“You think of women as disposable pleasures, rather than meaningful pursuits” [1]
Has the representation of females changed in the Action Adventure genre?
With reference to Casino Royale (2006)
The figures of females in the Action-Adventure genre have changed considerably since the 1970s, when “only 15 per cent of the leading characters were women”. [2] The portrayal of these women has also changed from being “symbolically annihilated” [3] to to a significant character in the genre. The 2006 Action- Adventure film, Casino Royale, the twenty first film in the James Bond series, depict the female characters differently. For decades the Bond girls who accompany 007 on his missions have been dismissed as sexist eye candy and lampooned for their suggestive names." [4] However, the female protagonist, Vesper Lynd is an accountant for the national treasury, therefore showing her status higher than Bonds. On the other hand, Lynd is a typical ‘femme fatale; her character is both, strong and intelligent, who knows how to use her feminine qualities to her advantage. Similarly, to the 1949 film, White Heat, Virginia Mayo’s character, Verna Jarrett uses her appearance to serve her purpose.
[1] Casino Royale (2006), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Columbia Pictures
[2] Gauntlett, David (2002): ‘Media, Gender & Identity: An introduction’ Routledge
[3] G TUCHMAN - Issues in Feminism: A First Course in Women's Studies, 1980 - Houghton Mifflin College Div
[4] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3024355/James-Bond-girls-are-feminist-icons-says-Cubby-Broccolis-daughter.html
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