Mike and Jennie have a marriage more typical of couples today than in 1950, when the film was made. She’s a photographer and he’s a writer. They collaborate on their stories and make about the same amount of money. The film opens with Jennie alone in their apartment after a fight with Mike. We hear her thoughts in a voice-over—“Egotist! . . . Well, he’s got a door to slam and so have I!” Jennie feels Mike doesn’t appreciate her work: “He ought to be glad I’m working!” She suspects a reason: “My work isn’t important enough! I’m only a woman!” Their apartment’s a mess and she doesn’t want to get stuck doing all the housework: “I’m the one who’s married, but he can act as if he were single!” Then we hear one of her greatest fears: “I’m not going to be a fool like mother, bending over a wash tub all her life!” We cut to Mike, who’s checked into a hotel room and sits down to write (work comes first!) while angrily grumbling to himself that he can’t understand why Jennie can’t be like his mother. She refuses to even sew on a button! Mike’s idea of “family life” is Jennie cooking and cleaning up after him. But Jennie’s no fool—she refuses to buy into such a demeaning ideal of domesticity. ??Fortunately, they manage to accommodate each other’s needs. Mike has to learn to clean up after himself (a big step). With Mike helping out around the house, cooking doesn’t seem as degrading to Jennie. They make up a budget in order to save up for a house. As the film ends, they’re living in a house and have two kids. Jennie is still doing photography—she gives her photographs a final rinse in the kitchen sink. Since so much of the conflict in the film involved household chores (too bad “Roll-Oh” wasn’t around to help out), I couldn’t help thinking that they could have saved themselves a lot of grief by hiring someone to come in to clean and cook for them. But maybe that would have made this left-wing couple feel they were being exploitative. Jennie is permanently disgruntled throughout the film and Mike never stops acting aggrieved—these two were made for each other. It’s no wonder their son prefers to spend his time at the top of a tree in their front yard. This film could better be called "This Charmless Couple." Anyone for Housework? 5 Marysz 2004-06-05 20:35:45 2006-05-21 19:40:48 ANOTHER interesting short done by Alexander Hammid. Not too sure, who this guy was, but man, did he produce the most angsty shorts ever. Here, in ‘Who’s Boss?” we follow a couple through 7 years of married life, from their almost-collapse to their happy domestic life with their kids. I don’t know if this was intentional or not, but this couple look extremely bored and dejected to wind up in domestic life. The couple have hardly any chemistry between each other, which would be interesting if that was the point. The wife in my opinion, was too quick to accept her husband’s way of thinking, and now, she seems stuck, and she seems to have accepted it. So, it would be interesting if they thought that people would see this and realize that marriage is not built around love, but more around companionship. Does not star Tony Danza. 4 Spuzz 2005-09-18 05:12:08 2005-09-18 05:12:08 Ah yes, another installment of the "Festering Emotional Illness Series" showcasing more psychotic behaviour. So? Got problems huh? It seems our story opens with some whining bag that has chosen to marry some slob like her father, and doesn't like the results. Well, certainly that would be somebody else's fault, right bag? After all, she's only been around a jerk that like her whole life, so just how the hell would she know what one looks like, right? Dumb bag, DUMB! And this guy Jackson? Yeah, he's cracking up. Mom took care of dad dammit, where's the NEW mommy to take care of HIM? He needs a button sewn on. He doesn't have time to do such things, he's too busy sitting in a hotel room whining about needing a button sewn on. Well, that should be enough, time to kiss and make up. At least until the next cycle. Ok, that didn't last long. Look honey, can't you see he's too busy laying on his dead ass on the couch to help around the house? Punch me, punch you, a lovely couple really, they both have all the charm and personality of a DEAD FROG. Fast forward 7 years and we see a whole new world. It would seem this couple has discovered wedded bliss through the wonderful new antidepressants on the market. Yes, better living though creative chemistry, much better now. All's well that ends well. The deadly cycle. 5 autoguy 2006-05-18 05:35:04 2006-05-18 05:35:04 "Who's Boss" has some very good points, despite some 1950 elements being dated. So many marriages end up in divorce because people don't seem to have the patience or discipline to take out the time to work out problems. The film was well acted and directed. Excellent ideas. 4 ERD 2006-05-18 09:58:38 2006-05-18 09:58:38 4 4.50