Limelight:
Ladies in waiting
By
Lubna Abdel-Aziz
With the Women's Liberation Movement dominating the scene of the 1970s, women's strong presence on the screen began to diminish considerably. As the case for feminists' "equal rights" grew stronger, pervading our everyday lives, it became difficult for writers to transpose a true portrayal of the role of women on the screen. The early liberationists conveyed a grim and joyless demeanour that was hard for males to swallow. Maleness was in crisis and so was femaleness. The few attempts portraying strong, sophisticated, independent, self-sufficient women on screen was unromantic and unprofitable. Screen actresses bewailed the fact that they would never see themselves again as equal to their male counterparts. Blessed by the Hollywood establishment and male audiences, their absence gave way to the "buddy movies". The "male-bonding" movies replaced the traditional boy/girl romances with tremendous box-office success. Male-liaisons proved to be such great hits, as Paul Newman and Robert Redford's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, that studios were encouraged to churn out more of the same. In one interview Shirley Maclaine was asked why there were no good parts being written for women, she answered: "But there are, there are, it is just that they are all played by Robert Redford!" Roles once reserved for women were re-written for men.
The sexual assertiveness and apparent threat to men's employment opportunities posed by liberated women resulted in a macho-male assertiveness at least on screen. Violent, bloody imagery wrapped in sheer muscle force, was offered instead, diminishing the role of women to obsessive Fatal Attractions, and degrading Basic Instincts. The males went from super-heroes like Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones to Bruce Willis' Die Hard, Rambo-esque Sylvester Stallone and interminable Terminators, of "the Arnold" Schwarzenegger. Even pretty boys like Tom Cruise found it Risky Business to continue dancing in their briefs, they were forced to venture into Missions Impossible to score at the box-office. Why, even ET was a boy!
Once upon a time, long, long ago, in the Kingdom of Hollywood, women ruled, playing a pivotal role in the development of motion pictures. The history of the "moving image" cannot be complete without their immeasurable contribution. More than 100 women were closely associated with the early formation of the industry, not only in Europe and the US, but around the world. Places like India, Iran and Egypt were not without their female pioneers in their motion picture industries. Their legacy remains, inspiring young hopeful female lovers of film to make their own contribution to this awesome seventh art. Luminous female screen personas possessing that rare talent as well as that unmistakable star quality that defies description, delighted audiences through the decades. A fresh varietal bouquet of beauties of every flavour from around the world, delighted and enriched our lives, among them the delectable Michéle Morgan, Simone Signoret, Jeanne Moreau from France; from Britain the elegant Vivien Leigh, Merle Oberon, Jean Simmons; Germany and the Scandinavians gave us Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Hedy Lamar, Ingrid Bergman; and from the sunny shores of Italy came "the big four": Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, also Anna Magnani, and Sylvana Mangano. Any of these names on any marquee was foolproof guarantee of a box-office triumph. Hollywood's crop was generous too, from the patrician Kathryn Hepburn, to the grandiose Bette Davis; from the luscious Lana Turner to the stunning Elizabeth Taylor. The 1950s and the 1960s gave us incomparable stars like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Doris Day. And then there were none! The men of the industry invented the blockbuster, replacing the female with a "shark", an "enok", a "ship" and a "rocket".
The new millennium is heralding a new era for women in film, a resurgence of the powerhouse female on, as well as off, the screen. After years of being relegated to one dimensional or secondary roles, their bold attempts are just beginning to bear fruit. Even if quantitatively 2003 does not prove to be a turning point in movies, the more diverse characters have been painfully lacking since Thelma teamed up with Louise (1991). Once again women are regaining their foothold. It is no longer a given that female actresses had to be young and beautiful and directors had to be males. Actresses were once considered past their prime when they hit 40, while there was no age limit for men. Now movies are allowing older women like Susan Sarandon 57, Meryl Streep 55, Goldie Hawn 54, and Kathy Bates 54, to be sexually viable.
The recent Oscar nominations acknowledge the new woman ranging in age from 13 to 58. Fascinating amongst them is the youngest, a 13 year-old European/Aborigine New Zealander, Keisha Castle-Hughes who had never acted before she was picked by director Nicki Caro to play Pai, leader of an ancient Maori tribe in Whale Rider. Her grandfather is disappointed that she is only a girl but she proves to him that leadership is in her blood, displaying steely determination and little girl vulnerability in one body. Keisha is the youngest actress ever to be nominated for a female leading role by the Academy. Only Jackie Cooper was nominated at age 9 for a "male leading role" and lost to Lionel Barrymore in 1931. All other youngsters were nominees or winners for "best supporting roles". Keisha brings remarkable maturity to a powerful screen presence.
Daughter to movie mogul Francis Ford Coppola and star of his Godfather III, 32 year-old Sofia proves that "like father like daughter!" After winning the Golden Globe as best director, she has received two Oscar nominations for writing and directing Lost in Translation. This beautiful introspective, often philosophical film focusses on the unique friendship that develops between an American actor and a neglected young wife as they find themselves stranded in a luxury hotel in Tokyo. Sofia is not only the youngest director nominee as well as the first American woman, but she is only the third woman ever to be nominated, the two others being Lina Wertmuller of Italy (Seven Beauties 1976), and New Zealander Jane Campion (The Piano 1993). Neither woman won.
Odds are that Diane Keaton, the oldest actress nominee may well take home the golden statuette. "Age cannot wither her", and at 58 Keaton is intelligent, witty, lovable and sexy all at once. In her latest hit Something's Gotta Give, written and directed by another 50+ year-old woman, Nancy Meyers (What Women Want 2000), Keaton is the object of love and adoration by two successful, eligible males, 63 year-old Jack Nicholson and 34 year-old Keanu Reeves. Jack is Jack, and Keaton's performance is real and poignant and the chemistry between them is electrifying. The lessons of Nia Vardalos's My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), have borne fruit and the women now know that their forté is the romantic comedy, which all but disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s.
Taking home the Golden Globe, Keaton shouted with glee "there is light at the end of the tunnel! To find a romance at this time of life when Jack and my combined ages are 125 is incredible." The math notwithstanding, the film is charming and has already grossed $120 million, heralding the return of the mature woman in a tender story of love. Both stars are receiving accolades at present at the Berlinale (Berlin Film Festival 2004) for their recent hit as well as for their amazing durability.
Why are women finally moving forward in the medium of film? Perhaps it is because a new generation of men have grown up with strong women, mothers, sisters, wives, and are no longer threatened by them. Or perhaps they are just beginning to realise that to get something done right, they do not need men to do it. All they need is to roll up their sleeves and do it themselves. Was it not a man who rightly remarked:
"cherchez la femme"!
(attributed to Fouché Duc d'Orleans 1789-1820)
