Vogues of 1938
Plot
The blueblooded Van Kletterings are broke; debutante Wendy, slated to remedy this by marrying rich bore Henry Morgan, instead leaves him at the altar and goes to work as a model for high-fashion clothing designer George Curson, whom she soon falls for. But he's happily married (at least on his side) and going into debt financing a show to please wife Mary's desire for stardom. Vindictive Morgan, jealous of George, hopes to hasten his ruin. Can the House of Curson be saved?
Overall Series Review
Categorical Breakdown
The narrative makes no reference to race, ethnicity, or intersectional hierarchy. Character conflict is purely based on class (old money versus new industry), personal character, and financial standing. The film’s casting is homogeneous and authentically reflective of the film industry's practices in 1937, with no indication of forced diversity or vilification of any immutable characteristic.
The film does not express any hostility toward Western civilization, American heritage, or its institutions. The setting is New York City's glamorous Fifth Avenue fashion world, which is depicted as a place of ambition and elegance, suggesting admiration for the culture it portrays. The problems are personal and financial, not civilizational.
Wendy's decision to leave a financially advantageous marriage for a career as a model is a minor push toward female independence. However, her ultimate goal shifts from career to marrying the man she loves, who is an accomplished professional. The narrative critiques the professional ambition of George Curson's first wife, Mary, whose pursuit of stardom is depicted as selfish, contributing to her husband's ruin. The film ultimately resolves in a traditional pairing, suggesting a low score, but the initial jilting of the fiancé lifts it slightly above the floor.
The story strictly adheres to the normative structure of a 1937 Production Code-era romance. All romantic and marital conflicts revolve around a traditional male-female pairing. The nuclear family structure and heterosexuality are the unquestioned standard of the world presented. There is no presence of queer theory, gender ideology, or deconstruction of the family.
Religion is not a theme in the movie. The only mention of a religious institution is in the context of the abandoned wedding, where 'the poor old dodo who was left waiting at the church' is referenced. Faith is neither celebrated nor demonized. The morality presented is a subjective, character-driven ethics focused on business integrity and romantic commitment, but without any explicit hostility toward or discussion of objective spiritual truth.