I finally saw this movie for the first time today. Elizabeth Taylor plays a "whore" who falls in love with a married man. Needless to say, the ending is tragic as it was made in the 60's where women who were wanton, lusty, pregnant and unmarried, or just all around bad girls couldn't have happy endings. I suppose the studios didn't think the sensibilities of audiences then couldn't handle a a story about a woman who wasn't the epitome of womanhood.
I couldn't help but to wonder if this movie was made today, would the ending still be as tragic if the Elizabeth Taylor character were fat. There are no movies where a fat female protagonist gets the guy. There just are no movies starring fat women who are allowed to be fat women - who don't have weight problems. I suppose the studios don't think that the sensibilities of today's movie audience could handle it if there were positive fat female characters. That to me is tragic.
I've often thought I should write that movie, but then I keep coming back to wondering how I could write about a romance between a fat female and a thin male without making her size a huge (excuse the pun) part of the story line. Yet, because there is such a dearth of characters, I still would watch a fat romance story regardless of whether her size were a huge part of the story line.
I can't be alone in this. I'm sure there are thousands if not millions of women like me whose lives are not being reflected on the big screen and who would gladly pay to see such movies. Someone needs to take up the call and do it. Maybe I'll give it a try.
5 comments:
First & foremost: I love your blog! Secondly: If you ever have any time, could you read some of mine? Thirdly: There is a movie where the protagonist is a fat girl who just so happens to win the guy in the end. It's called Hairspray. Maybe you've heard of it, but forgot, or didn't want to mention it because Tracy Turnblad isn't a woman, she's a girl. But I thought this may be helpful to fellow readers. Love, a fellow fatty. (:
You're right, Hairspray is a movie about a fat chick who gets the guy. I suppose several of Waters' movies have fat female characters who get the guy or girl as the case may be.
These movies are problematic for me however because they are kitsch. The characters are presented as freaks. The audience watches them in the spirit with which they were delivered. They still see these characters as other. How well the audience would relate to these characters I'm not sure. I guess it's for this reason I didn't even think of any of his films. I'm also not including Babycakes. Ricki Lake spends the whole movie trying to diet her way to love. Not cool.
"There are no movies where a fat female protagonist gets the guy. There just are no movies starring fat women who are allowed to be fat women - who don't have weight problems."
All I could think about was Circle of Friends when I read this. I saw it in early highschool (Already solidifying myself as a fat person who didn't HATE being fat, therefore digging a trench for myself relatively early) and while Minnie Driver's character of Benny wasn't FAT, I got that we were meant to understand that she was. I remember thinking how strange it was that the only time her weight was mentioned was by herself, or by people who hated her. Chris O'Donnell's character never ONCE mentioned her weight. Neither did her parents, or her friends - I remember TRYING to read fat-shaming subtext into their actions but it just wasn't there.
I think growing up during a time in Australian cinema where Muriel's Wedding was THE movie of the year I was really fortunte - I think all fat girls should see it at a formative age - It reflects the fact that there are avid FAs out there, and there are guys who are suddenly attracted to you out of nowhere that struggle with that attraction, but none of that compares to standing on your own two feet. The movie made it okay that a love story may or may not be part of your happy ending - That a Happy Ending is tied to your own sense of self and worth.
That said, I think there is FAR MORE of a market for fat-heroine-gets-the-guy in literature (I can name maybe 30 books/erotic novels off the top of my head that feature fat or at the very least plus sized heroines who get the guy - And only two of them involve them losing weight and I'm pretty sure that was just a reason to introduce them to "hunky" gym instructors). I could pose several theories as to why but they would be broad generalisations.
As a short aside: I thought the Janet/Eddie love story in October Road was sensationally written and rendered (very realistic), and the Puck/Lauren storyline in Glee is sexy, realistic AND hilarious. So TV is catching up, even if moves aren't!
"There are no movies where a fat female protagonist gets the guy. There just are no movies starring fat women who are allowed to be fat women - who don't have weight problems."
All I could think about was Circle of Friends when I read this. I saw it in early highschool (Already solidifying myself as a fat person who didn't HATE being fat, therefore digging a trench for myself relatively early) and while Minnie Driver's character of Benny wasn't FAT, I got that we were meant to understand that she was. I remember thinking how strange it was that the only time her weight was mentioned was by herself, or by people who hated her. Chris O'Donnell's character never ONCE mentioned her weight. Neither did her parents, or her friends - I remember TRYING to read fat-shaming subtext into their actions but it just wasn't there.
I think growing up during a time in Australian cinema where Muriel's Wedding was THE movie of the year I was really fortunte - I think all fat girls should see it at a formative age - It reflects the fact that there are avid FAs out there, and there are guys who are suddenly attracted to you out of nowhere that struggle with that attraction, but none of that compares to standing on your own two feet. The movie made it okay that a love story may or may not be part of your happy ending - That a Happy Ending is tied to your own sense of self and worth.
That said, I think there is FAR MORE of a market for fat-heroine-gets-the-guy in literature (I can name maybe 30 books/erotic novels off the top of my head that feature fat or at the very least plus sized heroines who get the guy - And only two of them involve them losing weight and I'm pretty sure that was just a reason to introduce them to "hunky" gym instructors). I could pose several theories as to why but they would be broad generalisations.
As a short aside: I thought the Janet/Eddie love story in October Road was sensationally written and rendered (very realistic), and the Puck/Lauren storyline in Glee is sexy, realistic AND hilarious. So TV is catching up, even if movies aren't.
Nikkers, I would love to see your literature list. It's been so long since I've seen either of those movies...I remember thinking that neither of those characters was fat (they looked nothing like me) and that it seemed silly for them to be placing so much emphasis on their weight.
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