Films either about strong women (Aliens, All About Eve, Auntie Mame, The King and I, Miss Jane Pittman) or coming-of-age stories (To Kill a Mockingbird, My Fair Lady, Walkabout, Whale Rider) I thought this was an appropriate July 4th topic as women got their 'freedom' after African slaves here, not allowed to inherit their husbands property until the late 1800's, and getting to vote well after that. Even New Zealand beat us there.. yikes! [Updated 10.10.10][Those with links we reviewed at 1000 Dvds to See, click to jump to that review]
A Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
A Face in the Crowd (1957) bw
A Good Year (2007) - as director Ridley Scott stated, "We like strong women (said to Russell Crowe); this film has five strong women" (Marion Cotillard and Abbie Cornish leading the pack)
A Room With a View (1985)
A Very Long Engagement (2004) France [photo rt]Adam's Rib (1949) bw
Alice (1990)
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1975)
Aliens (1986)
All About Eve (1950) bw (photo top, theater newcomer Anne Baxter faces off with her idol, established star Bette Davis)
All About My Mother (1999) Spain
An Education (2009)
Anna and the King (1999) A drama filmed earlier as a musical, The King and I
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Auntie Mame (1958)
Australia (2008)
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1973) tv
Baby Boom (1987)
Beautiful Girls (1996)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) bw
Black Narcissus (1947)
Body Heat (1981)
Born Yesterday (1950) bw
Brazil (1985)
Broadcast News (1986)
Brothers (2004) Denmark stunning Connie Nielsen won five int'l acting awards for her performance
Bull Durham (1988)
Carmen (1983) Spain
Central Station (1998) Brazil
Chaos (2001) France
Chicago (2002)
Chocolat (2000) France
Clueless (1995)
Contact (1997)
Crazed Fruit (1956) Japan, bw
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) China
The Cuckoo (2002) Russia
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Defending Your Life (1991)
Double Indemnity (1944) bw
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Educating Rita (1983)
Election (1999)
Elevator to the Gallows (1958) bw
Elizabeth (1998) This links to all the 29 awards this won, most by actress Cate Blanchett, who lost the Oscar® to Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love
Emma (1996)
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Fargo (1996)
Fire (1995)
Funny Girl (1968)
Gadjo Dilo (1998) Romania
The Gay Divorcee (1934) bw
The Girl in the Cafe (2005)
The Graduate (1968)
Gun Crazy (1949) bw
Heat and Dust (1983)
Heathers (1989)
Heavenly Creatures (1994) New Zealand
Hero (2002) China [see photos at top in our banner]
His Girl Friday (1940) bw
House of Flying Daggers (2004) China
House of Games (1987) lead actress Lindsay Crouse is the wife of author-director David Mamet, this is a terrific collaboration
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (1986) France
Jezebel (1938) bw
Johnny Guitar (1954) A female gunfight concludes Nicholas Ray's bizarre western
Julia (1977)
Kapó (1960) Italy
Kill Bill (2003-4)
The King and I (1956)
Klute (1971)
The Lady Eve (1941) bw
La Femme Nikita (1990) France
Lolita (1962) bw
The Madness of King George (1994) Helen Mirren as the queen takes charge of the throne while her husband is mad with disease
The Major and the Minor (1942) bw
Mary Poppins (1964)
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Million Dollar Baby (2004) Hilary Swank's performance is one of the best ever, earning her a well-deserved 2nd Oscar®, she's now two-for-two like Vivien Leigh
The More the Merrier (1943) bw
Morgan! (1966) bw
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002) India
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) bw
Mrs. Miniver (1942) bw (photo rt) Did anyone not fall in love with Greer Garson after seeing this Oscar® winning performance? Garson was not a star, Gloria Swanson turned down the part as 'too mature'Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
My Brilliant Career (1979) Australia
My Fair Lady (1964)
My Man Godfrey (1935) bw
Network (1976)
Norma Rae (1979)
Not One Less (1999) China
Nothing But the Truth (2008)
Nowhere in Africa (2002) Germany
Out of Africa (1985)
Out of the Past (1947) bw (Jane Greer was Howard Hughes’ 22 yr-old girlfriend in her first starring role)
Outrageous Fortune (1987)
Paper Moon (1973) bw
Pat and Mike (1952) bw
Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Persona (1966) Sweden, bw
The Promise (2005) China
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), Australia 14-yr old half-caste Molly takes charge of her sisters as they escape a prison school and head into the outback
The Reader (2008)
The Replacement Killers (1998)
Ronin (1998)
Run Lola Run (1998) Germany
Ruthless People (1986)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Shall We Dance? (1995) Japan
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Sin City (2005) bw
Sunset Boulevard (1950) bw
Sweeney Todd (2007)
Temple Grandin (2010)
Thelma and Louise (1991)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) bw
Two Women (1960) Italy
Under the Sun (1998), Sweden
V for Vendetta (2005)
Vatel (2000) France
Walkabout (1971)
Water (2005) India-Canada
We of the Never Never (1982) Australia
Whale Rider (2003) New Zealand
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) bw
Whistle Down the Wind (1961) bw (photo rt) Some children find a wanted convict hiding in their barn and think he's Jesus so they shelter, feed him, and keep him a secretWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) bw
The Women (1939) bw
Women in Love (1970)
Zelary (2003) Czech Republic
Best Picture winners on this list: All About Eve, Chicago, Million Dollar Baby, Mrs. Miniver, My Fair Lady, Out of Africa, Shakespeare in Love
[Thanks to Linda Pace for some suggestions for this post]
