The film “SNF” gained immense popularity in the 1970s, with many people admiring its music and lifestyle. Notably, two of the main characters were familiar faces from popular TV shows, specifically “Welcome back kotter” and “All my children”. This movie reflected the interests of the American people during that time. Despite major political events such as the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon’s resignation, most people chose to be distracted by this film and found solace in it. One particularly notable feature of “Saturday Night Fever” is its extensive use of mass marketing.
The film incorporates advertisements for Coca-Cola and Marlboro in every scene, indicating that the advertising frenzy we are currently experiencing may have started during the time of its production. Moreover, it capitalizes on the popular dance craze of that era by featuring continuous hits from youthful artists like the Bee Gees. Although enjoyable, the movie at times feels like a long television commercial. Nevertheless, its appealing music and talented cast contributed to its widespread popularity.
Regarding the film, I had various thoughts. To begin with, there is Tony, the protagonist, who possesses both a refined appearance and qualities commonly attributed to women. Nevertheless, this trait appears to negatively affect the female characters in the movie as they are treated harshly and not always given proper consideration. Furthermore, I observed how the main female character strives to achieve aspirations and objectives associated with belonging to a higher social class. These two aspects demonstrate a shift in societal roles that remains prominent even in contemporary American society.
The harmless components of innocence, like the music and dancing, mirror American society, as do the brutal aspects such as the two rape scenes in the film. The acceptance of violence and profanity in movies had only recently emerged. There is no sign of any censorship whatsoever, which would have been unacceptable only a few years earlier. This reveals another shift in American society, suggesting that people believed violence was a normal part of everyday life and that the traditional ways of Hollywood were adapting to reflect the current era.
Nowadays, it appears that the things we and our children encounter are progressively deteriorating. “Saturday Night Fever” effectively illustrates the changing definitions of success, the relationships between genders, and offers a powerful portrayal of how society has transformed in terms of social class, race, and sexual violence. Additionally, the movie sheds light on the challenges faced by the working-class community during that time period. Despite their strong familial bonds, they found it difficult to cope with the constant pressures of urban life.
The father, who is supposed to be the head of the family, has been unemployed for over six months while working as a construction worker. Meanwhile, Tony secures a job at a local family-owned hardware store and initially enjoys his role. He even receives a promotion. However, Tony eventually realizes that being a salesperson does not offer him the exciting future he desires.
In the movie, older employees receive scoldings from their boss and visually striking lectures about Tony’s future. The film does not portray any social or class connections among its characters regarding their employment predicament.
The family’s financial collapse is not apparent visually, only through dialogue. Tony’s mother, who was a stay-at-home mom with no work experience except for being a “house maker,” brings up the idea of looking for a job cautiously to her husband. This contrasts sharply with Stephanie, a working girl in New York City who takes pride in her job. Tony’s mother is more concerned about not upsetting her husband than being broke. The film subtly portrays the worsening recession of that period without spoiling the overall theme.
The film highlights the impact of unemployment on the working class and its detrimental psychological consequences. It primarily aims to depict the working class as having a pathway for liberation. Gilbert (117) asserts that declining wages among working-class men have resulted in increased dependence on women’s earnings within their families. Nevertheless, Saturday Night Fever also showcases a glamorous aspect that contrasts with its portrayal of working class society.
While in the club, average individuals can be just as influential. The dance floor becomes a social environment, distancing from “the real world,” and success is determined by dancing skills rather than wealth. The appealing aspect of this is that it allows regular people in unfamiliar places to gain power. By the end of Saturday Night Fever, Tony realizes that the only way to escape his monotonous life in Brooklyn is to move to Manhattan for a chance at upward mobility. In the popular film, Tony Manero refers to his friends in Brooklyn as “assholes back there” before embarking on his journey to Manhattan (Cowie, Page 17). Chauvinism, both patriotic (Italian American) and sexual, is a prominent characteristic of the film. Saturday Night Fever pushes the boundaries of acceptability in terms of profanity, using racial and sexual language that was deemed outrageous at the time but has since become normalized in everyday life.
This raises the question of whether the current street slang will be portrayed in future movies, after 40 years. Within the film, there are scenes that depict the racial tensions during that time period. One example is when tony and his friends seek retribution on a Puerto Rican gang. In the process of vandalizing the club belonging to the Puerto Rican gang, Tony and his friends are beaten up. The following day, they discover they had targeted the wrong gang. The expressions on Tony and his friends’ faces convey a sense of foolishness regarding their violent actions, making them appear immature.
Although Tony is involved in two instances of rape, he successfully presents himself as a non-villainous character. In the initial occurrence, he is hit in the groin, and in the subsequent incident, he witnesses a rape but does not intervene, merely displaying a saddened expression. While Saturday Night Fever does not fully encapsulate life in the 1970s, its portrayal of characters and writing effectively represents the challenges experienced by the working class.
Works Cited
The text includes the titles and publication information for two books: “The American Class Structure in an Age of Growing Inequality” by Dennis Gilbert and “Stayin’ Alive: The 1970s and the Last Days of the Working Class” by Jeffrson Cowie. The publication dates and publishing companies are also provided.
