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We can be heroes... but what we need now is a Good bitch

The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 June 2003

In the American Film Institute's recent poll of Hollywood's 50 greatest heroes and 50 greatest villains, one thing is particularly striking. Of the top 10 heroes, only two are women. However, the top 10 villains include SIX females!

            Looking at the whole, men outnumber women on both lists. Nonetheless, women still look rather shady. They take up 15 positions among the top 50 villains, and only eight among the heroes, including one (Lassie) who was played by a succession of boys. For those who haven't done maths recently, this suggests that the bad girls outnumber the good ones nearly two to one. For every loyal border collie, there are two REAL bitches played by  Bette Davis (Regina Giddens and Baby Jane Hudson). For every inspiring, Julia Roberts character (Erin Brockovich), there are TWO hideous witches who have terrified kids for over 60 years (the harridans of both "Snow White" and "The Wizard of Oz").

            This could mean one of two things: a) American film has had an unfair bias against women; or b) American film has had a JUSTIFIED bias against women. As an sensitive, open-minded man (who is too scared to suggest otherwise), I would have to say it is the former. Filmmakers, it seems, see women in an unreasonably bad light.

            But perhaps Australia is different. Inspired by this survey, I recently compiled a more modest poll of ACT-based film buffs, historians and filmmakers, to name the 20 greatest characters of Australian film. I didn't try separating them into heroes and villains. That is fine in a country like America -- where the President can describe a complex geopolitical situation as "a battle between good and evil", and everyone will believe him -- but things are not so simple over here. Mad Max, David Helfgott and even Muriel Heslop were heroic. But how do you label someone like Miranda, the pristine, enchanting and truly eerie schoolgirl of "Picnic at Hanging Rock"?

            Based on the list, let's name the top Australian film villains. Not surprisingly, they were led by Hando, the sadistic mongrel played by Russell Crowe in "Romper Stomper". Then came Chopper Read (I know, some people think he's a likeable larrikin, but for these purposes he's a villain) and Brett Sprague from "The Boys". A few others scored, ranging from "Love Serenade" sleazebag Ken Sherry to Pando, the Stubbies-wearing crimelord of "Two Hands".

            As you can see, they were a masculine bunch. In fact, the only female who could really make the top 10 villains (if we stretch the definition) is Vanessa, the cold and manipulative society woman played by Wendy Hughes in "Careful, He Might Hear You", trying various tricks to win custody of her nephew. All other candidates were off the radar.

            After all, how many memorable, well-known female villains have Australian movies produced? The bimbo bridesmaids from "Muriel's Wedding" (led by Sophie Lee) might come to mind, as would Leanna Walsman's classroom bitch in "Looking for Alibrandi". If you're desperate, you might name the overbearing Shirley (Pat Thomson) and the vicious Liz Holt (Gia Carides) of "Strictly Ballroom". Oh, I suppose Tina Turner's Aunty Entity rates a mention. And don't forget Didi, Dannii Minogue's teenybopper in "Secrets". Not evil, but very annoying.

            If that's the best we can do, no wonder our actresses complain that there aren't enough good roles. It's time our filmmakers showed some fairness and equality in their portrayal of women: they can be just as evil as men! Just look at the average Hollywood film.

            Our movie heroines are another matter. Apart from the enigmatic Miranda, the top 10 women were a heroic bunch, starting with Muriel and ending with Josie Alibrandi. We might not have as many great female movie characters as Hollywood does, but we seem to think more highly of them.

            Then again, perhaps top-50 lists shouldn't be taken seriously, especially not the AFI list. When you divide characters between "heroes" and "villains", what do you get? A purported list of the greatest characters in American film, which fails to include Charles Foster Kane, Scarlett O'Hara, Ratso Rizzo and numerous others. Even in Hollywood, the most interesting characters -- women included -- aren't so easily labelled.