The hottest new women's fashions hang loosely on the emaciated frames of super models as young as 13 on the fashion runways of Paris and Milan. A pound or two less, and these young women would qualify for MCC canned beef.
For most North American women, what they see on the fashion runways and in the public media does not equal what they see in the mirror. Fully 80% say they do not like how they look. Many do not see themselves measuring up to the media's definition of beauty--a definition so unattainable that the average woman will be forced to spend dollars to colour her hair, highlight her cheekbones and redo the shape of her tummy.
The Mirror Has Two Faces, a movie by Barbra Streisand, dares ask the question, "What is beauty?" Streisand is one of Hollywood's fortunate few who is allowed to make personal statements in film. Streisand produced, directed, wrote the main love-theme music and starred in this film. It is her movie.
Streisand plays Rose, a college professor living with her aging, formerly glamorous mother, Hannah (Lauren Bacall). In her younger years, Hannah met society's expectations of beauty by playing living jewellery to her handsome husband. As she has aged, it has become more difficult to keep up the charade. Rose, on the other hand, considers herself frumpy. Hannah constantly criticizes Rose, reminding her that she needs a husband, should change her hair and wear makeup. (Regarding makeup, Rose asks, "Why? It would still be me, only in colour.")
Through a newspaper ad placed by Rose's beautiful sister, Claire (Mimi Rogers), Rose meets Gregory (Jeff Bridges), a math professor burned once too often by romantic relationships. Now, he wants a platonic relationship devoid of the mess created by passion or love. Rose finds herself drawn to this man, and she agrees to his unconventional marriage proposal. Of course, they find a platonic marriage impossible to maintain; both discover a new emotional side to themselves.
We all like films that reflect our own beliefs, and on many counts this one does not disappoint. Monogamous marriage is assumed. Fidelity is maintained. Both passionless marriages and marriages built on nothing but passion are lampooned.
But the most interesting feature of this film is the serious questions it raises about beauty. Near the end of the movie, Rose sits with her mother, and they engage in real conversation. Hannah's beauty is past, and her self-identity remains locked in her youth. It pains Hannah to see Rose waste the few precious years of youth when beauty can be enjoyed.
Hannah hands Rose a picture of Rose as a beautiful child--a picture Rose mistakenly believes to be her beautiful sister. When Hannah confirms the picture is of Rose, Rose finally acknowledges that she was beautiful. Transformation begins at that moment, as exercise and makeup make Rose into an attractive wife.
The success of this film rides on how you will answer this question: Will Rose be any different from Hannah when Rose is Hannah's age? The film doesn't answer this for you. If you see Rose as a mirror image of Hannah, Streisand fails in her task. If you see Rose as discovering an inner beauty that overrides her mother's definition of beauty, then the film succeeds in seriously challenging the media's representation of beauty.
If you decide to see the movie, be aware that there are a few profanities and a fair amount of discussion about sex. But it will be one of the tamer films you will see that still deals intelligently with a serious topic.
Burton Buller is executive director of MB Communications.
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