And I’m still depressed, even though it’s been two days since I read the article.
It was in Sunday’s New York Times and it was film critic Manohla Dargis’ take on the fact that women are a disappearing breed in the movies nowadays and that they’ll be even more invisible this summer. Although I know Dargis is right and I spend way too much time bemoaning the scarcity of women on the big screen, it still bummed me out to read her piece.
For example, her first paragraph:
“If you’re a woman who roared, snorted or sniggered at “Bridesmaids,” if you like watching other women on screen, you should see it again. Because that hit comedy written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo and directed by Paul Feig, turns out to be one of the few occasions this summer when you can enjoy a movie about and with women released by a major studio.”
What does this all mean for screen adaptations of my novels? Nothing good. I’ve been told by any number of “industry people” that rom coms are over, that movies for women must be raunchy like “Bridesmaids” or they won’t get made, that stories about women don’t sell overseas, that women will go to see men in films but men won’t go to see women.
How did we get here? And more importantly, how do we get out of here? I loved Nora Ephron’s movies and I could watch appealing actresses fall in and out of love with the men of their dreams every night of the week. Am I a disappearing breed too?
This tells me what I have felt for some time.
Even an attractive woman at some point becomes invisible.
I have seen it, felt it and hate it.
I love the movies from the 40’s. The women were tough, smart and my favorite, sassy.
We had less rights but we were featured in movies. Today we supposedly have come a long way baby but to me we have gone backwards in so many ways. The young think being a bimbo is great. Their role model is a Kardashian. Who needs skills when I can just flash my sexuality? What happened to brains and sexy?
Oh Jane, I could drive you crazy on this topic as I have said before.
What I find most interesting is that men our age feel the same as me.
I admit that surprised me when I asked friends.
So I assume those in hollywood are younger or just thinking with the wrong brain.
Nothing better than a Rom/Com. My favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally with a close 2nd being Adam’s Rib. (1949) You knew how they would end but it’s the ride getting there that makes it so much fun!
Both btw were smart women!
Where are the Gloria Steinem when we need her most?
I will try not to go on a rant, but this came up at a time when I’ve been noticing, once again, just how much sexism there still is in our culture. It started when we were playing volleyball and one of my son’s friends told one of the other ones he “played like a girl.” (My reply “Yeah, he plays like Misty May.” Olympic gold medalist in volleyball).
Guys routinely tell each other not to be such a woman ( I think Paulie may have used that term the other night), that guys are “whipped” etc.
I look around me and I think, hmmm, okay, let’s look at the shape the world is in. Our planet is in peril, people are starving, government and corporations are corrupt. Who came up with our current system? Mostly men. Yet the things that women generally see as important – family, love, food, children, relationships – are deemed trivial and are mocked. If your action doesn’t result in the almighty dollar, it isn’t worthwhile.
There was an interesting article in the Times this week about how women seek office for different reasons than men. Women usually are in it for a cause, men for power.
I’ll stop ranting now.
Oh, Peg. The movies from the 40s? If I had the time, they’re all I’d watch. I ADORE TCM! When I think about some of the actresses – Hepburn, Davis, Crawford, Stanwick, Dunne, Colbert, Loy, etc – I wonder why it is that they were “allowed” to star in movies about all sorts of subjects and the movies were hits, for the most part. Sure, some of the stories were called “weepers” and relegated to “women’s pictures,” but men went too or the box office wouldn’t have been as good as it was. What happened? Even today’s stars like Julia Roberts can’t “open” a film anymore. Brains? What are they? I’ve thought about “Adam’s Rib” so often and railed about how today’s equivalent would be something utterly stupid like the forthcoming “Friends With Benefits.” My dream is to win the lottery and be able to write, finance and distribute the kind of movie we’re talking about (and hungering for).
Rants are good for the soul, Melissa. Don’t hold back! I must have missed the Times article you mentioned, but the point of it doesn’t surprise me. We don’t see a lot of powerful women going around “sexting” pictures of their anatomy to unsuspecting young men. What I don’t get is that women should be running the show, given our numbers. And baby boomers supposedly have the discretionary income. So why aren’t we in charge of everything????
