In the 1939 film, Curley’s wife is given the name May, but in the book and the 1992 film she is just referred to as Curley’s wife- which gives you the impression that she is owned by Curley, and is not a person, just an object. Another indication that women aren’t as important as men.
In the 1939 extra scene May stands up for herself. When she hears Curley saying bad things about her she marches up to him and confronts him about what he said, and how all he thinks about is giving people the ‘one two’. I think he keeps threatening people because he’s not so sure of himself and because he’s lonely, as he doesn’t get on with any of the other workers, so he feels he has to make sure he keeps his wife- or else he really will be alone, yet she doesn’t appear scared of him, unlike in the 1992 extra scene. When Curley comes in and catches George with his wife, in the 1992 scene, he instantly goes to question George, then his wife after that, which he also does in the 1939 scene with the worker, which shows that he doesn’t trust his wife and how he thinks women are second best.
In the 1992 film she says to Curley, “You don’t own me” and she wants people to know she means it, though she is unsure if she means it herself and easily gives in when Curley tells her to go home.
In both of the extra scenes Curley’s wife is more relaxed- she is more herself when Curley’s not around, maybe because she knows if Curley was there he’d be putting her down whatever she did. However, in the 1939 extra scene she is trying to keep herself to herself, whereas in the 1992 extra scene she is flirtatious and doesn’t like being on her own. Curley brings out the worst in his wife- like he does with everyone.
The 1939 extra scene is similar to the 1992 final scene. The way May plays with the puppy is just like Lennie did in the 1992 film. They are both sensitive, and are both lonely too, because they’re always ordered around by somebody else and told what to do, just like a little child is. They are brought together by a dead puppy in their final scene together. Also the way May talks to Curley in the 1939 extra scene is like the way she talked about him to Lennie in the 1992 scene.
The 1939 extra scene is added to try to show you that Curley’s wife is sweet and innocent and that people have got the wrong idea about her. It shows you the kind of life she has with Curley and what she has to put up with and this makes you feel sorry for her. The 1992 extra scene, on the other hand, has been added to show you that the people on the ranch have got the right idea about her, that she’s pushy and up for anything. It gives you the impression she’ll do anything she can to get what she wants.
Both films have the same final scene, when Curley’s wife flirts with Lennie and he accidentally kills her, but they are acted out differently- because of when they were filmed. In 1939 they weren’t able to show some of the things that the 1992 film could show.
The 1939 final scene starts with Curley’s wife running away. The reason why she’d want to run away is shown in the 1939 extra scene, by the way Curley treats her and how everyone on the ranch has got the wrong idea about her. Her character is very similar to Lennie- and you feel sorry for both of them because it isn’t their fault. She has come back to the barn to get her puppy, which she had forgotten, when she notices Lennie, although she doesn’t get as close to him as she does in 1992. In this scene she starts talking to him through the slats, and the camera angle makes it look like she’s in prison. Also, when she starts talking he doesn’t try to hide- unlike Lennie in 1992.
The 1992 final scene starts off by showing you the brightness of outside where the men are playing their game, and then it takes you into the darkness of the barn. The whiteness of Curley’s wife’s dress also stands out in the darkness and gives an eerie feeling, like a ghost or spirit appearing, as they are normally associated with white, so this could be a sign of what’s about to happen, especially as Curley’s wife normally wears bright coloured dresses. It shows you the dead puppy and a close up of Lennie. Then it shows Curley’s wife creeping up behind him, which he doesn’t notice until she speaks.
When she does speak, Lennie instantly jumps up and tries to hide because he thinks if Curley’s wife can’t see him, then she’ll forget he’s there. He also knows Curley’s wife is said to be trouble. This makes Curley’s wife angry and she gets up and walks away from him.
In the 1939 and 1992 scene, Curley’s wife can see she needs to find something to encourage Lennie to talk to her, so cleverly starts him talking about his dead puppy.
Lennie and Curley’s wife both start to talk about their dreams. Although they’re both sharing private things- that most people don’t know about them, they don’t really take much notice of each other, because there’re so wrapped up in their own dreams. Also, in the 1939 scene they don’t actually look at each other, and Lennie doesn’t even notice the pose she’s doing.
Curley’s wife turns into a totally different person when she’s talking in the 1992 scene. She uses a softer, dreamier voice and she enjoys being the centre of attention- like an actress would do. She also seems happy. But when she starts to talk about Curley her voice turns sour, and face looks sad again. This scene uses a lot of over the shoulder shots.
In the 1939 scene she doesn’t only tell of her dreams, but of her violent father as well, and how she feels no-one cares for her. This makes you feel sorry for her. By the different actions and different stories it gives you totally different ideas about Curley’s wife.
Curley’s wife seems pleased when Lennie talks about liking to touch soft things and she gladly offers for him to feel her hair- maybe because she’s never had anybody appreciate her before. In the 1992 scene, it shows Lennie and Curley’s wife in the same shot while Lennie strokes her hair, and they even look into each other’s eyes, but in the 1939 scene, it uses reverse shots- it never shows both of them in the same shot, because that would have seemed inappropriate in 1939.
Her joy soon turns to panic when she can’t persuade Lennie to let go. She’s seen what Lennie’s capable of when he crushed Curley’s hand and she can’t understand what she’s done to make him go like that.
Then in the 1939 scene the camera suddenly goes to her feet and you see them go lifeless. The film doesn’t actually show her face- or how the death happens, because that would also have seemed inappropriate in 1939.
But in the 1992 scene it shows Lennie shaking her and you see her whole body go limp. He shakes her because he’s angry with her. Maybe because she isn’t responding he thinks she doesn’t understand what he’s trying to say, which frustrates him- just like the puppy, and after her death he acts exactly like he did when he killed the puppy.
Also, in the 1992 film, as soon as Curley’s wife is dead, a pigeon starts flapping, and then flies off the beams in the barn and escapes, and I think it reminds Lennie of what George had told him- that if anything bad happens he must escape off the ranch. I also think it has a deeper meaning aswell, and that it symbolises Curley’s wife who is finally free from Curley, and the ranch.
Curley’s wife is portrayed differently in the 1939 and the 1992 films, because of the attitudes of society, and the people who would watch the film.
In the 1939 scenes, she’s showed to be an innocent young woman, with a dream of finding fame and fortune. In the 1992 scenes, she’s shown to be pushy, sexually aggressive and unfaithful, a character that deserves what she gets.
