MovieChat Forums > Four Wives (1939) Discussion > Ann's Pregnancy?

Ann's Pregnancy?

posted 15 years ago by clarity4831
6 replies | jump to latest

Was anyone else a tad bit confused by Ann's pregnancy? In the scene where she tell's Felix that she wants him to go to New York, she doesn't look a BIT pregnant. Not an extra ounce of weight around her mid-section (and yes, I realize some women may have worn corsets back then...but she should have at LEAST looked a bit rounded in her stomach region). So skip scenes to when Felix gets on the train (which I *assume* was only the next day or so according to their prior conversation) and leaves and Ann runs after him and ends up collapsing and going into labor. How is it that she ends up delivering a relatively healthy baby? They said the baby needed a transfusion but that was it. For someone who CLEARLY didn't look pregnant to have a healthy baby of that size is pretty amazing. And even if SOMEhow she was an extremely early premie, I seriously doubt they would have had the knowledge to save the baby. Anyway -I was just going to ignore this and let it slide, but it just bothered me so much that I HAD to add a post about it.

"By the sea Mr. Todd that's the life I covet. By the sea Mr. Todd, oh I know you'd love it."

[–] jdavis90268 14 years ago

It was not usual in those days to show a woman as pregnant in the movies.

[–] Lias 14 years ago

Watching it now. The times have to be taken into account, so all is forgiven but even then people must have been laughing a bit. She doesn't look a bit pregnant but she has a baby that looks 3 months old. And in the wedding scene, all the babies - the adopted one, Ann's, and the twins - all look nearly the same size though the adopted one looked to be at least 8 months old before any of the other babies were born and the twins had to be months younger than Ann's baby since their mother didn't know she was pregnant till she had actually finalized the adoption and brought the baby home.

But it doesn't matter. Claude Raines and May Robson are in this movie. That buys a "pass" for certain things as far as plot. And the Lane sisters are sparklers.

[–] afsnowbird 14 years ago

I think the Hayes Office had some kind of rule regarding how pregnancy should be shown. Some of the movies around this era, ("A Child Is Born", "Blondie's Blessed Event"), even had women who were nine months pregnant and about to deliver, looking as flat as a pancake! It wasn't until the 1940's and 1950's that expectant mothers were allowed to look somewhat pregnant -- and this was usually suggested by having them wear loose or oversized clothes.

[–] jennylynmasters 9 years ago

I do not remember an actress looking pregnant in any movies of that era, however I have seen women a couple of weeks before their due date that hardly looked pregnant at all. It must have something to do with how much the internal organs can be squished to accommodate the baby. Also the doctor did say the baby was premature.

[–] mdonln 8 years ago

I don't think people ever even used the word pregnant in a movie. They always said that someone was going to have a baby or they would use some other euphemism or clever way to get that point across.

The realism we seem to need in today's movies wasn't always that big a focus in the early days of cinema. People knew and accepted that when they went to see a movie they were entering into a world of make-believe.

Also, most of the movies back then were appropriate for the entire family. Kids come tag along because the parents knew they wouldn't get a lot of questions. The movies worked for young children as well as adults. The viewer's level of knowledge determined how much they actually were able to understand.

Some kids might have seen their mom's pregnant but a lot of others may not have understood why all of a sudden the woman 'got fat'. The more inquisitive children would probably want to know right away and ask their parents. I'm sure theater owners wouldn't have appreciated the chatter.

Personally, I don't think the lack of a baby bump was that big a deal. Those of us who understand the gestational process realize they were taking shortcuts. I don't think showing an expanding belly would have added anything important to the telling of the story; just as not showing one didn't take anything away.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] Popcorngal (4349) a year ago

They had incubators in the 40's.