« Errors shed light on lack of editorial policy | Main | Another British wonder brings rock to the U.S. »
April 05, 2005
On the lookout for leading ladies
There is no adage in Hollywood older than “there are no good roles for women.” It’s been batted around with a good deal of truth for decades, particularly in the mid-’70s, when Ellen Burstyn wanted to remove the Best Actress category at the Oscars to protest the lack of female roles.
It held true in the ’90s (look at the last few years of Best Actresses - a woman over 40 hasn’t won since
Susan Sarandon a decade ago). So why is it that film rejects great roles for women? Is it a double
standard, or are we just not looking hard enough?
Honestly, it’s a bit of both. Film doesn’t reject great roles for women; the box office does. With every
weekend marked with action films and science fiction thrillers, women just don’t get a fair shot at these sorts of blockbuster roles and are left out of the multi-gazillion dollar film gross bracket. Sure, every once in a while you’ll have something like Nia Vardalos’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but in those cases the film spreads by word of mouth (Greek Wedding certainly didn’t open at number one). And before anyone has the chance to say “Julia Roberts,” her last few films have been non-entities as far as money is concerned.
The last hit she headlined was Erin Brockovich, a flick five years old.
However, there is still good news for video renters who want to catch some recent female acting muscle. Independent films (along with the occasional Oscar-bait studio film) have taken initiative and have designed several great female roles in the last couple of years.
The only problem is that most of the films stay in limited release and then head straight to video; you hardly see them outside of the occasional film clip around awards season.
Here are a few contemporary performances that you’ll surely be arrested by. Enjoy!
Annette Bening, the raven-haired dame who so sporadically shows up on screen you’d think she was Jodie Foster, made an elegant splash last year with Being Julia, based on W. Somerset Maugham’s Theater. The film tells of an actress at the peak of her powers, stirring standing ovations and winning offers from young lovers (including one whom she takes up). The film is nothing more than a vehicle for Bening to roam and rove like she’s Margo Channing with a British accent. The film made no money at the box office, but don’t let the dollar line scare you off č it’s a sure treat if you’re looking for something pleasant to cool down post-study session.
If you find that you enjoy such a cool down, next up is Diane Keaton’s sweet romance of Something’s
Gotta Give. It’s from two years ago, and it’s a film you may have already seen, but she was so deliriously entertaining that you need to catch it again. I must admit to being an ardent fan of hers ever since she played the naĢve Kay Adams in The Godfather. Here, however, she’s deeper into quirky Annie Hall mode, portraying a stunning playwright on the verge of writing a new work, when she suddenly becomes a baby-sitter to her daughter’s boyfriend (Jack Nicholson), who suffers a heart attack. Romantic sparks ensue, but this film, like Being Julia, is all about the star. Diane Keaton has never been more radiant and vulnerable in a role, and her years of experience show as she slowly lets her guard down to Nicholson.
And for those of you who like female performances with more dramatic flair, look no further than the literary drama The Hours. Here you receive not one, not two, but three great actresses, and all for the price of a single video rental. The film tracks three women, all leading lives that parallel character’s in Virginia
Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway. Nicole Kidman stars as the fated author herself, Julianne Moore gives a turn as a devoted housewife reading the novel, and Meryl Streep is a woman whose life mirrors Mrs. Dalloway’s.
The film is a technical marvel, with tricky editing seamlessly blending the storylines, but the acting is what you stay for. Each woman receives at least one breakout scene, and each is stellar. If you haven’t seen it, you must. For those of you not acquainted with these fine actresses, it’s a great introduction.
So while the amount of quality roles for women is nowhere near what it should be, talented women are making engaging movies. The next time you’re deciding between the brainless action flick and the mindless comedy, go check out one of these films (unless, of course, Diane Keaton has been recast as The Terminator)!
Posted by msveum at April 5, 2005 09:19 PM
Comments
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)