The portrayal of the working girl in the silent films of the 1920s ignored the fact that in reality women worked to help support their families, to be financially independent, or to supplement their family's income. A study of movie heroines from that era reveals that these characterizations reinforce the image of the traditionally dependent woman in that these women worked only until marriage; appeared sweet, innocent, and submissive; searched openly and often aggressively for a rich husband; and were often incompetent in coping with their personal and professional problems. When female characters were presented as strong, independent, or sexually frank, their rebelliousness led to marriage with dull and conventional companions and to maintenance of the status quo. The few movies that did portray successful professional women presented the heroine as mannish and out of touch with her own feelings. The two exceptions to sex-typed roles for women occurred in movies produced by women and based on books that were written by women. Even the public lives of the female movie stars of the 1920s reinforced tradition in that their public image was often frivolous, sexy, and helpless, while in reality, many were successful business professionals. (MAI)