Everything that I Know About Women in Film Most of the movies that I watch would probably be considered chick flicks by many viewers. Chick flicks usually have a romantic or emotion-based theme, and are favored mostly by female viewers. The women are portrayed as weak and fragile, and need to be saved from someone or something. Males are the main characters and the females usually fall in love with them. I consider them to be movies that are romantic, but also have strong female characters. At first glance, the women seem to be dependent on men. Sometimes a man is behind the reasoning for them being or becoming such strong characters; nonetheless, all possess inner strength. These characters do not need a man to survive and have the skills and drive to make it alone.
Steel Magnolias, is one of my favorite movies because of the many strong female characters. This movie does not fit the women versus women theme, women versus men theme, or women versus society theme. The theme would definitely be women standing together through both good and bad times. Ouiser Boudreaux (Shirley McLaine) is a grouchy widow who is always being teased by Clairee Belcher (Olympia Dukakis). The women interact mostly in the home-based beauty salon owned by Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton). Truvy’s good friend, M’Lynn Eatenton (Sally Fields), and her daughter, Shelby (Julia Roberts), are frequent patrons. The movie centers on Shelby, who is a diabetic, gets married and wants to have a child. Her mother is worried because childbirth would put too much stress on Shelby’s body. Shelby is strong willed and determined to have a child. She has kidney failure several months after childbirth, and her mother donates a kidney. The kidney is rejected and Shelby dies. The name of this movie is so appropriate. The women seem to be delicate like a magnolia, but are actually as strong as steel. Pretty Woman, is about a woman without a pimp. Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) is independent and kind-hearted. She meets a client (Richard Gere), and moves into his elaborate hotel suite. I like this movie is because Vivian earns the respect and admiration of many people because of her spirit. Even though she is a prostitute, she has more class than many of the other women in the movie. Parts of this movie are classic women versus women. At a Rodeo Drive clothing store, saleswomen refuse to let her shop even though she has money. They look at her with scorn because of the way she is dressed. When the client brings her back shopping, she goes to several stores. When finished shopping, she stops in the first store to show off all of her purchases. The look on the saleswomen’s faces is priceless as they realize the commission they could have made. First Wives Club, starring Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler, is about three old friends who get back together after the death of another friend. These women were dumped by the men in their lives for younger women. They were dependent on the men in their lives for many years before that occurred. The plot shows how they learned to work with each other and not measure their self-worth by their husbands. They get revenge on each ex-husband by using information against them to fund a center for abused women. This movie theme was definitely women versus men. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde, mainly has a women versus society theme. Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) finds out that her Chihuahua’s mother is being held in a cosmetic testing laboratory. She goes to Washington, D.C. to work for a senator (Sally Fields). She does this to get legislation passed to outlaw animal testing for cosmetics. This movie is about congress, society, and how they both work together and against each other. The women versus women theme is clear when the senator works against Elle behind her back to block the legislation. The women versus society theme carries throughout the movie. Elle is able to convince the Senate majority to vote for the legislation, but society is proven to be greedy. Back door deals are made to change the vote. Even though Elle is considered a dumb blonde, she proves that she is a very strong woman who is determined to finish what she starts. With the help of several friends, both men and women, she gets the votes needed to pass the legislation. Many movies feature women as either helpless or man-haters. These movies do not. They may be considered as chick flicks by many, but they also feature female characters that are strong and determined. These women do not need a man to serve as their main purpose in life. They show their strength and determination to make it on their own. Women in movies should not be measured by the men in their lives. Their self-worth should be from the path that they choose to take. There will always be the helpless females that need to be rescued by the male characters. There will also be the man-hater characters who try to destroy men throughout the movie. Whether it is tear-jerkers, dramas, action movies, romantic movies, or comedies, women play major characters in most movies. My idea of how women should be portrayed in films is strong, determined, and very capable of taking care of themselves.