Jane – I have come to your novels late… I read Confession of a She-Fan several years ago, and am just now reading all of your other books. I LOVE them, and I (for one) would totally go see them if they are made into movies, or at the very least, tune in if they are on tv and not on the big screen. I just finished Best Enemies yesterday, and I think that would make a fantastic movie!!! Keep up the great work!!
Missy, I’m so glad you discovered my novels after reading the “She-Fan” book – and that you’ve been enjoying them. I hope you’ll try them all and that you’ll find them equally entertaining. I had a lot of fun writing “Best Enemies.” The idea to move the story to Tara’s point of view came to me late in the process and I really enjoyed getting inside her head.
Okay. Stepping into deep deep waters here. At the risk of reading like the reactionary you maybe suspect me to be, let me venture a few comments from the (starboard side of the) mens’ room…
Yeah, I agree and lament that there aren’t more strong womens’ roles out there, or female-centric ones. Hey…I just LOVED the role of Helen Merrill in “Red,” but you know I’m a philistine. I went to the theater to see “Julie and Julia” with Mom when it came out, expecting a dreaded chick-flick, but enjoying it (well, maybe ’cause it was all about FOOD)! And I agree that many men of my demographic, alabaster Canadian/ Americans aged 50+, feel much the same way. However…
Things ain’t what they used to be. Society, esp. the economy, is in an uproar. Many men seem to feel threatened today, so violent action flicks and harsh comedies are a big-time stress relief; we oldsters would like more variety, but we don’t buy too many theater seats. Many under-50s men seem to feel that they’ve lost (or given away) lotsa jobs and status and security and so on, and that the only politically correct response is “GOOD!” And in many ways, it is…but in some ways, it ain’t.
And of course, the social fabric has changed. Our heroes/heroines of the ’40s looked, walked and talked a heckuva lot like your mom and mine, or our dads. Today, there’s many different social mores, among other things, being imported every day. Sad to say, most other nations do NOT hold women in the same lofty regard (by comparison) that we do. Tragic, when you learn that ancient societies held women in much higher regard than they do now in so many cultures (a lesson learned and never forgotten from “DaVinci Code”). I better stop now because I’m already way over my head…but thanx 4 the forum…
Dave, thanks for your thoughts. It’s always good to have the male point of view. But I disagree with a few of your points. Men today feel threatened so they’re going to see action flicks? Men in the ’40s had fought wars, talk about feeling threatened, and yet they still went to see “Adam’s Rib,” to use Peg’s example. Today they’re going to see action flicks because that’s what’s being offered by the studios for the most part. And as for “oldsters” not buying many theater seats, it’s the oldsters who aren’t watching movies online. Research shows that it’s the older demographic that reads reviews and goes to see films that sound appealing. Do they go to multiple showings like the kids go to see a movie based on a comic book? No. But they’re a large market and they’re underserved. And finally, in other countries (I’m talking about Europe), women are not only allowed to star in films, they’re allowed to AGE on screen. Not so in America.
I guess I hadn’t noticed. And it doesn’t really bother me so much because there’s been some really good movies coming out. I enjoyed “The King’s Speech” and recently saw “Gnomeo & Juliet” (I thought it was cute) and I’m looking forward to the new “X-Men” movie and seeing “Thor”. If it looks good to me, I’ll probably enjoy it, with or without a strong leading lady. I can always get the sassy females in books if I need to–yet another reason to encourage reading LOL :-)
Interesting point, Bethany, about there being so many strong and sassy women in books but not in films. Hollywood should take notice.
Not a RomCom, but do you watch the “Nurse Jackie” series? Talk about a complex character!
I don’t get Showtime, Rob, so I’ve been missing out on “Nurse Jackie.” I hear it’s great and I love Edie Falco. Television is a whole different ballgame when it comes to women on screen. So many good actresses of a certain age are in hit shows and it’s heartening to see. I just wish it translated into film.