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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 08/05/2009 : 13:20:23
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Dunno why the hold-up at the M*, but at last, here's my tie-in to The Proposal. Gender politics alert!! 
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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 08/06/2009 : 06:23:53
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| Interesting. But I think there's an exception to your rule. Barbara Streisand certainly does both powerful women and comedy without sleeping her way to the top, no? |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 08/06/2009 : 09:16:26
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Interesting. But I think there's an exception to your rule. Barbara Streisand certainly does both powerful women and comedy without sleeping her way to the top, no?
Well, I'm very pro-Barbra, and she sure is uber-rich, but I can't think of any film where she played a boss. Closest is Prince of Tides, but a shrink ain't a boss. Not a good shrink, anyway. And that's not really a comedy -- well, it's NOT a comedy!
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 08/06/2009 : 10:32:51
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Interesting. But I think there's an exception to your rule. Barbara Streisand certainly does both powerful women and comedy without sleeping her way to the top, no?
Well, I'm very pro-Barbra, and she sure is uber-rich, but I can't think of any film where she played a boss. Closest is Prince of Tides, but a shrink ain't a boss. Not a good shrink, anyway. And that's not really a comedy -- well, it's NOT a comedy!
No, it isn't. Although it was so bad in parts it was practically funny - but that wasn't intentional. But I was thinking more Funny Girl, but I guess she isn't really a boss there - just a huge success.
And I guess Dame Judi Dentch playing "M" in the Bond films doesn't count either.
What about Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl?
And then there's Katharine Hepburn in Woman of the Year, but I think you're looking for more modern examples.
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 08/06/2009 : 12:14:34
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quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
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Originally posted by BaftaBabe
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Interesting. But I think there's an exception to your rule. Barbara Streisand certainly does both powerful women and comedy without sleeping her way to the top, no?
Well, I'm very pro-Barbra, and she sure is uber-rich, but I can't think of any film where she played a boss. Closest is Prince of Tides, but a shrink ain't a boss. Not a good shrink, anyway. And that's not really a comedy -- well, it's NOT a comedy!
No, it isn't. Although it was so bad in parts it was practically funny - but that wasn't intentional. But I was thinking more Funny Girl, but I guess she isn't really a boss there - just a huge success.
And I guess Dame Judi Dentch playing "M" in the Bond films doesn't count either.
What about Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl?
And then there's Katharine Hepburn in Woman of the Year, but I think you're looking for more modern examples.
No, not really - viz my examples of Mae West, Stanwyck, and Sylvia Sidney. I was trying to make several related points about manipulative women bosses in films played by powerful [i.e. bankable or nearly] actresses - and how the industry has traditionally been reluctant to allow that unless the women use their sexuality to achieve their onscreen position. And even then, it's very rarely in a comedy. I did refer to the fact that there are numerous examples of women bosses and plenty of powerful women both on and offscreen - but that's not the point in relation to The Proposal.
Streisand may have portrayed confident and determined women, but apart from the shrink, she generally has played either hookers or show-bizzers, and a clairvoyant, a Yeshiva-boy, and a couple of housewives. In real life, she was a co-founder of First Artists, echoing Mary Pickford's role in United Artists. And Alice Guy not only directed hundreds of films, she was the first woman to found a film studio.
Dench never plays on her sexuality in Bond - I don't think she ever even banters with him. It's not Weaver who plays that game, but Griffith tries to avoid it and rely on her business gift to advance. Boss Weaver has no homoerotic relations with Griffith.
I may be wrong, but I don't think Hepburn played Tracy's boss in WotY, did she?
Maybe my points were too obscure - it's more a subject for a book than a 500 article!
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 08/06/2009 : 13:55:35
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
I may be wrong, but I don't think Hepburn played Tracy's boss in WotY, did she?
No, not Tracy's boss, but a boss none the less - a very high-powered business woman. She has her male secretary running around after her the whole film.
Of course, your point is made in that film where we see that her being such a high-powered business woman is what ruins her marriage.
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 12:30:36
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She might be sort of the boss, but above her there are male bosses. Just like in The Ugly Truth.
As for unequal pay in Hollywood, I'm afraid I think that is down to women themselves! Wait for it... In general, men may be drawn to a film based on its male stars and/or its female ones, whereas women are much more likely to be drawn by the male ones. Equality isn't for giving out: it's there to be taken.
I've always liked Sandra Bullock. I think I saw recently that she hasn't had any cosmetic surgery. She looks amazing if that's true and even if it isn't. It will be interesting to see how she fares once her looks do fade. |
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The Proposal tie-in
