The Buzz About Barbenheimer

By Eric George Tauber

“Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”

— Barbie

Okay. No. The iconic doll never said this. This quote actually comes from a Hindu tale in Baghavad Gita wherein Vishnu tells the warrior prince Arjuna not to worry about who lives and who dies in battle. Such choices are in the hands of the gods, not men. Therefore, Arjuna should simply do his duty and have faith.

This quote came to the mind of Dr. J.R. Oppenheimer when he beheld the destructive power of the atomic bomb. The Trinity Test was held in a remote corner of a desert in New Mexico where no one was hurt. However, they could well imagine the devastation that would soon befall the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing tens of thousands in an instant with the radioactive fallout killing many more over time.

Two major films opened this past weekend, films that seem to have nothing in common except for their simultaneous release dates: Oppenheimer and Barbie. Oppenheimer recounts a crucial moment in history, the creation of the atomic bomb and the existential crisis of J. R. Oppenheimer, the Jewish-American theoretical physicist who created the most devastating weapon ever imagined. While politicians, historians and philosophers can debate its use in the abstract, Oppenheimer was its creator and he never quite got over it.

Barbie, by contrast, is a comedy told from the point of view of plastic dolls who venture into the real, not so rosy, world. When I first heard about it, I groaned in expectation of a feature-length toy commercial, but it’s not that. Barbie takes a critical look at gender norms and the ongoing struggle between Patriarchal and Feminist expectations of gender roles in our society. Fans have been dressing up in hot pink for Barbie movie outings and raving about it.

The two films couldn’t be more different. Oppenheimer is painted in dark tones. Barbie’s canvas is eye-scorchingly pink. And yet, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners, more than 200,000 people are expected to attend same-day or two-day viewings of both films. Hence the portmanteau: Barbenheimer.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Barbie movie is the polar shifts in camps. Liberals are lauding this movie whereas conservatives are castigating it over the exact same themes. To understand the controversy behind the Barbie movie, it helps to know Barbie’s history.

When Barbie Dolls first hit the shelves in 1959, they were a radical departure from the dolls that came before. Before Barbie, all dolls were baby dolls preparing little girls to be mommies. In those days, that was all women were supposed to be. Then Ruth Handler, a daughter of Jewish immigrants and the founder of Mattel, took a trip to Germany where a Bild Lilli doll caught her eye. Based on a popular comic strip, Bild Lilli was sexy and sassy, giving snappy retorts to the men who hit on her. The dolls weren’t meant for little girls but were given as gag gifts at bachelor parties. Handler made a few modifications and created a new kind of doll who was all about fashion and independence. Barbie sported a stunning array of outfits, drove her own car and owned her own dream house. Barbie’s independence later gave rise to a vocational line that included a doctor, a boutique owner, an Olympian, and even an astronaut, letting little girls know that their options were open and their ambitions were achievable.

However, Barbie Dolls have long been criticized by Feminists for presenting an unachievable image of beauty, damaging little girls’ self-esteem. Some groups have even fought back against Barbie with subversive missions. In 1993, the “Barbie Liberation Organization” engaged in a “culture jam.” They did this by purchasing Talking Barbie and Talking G.I. Joe, switching their voice boxes and returning the dolls to the stores. The number of dolls who got this switcheroo is hard to pin down. But on Christmas morning, some little boys heard their toy commandos say, “Let’s plan our dream wedding,” whereas the Barbies shouted, “VENGEANCE IS MINE!”

Director Greta Gerwig claims that her Barbie movie is Feminist. America Ferrera captures this theme in a monologue to Margot Robbie: “It is literally impossible to be a woman. … Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong….”

“Warning: Don’t take your daughter to Barbie,” exclaims the conservative Christian website, Movieguide. The staff critic goes on to upbraid the movie because it doesn’t promote “pro-family and biblical values.” Other conservative voices concur, decrying the movie’s “toxic femininity” and accusing it of “pushing a transgender agenda.” Barbie does feature a trans-femme actor/model, Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie. Nowadays, hiring and supporting a transgender person is -to the “anti-woke” crowd- the shondeh of all shondehs. Commentator Ben Shapiro went full drama queen, posting a video of himself setting a pair of Barbie Dolls on fire to express his ire.

The folks at Fox News seemed stymied that Oppenheimer is more popular in blue states whereas Barbie is breaking the box office in red states. However, this makes perfect sense to me. Oppenheimer is a historical biopic presenting a deeply conflicted protagonist, which appeals mostly to a nerdy, intellectual crowd. Others might watch it because they feel that they should, the same way they pretend to enjoy things like kale and classical music. It doesn’t really appeal to their senses, but they know it’s good for them. On the other hand, Barbie is a comedy that has gotten a lot of positive buzz from progressive quarters and negative buzz from conservatives. In show business, buzz is buzz. The more buzz you have, the more curiosity is piqued as to what all the buzz is about. Like P.T. Barnum said, “Let them praise me or pan me as long as they spell my name right.”

Both Oppenheimer and Barbie are currently playing in cinemas.

And that’s Show-Biz!

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Eric George Tauber is a freelance writer who specializes in the arts and social justice. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, his work has been published in sdjewishworld.com, sdtheatrereviews.com, themoderatevoice.com, and jewishvoice.com. He can be contacted at ericgeorgetauber@gmail.com.