it seems the 60's liberated women are nowhere to be found and that nothing has changed, every female character in Get Carter is used and thrown away when they no longer serve a purpose to Carter or the other males in the film.

The character of Edna is shown in her home throughout the film and is never seen outside of it, showing that men believe that a woman's place is at home. Women are also represented as passive as Carter tells Edna what to do in her own home and she agrees to whatever he says even though she protests she still ends up complying to his wishes, for example in once scene she threatens to call the police on Carter to which he replies 'No you wont' so she doesn't because he told her not to. Edna is shown to be thought of as an object by Carter as many of the shots of her are close ups focusing on her body, for example when they first meet we are shown a shot of her walking up the stairs that is focused on her backside, showing that sex is the first thing Carter thinks of when he meets her.

Get Carter is a perfect example of the Visual Pleasure and Narrative Theater aka 'Male Gaze' theory by Laura Mulvey as the character of Anna portrayed by the then famous Britt Ekland as her character serves no real narrative purpose, she is there to entertain and please Carter as well as the male audience. This proves that nothing has changed in the way of women being treated and seen as equal to men as this would not be in the film if they didn't think that this is what men wanted to see.

Glenda is a character that does serve a narrative purpose but is still used and thrown away when she has nothing else to offer Carter. When are first shown Glenda she is surrounded by men, dressed provocatively and is ordered around by Kinnear and is only spoken to when Kinnear wants her to do something for him. Glenda portrays women as obedient servants to men who are there to be seen and not heard. After Carter has slept with her and gotten the information about Doreen he needed from her he no longer cares about what happens to her and lets her die, showing that carter views women as a way to entertain himself and gain information and they are no use to him when he is done so they are disposable.