Bigger Than Life: An Examination of Gender and Family Structure in the 1950s

Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life is an intriguing examination of both gender roles and the family structure in 1950s America. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is that this examination does not take place within characters of the separate sexes, but instead it occurs within a singular character. Not only that, this singular character is male and not female who are the usual vehicles for such an  exploration into domestic and gender difficulties. Though this may be the case, Rays focus on the male and not the female is perhaps more effective in this instance.

            The film revolves around the character of Ed Avery, a family man and schoolteacher who discovers that he has a terminal illness that can only be cured by a new “miracle” drug. Though this drug is effective at keeping the disease at bay it also gives Ed mood swings that constantly affect his reasoning and emotions. It is here that Ray begins to introduce the idea that the character of Ed is in fact an amalgam of the idea of the American house wife during the 1950s. The first indication of this is present in the mise en scène of the Avery household. The house is decorated with several banners from all over the world. These banners from Venice, Rome and the like suggest a loss of freedom. The freedom of a single life style, one unconstrained by the duties and obligations of running a family

            Another indication Ed  represents the opposite sex is that he occupies the position of schoolteacher, a position that is more often than not dominated by the female gender. Interesting the position of schoolteacher and the suggestion of a loss of freedom are motifs present at the start of the film before the character begins to take the drugs which is a further indication that housewives suppress their true emotions to be the adoring wives for their husbands.

            Though, after Ed begins to take the drug it is interesting to note that it is not only his feminine traits that get accentuated, but also his male ones. Thus the character becomes a microcosm of the problems facing domestic life in the 1950s. This is indicated through Ed’s constant mood swings, at one moment he is the representation of an overbearing mother, and the next a domineering father. As the film concludes there is an indication that though these extreme mood swings can be controlled, by not using the drug the emotions still remain just underneath the surface, ready to boil over at any time.