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First motion picture footage of women is recorded
Some of the earliest film of women depicts them “carrying out somewhat bizarre, if not presumably feminine, activities such as “walking with hand to mouth,” “walking and turning while pouring water from a watering can,” “woman turning, throwing a kiss, and walking upstairs,” and “turning while carrying fan and flowers”’ This distinction may have spread interest of men in sports and allowed themselves to see themselves in athletics. -
Pat & Mike
The movie is about Pat Pemberton who is the women's athletic coach at Pacific Technical College and a brilliant athlete who loses her confidence whenever her arrogant fiance is around as she is golfing. Her fiance wants her to give up golf and marry him; however, Pat is determined to excel, so she hires Mike, a sports manager to help her. -
Coach
An Olympic Gold medalist is hired to coach the boys' basketball team. But when Coach Randy Rawlings arrives, the school's sexist principal discovers that he has hired a woman. Blocked from firing her by discrimination laws, he tries to make sure the team loses so he can fire her for poor performance. This movie is highly problematic from its unabashed sexism to its abuse of power. It relegates Randy into a sexual object and just a male fantasy instead of a hardworking inspiring coach. -
Major League
Major League is a film that follows an unsuccessful baseball team that rallies together to thwart the plans of the villainous owner. This film is one of the first instances where a female is an owner of a sports team. This is monumental because it is a representation of women in sports that is rare. Unfortunately, she is villainous and ultimately one dimensional, ruining an otherwise empowering role. -
A League of Their Own
“This summer, Tom Hanks and the Rockford Peaches prove that a woman's place is at home...first, second & third.” The movie is a comedy-drama about the real All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The AAGPBL operated for 11 years from 1943-1954 - during the years when the MLB was faltering due to men fighting in World War II. Philip Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, began the league. -
Any Given Sunday
Christina is attempting to sell her football team but comes into conflict with the 'old ways' of Coach Tony D'Amato and his frustrations with their star Willie Beamen. Once again a female is a owner of a sports team and is butting heads with the coach and his way, the traditional way, of running things. In this film Cameron Diaz's Christina is more empowered and her character is less one dimensional but she is revealed to having one biggest flaw and that is being a women in a mans sanctuary. -
Bend It Like Beckham
A kaleidoscope of color and culture clash humorously as an Indian family in London tries to raise their soccer-playing daughter in a traditional way. -
Million Dollar Baby
The film is based on a true story and set in Los Angeles in no particular year. Maggie asks a washed up coach at a dingy gym to train her. Her age and gender deter him but he eventually realizes her potential and trains her. She is naturally very talented and breaks many stereotypes as a woman.
Despite criticism, I believe Hillary Swank performs as an athlete with grit and perseverance and makes for a very compelling character to whom young women can look up to. -
She's the Man
The comedy is about Viola Hastings who pretends to be her brother to get into his school and on his soccer team after her team gets cut at her school. It's inspired by William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. The film exaggerates feminine and masculine tropes while also aiming to turn these stereotypes inside-out. Examples: Viola is a tomboyish soccer player who vocally expresses her disdain for common feminine roles. Duke is the attractive, athletic jock who is sensitive and emotional. -
Whip It
Bliss is a rebellious Texas teen who throws in her small-town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby.
Throughout, Bliss battles with her identity as her mother pushes outdated ideals of womanhood on her and her peers mock her. She’s alternative but director Drew Barrymore is careful enough to let her protagonist, and the audience, not put down one way of life to enjoy another. This shows young girls everywhere that there is more than one way to be a woman. (cattitudeandco.uk) -
Secretariat
Penny Chenery Tweedy and colleagues guide her long-shot but precocious stallion to set, in 1973, the unbeaten record for winning the Triple Crown. Penny becomes one of the first female sports owners who is multi dimensional and not villainous. Her belief in her horse and her choices guide them both to triumph. This movie is a huge improvement for female sports owners as they are shown not only triumphant but also very real and they can make decisions to help a team succeed. -
Soul Surfer
The movie is a true story about surfer Bethany Hamilton who loses an arm in a shark attack. Her story expresses her determination and strength through surfing and simple day-to-day trials after losing her arm. An interesting aspect of this movie is the inclusion of strong faith undertones. Hamilton's faith is a major component to her triumphs, and this was incorporated into the film truthfully. -
I, Tonya
A biographical film about figure skater Tonya Harding. The film is based off of interviews with Tonya, her ex-husband, her mother and others. The film follows her throughout her life and heavy competition in the 80s and 90s.
“We need to have a wholesome American family and you just won’t play along” “I don’t have a wholesome American family...Why can’t it just be about the skating?” -
Battle of the Sexes
The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs. An important cultural moment for the US. A rising female tennis player takes on and beats a man on the tennis court. This match illustrated that women were to be taken seriously in the realm of sports. -
The Miracle Season
The film is based on the true story of the West High School girl's volleyball team. It is about their team banding together after the loss of their star player, Caroline, and winning the state championship. It is directed by Sean McNamara, who also directed Soul Surfer. There are very few movies about volleyball, and a majority of the films before this portray the "sexy" side of volleyball, as in beach volleyball. Otherwise, it has been seen from a comedic angle.
