AdriaMichelle

I agree about Kate Beckinsale's character in Underworld and I think that is why I love that movie so much. It shows a woman in it who is strong, fearless, and sure at times she finds herself in despair, but then she finds the courage to carry on and fight back.

The movie Little Women is also example of strong women - the March sisters and their mother are great characters,they showed great courage during the Civil War as well as just dealing w/ their feelings about men and each other.

StellaSlight

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.

UnsilentMajorty

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 [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

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 [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I love smart women. Bring'em on! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Torch

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" [img]smilies/punch.gif[/img]

Geena Davis- A Long Kiss Goodnight

Evelyn O'Connell- The Mummy Returns

~*RaineDayz*~

I think definitely Scarlet O�Harra(Gone With The Wind)would make this list. She was a strong lady, a bitch and well usually got what she wanted.

[ 04-05-2004: Message edited ~*RaineDayz*~ ]

Cotton Candy

Some of my favorite strong female characters in film include Maggie Mackendrick (The Parent Trap), Maria Von Trapp (The Sound of Music), Rose Dewitt-Bukater (Titanic) and Beverly Donofrio (Riding in Cars With Boys). They're the epitome of inspiration.

PVCscully

Alice Hyatt from Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a wonderful character. Ellen Burstyn plays Alice and Martin Scorsese directs, a wonderful combination. She's strong, yet human, and a good inspiration.

Novlótë

Like so many other have said, the first ones that come to my mind is Eowyn from LoTR and also Mulan.
Another one is Mallory Knox from Natural Born Killers.
She's a girl, she's got a gun, and everyone fears her!

mukooh

a strong woman meets an even stronger woman in 'the business of strangers'....

sarzy

Tracey in Reality Bites--Marches to the beat of her own drum, has sex on her own terms, speaks her mind, lover her friends.

All 5 daughters in The Virgin Suicides--Takes courage to rebel against a parent, and real bravery to plan one's own death.

alli balli

That one I disagree with pretty strongly. Bravery is living through whatever pain you're feeling. And in the book, the feeling I got at the end was that they did it because they were selfish and self-indulgent. JMO, though.

As for strong female characters, The Bride kicks ass.

LilMouse

Jo March and Marme from Little Women are strong and independent characters. They were ahead of their time.

Star Wars always had strong female characters. Neither Padme or Leia sat by when there was trouble and waited for someone to help them. I always liked that about the female characters in SW.

Maria in the Sound of Music. I liked how she always did what the Captain didn't want her to do.

Bette Davis' character in All About Eve. When everyone thought Eve was sweet & innocent, she knew better.

Princess Bing

Ack. Nurse Ratched scared me and pissed me off so much. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

Jess519

I'd have to go with Ripley from the Aliens movies. Will always be the classic example for me of a tough, strong, smart woman...but still compassionate and feeling. She kicks!

Ai Ninjai

Julie R. as Erin brocovisch
she was a strong woman all right.


Riding in Cars with Boys.. Barrymore is also a strong woman