Although each character is different in their own way in both films they all go on a voyage of self-discovery and change significantly in their outlook to life.
In Thelma and Louise, Thelma is a stereotypical housewife just like Shirley dominated by her husband Daryl and treated badly. She has no experience of the world and has quite a naive character. This leads her to do stupid things, which land her and Louise in a lot of trouble. For instance when she flirts with a man called Harlen who later tries to rape her. The issue of rape is something that few women can relate to. This movie shows the feelings and emotions women experience when faced with this tragic issue. Women can relate to the panic Thelma feels, both women’s helplessness when Louise shoots Harlen, the anger and hate they feel and the realisation that they are now criminals in the eyes of the law. Throughout the film we see Thelma and Louise battling against the wrongdoings of men. For instance, Thelma and Louise constantly pass a truck driver on the road that sees them as ‘sex objects’ and keeps on making rude gestures. When Thelma and Louise get even with him by blowing up his truck women viewers may experience a sense of satisfaction. They may have previously been in this kind of situation were they were categorised as objects. This is another way in which this film shows a situation from a female point of view so people can understand the real life problems women face in life and society.
Each film is made with its own individual style, presenting the story from a woman’s viewpoint. In Shirley Valentine the audience gets to know Shirley through her conversation with the camera, her monologues and frequent flashbacks. During the film Shirley is so lonely that she is constantly talking to her kitchen wall. Some women may understand this state of loneliness that Shirley always finds herself in. While she converses with the wall we understand her problems and her unfulfilled dreams ‘I want to drink wine by the sea in a country were the grape is grown.’ One of her flashbacks features Shirley as a student. Here she was full of dreams and hopes wanting to be an airhostess. However, Shirley was always put down by her teachers who regarded her as less able than her friend Marjorie who they always praised. Some women may understand the neglect in Shirley’s childhood, why she let go of her dreams and how she turned into the person she now is. This true-life experience makes women relive their past and understand how they have become the people they are today. When her friend Jane wins tickets to Greece Shirley sets off on a road of self-discovery, which will help to fulfil her dreams.
Thelma and Louise is more of an action film and we understand each character by their actions, words and the way they interact.
In both films we see abusive husbands. Thelma’s husband Darryl is a dominating character who uses Thelma as a maid and may be being unfaithful; there is a suggestion that he may be having an affair. Many women can see themselves in Thelma’s position, dominated by their husbands and treated unfairly. At first Thelma is seen as a typical southern housewife completely naive and inexperienced. While this may be a stereotypical character that may not appeal to a modern audience of women who consider themselves independent, it sets the scene for Thelma’s progress in character and the change in her personality.
At the beginning of the film we see Thelma trying to fit in and be comfortable in modern society yet the actions she makes are based on stupidity and she frequently gets herself and Louise into a lot of trouble by her inexperienced actions. This inexperience due to the domination of her husband is something some women can relate to and understand. However the way in which she overcomes this domination gives women a sense of hope that they one day to can have the courage to overcome the power of their husbands.
Louise’s character however is a great contrast to Thelma’s. Viewers see her as confident and experienced although a bit stereotypical at the beginning of the film as she is seen as an adventurous waitress. Some women can relate to her confident nature.
In Shirley Valentine and Thelma and Louise all characters go on holiday or in Thelma and Louise’s case a road trip in order to get away from their boyfriends and husbands. In both film men are presented as abusive and dominating. While this may not appeal to male viewers it certainly appeals to women who find themselves faced with the same problems as the characters in the films. They can therefore associate themselves with the characters in the films, see themselves in those characters and be intrigued by the story. This is another similarity between the two films.
The music at the start of the films is symbolic. At the beginning of Thelma and Louise we hear Wild West music while on the screen we see an open road. This gives the viewer a chance to glimpse the storyline of the film, suggesting freedom and a journey of self-discovery. The film also starts off in black and white and then changes to colour. This represents the way in which the characters change while on the road. In this way the film is showing the change in character the women experience and the finding of their life’s meaning, which is now full of colour.
Shirley Valentine also starts off with a song ‘The girl who used to be me.’ This again gives viewers an in depth view of the life of Shirley Valentine. Shirley has lost her identity and individuality; something some women can relate to and associate with. We also see a black and white screen showing cartoon pictures of Shirley’s life, which then changes to colour. The cartoons show the viewers Shirley’s depression and her lost identity, her hope of finding ‘the girl who used to be.’ This story is true for so many women in society who feel that the people they have become are not the people they want to be. We see from Shirley’s viewpoint the way in which her life is progressing. This allows women to sympathise and feel compassion for her situation.
In both films Shirley and Thelma go on holidays due to the persistence of their friends, in Thelma’s case Louise and in Shirley’s case Jane. This is the only way in which they find the courage to get away from their current lifestyle. This shows viewers how much their husbands have dominated over them. However, although Thelma and Shirley go on holiday they are unable to find the courage to tell their husbands and therefore leave a letter. This shows the audience how badly the woman have been treated that they haven’t got enough courage to tell their husbands they are going on holiday.
In both films’ there are also love interests who use the women. In Thelma and Louise, Thelma falls for a man called JD. At first JD wins Thelma over with his polite manner and impressive stories. He then robs her.
This can be compared to Shirley Valentine who falls for a man named Costas who charms her with his politeness and his eagerness to keep her happy but who later uses her. This shows men from a women’s perspective. They show the way that men use women for their own uses, winning them over with charm until they finally hurt them. In some ways men in both films men are presented very negatively. Yet it can be true to say that this aspect of men from a women’s viewpoint is something many women can relate to.
In both films the women find themselves. They are freed from the oppression of men and find the strong willed personalities that they were losing.
Therefore I believe both films are successful in presenting stories from a women’s viewpoint on the real life problems women face. Both films are realistic and can be compared to the lives of many women in the same situations. These films allow women to relate to the characters and experience emotions on issues that they have faced throughout history such as rape and sexism. They allow women to feel a sense of hope and to make them understand that they are individuals who must fulfil their dreams. Shirley Valentine and Thelma and Louise allow women to overcome stereotypical images of ‘housewives’ and ‘sex objects’ and present women as strong with their own individual characters. In this way both films are successful in showing the problems and issues women face and overcome from a female perspective.
Sonam Raja 10:16