Strong Women Characters in Films/ Which Ones Have Them?

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Elizabeth and Jo are perfect examples.

I love Something New---I might have to go rewatch it soon.

I might have to repost on this thread later when I have a chance to really think about it.
 
Princess Leia from the StarWars films. She's a great fighter as well as an intelligent politician.;)

Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. A witty, spirited and modern woman in her time. She counters Mr. Darcy's intellect every now and then.:clap:

Jo March from Little Women. For me she's her family's source of strength.:nod:
 
Pretty easily; Leia was someone I never connected with as a character like I did with Padme in The Phantom Menace as a kid. I always thought Leia was overcompensating in the first and just "Romantic Fodder" for Han Solo by the second film (she wasn't given much to do in the third either, by my standards, but the same could be said about Padme as well, in both AOTC and ROTS, which is just too ironic for me).

Padme > Leia.
 
Sandra Bullock's Annie in Speed. She, a civilian, rode the bus and kept up with Jack.



Leia >> Padme.
 
Bridget Fonda's character in Point of No Return. She was so kick assish
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sigourney weaver in aliens 2 & copycat. she is fab!!!

helen hunt in as good as it gets

holly hunter in copycat

kathy bates in dolores claiborne
 
Michelle Rodriguez- She one badass chci in all her movies "Girlfight, S.W.A.T, 3 A.M., Resident Evil, The Fast and The Furious"
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Geena Davis- A Long Kiss Goodnight

Evelyn O'Connell- The Mummy Returns
 
Stepmom - Julia Roberts for taking on the role of the Stepmother and trying to raise anthor woman's children, Susan Sarandon for facing her death with strength and courage and coming around to Julia and in the end doing the best for her children

The Banger Sisters - Goldie Hawn & Susan Sarandon's characters for living their lives they way they want & (almost) making no apologies for it.


Never Been Kissed - Drew Barrymore's character

Ever After - Drew Barrymore's version of Cinderella - smart and take charge

The Craft - all the main characters even the ones that were bad were take charge - especially the main character in the end

What's Love Got to Do With It? - Angela Bassett's version of Tina Turner

Waiting to Exhale - all the main characters

Soul Food - all the women who help take charge after Big Momma dies

G.I. Jane - Demi Moore's character making it through the Navy S.E.A.L.s training & fighting for her rights

Deliver Us From Eva - Gabrielle Union's character

Erin Brokovich - fighting for her clients rights and health & making the corporation stand up and take the blame & for not backing down

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Jessica Biel's character for fighting back and getting out alive

Scream - Neve Campbell's character

Enough - Jennifer Lopez's character for fighting back against her abusive husband and getting her daughter out of the situation

Underworld - Kate Beckinsale's vampire

tons more... lots of movies have strong female characters when you think about it.
 
What is another interesting thing to note in how females are portrayed in various movies is also WHERE the movie is from and how the society/culture has always viewed the role of women itself.

For example, a lot of the strong, female warriors who are also caring mothers/lovers/sisters have long been portrayed in a lot of Asian films (action and drama) long before that "idea" was considered mainstream in America and the West.

For example, view some of Jackie Chan's original Hong Kong movies form the '80s and '90s -- starring alongside Michelle Yeho -- And Michelle is actually the template for Ewyon, Sara Connor, Lara Croft, etc. as not only Jackie's (the male leads) "sidekick", but an independent, fully developed SECONDARY CHARACTER who is vital to the plot and moves it forward on her own accord that intersects with Jackie's character a lot of the time more than just her "tagging along".

Also, look at Luc Besson and La Femme Nikita. She was the original "Alias" before Jennifer Garner was out of basic training
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The point I am trying to make here is that what Western (or specfically, U.S.) audiences and society considers "revolutionary" or "mainstream" as far as female roles in movies go... Isn't that revolutionary in the sense that we are finally catching up with the rest of the world as far as equality of the sexes in the cinema is concerned.

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It is interesting one of you cited "Jerry Maguire" for having strong female characters -- And it does... But it was written by Cameron Crowe (a male) who also did "Almost Famous" which has another empowering female character played by Kate Hudson.

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One of you also said you like seeing the strong, kick ass female types like Kate Beckinsale in "Underworld" and Uma Thurman as "The Bride"...

And what shouldn't surprise you is that a lot of the movie executives -- Who are young males in their 20s -- Also like this idea... At least on screen.

Here is where the reality of a strong female in real life and the ideal fatasy of a strong female often mark their drastic differences because if you asked these same 20something execs if they'd like a strong, "kick ass" co-worker who is female... They'd say no... Because they are threatened by that sort of competition AND they still want to be "top dog" when it comes to who has the "brains" money and power.

I bring this aspect up because it is influencing a lot of the films that are being released these days, but it's also a false image in every sense of the word.

