MovieChat Forums > Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) Discussion > Any films in which the 'girly' girl wins...

Any films in which the 'girly' girl wins, over a rival?

posted 16 years ago by new_akkount
47 replies | jump to latest

So we all know that in most Hollywood films, the "girly" or overtly feminine girl always loses out to a more intelligent and/or tomboyish rival. It's a long-standing tradition. From novels like "Jane Eyre," down to films like "Singing in the Rain," "Mean Girls," "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Sydney White," "Starter for 10," etc. etc., movies and TV almost always portray the prom-princess/head-cheerleader type as a vain, shallow girl who gets her comeuppance, while the supposedly "better" girl (the more "intellectual," less "obviously" beautiful plain girl) always triumphs.

The lesson in such films is that they male lead has to learn to look past the supposedly "superficial" popular goddess, and discover that he really loves the more meaningful/smart/wholesome girl.

Are there any films in which the opposite happens? Movies where the the guy chooses the more stereotypically feminine girl over her rival?

I can only think of a few, and their endings are major surprises, because they defy the usual Hollywood logic:

-"My Best Friend's Wedding" (Cameron Diaz's W.A.S.P. character is chosen over Julia Robert)
-"The Mask" (it seems as if the female reporter is being set up as a "wholesome" contrast to the blonde, but it turns out that she's actually the bad one)

Mind you, those aren't in the high-school setting where such female character contrasts are usually set, but they do defy the pattern.

Any others? Any films in which it seems as if the prom-princess/head-cheerleader type is being set up for a fall or comeuppance, but she wins in the end, or the guy chooses her over the usual Hollywood plain-Jane heroine?

A film where someone like Amanda triumphs over someone like Watts, and wins the guy in the end?

[–] painterjane25 16 years ago

Not really, but I wish. Sometimes the pretty feminine girl in real life, is way nicer and sweeter than the sarcastic tomboy.

[–] doldrums452 16 years ago

In the movie "100 Girls" the guy ends up with the more feminine pretty girl, while the tomboy ends up being gay.

Wicker Park in a way also features this.

Lord of the Rings: well he did end up with Arwen.

'It's like an episode of The OC in here'

[–] LiberaMe 16 years ago

I don't know about "100 Girls" (it's hard to tell from the plot description), and it sounds like the girl he ends up with is not a blonde.

BUT, "Wicker Park" sounds like it IS what the O.P. was asking about, at least in part. It really does sound like a feminine-blonde-vs.-scheming-brunette rivalry, except with the blonde winning. It is not set in high school, though, and it doesn't sound like the blonde has the "negative" characteristics (at least, negative for Hollywood) that the O.P. is talking about.

I guess "Wicker Park" is most comparable to "My Best Friend's Wedding." But it is along the right lines.

Yes, very true about LOTR and Arwen too, although there, the hair colours were reversed. Still Arwen was definitely the more feminine one, and the other the more tomboyish warrior-type.

[–] smiley94 16 years ago

Nobody really wants to see that happen.

[–] karsten_nord 16 years ago

Nobody in Hollywood, you mean.

Speak for yourself, because I would LOVE to see that happen. I'm so very, very tired of the cliche that the O.P. is talking about. It would be wonderful, unexpected, and quite fulfilling to see the tables turned.

Peyton Sawyer, played by the gorgeous Hilarie Burton (sp?) in "One Tree Hill" defies the stereotype to some degree. Especially in the first season of the show, she is presented as a blonde cheerleader with that pouty vain quality, but she also has depth. But there never really is a rivalry with a more intellectual girl (at least, not so far -- I've only seen the first few episodes of the 1st season, because it's playing on MuchMusic here in Canada).

[–] nirmalamohan 16 years ago

Eek, I'm a little late.... But it happens in "Drive Me Crazy" with Melissa Joan Hart... Ali Larter, the "radical" chick, loses out to MJH, the "popular" girl.... :)

[–] puschit-1 16 years ago

I Know what you are trying to say BUT let's not forget all those horrible "makeover" scenes many movies have where the shy/intelligent/tomboyish girl removes her glasses, changes hairstyle and clothes etc. So, they might win, but they pay a price. One could say that most movies seem to meet in between: Looks aren't everything that counts and don't be shallow but you also should not neglect your lookings.

[–] lotsobats 15 years ago

Just One Of the Guys the girl is a popular girl who wins the the guy she wants from another popular girl from a different school.

It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem really real when you viddy them on the screen

[–] LiberaMe 15 years ago

Just One Of the Guys the girl is a popular girl

Heh. That may be, but since according to the IMDb description of the movie she does the role in male drag, it invalidates her being feminine.

If anything, this sounds like it's a case of a butch-looking girl (or a popular girl turning butch) winning over a more feminine girl, which is the opposite of what the O.P. had in mind.

[–] itsmethen 15 years ago

i'm not sure if i'm right here but I think Serena (Gossip Girl) is more girly/feminine than Vanessa. and in the first season Dan picks Serena.

[–] benjaminlupton 15 years ago

Chasing Amy

[–] karsten_nord 15 years ago

Chasing Amy

Note even close.

Here's the IMDb description:

"Holden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian."

That has nothing to do with what the O.P.'s post is looking for.

[–] gobears87 15 years ago

Hollywood filmmakers are in this to make money. 98% of the audience is going to identify with the overlooked wallflower over the popular, gorgeous teen queen. So if you want to get more a$$es in the seats, you're a lot better off with the plain Jane triumphing in the end.

[–] Jockey1 15 years ago

Was just going to say what gobears87 did. Isnt it sometimes just a bit of wish fulfillment for those of us who are a bit dorky? Lets be honest, we all saw enough in our own high school years of the gorgeous airheaded beauty queens getting all the guys! Why relive that again through film?

I am struggling to think of any examples for the original poster. While its not actually centred on a 'who the guy chooses' story, Never Been Kissed does to some extent stick to the stereotypes that the popular airheaded girls get all the boys, while the brainy geeky kids are all single, even among their own 'social group,' if I can call it that. I suppose its worth noting too that in this film, Guy takes no notice of Josie until she is initiated into the popular clique. I suppose that goes with the theory that even when the dorky girl with the nice personality gets lucky, she does have to put some of what makes her special aside, whether it be makeovers, joining popular cliques and basically betraying certain aspects of what makes them who they are. Shes All That being the obvious example of this.

[–] darjowhit 15 years ago

Yes -- Grease. Sandy wins out over Cha Cha.

[–] wripley 15 years ago

What about Can't Hardly Wait. Doesn't Ethan Embry end up with popular girl Jennifer Love Hewitt and not the friend Lauren Ambrose? That's a bit of a twist on the usual SKOW storyline.

[–] doldrums452 15 years ago

well, can't hardly wait is kind of iffy cause his friend didn't really have feelings for him, at least none that they actually showed, they were just really close.

That's very Zen of you, you must smoke pot.