ICONIC MOVIE ACTRESSES AND HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER: EXPLORING COMPLEXITY
21st-century film analysis reasons that most of the female characters of that era exhibited symptoms of histrionic personality disorder (HPD).
The Golden Age of Hollywood, from the 1920s to the 1960s, was essentially a male-dominated industry.
However, the era saw a dramatic departure from the previously passive and submissive female roles—resulting in well-fleshed, strong, and complex female characters who challenged traditional gender roles.
However, recent film analysis shows that most of these iconic characters were not created kindly.
They reflected a suppressed misogyny, with many displaying characteristics of histrionic personality disorder (HPD).
Histrionic personality disorder is a mental health condition marked by emotional dysfunction and instability, a distorted self-image, and compulsive attention-seeking.
What is Histrionic Personality Disorder? Know in detail below!
Scarlett O'Hara from “Gone with the Wind” (1939), for example, is a histrionic personality whose excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior jeopardizes her relationships.
Blanche DuBois from “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951) appears highly prone to histrionics as she struggles to cope with city life.
Similarly, Daisy Buchanan from “The Great Gatsby” (1926)is crafted to be a fragile, damaged woman with histrionic characteristics, who constantly seeks affirmation from men in positions of power.
Both Norma Desmond from “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) and Margo Channing from “All About Eve” (1950) come across as delusional professional
performers who exhibit outbursts of grandiosity and self-pity, as well as fall victim to their own egos and ambitions.
Nonetheless, despite their flaws and unpleasant personality implications, these characters paved the way for future generations of intelligent, independent, and nuanced female characters in cinema.
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