Maria Braun – Die Ehe der Maria Braun (1979)
The tragically short film career of the great New German Cinema film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder included a masterstroke with Die Ehe der Maria Braun (The Marriage of Maria Braun) that was two-fold. For one, a fascinating, unforgettable female character, and then, a thoroughly captivating performance by Hanna Schygulla.
The Maria Braun marriage occurs in the very first scene, amidst a war-time bombing. From here the story is set for a journey of paradoxical loyalty and self-sufficiency, the domineering Maria has to, over the years, acclimatize to the horrors of war and post-war, as well as digging the way for her own life progress while her husband Hermann is off fighting and presumably dying. Maria garners wealth and do-well lifestyles, owing much to not just her blatant sexuality, but her cunning intellect. A remarkable woman, however you look at her.
Wilma Dean Loomis – Splendor in the Grass (1961)
The depiction of the turbulent journey of a teenage girl was executed rather differently back in the 1960s given the change in times – but Elia Kazan’s emotionally-taut romance proves that as sex and love in adolescence go, not much has changed at all. Deanie (be still my beating heart, Natalie Wood) is struggling to allocate such desires and depression during her own personal venture to adulthood.
Conflicting with her meddling mother’s advice offering a frosty, archaic template of how to be a correct woman, Deanie is a firecracker, both at her most lustful and melancholy, blending through the passionate and the desolate. The ultra-charged bathtub scene is unforgettable, one of Wood’s absolute finest acting moments. The vulnerable, wonderful Deanie’s own female hysteria, physical and mental longings, and of course Wordsworth, somehow just about balance her on the very rocky road of sanity.
Vesper Lynd – Casino Royale (2006)
The very first James Bond film with Daniel Craig was also an introduction to Agent 007. We discover a much more vulnerable Bond than we have yet seen – and this boils down to one special woman. Bond meets British treasury agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) on a train, and from there they collide in all manner of emotional and eventfully dangerous ways. Vesper shows a heart-stopping trauma when she witnesses what Bond is capable of, but stands her ground with him – later saving his life.
Even with the fragile trust, they fall in love, Bond declaring he will quit MI6 so that they can be together – the power of a woman. When first he believes Vesper has betrayed him, he still tries to rescue her. But Vesper’s ultimate selfless sacrifice is to protect Bond – she was never a traitor, more likely his strongest alley
Hushpuppy – Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild was a wonderful surprise in 2012, not just in the recognition by the Academy, but in the impact on its audience, and the terrific performances by the two leads. Quvenzhané Wallis, at 9 years old, became the youngest Best Actress nominee in Oscar history. Her Hushpuppy (just 6 in the story) grabs the responsibility of tending to her ill, bad-tempered father Wink during an ensuing storm in southern Louisiana with whole-hearted determination.
As they both try to remain hopeful, little Hushpuppy stamps her feet and tantrums in the anxiety. But her goals and outlook are that of a trustworthy adult. The loyalty and compassion for her father is beyond words, with a little help from her “friends” and the self-sufficient pursuit, she gives Wink a flaming, but ultimately loving farewell.
Hanna Heller – Hanna (2011)
Joe Wright’s swift shift in direction (in both technique and genre) displays his comfortable ability to produce a rather compelling action thriller. Saoirse Ronan is the MVP here though, still on the journey from childhood to adulthood, the actress is both ice cold and sympathetically warm in her characterization of Hanna, a girl who grows in the wild. Her father is ex-CIA (Eric Bana), and he has dedicated much of his time training Hanna into, well, an assassin.
Cate Blanchett better watch out. And anyone who gets in Hanna’s way. Either on the run or chasing, Hanna has to survive in a world she is not accustomed to, befriending another teenager girl and her family, when not knocking seven bells out of guards and killers. Still somber and sedate at the end, Hanna soon gets her revenge.
Kitty Foyle – Kitty Foyle (1940)
The film Kitty Foyle is not literally The Natural History of a Woman as its sub-title might suggest, but it certainly narrates heavily, though completely accessibly, on the social standing and gender life roles expected in those times. Kitty’s story is told partly in flashback when she was an aspiring teenager, and also in the present were her dilemma appears to be choosing whether to run off to her old flame, or marry the new man in her life, a doctor. Their meet cute as she pretends to faint after setting off the store alarm is a great moment.
Kitty has turbulent events and a critical society seemingly against her, but the strength of the woman is never in doubt, ultimately making her own way and decisions. Ginger Rogers, as you have never seen her before, is perfect, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, and setting off sartorial trends back in the forties.
Idun Karlsen – Bølgen (2015)
For those not familiar with Norwegian, the English-language title of Bølgen might tell you more about what is essentially a disaster movie. The Wave depicts a small town in danger from a potential avalanche, and then devouring tsunami. As catastrophe strikes, our protagonist Kristian, a geologist who predicted the event, sets out to reunite with his family. His wife Idun (Ane Dahl Torp) works at the local, and grand, hotel.
As Idun, a colleague, and some guest, attempt to flee, the gigantic wave arrives too late and engulfs the hotel, killing many, and trapping others. Having found her son Sondre, Idun goes into full survival-mother mode. In a pivotal scene, Idun is forced to hold a man under water, who whilst panicking for his life was drowning Sondre. It’s a tragic moment, killing to save a life, but you understand exactly why she had to do it.
Hana – The English Patient (1996)
In my view, The English Patient is a movie that is just not the sum of its magnificent parts. It looks gorgeous throughout, Gabriel Jared’s score is mesmerizing and then there is the luminous Juliette Binoche – a deserving Oscar winner, one of nine amidst a very generous Academy hand-out. Binoche’s Hana, a nurse in Italy during World War II, is a natural vessel of kindness and spirit, who tends to the patient of the title (who is not English, but Hungarian it seems).
Just about keeping her wits about, Hana discovers old secrets, shares a love story with Kip, and administers a final, heavy dose of morphine at her patient’s request. A heartbreaking moment of brilliance from Binoche. In that final, beautiful shot as she leaves the dwelling, Hana has an undefeatable glory and a poise even through the undeniable heartache and struggle she has faced.
Ofelia – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
With Babel (Alejandro González Iñárritu), Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón), and Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro), 2006 was a dominant year for the cinema of Mexico. And strong depictions of females in varying forms, but the real heroine though was 11 year-old Ivana Baquero’s portrayal of Ofelia in del Toro’s majestic, dark fairy tale of sorts. Ofelia, suspected to be the reincarnation of Princess Moanna, is a bright hope in the shadows of war and fantasy.
Embroiled within a labyrinthine garden, a strange but vivid world, occupying creatures and wonders, Ofelia is tasked by a faun creature to, in turn, find a key from the belly of a toad, retrieve a dagger from a child-eating monster, and bring her newborn baby brother to the labyrinth. Although she may regret the harsh consequences, Ofelia is somewhat defiant at times, still swayed by innocence, temptation, and a good heart. Surrounded by the brutality of the adult world, her mistakes, if you like, represent an admirable independence and bravery.
Ava – Ex Machina (2015)
Ex Machina was the enduring sleeper hit of 2015. And largely thanks to a breakthrough performance by the seemingly versatile and prolific Alicia Vikander. Her artificial intelligence Ava can understandably be mistaken for a human, luring you in with charm and keenness to learn about the world.
For her own gain it seems in the end, a definition of intelligent translires, as Ava outsmarts the humans, supposed experts and pioneers. Encapsulating a kind of power of the woman, Ava is free to explore the world for herself, equipped with limitless intellect, ambition, and poise.
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