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The Film List Project #23: Caught

Hello, and welcome back to The Film List Project, my poorly named series in which I discuss great films that I watch. It's supposed to be weekly, but life happens occasionally.

This is one of those weeks when I've gone in blind. In other words, I go down my list and find the first thing available online. This week, it was the 1949 film Caught.

For those of you who haven't seen the movie (and I'm betting you haven't), it's about a woman who achieves her childhood dream by marrying a rich man, only to find out he's less than perfect. His abusive and manipulative behavior forces her to leave, only to be pursued by him until he lures her back. Basically, it's the story of a woman struggling to make her own decisions in a world where certain decisions have already been made for her.

Even though it wasn't a commercial success, this film is a success in my heart. Here's why: it takes the idea of a woman looking to marry up and flips it on its head. Not only does the film rely on a female protagonist, but this female protagonist is smart, driven, and self-sufficient. 

She has goals, she puts herself through charm school, and she gets a job when she decides to leave her husband. The greatest thing about her, though, is that she takes herself out of a toxic relationship in a time when doing so is highly frowned upon. This is a woman who values herself and knows how to take care of herself. She's a fantastic example of a complex female character/ She's the kind of character we're still lacking in 2015.

I really, really encourage you to see this film. It's the most beautiful little hidden gem. I know I'll be coming back to Caught for a long time.

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