To what extent do Thelma and Louise and Shirley Valentine tell stories from a women's point of view about women's real life problems.'

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Women in Film:

‘To what extent do Thelma and Louise and Shirley Valentine tell stories from a women’s point of view about women’s real life problems.’

Throughout the history of film actresses have always received the worst roles in which to portray women. Women are often featured as lovers or prostitutes, backstage roles that support the power and domination of men. Hollywood has always been dominated and ‘run’ by the influence of male actors and directors. Statistics have shown that 71% of male actors are given major roles compared to women who receive only 29% of centre stage roles.

Thelma and Louise and Shirley are two films, which change that. They portray woman in a positive role, showing them in a positive light against male oppression. Although Shirley Valentine is a British film and Thelma and Louise is American, both films still show women facing the prejudice of society in the 20th century. In this way women viewers can relate to the films believing them to show the difficulties women face in life, the loss of women’s individuality due to the domination of their husbands and their experiences of sexism and prejudice in modern day society.  

There are many similarities as well as differences in both films and the storylines are varied, yet both films still feature woman who overcome the typical stereotype that they are nothing but sexual objects for men to abuse.

Thelma and Louise a road film featuring two women who are trying to run away from the law because Louise has shot a man who was trying to rape Thelma. Throughout their journey they go on a quest of self-discovery realising the mistakes they have made in life and finding their true identity among the ravages their partners have made of their character.

Shirley Valentine similarly features a woman who goes on holiday to discover that she has lost herself, the person she once was ‘Shirley Valentine’ and become a slave, a typical housewife that always fulfils her husband’s wishes. She realises she has no importance in her families life anymore and is no longer needed by her children. Her whole life has been used up fulfilling the desires of her husband and children and destroying her own. This is one way in which women viewers can relate to the story she is telling. Many women find themselves in the same position as Shirley; feeling that they are no longer needed and have lost touch with who they once were. Yet this film gives hope and the moral that life is worth living to fulfil your dreams.

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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 ...

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