What is this film about and what does it reveal about the 1970s? Pick a single theme and use at least two to three fully described scenes from the film as evidence to support your points. Make sure you connect the scenes you select to key ideas in your argument explaining what the film is about and what it reveals about the 1970s.
Saturday Night Fever is a film following Tony Manero, a nineteen year old from Brooklyn who is “king” of the local disco club and works at a paint store. Although Tony has great dance moves, his home life isn’t as awesome. He always fights with his father, and his family has a wonderful view of his brother, a catholic priest, even though he left the priesthood. When Tony sees Stephanie at the disco, he starts training with her for the club’s competition. Tony wants to date Stephanie, but Stephanie has bigger plans and therefore won’t give in to any of Tony’s advances. Meanwhile, Annette is pining after Tony — but she is unsuccessful in her attempts to get him to show an interest in her.
Saturday Night Fever is a story rich in insight surrounding ambition and desperation, while simultaneously depicting life within the working-class neighborhoods in America. The characters are ultimately motivated to succeed on the dance floor because it is a way for them to cope with their stressful, normal lives. Stephanie helps Tony realize there is more to life than trying to impress others. Even though we see Tony change, his treatment of Annette keeps the viewer grounded in terms of his true character. A new blend of masculine and feminine characterizes the male hero. This is displayed as an attempt by the filmmakers to give Tony the image, sharp dressing, and compassion of a woman. But, the filmmakers are successful in this only at the expense of the women who often get harsh treatment. For example, in a conversation with Annette, Tony says, “Are you a nice girl or are you a cunt?” and Annette replies, “Can’t I be both?” Tony’s answer to her question successfully displays the attitude towards females in this movie – “No. It's a decision a girl's gotta make early in life, if she's gonna be a nice girl or a cunt.” The fact that there is no middle ground, and the use of the word “cunt” as a descriptor, really shows the lack of care Tony takes when he speaks – or his lack of knowledge as to how degrading that term is.
The attitude towards sex in Saturday Night Fever, and subsequently the 1970s, is highlighted in this film. With a wider acceptance for birth control beginning in the 1960s, the idea of sex in the 70s is different from that of the generations before them. An example of this is when Double J finishes having sex with a girl, he asks her, “What did you say your name was?” – This attitude is still relatively new in the 70s. Another instance with Double J, Joey tells Tony, “Hey Tony, Double J's been in the car twenty-five minutes with some chick!” He then refers to him as a “selfish prick.” This newer attitude towards sex is something that society is still adjusting to — not necessarily the young, but definitely the old.
How are the three main female characters, Stephanie, Annette, and Tony’s mother represented in the film? What do you think each symbolizes about the 1970s, the past, and the future? Use at least three fully developed scenes to support your answer.
The three main female characters are represented in a somewhat vulnerable, negative light in the film. Stephanie lives in Brooklyn but works in the city and she dreams of moving to Manhattan. It is this goal that keeps her from dating Tony. Annette is a flirtatious girl that loves Tony outright and directly and indirectly tells him that throughout the film. Stephanie represents a girl of class – at least outwardly – whereas Annette is promiscuous with a good heart. Tony likes Annette because she’s a good dancer, but he has no desire to be with her, which frustrates Annette to no end. When Annette is trying to score with Tony, at one point she attempts to pick him up by showing him condoms. Annette and Tony are both kind of lost. Stephanie, on the other hand, is not nearly as sophisticated and put together as she claims to be. As the film progresses Tony begins to understand that Stephanie is basically just a lower class urban girl that is trying to be refined on the outside. She is an odd reflection of him and he sees that. Because of this, Tony begins to long for the lifestyle she has: one of respect and dignity.
