Sociopolitical Subtext in "Catwoman's Dressed to Kill"

[LittleLouisGroovy]

Recently, while watching the "Catwoman's Dressed to Kill" episode, I picked up on what I thought was an interesting moment of social commentary. In the opening scene, when Catwoman interrupts the award ceremony, she turns to the attendees and says, "You ladies with your fancy hairdos! What do you know about beauty?" It struck me as a powerful moment -- an African-American woman confronting a group of rich, white, society women about the notion of beauty. I then began to think about possible backstories for Kitt's Catwoman, that she was made to feel unattractive because she didn't conform to a white standard of beauty, and was driven to crime as a way of coping with life in a racist society. I imagined her anger at the injustices she experienced and her desire to avenge herself, to take what was unfairly denied her because of the color of her skin. I also thought about Kitt's background, the racism she must have encountered in her life, and how that would have informed her approach to the character.

I know that the third season is considered the "fluffiest" of the seasons, and that I could be reading far more into that scene than what is really there, but the scene did have a strong impact on me and I'm wondering if others picked up on this.

[Dr. Shimel]

Ironically, a month after that episode was first shown, Eartha caused a huge stink by insulting Lady Bird Johnson regarding Vietnam--at a White House luncheon, no less. The outburst essentially got her blacklisted for the next decade.

[mattman]

Perhaps there was another underlining factor apart from time (single episodes/time constraints) as to why Batman and Catwoman don't seem to have the same chemistry / romantic innuendos that the Julie Newmar stories highlighted

[dell]

Recently, while watching the "Catwoman's Dressed to Kill" episode, I picked up on what I thought was an interesting moment of social commentary. In the opening scene, when Catwoman interrupts the award ceremony, she turns to the attendees and says, "You ladies with your fancy hairdos! What do you know about beauty?" It struck me as a powerful moment -- an African-American woman confronting a group of rich, white, society women about the notion of beauty. I then began to think about possible backstories for Kitt's Catwoman, that she was made to feel unattractive because she didn't conform to a white standard of beauty, and was driven to crime as a way of coping with life in a racist society. I imagined her anger at the injustices she experienced and her desire to avenge herself, to take what was unfairly denied her because of the color of her skin. I also thought about Kitt's background, the racism she must have encountered in her life, and how that would have informed her approach to the character.

I know that the third season is considered the "fluffiest" of the seasons, and that I could be reading far more into that scene than what is really there, but the scene did have a strong impact on me and I'm wondering if others picked up on this.

It's hard to say what the intent of her outburst is supposed to signify since we get no further details on it. I must admit that I had similar thoughts about her lines, but I have never thought about them in as much detail as you have.

I don't want this to sound sexist, but even back in the sixties I can't imagine too many people who saw her in that catsuit wouldn't think she was drop dead gorgeous, so maybe the writer was just being sarcastic. Aren't the other women in the scene not really all that attractive? (It has been a while since I have seen this episode)

At the time I didn't appreciate her take on Catwoman as much as I do now. I purrfrerred Julie in the role when I was a kid and still do today. However, you can tell Eartha sure had a ball playing Catwoman as she chews up the scenes as well as any villian on the show.

[Riddlersgurl]

I like the idea; it shows a lot of spunk on the part of Catwoman. It'd be her way of showing all of the doyennes of Gotham that a woman of color can be just as, if not more, beautiful than they are.

Of course, making them look like hags and scoring a killer dress helps!

[High C]

Interesting take, Little Louie. Food for thought, yes.

There's also some sociopolitical subtext when Batman and Robin realize CW covets the Golden Fleece dress. Batman talks about how CW stealing it would create an international incident and that the country of Belgravia might declare war on U.S.

Robin responds that Belgravia is such a small country, that the US would win that war 'in a few hours.'

And Batman responds, yes, but then adds something indicating the US then would have to financially support Belgravia for years. Considering this was filmed in 1967, with the Vietnam War raging, it always struck me as interesting.

[epaddon]

It's an interesing theory, provided we take into account the fact that the dialogue was already written before Eartha was cast, since the script was originally intended for Julie (especially the line about submitting to Batman's "muscular custody"). That's not to say Eartha couldn't give it her own slant when doing the lines in her delivery etc.

[dell]

Trivia: Belgravia is actually a district in London. My wife had a good laugh at my expense when Belgravia was mentioned in a Sherlock Holmes episode and I commented that I thought it odd he wasn't in England.

[mattman]

The US might have had an issue attempting to look after Belgravia financially as previous residents were Churchill and Mozart, while people who live there now are former 007s Connery and Moore as well as Lorelei Circe herself: Joan (the Siren) Collins
Maybe Bruce Wayne could afford to keep the district ticking, but war? The residents there would have had to send their servants out to fight. Think Downtown Abbey verses Benson and Alice from the Brady Bunch

[High C]

Trivia: Belgravia is actually a district in London. My wife had a good laugh at my expense when Belgravia was mentioned in a Sherlock Holmes episode and I commented that I thought it odd he wasn't in England.

Great point, dell. I knew that and had forgotten that.

The US might have had an issue attempting to look after Belgravia financially as previous residents were Churchill and Mozart, while people who live there now are former 007s Connery and Moore as well as Lorelei Circe herself: Joan (the Siren) Collins.

Hmmm. Maybe Bruce Wayne's millions weren't restored to him after all. Nah, I think Joan/Siren is quite comfortable financially without Bruce's dough.

Speaking of Joan, another funny coincidence in terms of fictitious countries is that 'Moldavia' was a big part of the Batman pilot, and later was the setting for the so-called Moldavian massacre in Dynasty.

[mattman]

So it looks like that there is a common denominator: Joan Collins
That Siren Colby is a minx.....

[BATWINGED HORNET]

There's also some sociopolitical subtext when Batman and Robin realize CW covets the Golden Fleece dress. Batman talks about how CW stealing it would create an international incident and that the country of Belgravia might declare war on U.S.

Robin responds that Belgravia is such a small country, that the US would win that war 'in a few hours.'

And Batman responds, yes, but then adds something indicating the US then would have to financially support Belgravia for years. Considering this was filmed in 1967, with the Vietnam War raging, it always struck me as interesting.

I took it as the kind of freedom exercised by producers/writers of fantasy shows of the period; some made serious commentary on events (Star Trek), while others made stabbing, humorous remarks about U.S. domestic and foreign policy. For example, on The Monkees, the group literally mocked the infamous "Domino theory" by collapsing real dominoes, while in a Gilligan's Island dream sequence where Gilligan was the president, Mr. Howell takes him to the balcony to look at his "Great Society" only to see stock footage of some poor Depression/dustbowl scene.

I believe the dialogue you refer to falls into that catagory, along with the Fidel Castro clone seen in the Astin Riddler episode.

[BATWINGED HORNET]

It's an interesing theory, provided we take into account the fact that the dialogue was already written before Eartha was cast, since the script was originally intended for Julie (especially the line about submitting to Batman's "muscular custody"). That's not to say Eartha couldn't give it her own slant when doing the lines in her delivery etc.

...then that kind of settles it--and we can read Catwoman's dialogue as being more of a boast--her own vanity leading her to think she was the walking height of beauty and fashion, instead of the stiffs at the show she crashed.