"The homemaker walks miles every day, from sink to icebox, from cupboard to stove," explains the male narrator of the short film above, entitled Easy Does It.
The 1940 video, produced by Chevrolet, attempted to measure the amount of work women did each day, whether at the typewriter or within the home. It then presented examples of "muscle-savers" being invented to make the work more efficient, such as a washing machine.
"Even an efficiency expert would be staggered by the amount of chasing around and indoor roadwork that the 'little woman' takes as a matter of course," continues the narrator. Though it tries to show female empowerment through various "muscle-savers," the film falls into the trap of portraying women as a "fair and weak" sex in desperate need of man-made inventions.
Every day we track down a Video Wonder: an audiovisual offering that delights, inspires, and entertains. Have you encountered a video we should feature? Email ella@atlasobscura.com.