The three main female characters are represented in a somewhat vulnerable, negative light in the film. Stephanie lives in Brooklyn but works in the city and she dreams of moving to Manhattan. It is this goal that keeps her from dating Tony. Annette is a flirtatious girl that loves Tony outright and directly and indirectly tells him that throughout the film. Stephanie represents a girl of class – at least outwardly – whereas Annette is promiscuous with a good heart. Tony likes Annette because she’s a good dancer, but he has no desire to be with her, which frustrates Annette to no end. When Annette is trying to score with Tony, at one point she attempts to pick him up by showing him condoms. Annette and Tony are both kind of lost. Stephanie, on the other hand, is not nearly as sophisticated and put together as she claims to be. As the film progresses Tony begins to understand that Stephanie is basically just a lower class urban girl that is trying to be refined on the outside. She is an odd reflection of him and he sees that. Because of this, Tony begins to long for the lifestyle she has: one of respect and dignity. Stephanie helps Tony want more from life – while Tony helps her work through her own issues. There is a quiet moment where the two of them look at the Brooklyn Bridge and Tony tenderly lectures Stephanie on every factual aspect of the bridge. The bridge is a symbol of his desire to make something of himself in the city, instead of being promiscuous and wasting his life.
Tony’s mother symbolizes the old-fashioned values still present in society – as the viewer is surrounded my images of an inherently sexual society. Tony’s mother favors his brother, the priest, even though he has left the priesthood. Her lack of understanding for Tony’s motivation to dance at the Disco, as well as his promiscuity, is a good depiction of most parents’ lack of knowledge in terms of their children’s sex lives. His mother favors his brother because he is depicted as saintly, and more wholesome, than Tony will ever be.
Is Tony a heroic character? Why is disco so important to him? Is he “interesting and intelligent”? Does Tony have a vision of the American Dream or is his character confused about what this means? Does he have a moral code? How does he and how does he not represent “typical” working class male culture in the 1970s? Use at least two fully developed scenes from the film to support your answer.
I think Tony is a mildly heroic character. The disco is important to him because it is an escape from his work at the paint shop, as well as an escape from Brooklyn and the societal expectations of life after adolescence. He is good at Disco — which ultimately makes him the “king” of the dance floor and his group of friends. I wouldn’t initially describe Tony as “interesting and intelligent” because of the way that he is depicted. Later on, after he develops a bond with Stephanie and realizes her goal (of getting out of Brooklyn) is something he aspires towards as well. His idea of the American Dream shifts from low expectations to the idea that more things are possible, that he can make something of his life. Stephanie is his inspiration at this point in the film – when he has a realization that he can do something better with his life. I think at the beginning of the film his character interprets the American Dream as staying in Brooklyn and continuing his life in a ‘typical’ manner.
He represents working class Americans because he feels as though his dream is out of reach, or any dream for that matter. But, after meeting Stephanie, he sees that he could make something of himself, and longs to do so. He is a “typical” working class male – a dominant one- within his group of friends. But he finds that he is good at something other than working — dancing. Through his new found talent for dancing, Tony finds his self confidence and his ambition to improve his life.
The opening scenes of the film accomplish three things. We hear the famous soundtrack, we see that this film is about the grittier portions of New York City, and the viewers know all about Tony. He moves paint cans around, indicating he is a low-paid, lightly educated employee. He eats pizza rather tactlessly, indicating his lack of sophistication. Tony doesn’t have enough money to buy a flashy shirt, flirts relentlessly, and charms his way out of awkward or compromising conversations.
Early in the movie, Tony has arrived a little late from his assignment — filling a customer’s paint order from a rival shop — irritating his good-natured boss, Mr. Fusco. But, Tony engineers a little boss-approved trickery to make a profit from an irritated customer. Then he makes friends with a different customer, and the shop is seen as a likable neighborhood establishment. But at the end of the day, Fusco closes the store with the heavy gate, which is very typical in many parts of big cities. The world is still a dangerous place. Fusco and Tony chat briefly about the future. “The future catches up with you,” he tells Tony. Even within all the hard work and gritty determination, Tony is destined to see the silver lining. The portrait of American life this movie portrays is that of hardworking Americans who just want to live a peaceful and happy life — but the young are distracted by the idea of the future and what plans they have for themselves.
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