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Monday, February 15, 2010

Histories of Women...a rant

I was so excited to see the new movie about Amelia Earhart (I know it came out a bit ago but I have a 2 year old so I wait for everything to hit Netflix). I grew up with a passion for flying and travel. I grew up in awe of Amelia.

I shouldn't be surprised. Seems this happens with every mainstream film about women. But there I was last night watching the story of Amelia Earhart unfold before me. And the focus? Her romantic life and managing a jealous and very threatened husband. Blah!

Why must Hollywood "romance-up" nearly every film about women? Do they think that we wouldn't be interested in the telling of a female historic figure unless we also know about the men in her life? Would the accomplishments that made her film worthy not be sufficient enough?

I've heard some argue that the same is done with men...I don't buy it. The first time I see a scene of Nelson Mandela masturbating in his jail cell (see similar story line about Alice Paul in Iron Jawed Angels) then we can talk about whether Hollywood treats the biographies of men in the same manner as those for women!

1 comment:

roseduncan said...

No kidding, I'm presently obsessed with Amelia as I see her, the opposite of the movie in so many ways.
She's one character in a novel I'm writing. Anyhow, fun to read your rant.