Here is big secret that relates to this topic and the portrayl of females:

Most males aren't threatened by a smart female, believe it or not (regardless of what I just said). They are more afraid of a smart famale NOT NEEDING a man at all when it comes down to it... But men will never come out and say this because it makes them look "weak" or it is immasculating to them. So how do they respond?

They perpetuate the "ideal" woman being the ditzy, dumb blonde (or bruntte, or red hed) who NEEDS a man to take care of her because she's not so "bright"... But it has nothing to do with intellect. It's really about who/whom needs who more IF the other one is AS capable as the other one.

And you heard it here first from a 100%, heterosexual enlightened male if you're wondering
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I love smart women. Bring'em on!
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I agree. :nod: I really should watch that movie again. I love it. Its so good. And Sanaa's chemistry with Simon Baker was amazing and hot. :sigh:
 
Trinity: Simply living in the real world in The Matrix was a challenge. It took strong people to go into the matrix. I loved how strong Trinity was and how much a leader she was.

Hermione Granger: I love how brilliant she is. No one her age is as advanced as she is. She is way ahead of the class.
 
Hmm, let's see. I agree with Katherin Hepburn. I think any character she's ever played can be considered a strong woman. :nod:

*Jodie Foster! The Silence of the Lambs, Flight Plan, Panic Room, The Accused, The Brave One. She always plays a strong female :)
*Mila Kunis as Mona Sax (Max Payne) and even as Rachel Jensen (Forgetting Sarah Marshall).
*Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson (Fargo)
*Uma Thurman as The Bride (Kill Bill)
*Shirley MacLaine has also always played strong female characters in probably almost every film she's done. Aurora Greenway (Terms of Endearment) really sticks out for me.
*Bette Davis is another actress that mainly plays strong women in her films.
*Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia (Star Was IV, V, VI) how can they mention Padme and not Leia? :rolleyes:
*Mary Badham as Jean Louise Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird) proving that even children can be strong.
 
I have to say that I prefer strong women as leading role in movies. And I can say that I'm glad they're showing more and more characters of this type onscreen.

My own list :

- Eowyn from LOTR : I don't think there's something I need to add about her after all the previous posts. She's THE strong woman by definition : warrior, strong-head, but also very feminine, and fragile in her way.
- Mulan from the Disney movie is another kind of Eowyn.
- Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) in Gone With the Wind : she's a bitch but a determined bith. Scarlett is the best exemple of a woman survivor : she survived fear, war, death, loss, abandon and still can lift her chin and say that everything would be alright.
- The Bride (Uma Thurman) in Kill Bill : I've just seen the movie, so I thought she would perfectly fit in that category. Yep, Uma's character has it all : strength, courage, determination... All that a male character has in an action movie.
- Beatrice (Emma Thompson) in Much Ado About Nothing : she's the strong type of woman not because of her strenght but because of her personality and wit. She can kick anyone's ass in a battle of wits, and considers herself equal (if not superior) to the opposite gender in a time where a woman wasn't supposed to have a soul.
- Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in Terminator : the average girl that is another survivor. I particularly like her character in the second movie, the multi-dimentional woman she became (mother, warrior...)


There are others that I should put in my list, but these are those I immediately thought of.
 
I always felt that Renee Zellwegger's character in Jerry McGuire was pretty strong. So many women remain in unheathy and unloving relationships because they don't have the courage to put an end to what's going on. I loved Zellwegger's character in that movie, because she did that along with taking responsibility for the role she played in the demise of the relationship. Something that many of us rarely do.

I also thought Regina King, the lady who played Cuba Gooding Jr's wife in the movie, was a very strong woman.

And who can forget Ripley from Aliens. She was a wonderful character, who was smart and could kick some butt when need be.

[ 04-10-2004: Message edited ursa major ]
 
I love Katherine Hepburn in Guess Whose Coming to Dinner. Where she tells her racist assistant Hilary off. One of the best scenes of her career in my mind.

Christina Drayton: [to her assistant, Hilary, in the driveway] Now I have some instructions for you. I want you to go straight back to the gallery - Start your motor - When you get to the gallery tell Jennifer that she will be looking after things temporarily, she's to give me a ring if there's anything she can't deal with herself. Then go into the office, and make out a check, for "cash," for the sum of $5,000. Then carefully, but carefully Hilary, remove absolutely everything that might subsequently remind me that you had ever been there, including that yellow thing with the blue bulbs which you have such an affection for. Then take the check, for $5,000, which I feel you deserve, and get - permanently - lost. It's not that I don't want to know you, Hilary - although I don't - it's just that I'm afraid we're not really the sort of people that you can afford to be associated with. [Hilary opens her mouth to say something] Don't speak, Hilary, just... go.
 
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