First of all I think any man on that day would have jumped on her offer. She had land and money and could cook and give him children. So what if she was bossy. Women didn't have much power back then. The,suicide didn't make sense. She,was dedicated to those women why not see that out?
shareNot every man. Remember that guy who picked up the runaway early on? He would have. Those eager men were represented here in this movie. I was in a very short lived relationship with a girl I wasn't particularly attracted to, and I had no interest in having sex with her even when she wanted to. I wouldn't even say she was ugly either. I think that whole thing with men wanting to have sex with anything with two legs is an untrue stereotype.
shareShe would have been a prize. It's not just about sex and looks. Not in this situation. Though there would have been plenty willing for that too. Wasn't easy getting sex in those days. Prostitute or wife.
She could work beside a man and provide a comfortable home and cook great meals. She would have been snatched up.
I mean really, all these men had the ability to attract women who are used to comfort and have never worked hard a day in their life? What were they expecting?
A woman that speaks her mind and does not cowtow to social constraints of the time would have put many men (and women) off. That was the only thing keeping her unwed, her unwillingness to conform to the female underclass of the time.
shareI don't agree. A lot of men who chose this hard life would not find have a problem with a strong woman. In fact it would be desirable.
What good is a woman who breaks? As it is, in reality, many male homesteaders could not handle the harshness of that life either. There was a very high rate of failure.
As for Mary,She also displayed many traditional skills expected of a woman...keeping a comfortable, clean home, cooking and baking very well (very hard in those circumstances), wearing nice dresses, social skills, and a love of music.
Men in the west were oftentimes more progressive then their eastern counterparts even supporting the vote for women before other men did.
While I strongly agree with your PoV re: the reality of the overwhelming value of Mary B. Cuddy as a wife/partner on the frontier or in the big city I don't think that was what the film was trying to convey.
While she was seen by a few men for what she was (a strong, resourceful, intelligent woman the equal or better of any man) the film repeatedly showed how her attitudes and actions set her apart from the rest of society.
Whether it was offering to take the women to the church or stopping the journey to properly bury and stranger's child she did things her way and everyone else be damned. I can appreciate that kind of grit and tenacity, but back then (and even today) that kind of attitude from a woman will put a lot of people off; especially potential suitors.
Couple that with her design as a rather plain looking woman in the film and I think it is clear that her lack of marriage proposals was the result of who and how she was. The best part was that I think she was aware of this and despite how badly she wanted to be married she was unwilling (or incapable) of changing who she was.
Kudos to her.
I realize the film was portraying her as being undesirable.
But like most films, they are not true portrayals of reality. I'm only saying that in real life, things would be different and she would be highly prized. I completely believe this. A woman who could provide such a comfortable home with good food and work beside a man as well would be a gem.
Not all men are threatened by a strong woman and western men in particular would see the advantages.
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*Sigh*
Yes. I know in the movie he wasn't into her.
My point is in real life, she would have been highly prized for many reasons.
Women didn't have much power back then? She had more power than the rest of that town put together. The only one who treated her like her equal was the pastor, and he would have deferred to her too. Would he have inquired into her husband job search in such a matter of fact way? Geez, I mentally added some dialogue. Well, Mary B, you're just going to have to break down and hire two hands and maybe get knocked up by a drifter. You're such a cheapskate, you and your little keyboard mat. Send back to New York for a husband, you can save up again.
shareShe didn't have that much power. She was respected, but not deferred to. She had to point a gun at the guy to let him take Briggs with her.
shareShe would have been a prize. It's not just about sex and looks. Not in this situation. Though there would have been plenty willing for that too. Wasn't easy getting sex in those days. Prostitute or wife.
She could work beside a man and provide a comfortable home and cook great meals. She would have been snatched up.
I mean really, all these men had the ability to attract women who are used to comfort and have never worked hard a day in their life? What were they expecting?
I find it ironic that Bob Giffin went "back East" to find a wife. A pretty, proper young maid raised up in parlor rooms and church socials who once on the wild Nebraska prairie for a winter or two could very likely end up like the 3 other wives/mothers in the movie. And he says "no" to a strong women who single-handedly managed her own farm rather successfully. Of course Mary Bee isn't pretty, proper or young....
shareI don't think he went back for a wife, just buggered off. And he wouldn't have gotten much of one with that little lump of cheese. The conversation between Mary Bee and the preacher, when she describes precisely what he has been doing, indicates the equipment used belonged to her, didn't it? He seems to have had a couple sheep, and that hovel. He wasn't too proud to marry Mary Bee, he was too lazy to have to keep up with her.
sharePerhaps her refusors felt unmanned. And what she was offering was a job, and no doubt she expected the same work ethic she had herself. As far as the 'plain ' business, that's a quick and easy way to diminish a woman.
shareThe book does go into more detail. Giffen in the book does say she is plain and bossy, and would most likely end up marrying some bright eyed woman with romantic views on the frontier and would go insane like the others.
George said that he worked on a farm for two years with a widower and her two kids. He worked hard and got solid food and didn't like the heavy labour of it all so he just left one day and never looked back.
He didn't want to do the same thing again with Cuddy. He also left the dragoons and didn't want to be tethered to one spot, as he likes his freedom.
Later on when he finds out the bank notes are worthless he regrets turning her down. If he did not they would be on their way back and he could just go have a hard working but simple life with her.
I don't buy that Swank is a woman either.
shareThis movie was some twisted mind game from a writer of today trying to write pornography for psychopaths ... it stunk.
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