Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Feisty Females

I caught the Geena Davis pirate movie Cuthroat Island on TV recently. This movie is now 16 years old, so I'm probably aging myself here by admitting I remember when this movie first came out. Watching this movie again reminded me why I found it so exciting all those years ago, though it was panned by both the critics and the box office.

Geena Davis plays a female pirate, perhaps not so remarkable these days, but back in the mid 1990s it was ground-breaking. What was also pretty remarkable was that it was an action movie in which the main protagonist was a woman. Another year later, and Geena Davis gave us an even more kick ass performance as an assassin turned soccer mom in The Long Kiss Goodnight.

We women owe a huge debt to Geena Davis for helping to bring feisty females into the mainstream. As an author who likes to write (and read) feisty heroines, I am extremely grateful. Isn't this a great time to be a female author?

Please share with me any feisty female characters that have stood out for you over the years, either from novels or the movies. What was it about them that made them so memorable?

3 comments:

Jenna said...

The Long Kiss Goodnight is probably my favorite Geena Davis movie--though following at a close second is Thelma and Louise, where she goes from frightened to feisty after a night of great sex with Brad Pitt. (Well, who wouldn't?) Loved the post!

Dragon Lady said...

Long Kiss Goodnight is a huge fave for me! Second for a Geena movie has GOT to be Earth Girls Are Easy. WAY too freakin funny!

Feisty, huh. Have to be Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood. Even just from the books, never mind the series! She's strong, snarky, knows WHO she is, and doesn't really give a sh*t who likes her or not. She's happy with herself, even if a bit weirded out by her own abilities. She knows what she wants out of life, too. Sookie is also not afraid to stand up for herself nor afraid to stand up for those who can't stand on their own.

Also, ever see the series Farscape? If so, Erin Soong. She was a warrior, decides she wants something else out of life, and goes for it. She is a very strong woman, has no problem in telling anyone to go frell themselves.

I know there are others, but my mind is kind of fried, as it is late for me.

Stacy

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comments Jenna & Stacy.

I've only recently discovered 'True Blood' but I completely agree. Sookie Stackhouse's strength doesn't come from being 'kick-ass' or tough. It's a very feminine, internal strength and you just can't help but love her.