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?

[–] caseyraterhsffa 13 years ago

In Get Over It Kirsten Dunst wins over the red headed girlfriend.

[–] caseyraterhsffa 13 years ago

In Get Over It Kirsten Dunst wins over the red headed girlfriend.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 11 years ago

It is for the same reason the regular schlub in the beer commercial gets the hot supermodel - it sells better and has a bigger target audience.

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] WeAintFoundShin 11 years ago

The Little Mermaid - Eric chooses Ariel over Ursula. ; P

Date With an Angel - Emmanuelle Beart > Phoebe Cates.

The Babysitter's Club?

Josie and the Pussycats - Alan picked Josie over Alexandra.

The Wedding Singer - Robbie and Julia, instead of Linda.

The Doors - Jim and Pam, instead of Patricia.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 11 years ago

LOL....good call on a couple of those.

Although I would say in the Wedding Singer, it was primarily Julia picking Robbie over Glenn, and not the other way around...although Linda did of course come back into the picture for a bit.
And then of course Robbie turns down Holly for at least a romp...

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] Darkehmen 11 years ago

Date With an Angel - Emmanuelle Beart > Phoebe Cates.

I don't know the other films in your list (other than The Little Mermaid, which doesn't qualify), but Date with an Angel does seem to be a case that fits the O.P.'s rare, turnabout scenario.

Really nice film too.

However, it's wroth nothing that none of these movies are situated within a high-school milieu.

[–] andromache3 11 years ago

I've posted this elsewhere for another movie (Sydney White). Don't know if you guys agree, but here goes:

I'm going to bite and say 10 Things I Hate About You. Only in this case, the movie is unique because BOTH girls win.

Kat, the feminist, tomboy older sister wins because she remains true to herself and gets the guy who is perfect for her.

Bianca, her girly, seemingly shallow younger sister, also wins, gets the guy who's perfect for her and defends the honour of her sister, her date and herself at the prom. She's also a lot smarter and deeper than first revealed.

The villain in this case, is not another girl, but the jerk ex-boyfriend of Kat's who then pursues Bianca, just to bug Kat. I like the fact that both girls work together and wind up happier, instead of the ridiculous stereotype perpetuated by most movies, that two girls can't get along because of their differences.

Another movie I can think of is Bring It On. The main character was a girly girl and her rivals were bitchy mean girls. Not only that, but she becomes best friends with the new "tomboy" girl.

Also Clueless where Cher, the girly main character wins Josh, the boy of her dreams, over Tai her sometime frenemy.

One thing I like about this movie is the fact that the girly popular girl is mature and sensitive enough to realise that the main character is not the right guy for her and also sees how much the other girl loves him. So even though she doesn't get the guy in the end, she does something quite noble and unselfish by encouraging him to be with the girl who is ultimately right for him. You never see that being the case in most movies. The reason most "girly girl" types don't win in the movies is because they're often portrayed as bitchy, self absorbed, shallow, vain and superficial. You don't WANT them to win. It's nice to see that change, occasionally. In my opinion, this movie is much better than the overrated Pretty In Pink.

Don't let anyone ever make you feel like you don't deserve what you want.

[–] cheedo 10 years ago

I would say Ariel is more tomboyish than any of the other characters, though real Ursula (not her more feminine-seeming disguise Vanessa) is certainly more masculine than romantic Ariel.

I bet you say that to all the Nordic ice goddesses. -Tora Olafsdotter

[–] GirlWithPearlEarring 10 years ago

Ok, probably too late, but what about Forces of Nature (1999) with Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock? I know his fiance is not really depicted in the movie that much, but from what we see, Bullock´s character is the crazy tomboyish type, is she not?

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[–] Doc110894 10 years ago

Fun thread.

[–] Rheli 10 years ago

It's because most of these scripts are ripping off Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

[–] fun-niji 10 years ago

Legally Blonde.

[–] pkryder-1 10 years ago

I would NOT portray Amanda as shallow. At first she was kind of mean, being forced to choose between her stuck up friends and going out with Keith. But she wound up making the right choices and, in the end, she was the real hero of this film.