What are your views on the representation of women, when they play the lead role in an action film?

Question

I'm a media student doing my A-Level and right now i'm doing a case study on women and film. My hypothesis is..."Even when women play the lead role in an action film, they are represented in negative stereotypical ways" The stereotypical ways i'm talking about are...they're usually atractive, big bum and breast, not very intelligant and dependant on a male character. Please leave your perspective on this, either supporting or challenging my hypothesis. Thank you.

Just some films to think of...Charlie's Angles...Cat Woman...Calamity Jane...Terminator 2....Laura Croft...G.I Jane

Just to make it clear, I say "Even..." in my hypothesis because when a female plays the supporting role she usually has the traits listed above, so my point is, that they tend to not change even when a female plays the lead character of an action film.

I know that most action films are aimed at men, and this is where Laura Mulvey's "Male Gaze" theory comes in. So do you believe in a "Female Gaze"?

Answer 1

The Action genre started to really get going during the 80s; post feminist movement. These films were a reaction to the movement. It's a really interesting issue to discuss.

To counter argue of course Aliens is a great one to talk about, why did they cast Sigourney Weaver and not a man? Was it because it came so early in the action film anti-feminist backlash? Or another reason?

I have read Mulveys essay and I do think there is such a thing as the Female Gaze in cinema but action films dont come into it. For action films you should read Freuds theory of the Mirror Stage and how it relates to the cinema screen as 'mirror'; the cinema screen projecting what the film maker wold like to see in the mirror.

Jst an after thought. The women in the films you listed all have one thing in common. They all are struggling in a mans world (GI Jane prime example) and although they are 'seen' as strong women for doing this by adopting typically male traits, guns, shaving their heads, fighting, they are still not being respected as women in their own right, they are praised for becoming as male as they can be. Which is worst than representing women as a side role. It's saying to be the best you have to be like a man.

The sexy woman part is for three reasons; firstly the male gaze as you said, and secondly because it is seen as a weakness through having a kid in trouble or bad guys trying it on with them, thirdly women being physically weaker is acentuated by slim lean women like Croft compared to if she was like a Rusian shot putter.

Good luck with the case study.

Answer 2

It depends on the actress, but for the most part they are sexy to sell the tickets. Likewise, the plot has more to do with the stereotyping than most other aspects.

Lara Croft certainly was very intelligent and did not really require the male hero to rescue her (for the most part). However, the character is just too unbelievable-able to fight whole armies of mercenaries and guardian statues that come to life on her own; able to speak about 20 languages fluently; and having friends in the right parts of the world to make her adventures easy-too easy.

"Charlies' Angels" was a bit too stupid to reflect the intellect of the heroines. If it did, I would be looking for a better detective agency. These movies suffered from bimbo-itus.

Bridget Fonda did a hell of a job in the re-make of "Le Femme Nikita." Street-wise girl groomed into the perfect spy might be hard to believe; but at least the film reflects this with the tough training she had to undergo before getting a mission.

Sandra Bullock really suffered the need to be saved in both "Speed" movies. This was a bit more believable since everybody would need help in those situations.

Women in combat roles ("GI Jane", "Firebirds", "Stealth", etc) is very hard to accept. Not because I doubt they can do the job, but rather the politicians and military brass won't let them. Still, the type casting is usually for smart women who are capable of fighting. This kind of goes against the grain of traditional Hollywood.

Answer 3

It doesn't matter what film you see,there are very few `plain Jane`actresses.The film bosses seem to think all anyone wants to see is bust and butts.
It would be nice to see a role reversal,where the male is dependant on a woman.
Trouble is the film world is run mostly by men,and it's all male orientated.A woman will always be a second class model,and the helpless heroine.
It would be nice to see a `normal` sized person playing a lead or second role,and not just going on looks.
It would make the film more believable

Answer 4

The film "Domino" with Keira Knightley doesn't fulfill too many of the "negative stereotypes", though she is attractive in it. Do you really think, in all honesty, people would rather watch dreary, dull, unhappy, individualistic women (To some degree poor role models), rather than positive, bright, healthy-looking young women, who are, after all, playing kind of super-heroines? Bergman's allright, but sometimes you just need a lighter approach. Or would you rather have those abysmal TV movies where women are presented in a patronising and wholely unrealistic light? I'm all for equality for women in every section of western culture, but the fact is that most women in the UK still need a guy to feel good about themselves and if films reinforce this, women should take their fair share of responsibilty for it. That is why I like films made by independents. They can eschew the norms/values and give up a more liberated form of movie which can lead to greater honesty, therefore, insight into the most important emerging themes in society.
Good luck with your exams!

