Have changing demographics, increased life expectancy and findings about
gender similarities and differences, altered portrayals of older people in
American feature films during the past 65 years? We identified 3,038 films
made between 1929 and 1995 in which actors and actresses, nominated at least
once during their lifetimes for an Oscar award, appeared when aged 60 years
or older. Academy Award nominees were selected because they offered a
sample of ‘notable’ performers and an accessible database. We selected an
eight per cent random sample for a content analysis of their roles. Throughout
this period, men were more likely to be depicted as vigorous, employed and
involved in same-gender friendships and adventure (whether as hero or
villain). Women remained either peripheral to the action or were portrayed
as rich dowagers, wives/mothers, or lonely spinsters. Despite changing gender
roles in later life since the 1930s and despite social and economic changes for
older Americans (earlier retirement age and better health are but two
examples), their film roles have remained remarkably static in age and gender
stereotyping. In feature films, the mask of ageing differs by gender. Male
masks veil inactivity and physical changes, while female masks reveal ageist
and sexist stereotypes.