Women and Films

Looking back at all of the movies I have seen during my lifetime (I am 69 years of age) I feel that male characters are generally made to seem more important than female characters. I recently looked at the 89 Best Picture Oscar winners as listed by IMDb. In that list, along with the name of the Best Picture, are the actors in the pictures listed in what appears to be the importance of their characters to the story. Out of the 89 movies in only 15 cases was a female actor named first. I then went through the list and based on my knowledge of the movie found 4 more where a male actor was named first, but I felt that in that movie a female actor was more important. So my estimate is that of the 89 total Best Pictures only 19 (21%) involved a female character as being the most important. My list of the 19 pictures where I felt the most important character was female are as follows:
Million Dollar Baby, Hilary Swank (2004)
Chicago, Renee Zellweger (2002)
Shakespeare in Love, Gwyneth Paltrow (1998)
The Silence of the Lambs, Jodie Foster (1990)
Out of Africa, Meryl Streep (1985)
Terms of Endearment, Shirley MacLaine (1983)
Ordinary People, Mary Tyler Moore (1980)*
Annie Hall, Diane Keaton (1977)*
The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews (1965)
My Fair Lady, Audrey Hepburn (1964)
West Side Story, Natalie Wood (1961)
Gigi, Leslie Caron (1958)
All About Eve, Bette Davis (1950)
Mrs. Miniver, Greer Garson (1942)
Gone with the Wind, Vivien Leigh (1939)*
You Can’t Take it with you, Jean Arthur (1938)
It Happened One Night, Claudette Colbert (1934)*
The Broadway Melody, Bessie Love (1929)
Wings, Clara Bow (1927)
* Indicate those pictures where a male actor was named first.
Note that the last movie on this list was more than ten years ago. I do feel there have been movies where a female character is more important and I plan to discuss these later in this topic.
Tom,

As I wrote above I believe that there are relatively few films in which female characters are the most important, but there are some. Over time I have found myself enjoying films about female characters more and more and becoming more interested in them. One of my favorite such films is “Stage Door” (1937). Not only are the main characters female, but most of the cast is female. Prominent female actors in the movie include Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden and Ann Miller. Another actress in the film is Constance Collier who first performed on stage in 1884 in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and then continued on to a successful career both on the stage and in the movies. Her first movie was “The Tongues of Men” (1916) and her last was “Whirlpool” (1949). Other actresses of note in “Stage Door” are Gail Patrick playing Linda Shaw and Andrea Leeds as Kay Hamilton.

This is an important film not only because it is a fine example of women in leading roles (there were actually a number of leading female roles in it), but it is also a fine example of women interacting with other women. The diverse characters in the story show a caring for each other even though not all of them are on the best of terms. In particular the interaction between the characters played by Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers show this conflict of emotions very well. But, all of the actresses are very good in their portrayals. I would recommend this film, not only because of what I have written above, but also because it is an entertaining and a poignant story with fine acting.

Tom,

Here are three films with women in the leading roles from the “silent era.”

The first is the 1922 film “The Toll of the Sea” staring Anna May Wong. Despite being only seventeen at the time of the premiere of the film, Anna May had already been in six films. She continued to act after this staring role and perhaps had her greatest success, both on the stage and on the screen, while in Europe. In 1930 she stared, as Hai-tang in three versions of the same film, the first in German, the second in English and the third in French as she was able to speak all three languages as well as Chinese. In addition to being a film with a female leading character, “The Toll of the Sea” is historical as being one of the first “two color Technicolor” movies.

Next is the 1928 film “La passion de Jeanne d’Arc” (“The Passion of Joan of Arc”), staring Maria Falconetti (born 1892). Maria Falconetti was only in three films, the earlier two in 1917, but was a successful stage star. This film is a good example of why I consider some films without spoken dialog (“silent films”) not to be films that lack something, but an art form in their own right.

Third is the film “The Wind” also 1928, starring Lillian Gish (born 1893). This is a different kind of Western, shown from a woman’s point of view. The story behind the film is from a novel by Dorothy Scarborough and the scenario is by Frances Marion.

I am interested in any suggestions as to films with females in the leading role(s).

Tom,

Hey Tom, welcome to the site! It's good to have another person here who appreciates films with strong female leads.

Caged (1950) about a young woman thrown into a women's prison with hardened criminals.

How can you forget a film with one of the greatest female leads of all time, Aliens, and it was an action movie made in the 80's, a time when action was marketed around manliness and such.

Welcome!

Citizen Rules, thanks for the welcome and for mentioning the movie “Caged.” I’m glad you appreciate films with strong female leads.

NextScorsese, It’s not a matter of forgetting, but thank you for mentioning Aliens.

Friendly Mushroom, thanks for the welcome.

Tom,

Next are three early full-length Disney movies:

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was released in 1937. The main character, Snow White, was voiced by the then 21 year old Adriana Caselotti. Some may be surprised that I would pick this film, after all while the leading character is female she is not strong and not in charge. Things basically happen to her. Further she takes a conventional female role as a housekeeper and cook for the seven dwarfs and is someone who wishes for the one she loves to find her. But, what is most important to me is that the story is about her, her fears and her joys. She is important and the center of our attention. I feel is important that females are seen that way. Also even though the Queen, Snow White’s, stepmother is evil we still see her as an important person and we are told her feelings even if they are vanity and hatred.

