This thesis analyzes the transnational careers of Mexican actresses Lupe Vélez and Dolores del Río from their arrival to Hollywood in the 1920’s until the end of World War II. Thus, this work is divided in three parts. Chapter one focuses on the construction of these actresses’ images—both on and off the screen—during the 1920’s and 30’s. Chapter two addresses Vélez and her role in the American film industry (1939–1943). Finally, the last part discusses del Río's participation in the Mexican film industry (1943–1946). Although this thesis uses the actresses’ individual experiences as its main narrative, this work also covers analytical levels such as the international context of World War II and the United States’ “good neighbor policy”, as well as the domestic political landscape during the long Mexican Revolution. Changes in the film industry, including technological innovations, are also taken into consideration, insofar as they affected the careers of these two actresses.
I argue that changing ideas about race and gender defined the specific range of opportunities available to Vélez and del Río, both within and outside the films they participated in. During the 1920’s and 30’s, the spectrum of roles available to Latin American actresses decreased as what Albert Memmi called “the mark of the plural” underwent changes: certain European peoples began to be considered as fully “white” and therefore off-bounds in representational terms. Indeed, by the beginning of World War II, the roles offered to Vélez were narrowed down to highly stereotyped and sexist depictions of Latina women. However, this thesis also describes how she managed to subvert such stereotypes to some degree by using her creativity and performing skills to partially overcome racism and sexism. Dolores del Río, meanwhile, abandoned the American film industry and moved back to Mexico. The analysis of del Río's career in Mexico allows us to reopen the discussion about the impact of U.S. foreign policies on the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. My focus on anxieties related to race and gender present in Mexico at the time, moreover, inspired me to invite my readers to reflect upon the status of some marginalized groups in our days.
Citación recomendada (normas APA)
Maria Paula Orozco Espinel, "Defenderse del mundo con las mismas armas que el mundo usa: Lupe Vélez y Dolores del Río (1921-1946)", -:Escuela de Estudio de Género, 2020. Consultado en línea en la Biblioteca Digital de Bogotá (https://www.bibliotecadigitaldebogota.gov.co/resources/3716577/), el día 2025-05-12.
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