"Pretty Woman". . .Not as Superficial as it Sounds



     In this blog, I've noticed that whenever I criticize a movie or T.V. show for its representation of women, it's usually because I believe the woman has been judged for her superficial qualities, and made to seem like more of an object than as an actual human being.

     This was not the case with the film Pretty Woman.  While the title may seem like it was all about this particular woman's looks, the film delivered a completely different message. Vivian, played by Julia Roberts, is a "hooker" (prostitute) who goes from tramp to high-class woman. But the changes go even deeper than that.

     When we first meet Vivian, she seems like an unintelligent, trashy woman who is only concerned with sex, drugs, and alcohol. This impression begins to fade away when Vivian first meets Edward, a wealthy businessman, on the side of Hollywood Boulevard and offers to drive his car. (It's a stick-shift, and he has some trouble with those.) The fact that a woman knew more about a car than a man did made me giggle, but this was only the beginning of the movie's much more meaningful empowerment of women.

     Vivian ends up spending a lot of time around this very wealthy man, who encourages her in every possible way. He speaks to her politely. He tells her how smart and gifted she is. He brings her along to high-class functions like horse races and the opera. He gives her money for clothes, and when he finds out she hasn't been treated nicely by the store clerks, he makes sure she gets the royal treatment the next time around. When Edward's friend physically and verbally attacks Vivian in their hotel room, Edward jumps to the rescue. Later, he leaves this friend out of a business deal, thereby sending the message that men who mistreat women deserve to be punished.

     In short, in this modern-day Cinderella story, Edward acts as both Prince Charming and Fairy Godmother and rescues Vivian from her destitution.  But he does more than that. Edward gives Vivian self-esteem and a strong sense of her potential. Hollywood needs to make more movies like this one.







Women in Politics

     Today, I'm going to go a little off topic, and bring up something new: the portrayal of women in political news.

     As most of you probably already know, Barack Obama is currently starting on his campaign trail. According to this article,  Michelle Obama will play a key role in trying to push her husband's approval ratings back up before the election. This article states that Michelle will have a sizeable influence on her husband's chances of reelection. It brought up themes such as family and empathy and the large role those two will play in Michelle's speeches. In fact, this article said that Michelle Obama has become more personal in her approach to the American public. She has started mentioning her home life and her and Barack's struggles and fears, hoping to reach out to a more and more disapproving audience. These tactics, the article points out, have been used by former first ladies, too, Laura Bush being one of the biggest users.

     Let me just say that I think it's interesting that in order to be more powerful, to have influence over an election, women have to talk about what's going on at home. Women have been the rulers of domestic life for thousands of years now, so really it should be no big surprise. However, a part of me wonders if this whole "lifting my husband up and being such a good wife" thing might be detrimental to the role that women play in the long term. Obviously, Michelle just wants to get her  husband reelected, and does not care one way or another if she lifts up women in the process. But one of these days, I'd like to see the role that a "First Man" would play in a situation like this. Would he talk about life at home and lift his wife up? Or would he for the most part stay out of the picture? It's an interesting thought...

"The Help" Got It Right. . . And A Little Wrong

 

     The Help is a movie that has recently been in theaters which was about racial tensions, prejudice, and the battle to overcome them in 1960's Mississippi. Skeeter Phelan, a bright, educated young woman who wants to be a journalist is the focus of this story. She records the experiences of Black maids and writes a book about them in the hopes of exposing the degrading and racist treatment they all face daily. 

     This film has been both praised and criticized for its handling of the topic of racial prejudice. It seems that most critics and moviegoers have overlooked another equally important theme: gender. It is hard to ignore the fact that gender roles play a crucial role in The Help. Almost all of the characters are female. The occupation held by all of the Black women is one that is typically held by women regardless of race. There are also many relationships that center around females: mother-daughter relationships, female friendships, and the influence that women have on their communities. 

     In general, The Help was successful in lifting women up. Skeeter's novel becomes a success, one Black maid attains revenge against her former employer, and specific problems regarding females are given attention throughout the film. However, I had one major complaint. 

     Why is it that in every "chick flick," the main (female) character always wants to be a writer? Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with being a writer. Heck, I want to be a writer. But what if Skeeter has wanted to be a lawyer? Or a politician? Then the film really  could have been something. Instead of simply exposing the problem, Skeeter could have taken concrete steps to help fix it. The Help does such a good job with Skeeter. She is ambitious, headstrong, and intelligent. She truly believes in the cause she is fighting for. These are excellent qualities that oculd have made an excellent film. But instead, The Help pacifies its audience by employing its main character in a softer career, so it can make its message easier to swallow.

Another Show That "Gets It"

http://www.hulu.com/watch/276685/new-girl-pilot

     Some of you may have seen Fox's new show "New Girl," starring Zooey Deschanel. "New Girl" follows the story of Jess (Deschanel's character) and her relationships with her three male roommates. This new series has gotten some great reviews and stellar ratings. The reason I think this show has been doing so well is because audiences have been looking for some originality that's been lacking on networks since "The Office." From just the first episode (posted above) it's plain to see this show greatly deserves this attention. It is also clear that "New Girl" portrays its female character (and by extension, women in general) in a positive light.
     For one thing, Jess is quirky and original. Other than her tears and chick-flick-watching binge due to her break-up with her boyfriend, Jess portrays very few female stereotypes. "New Girl" is intent on showing that Jess is her own person. She sings to herself, showers in her bathing suit, forgets to shave her legs, and makes cute comments about nearly everything. Her unique personality does not change based on her company. She acts the same whether she is with her female friends or male roommates.
      Along with Jess's relationships with the two genders, "New Girl" also focuses on how men and women relate to each other in general, without giving either gender preferential treatment. Winston (played by Lamorne Morris), one of Jess's roommates, struggles with treating women in a gentle manner. During Jess's emotional breakdown, he sits down next to her on the couch, looks her in the eye, and yells, "stop it!! Stop!" Another roommate, Schmidt (Max Greenfield), is almost too gentle, and tries to be taken seriously by his female coworkers. Her third roommate, Nick (Jake Johnson) is also trying to get over a breakup, and his story tells the "male side" of relationship troubles.
     With its quirky humor, originality, and fair view of the genders' strengths and weaknesses, "New Girl" is sure to please audiences and to have several more seasons. I know that I will be watching the episodes to come. TV could use a few more characters like Jess.