That Snow White is not that strong or in charge is more understandable considering she may only be 14 years old (the ages of the Disney Princesses can be found on the internet, but I don’t know what the source of that information is). In a translation of the Grimm Brothers story she is only 7.

Released in 1950 is the animated feature film “Cinderella” with the title character being voiced by the 21 year old Ilene Woods. As with Snow White, Cinderella is portrayed working at the traditional female roles of taking care of the home and generally being a maid. She also dreams of her wishes coming true. But again it is the female character Cinderella, who is important, whose wishes and dreams we are told of and whose disappointments and happiness are what the story is about. But, Cinderella does act to bring about her dreams if only by going to the ball and by striving to have the slipper tried on her. Cinderella is suppose to be 19 years old. Further, important to the story, more important than the prince, are Cinderella’s stepmother and two stepsisters. They also have feelings and aspirations even if they do not try to achieve them in the nicest ways.

One year later was the release of the animated film “Alice in Wonderland.” Here we have something different, a 7 years old girl who is adventurous, curious, assertive and determined and her role is of an adventurer, even if sometimes she becomes scared and regrets what she has done, but that is only for a short time. As is the case for Snow White and Cinderella in their films, Alice is the most important character in hers. Alice was voiced by the then 13 year old Kathryn Beaumont.

Tom,

The following are two films I have recently seen.

First is “Suffragette” (2015) with Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts. The film presents the story of number of characters, mostly women involved with the movement for women suffrage in England during the early 20th Century, but its focus is on Maud Watts a young woman whose personality is shown to develop during the course of the story. I feel it is important to show this type of development in women and thus show a female character to be multi-dimensional. “Suffragette” was directed by Sarah Gavron and written by Abi Morgan. This movie is also important in that it points out that less than one hundred years ago women in the United Kingdom could not vote. It is also the case that at the time the movie was set the United States Constitution did not guarantee women the vote. Just think, the US Constitution was ratified 227 years ago, yet it has only been 97 years that it guaranteed female suffrage. This movie also shows that women could accomplish major changes.

Here is a quote from the movie spoken by Carey Mulligan as Maud Watts:

“Dear Inspector Steed. I thought about your offer, and I have to say no. You see, I am a suffragette after all. You told me no one listens to girls like me. Well I can't have that anymore. All my life, I've been respectful, done what men told me. I know better now. I'm worth no more, no less than you.”

The Second movie is “Brooklyn” (2015) staring Saoirse Ronan as Eilis Lacey. This film, as with “Suffragette” follows a young woman, Eilis, who grows during the story. While the story centers on Eilis a large number of other women are depicted. Watching the film I remember being struck by how many women there were. I am not used to seeing that. Out of the 15 actors listed in the IMDb’s “cast overview, first billed” 12 are women. Again as in the case of the other films I have written about, a woman is the most important character.

Surprisingly to me the film “Brooklyn” is based on a novel written by a man, Colm Toibin. I should note that I have a soft spot in my heart for Brooklyn the borough since I was born there.

Tom,

great thread! welcome to MoFo.

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letterboxd

Ash is the gal, Thank you for the compliment and the welcome.

Tom,

The play “The Tempest” (c. 1610 to 1611) may have been the last play Shakespeare wrote without collaboration. In that work all of the characters, except for one, Miranda, are male or of unknown gender. However Director Julie Taymor in her 2010 movie version of the “The Tempest” replaced Prospero by Prospera who is played by Helen Mirren. Now Propera/Prospero is by all means the dormant character of the story and by having Helen Mirren play this role this dominant character became a woman. This makes me think of other movies where the gender of the main characters could be changed. What about a Black Jane Bond or a remake of “Duck Soup” with the “Marx Sisters?” We could have Harpa chasing scanty clad boys. Sarah Bernhardt played Hamlet as did other women. But, could there be a female Hamlet who is not only played by a woman, but is played as a woman? What about “Juliet and Romeo” or a female Phantom or a woman playing the Atticus Finch character or a woman peeping out of a “Rear Window” or climbing down the faces on Mount Rushmore? Does Kong have to be male? I could go on and on.

Tom,

How about an all-female version of Ghostbusters ?

SeeingisBelieving, Despite generally not liking remakes and even sequels I was glad when I found out that an all-female “Ghostbusters” was in the making. Thanks for the reply.
Tom,

Hi Tom, welcome to Mofo

I am still interested in any suggestions as to films with females in the leading role(s).

You're welcome Tom.

I am still interested in any suggestions as to films with females in the leading role(s).

I know of one, it not only has a mainly female cast. It deals with women's issues of equal payment and fair treatment in the work place: Made in Dagenham (2010)

It's a period piece based on actual events that took place in 1968 during a strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant in England, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. I thought it was one of the better films I've seen.

Did I miss it or was there no mention of the 1940 classic The Women?