Films for the Female Gaze
Image credit: Indie Wire
The Bechdel Test, coined by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in the mid-1980s, is a set of criteria used to evaluate the representation of female characters in a work of fiction. The set of rules is as follows:
(1) that at least two women are featured
(2) that these women talk to each other
(3) that they discuss something other than a man
Sounds simple enough right? Wrong. Recent data suggests that roughly 30% of films still do not pass the Bechdel Test. Moreover, a study by Women and Hollywood found that women made up just 35 percent of major characters and 34 percent of all speaking characters in 2021’s top films. The ‘’male gaze,’’ a term coined by feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey, refers to the way that Hollywood cinema looks at women from a male point of view, regarding them as mere sexual objects. With Hollywood being an industry that seemingly prioritises a male audience, films made by and for women appear to often be a rarity.
However, in direct contrast to the male gaze, ‘’The Female Gaze’’ is a relatively new feminist concept that has started gaining traction. ‘’Characters viewed through the lens of the female gaze are not caricatures,’’ writes Alexis Loftis in Sartorial Magazine. ‘’The beauty of the female gaze is that it aims to empathise rather than objectify, to show emotion and intimacy while also showing respect. This is a refreshing idea compared to the control, dominance, and superficialities of the male gaze.’’ Below is a list of recommendations of our favourite films here at Girlie World that we think are perfectly tailored for the female gaze!
Marie Antoinette
Sofia Coppola’s 2006 cult classic is pastel coloured delight, featuring to-die-for Rococo costuming, an anachronistic soundtrack and an intimate exploration of the female psyche.
Image credit: Vulture
The Love Witch
Although released in 2016, The Love Witch pays homage to 1960s horror and technicolour films. Feminist filmmaker Anna Biller explores themes of love and desire as she tells the story of Elaine, a beautiful young woman who uses witchcraft to trick men into falling in love with her.
Image credit: The Guardian
Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig’s critically acclaimed directorial debut stars Saoirse Ronan and explores the turmoil of teenage adolescence and mother-daughter relationships.
Image credit: Rex/Shutterstock
Legally Blonde
A cult classic from the 2000s, Legally Blonde explores the feminism of hyper-femininity as sorority girl Elle Woods takes on the unfamiliar world of Harvard Law school whilst adorned in her signature pink ensembles.
Image credit: IMDb
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
When Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet touch for the first time as he helps her into a carriage, it causes Darcy to flex his hand in order to ‘’shake off the contact and the feelings it brought up.’’ This iconic ‘’hand-flex scene’’ is considered by many to be the epitome of the female gaze in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s love story.
Image credit: Dolly Rheel Productions
Emma (2020)
The 2020 period romantic comedy set in the Regency era is visually stunning with its pastel decor and costumes, and features Anya Taylor-Joy as Miss Emma Woodhouse, an elegant but spoiled young woman with a penchant for matchmaking.
Image credit: Variety
Birds of Prey
The over-sexualised and scantily clad portrayal of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn in 2016’s Suicide Squad was largely criticised for being the epitome of catering to the male gaze. In contrast, Birds of Prey, directed by Cathy Yan, reinvents the character and subverts the male gaze, empowering Harley Quinn in a fun and feminist superhero adventure.
Image credit: Screen Queens
Barbie in Princess and the Pauper
Princess and the Pauper, a classic animated Barbie movie from the 2000s, tells the story of Princess Annalise and pauper girl Erica. What sets the Barbie movies apart from other films targeted at young girls is that they don’t centre around romantic love, but instead celebrate female friendships with the male love interests relegated to background characters.
Image credit: IMDb
Grab the popcorn for your next girly movie night and let us know in the comments which films for the female gaze are your favourite!
References:
Bechdel test definition & meaning (no date) Merriam-Webster. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bechdel%20Test (Accessed: 13 May 2024).
N, E. (2023) Data Analysis of female presentation in movies - has the # of Bechdel test-passing movies..., Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@nagainagai.e/data-analysis-of-female-presentation-in-movies-has-the-of-bechdel-test-passing-movies-a34290f26412 (Accessed: 13 May 2024).
Kerns, H. (2022) Here’s why the ‘pride & prejudice’ hand flex makes you feel things, Elite Daily. Available at: https://www.elitedaily.com/dating/pride-prejudice-hand-flex-tiktok (Accessed: 13 May 2024).
Loftis, A. (2023) The female gaze, Sartorial Magazine. Available at: https://sartorialmagazine.com/lifestyle/2023/2/17/the-female-gaze (Accessed: 03 July 2024).
Ozuna, C. (2021) Subverting the male gaze: Birds of prey refreshes the narrative of Harley Quinn, RTF Gender and Media Culture. Available at: https://rtfgenderandmediaculture.wordpress.com/2021/07/01/subverting-the-male-gaze-birds-of-prey-refreshes-the-narrative-of-harley-quinn/ (Accessed: 13 May 2024).
University of Westminster School of Media and Communications (no date) Breaking free from the male gaze, University of Westminster, London. Available at: https://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-university/outreach-for-schools-and-colleges/extended-project-qualification-epq-support/breaking-free-from-the-male-gaze#:~:text=Mulvey%20argued%2C%20drawing%20on%20psychoanalysis,as%20mere%20(sexual)%20objects. (Accessed: 03 July 2024).
Women and Hollywood (2022) Study: Women made up 34% of speaking roles in 2021’s top films, majority of those characters were white, Women and Hollywood. Available at: https://womenandhollywood.com/study-women-made-up-34-of-speaking-roles-in-2021s-top-films-majority-of-those-characters-were-white/#:~:text=In%202021’s%20top%20films%2C%20females,and%2037%20percent%20in%202019. (Accessed: 13 May 2024).