Are outdated movie tropes still used today?

Gender representation in popular cinema has been one of the key discourses among filmmakers, critics and audience members. While it may not be difficult to detect ‘ideal’ feminine or masculine traits in popular films, their accuracy has often been challenged, as the concept of gender becomes more fluid. What makes a perfect woman on screen, or a perfect man? And more importantly, do we need a universal guideline for depicting men and women in media? Physical strength, self-sufficiency and bravery are some of the qualities pertaining to an ideal male hero, while beauty, sex appeal and passivity are features conventional for a proper female heroine. These grossly simplified gender stereotypes suggest that by analyzing a filmic character’s sexuality, potential for violence and professional aspirations, one may deduce whether they are fittingly male or female. Through some popular cinematic examples, it is important to look at how filmmakers react against and support the idea that all girls should be pretty and all boys should be tough.

As sexism in film narratives continues to be a widely discussed issue, certain contemporary productions have featured stories that reflect on the gender norms of sexuality and career goals. Todd Field’s 2006 film Little Children explicitly challenges the stereotypes of husband versus wife roles in the family while still acknowledging their dominance in modern Western societies. The male protagonist, Brad Adamson, becomes the central focus of female gaze when three mothers identify him as ‘The Prom King,’ after noting his regular presence at the playground with his son. It is revealed that Brad’s wife Kathy is a successful documentary filmmaker, while Brad has failed to pass the Bar exam twice after finishing law school. His professional failure is amplified by his constant visits to the skate park where he observes teenage boys in their exciting and daring activity, forcing him to realize that he is incapable of making bold and firm choices in his own life. Brad’s unconventional role causes turbulence at the playground when the mothers get both nervous and excited with his presence. The only mother who doesn’t see anything odd with fathers being “the primary care givers” is Sarah Pierce, as she quickly befriends the man. On one hand, Sarah exemplifies the qualities of an ‘ideal’ wife since she devotes all of her time to managing the house, raising her daughter Lucy and patiently waiting for her husband to get home from work. Yet, in terms of her appearance, she appears as a short, boyish woman with unnecessarily thick eyebrows. In order to gain Brad’s attention, Sarah orders a provocative red bathing suit that she wears to the public pool with him. One may argue that Sarah breaks free from her mundane domestic life as a wife when she embraces a sexier look. However, her decision to purchase the seductive attire also points to the stereotype of female sexuality being used as a requirement for male validity. Both Sarah and Brad are unhappy with their lifestyle and end up having an affair that allows them to briefly escape their routine. The film challenges the stereotype of women being absolutely content as mothers and housewives, yet reinforces the fact that career success is crucial for men.

In the 2008 film Wanted, Timur Bekmambetov takes a man’s professional failure to extremes as he traces Wesley’s transformation from a miserable account manager into a deadly assassin. Wesley Gibson starts with a low paying, dead-end job, a cheating girlfriend and a dependence on tranquilizers. Moreover, he has an obnoxious boss named Janice who constantly reminds him of his incompetence. Arguably, Janice herself exemplifies a rather sexist approach to women in executive positions at work as the “bitch.” Her terrible personality and odd appearance suggests that women who achieve a degree of professional success cannot be kind and compassionate human beings.

Bekmambetov then complicates the notion of female power with the introduction of a more sexually appealing and violent professional assassin named Fox. Fox is not only an alluring woman, but a physically powerful fighter and dexterous gun shooter. She becomes Wesley’s mentor bringing forward his violent traits and inherent talent for assassination. Although Fox is clearly a powerful individual, her strength raises the question of whether female power can only be acknowledged when a woman adapts traditionally masculine qualities. A similar question is explored in an older film produced after the Second Wave Feminism movement: Jack Hill’s 1974 feature Foxy Brown.

Just like the female protagonist in Wanted, Foxy Brown’s name points out that she is sexy, sly, cunning and often aggressive- just like a fox. After a band of thugs kill her boyfriend Michael, Foxy takes on the role of her community’s protector as she challenges the oppressive brothel owners Steve Elias and Miss Katherine. Foxy wants “justice for all” and fights with her fists and guns. Although critics did not attribute any direct political messages to the movie, Foxy Brown became a prominently known production from the “Sexploitation” movement in 1970s American film. Indeed, while Foxy adapts a masculine role as protector, her body is not masculinized but eroticized to a hyper-feminine level. The director includes several close-ups of her voluptuous breasts as Foxy battles the mobsters in tight fitting colorful clothing. Despite Foxy’s sexual appearance, this film is often regarded as empowering for women because she does not use her sexuality to please men, but rather to trick them. Apart from being a “Sexploitation” film where the female protagonist is both attractive and heroic, Foxy Brown is also classified as a “Blaxploitation” film giving agency to African American women. The question of race is vital and often closely linked to gender stereotypes and sexism in general.

After examining three films that challenge feminine and masculine stereotypes, one still gets the impression that physical strength for men and sexuality for women remain dominant tropes in popular cinema. Certainly there is nothing inherently wrong with being a strong man or a beautiful woman, but it becomes problematic when cinema portrays one strict gender narrative all the time. Professional goals, sexual preferences and engagement with violence should not be the primary factors in a discourse about femininity and masculinity, particularly in 21^st century culture where the concept of ‘gender’ in general is being discussed as a social construct.

Featured image courtesy of  Cinapse