I watched MGM’s 1948 musical “Easter Parade” last night with Clara. She’s into musical theater and I was curious about the theme of unrequited love. Indeed, the movie’s characters are linked by a chain of unrequited yearning: Don is heartbroken over his ex Nadine, who has the hots for Johnny, who falls for Hannah, who loves Don. Hannah, the female lead played by Judy Garland, eventually secures Don’s love. In the movies, of course, unrequited love nearly always transforms into mutual love.
What’s interesting is the gender role reversal that takes place for Hannah to cement Don’s affection. Hannah and Don have a falling out because Don consented to dance with Nadine. Don insists he’ll wait outside her door until she forgives him, but then he gets kicked out by her apartment’s security guy (though really Don doesn’t give much of a fight to stay). The next morning, Hannah is distraught and hasn’t slept a wink. Don, as Johnny reports, is still snoozing peacefully. Johnny urges her to confess her love. “It’s different for a man!” she protests. “Why?” Johnny asks. He’s all but telling her to man up and win Don (played by Fred Astaire, who can dance like anyone’s business but has no sexual charisma whatsoever), who’s something of a wimp (femme?). Hannah goes all out. She sends him a bunny, a Happy Easter cake, and a top hat with a darling pink bow. Then she sweeps into his apartment, telling Don he’s “gonna be late” for the Easter Parade. “Aren’t you ready yet? Just like a man!” she sniffs. He puts on his ribboned hat. She appraises him in a low voice. “Very nice.” Then she launches into the Easter Parade song: “Never saw you look/quite so pretty before.” They strolled Fifth Avenue and pose for photographers. He pulls out a ring. She’s finally won him for good.
Self-help books make it seem as if women have to play it coy and let themselves be chased in order to win love. But in this classic musical, a subversive twist? See also: Some Kind of Wonderful, Twelfth Night.