DS Day of the Outlaw

In the film Day of the Outlaw, women are both objectified and seen as in need of protection. There are only four women in town, and when Bruhn and his outlaws come to town the main task set by the men in town is to protect the women. The outlaws view the women as objects of sex and entertainment, and persistently challenge the captain's orders of leaving the women alone. The audience views the roles of two women in particular, Helen and Ernine, in very distinct ways; each represents differing views of women. Helen is weak and submissive, shown through offering herself to Blaise as a means to the end of saving the life of her husband. In effect she is objectifying herself, representing a terrible weakness of women. Conversely, Ernine is more strong willed and confident. She constantly disobeys the men in the town, seen through her attempt to take Bobby as far away from the corruptive influence of being near the outlaws. Also, at the "social," she never submits to kissing any of the outlaws, whereas Helen is unable to fend off a ravenous man. Ernine represents a stronger view of women.

When observing the decade in which this film was made, as well as the life story of the director Andre de Toth. For one, the decade gave rise to the barbie doll, providing a perfect model for which women to base themselves off of and compare to. At the same time, the issues of women's rights was also at the forefront. Both of these cultural influences show the dichotomous view of women at the time, with Helen representing the perfect barbie doll object of a woman and Ernine representing the further boiling of women's rights. It is also worth looking at what influences the director's life may have had in influencing the portrayal of women. Andre de Toth was married seven times, and fathered in the are of 19 children. It's obvious to infer from de Toth's marital life that he views women almost as interchangeable, evidenced by the ridiculous number of seven marriages.