Answer 5

We're talking demographics, when you know the demographic for action movies is men, and that the demographic for what men like is fit women then its not a difficult equation. But I'd hardly say that the Lara Croft character was dependant on a man, even if she did fit the other catagories, to be fair I can't think of any other actioners with a female lead.

Answer 6

I dont entirely agree with that hypothesis, although the examples you mentioned rely heavily on stereotypes in general, but do portray woman heroines poorly.

below are some action movies that dont fit into that mould, and the woman in them are crucial to the plot, and portrayed very positively....

1) Alien Quadrilogy! Sigourney weaver is the difinitive action heroine. Everyone depends on her! Yet she is a woman, and the the later stories play heavely on motherhood, and female instincts.

2)Lara Croft in tomb raider, I know its not a classic, but She is protrayed as strong, and defiant of men, even though she is supposed to be extremely attractive. She is a very independant / strong female character, who is not reliant on her charms to get the job done.

3)the Abyss, for a supporting role. The main female character [her name escapes me] keeps the plot together, and shows great female traits such as intuition, and inner strength, as well as being ultimately in command of the underwater project.

4)Star wars : Pricess Leia / Amidalla both have massive roles, that are not at all stereotypical, but vital to the storyline. They are both fiercly independant and strong willed, yet still allowed to be beautifull and feminine. They get nitty gritty when they need to, but also allow themselves to be woman, with normal qualities, love, fear, etc!

5)Tank Girl - She rocks...period.

You will tend to find that very commercial action movies, will rely on stereotypes, because most of the characters are not that complex, but they are not always supposed to be. It does cater to a specific market, but imagine if there were no woman heroines at all, because people were to affraid to strereotype them...that would be far sadder!

good luck with the course...

Answer 7

Yes but you are forgetting the main point is that most action films are aimed at men.

Exceptions I can think of are:
Thelma and Louise (men are rubbish)
The Long Kiss Goodnight (she was a mum too)


Dramas and Romantic Comedies often star women in the lead roles in a very positive light.

Answer 8

I agree. Have you noticed how women playing the lead in action films almost always wear pvc catsuits of some kind? Either that, or they never quite get past the underwear stage of gettng dressed. Bloody Sin City being a case in point.

Answer 9

I would disagree with the "not intelligent and dependent on a male character" bit.

Ripley in "Alien" (+ three sequels)
Lara Croft (whatever one thinks of the films)

It's probably true that *often* they conform to the stereotype as far as looks are concerned - but not always.

Answer 10

I agree that even in the lead role in an action film women are portrayed in what I would consider a negative light, but not for the reasons that you cite.

Firstly, portraying women as sexually attractive is not (IMHO) a negative thing. However, they are almost always portrayed as not only using their attractiveness as a weapon, but seem to revel in being particularly cruel to men. However, the men are usually portrayed as "pigs" that are, quite frankly, deserving of such cruelty. I would argue that in this situation it is, in fact, the men who are being portrayed in a negative stereotypical way rather than the women.

Personally I would love to see an action film with a male/female couple as the heroes both of whom are extremely capable but work as a team rather than as if they have something to prove to one another. A bit of sexual tension between them would be fine (perhaps welcome), but leave out the whole "battle of the sexes" thing. It might even be interesting to have a scene with him in the role of hostage and have her burst in "like Rambo without a jock strap" to rescue him.

--- An after thought ---

Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" was unquestionably the hero, was not dependant on any male character, although very attractive was not portrayed as a bimbo sex toy, and the scene with her suiting up as she rides the elevator to the bowels of the ship to rescue her shipmates is an all time classic action scene.