Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1943
Teresa Wright Mrs. Miniver 1943
SEX WORKER ROLE
Millicent Hopkins in The Imperfect Lady 1947
Character Is An Victorian Burlesque Dancer
Teresa Wright in The Imperfect Lady 1947
In this film, “The Imperfect Lady,” Teresa Wright plays a Victorian Burlesque Dancer in the 1800s. Most people in ‘proper’ society during the Victorian era viewed burlesque dancers as sex workers. That is because burlesque dancers showcased their physical characteristics to a paying audience. While these dancers were not removing their clothes, this behavior was considered scandalous in the 1800s. This was because it defied the social and cultural norms of that era.
Teresa Wright’s character even says people see her as a “fallen woman” because she is a dancer. Since women had few employment opportunities in the 1800s, taking a job as a burlesque dancer meant they had “fallen” and lost their innocence.
The plot of the movie: Teresa Wright’s character falls in love with a politician (played by Ray Milland) but is worried about how her “scandalous” past career as a dancer will affect his career. Her father has already disowned her for pursuing such an amoral line of work. One night, people mistake her for a prostitute outside the theater! How will she explain all these events to the man she loves?
Watch clip of the film “The Imperfect Lady”
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