Women and work: film analysis of Most Beautiful Thing

Abstract

Purpose – This article aims to present aspects related to women’s personal life and work illustrated in the TV
series Most Beautiful Thing (Coisa Mais Linda, in Portuguese).
Design/methodology/approach – To this end, a film analysis was carried out considering the first season of
the TV series Most Beautiful Thing, and to analyze the data, qualitative content analysis was used according to
Bardin (2006).
Findings – The analysis showed that women’s struggles were and are distinct. While white women are fighting
for the right to work - concomitantly reconciling their roles as mother, wife and housewife -, black and poor
women fight for survival and dignity. As result, the film analysis showed that women’s search for a different
social position is related to an inherent cultural aspect. It is relevant to mention herein that this struggle remains
up to the present; such struggle is characterized by the occultation of the social role played by women.
Research limitations/implications – As a limitation, there are few studies that address the theme of white
and black women during the period reported in the series.
Originality/value – The main contribution of this article is the use of a filming product that portrays the
1950s, but bringing current discussions on the role of women in society, especially regarding the labor market,
the patriarchal domination of men, prejudice, racial, and class discrimination.