The Evolution of the Heroine…

Australian actor George Lazenby poses with several of his female co-stars whilst filming the new James Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' in the Swiss Alps, 22nd October 1968. From left to right, the actresses are (at the back) Helena Ronee, Zaheera, Catherina von Schell, (sitting) Anouska Hempel, Julie Ege, Joanna Lumley and Mona Chong. (Photo by Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Content © 2010 Getty Images All rights reserved.

In order to defeat a serious case of cabin fever, (having been snowed in over the weekend), I turned to movies to keep me entertained. The genre of choice was action movies ranging from classic James Bond to the new James Bond, with the inclusion of Die Hard, Tomb Raider, and various other flicks. While in the process of numbing my mind to the chilly realities of the outside world, I noticed something quite interesting about all these films, (aside from the spectacular explosions), namely the evolution of the heroine.

The films I watched  were produced over a span of nearly 50 years, (Dr. No was produced in 1962), and it is remarkable to see how they reflect the changing social view of women. Keeping in mind that movies always present idealized characters, I was interested in how the character of the heroine and her relationship with the male lead consistently reflected the idealized gender roles of the time.

1933: One of John Cerisoli's models of the giant ape, poised above the New York skyline in a scene from the classic monster movie 'King Kong'. In one of his enormous hands is leading lady Fay Wray, the film's heroine. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Content © 2010 Getty Images All rights reserved.

Take for instance the character of Ann Darrow in the original 1933 King Kong. She’s is certainly beautiful and spunky, but she is physically helpless, emotional, and really does little more then be carried around screaming. In regards to her relationships with the other characters, she questions those around her but soon submits to the male lead. She is neither a partner nor an assistant, rather is a responsibility who has a mind of her own but is dependent on the hero.

Now fast forward and examine the heroines of  the 1960s and 70’s, such as the various “Bond Girls”, Emma Peel, etc.  Produced at the start of the sexual revolution, these women are clever, capable, and sexual…However they are still often emotionally driven and are swayed by love (or lust at the very least). Still, the heroine is now sidekick to the hero, (rather than waiting around to be rescued), but she is still expected to follow his lead.

In today’s movies, the heroine is tough, gorgeous, intelligent, adventurous, confident, physical (in multiple ways…), and challenges her male counterparts at every turn. Take for example Lara Croft, Sarah Connor, etc. Rather than simply being the love interest or the sidekick, today’s heroine is a partner of the male lead and sometime even the main protagonist.  Sounds just like a good model of a strong woman, right?  Perhaps… What caught my attention about these films was that, while the role of the heroine has certainly expanded over the years, it is rare that the heroine is not defined by the surrounding male characters (and her relationships to them) or a personification of some sexual fantasy. Yes there have been instances of strong independent heroines, such as Ellan Ripley from Aliens, but I would argue that such characters are not the norm.

One can argue that these characters are deliberately targeted towards a “masculine” audience, that they are fictional idealizations, and they don’t reflect everyone’s opinion about what a heroine should be. However it seems to me that that this conceptualization of the heroine extends beyond action films and has been adopted by wider pop culture. Look at books, clothing, music, t.v., etc. Even though you have all these strong female characters they still largely exist within a web of male relationships and expectation of physical appearance. Moreover, it can be argued that strength as portrayed by today’s “strong” heroines is still being thought of in traditionally “masculine” terms. Or is it that these today’s heroines are transforming these ideas of strength and eliminating the masculine bias?

It is an interesting question what the ideal heroine should be like and by whose standards…

It certainly is something to think about…