Was Doris Day a feminist role model in mainstream film?

Question

She often played independent women with their own jobs and lives. What do you think?

Here is my theory: Doris was a non-threatenting woman to men and women. So she took roles where she was independent and had a real career. They add the layer of the virginal woman searching for a husband to cover the subversiveness of a strong working woman living alone. Except in the case of Calamity Jane of course.

Answer 1

I don't think she was a feminist role model at all.
I think she was the White Bread w/ Fluffer Nutter substitute that Americans could handle in the 60s. Sort of like Mary Tyler Moore..both characters were a little flaky, not too emotionally stable(remember all the "waaugh' tears) and very submissive to the men in their lives.
I was around 9-10 years old when Doris' movies and MTMs TV shows came on, and I remember thinking
"I am already tougher than they are".
How could a male be threatened by someone like that? The TV/Movie producers knew what they were doing--breaking people slowly into acceptance of the idea of a strong, truly equal woman. Lucille Ball fell into this category,too, by the way, only earlier. She spoke about it in several interviews and books.
Good question!
Good luck

Answer 2

A typical Doris Day film involved her in a lot of double entendrre sexual flirtations with a handsome leading man who was monomaniacly driven to get all up in that.

She steadfastly refuses to be compromised; she is saving it for marriage, and all that. She is so good that she refuses to ball this stunningly handsome guy, and then her reward is that he marries her and they go off to happly ball each other forever and as much as they please. A couple of "I do's" and then she does.

Was that a role modle? That was precisely when the sexual revo. was happening, and hit songs were like "I'm Into Something Good."

To top it all off, in her biography, little Doris confesses to laying a respectable number of partners on the Hollywood scene.

No, she was no role modle, but she was damn good little actress of the sort at the time. A top money maker.

Answer 3

Dunno ... but I love her movies and songs, "Don't eat the Daisies" (giggle). I wish I had more access to the movies ... I have quite forgot many of them.

Hmm ... my dad was a chavinist, but he loved Doris Day ... I'm confused now.