Movies during the Great Depression were outlets that the American people used to escape the daily hardships and struggles of their lives. During this time period, three genres emerged and flourished: comedy, musical, and gangster film. Each genre depicted life during the Great Depression in different but similar ways. Watching the films, you can see that money played an important role in the plot. Justice and law are also recurring themes. The treatment and representation of women in these films is also an interesting aspect to study and observe. Women's rights were still a hot issue, and it's clear from watching films like "Room Service," "The Public Enemy" and "Gold Diggers of 1937." The film "Room Service" is a comedy film. directed by William Seiter with the Marx Brothers, Lucille Ball and Ann Miller. The film is based on men who want to put on a show, but have no one willing to give them money and support the show. Their living arrangement is a hotel that believes they will be paid back all the money the men ask for. Unbeknownst to the hotel manager, the men are completely broke. The hotel manager tries to kick them out when he realizes he will never see the money they owe, but cheating ensues to the point where they fake illness and eventually death. The show goes off with few hiccups and the hotel manager faints due to the stress of these men. Lucille Ball's character, Christine Marlowe, helps men and, in the end, she is the one who provides them with support. Interestingly, Christine is the only one in the film who has a steady job and has one of the most important roles. Unlike Christine, Ann Miller... middle of paper... charms to get the benefits of her boyfriend or husband's riches. This makes women seem conniving but also helpless without a man. The Depression era was chaotic and harmful for most Americans, but it was also a time of growth in a sense. Women playing major roles in films during this period was becoming increasingly common. However, women were seen in many different ways. In “Room Service,” women were seen as influential and hard-working individuals, but they were also highly involved and dependent on love. In "Public Enemy", women were seen as something that could be thrown away when they were no longer useful, and finally in "Gold Diggers of 1937", women were seen as devious and intelligent people who would do anything they had to do. do to achieve your goals. These contrasting views of women show depth and diversity in a dark and sad time period.