All male vs all female casts

I was thinking about random things the other day as I often do, and I got to wondering if and if not why are there no movies with an all-female cast?

There are many great movies with an all-male or essentially all-male cast. "Cool Hand Luke," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Glengary Glen Ross," plus many more. The lack of women does not lessen their appeal. OTOH, can anyone really think of one all-female movie that really stands out? I don't think there are really any chick-flicks with an all-female cast.

Even if you remove the fact that war movies tilt to the all-male cast direction, the tilt is still far in one direction. Any thoughts as to why this may be?

Fried Green Tomatoes?

Quote: AxelWolf

Fried Green Tomatoes?

I haven't seen it, but is it "all female" or "all female leads?" For my question I am thinking how in say "Glengarry Glen Ross" you can't even remember the woman who was in it and on this board nobody could name all three women in "Cool Hand Luke." That level of "all male."

There are tons of them.

Hot College All Girl Orgy, for example. Lol

Quote: AZDuffman

I haven't seen it, but is it "all female" or "all female leads?" For my question I am thinking how in say "Glengarry Glen Ross" you can't even remember the woman who was in it and on this board nobody could name all three women in "Cool Hand Luke." That level of "all male."

Kathy Bates' husband was male, but I wouldn't say he would constitute a lead in the film. There were a few other males in it, after all, the movie addressed dual topics of desegregation and women's lib, so, you have to have, "Bad guys," so to speak.

Speaking of Kathy Bates, Dolores Claiborne would come close to having all female leads, unless you count Dolores Claiborne's husband, but the three most important people in the movie were females. Of course, the movie all kind of came back to Dolores Claiborne's husband molesting her daughter and her daughter's repressed memories of same, so he was kind of important in that regard.

I guess it just depends on what you mean by leads, the names that go at the top of the DVD, or just anyone central to the plot?

TV shows, Charmed was all about the girls for awhile, and then some guy and some other guy came along and they knew magic and stuff. I don't remember, had an ex-girlfriend who was really into that show, so watched it half asleep.

Our Mother's Murder starring Holly Marie Combs is a good example, made for TV movie. That was all about the three daughters and the mother, of course there was the husband who killed the mother with a hammer, but he only got enough screen time to establish that he was an @$$ with a drinking problem. Eventually, he had a murdering problem.

Moby Dick, at least the version with Patrick Stewart, was obviously all male leads. I've seen the one with Patrick Stewart and the other with, I think, Gregory Peck, I'll take Patrick Stewart as Ahab, but that's Star Trek bias talking.

How about those Bring it On movies? All 179 of them. Those are all about the girls, are they not?

There have also been some horror movies where males have only been partially involved, of course. The Descent is one, with the lead's husband in the film just long enough to die in the first five minutes. The antagonists were more creatures than they were people, at that point, so I say none of them count as guys. No guys in that one, just a girl's day out in a cavernous abyss, because that's always a good idea.

I don't know, how minor do the guys have to be for it to constitute all female leads? I could name any number of movies where males certainly were not prominent, but were still integral to the plot, like Showgirls.

Mystic Pizza was all about the schladies, wasn't it? Was there even an important guy in that movie? Vincent D'onofrio (Gomer Pyle from Full Metal Jacket) was in it, but I don't remember if he was THAT important. By the way, check out Chained, excellent performance on his part, really screwed up movie, inappropriate, but he did a good job.

Black Christmas was a horror movie with all ladies, I think. One memorable line, otherwise, steaming pile of monkey crap.

There was also that French horror movie, my God was it good! Anyway, it was these two girls and the one thought they were being stalked by a ruthless male serial killer, but it was actually one of the two girls. Haute Tension, that movie was called, the one girl was in love with the other, killed everyone she perceived as coming between them. That's DEFINITELY an example.

If you want to get back into TV shows, that's easy! The Facts of Life, for one. Golden Girls, for another.

Quote: AZDuffman

I haven't seen it, but is it "all female" or "all female leads?" For my question I am thinking how in say "Glengarry Glen Ross" you can't even remember the woman who was in it and on this board nobody could name all three women in "Cool Hand Luke." That level of "all male."

Of course men appear in it as husbands and what not, dare I say 80% of it is centered around the lead actresses Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary Louise Parker, Its a good movie give it a try.

Quote: AZDuffman

I haven't seen it, but is it "all female" or "all female leads?" For my question I am thinking how in say "Glengarry Glen Ross" you can't even remember the woman who was in it and on this board nobody could name all three women in "Cool Hand Luke." That level of "all male."

There was no woman in Glengarry Glen Ross. One of my favorite movies. The only female line is the coat check girl in the Chinese restaurant who says, "Slow tonight."

There are tons of them men just don't watch them. Here is one you should know they have a slot named for it (Sex and the city)

The Help is pretty much an all-female cast, is it not?

deleted

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

What about lesbian porn?

I was trying too keep my head outta the gutter. :)

Quote: teddys

There was no woman in Glengarry Glen Ross. One of my favorite movies. The only female line is the coat check girl in the Chinese restaurant who says, "Slow tonight."

That is what I am talking about. Flip it to one the other way and imagine if it was all women and just a male bartender who says one line. FWIW one of my favorite movies and if you have never been in a sales environment you cannot appreciate it properly.

I was wondering how an all-female remake of Glengarry Glen Ross would play. I googled it and someone is doing it as a play, but could it be another film? Not line for line, but same basic script with minor re-writes to make the parts fit new actresses. would it work?

Quote: AZDuffman

That is what I am talking about. Flip it to one the other way and imagine if it was all women and just a male bartender who says one line. FWIW one of my favorite movies and if you have never been in a sales environment you cannot appreciate it properly.

I was wondering how an all-female remake of Glengarry Glen Ross would play. I googled it and someone is doing it as a play, but could it be another film? Not line for line, but same basic script with minor re-writes to make the parts fit new actresses. would it work?

I've heard it done as a play in a couple of places as University productions.

I don't think it would work as a film... there's a element of the testosterone (both there and lacking) that wouldn't work. Flipping that film around line for line would feel like a cheap trick.

Chick-heavy flicks men would probably enjoy (but maybe not) just because they're good and/or funny movies. I went back and rated them in the order I would recommend them regardless of whether they featured mostly or all women casts. The others are watchable but not 1st rate.

The First Wives' Club
5.Fried Green Tomatoes (already mentioned)
1.Steel Magnolias - MUST SEE - stands alone
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
2.Thelma and Louise -MUST SEE - best women's movie for men ever
3.Calendar Girls - MUST SEE Britflick
9 to 5
Clueless
Mona Lisa Smile
Big Business
4. Sister Act
Pride and Prejudice
Bridesmaids
Classics (40's-50's) worth a look:
The Women
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
All About Eve
Stage Door
Little Women


Unwatchable women's cast movies

Sister Act II
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
Hanging Up
13
Sex and the City I
Sex and the City II
Charlie's Angels

Quote: AZDuffman

I haven't seen it, but is it "all female" or "all female leads?" For my question I am thinking how in say "Glengarry Glen Ross" you can't even remember the woman who was in it and on this board nobody could name all three women in "Cool Hand Luke." That level of "all male."

I loved Glengarry Ross and I cant remember a woman in that movie. Nurses were mentioned as being a good sales target. I also loved Cool Hand Luke. Not cheating but just going by memory. In cool hand the only women I remember are Cool Hands Mom, The girl washing the car and the picture of Cool Hand with 2 ladies.
Both great movies, loved the 2nd place prize in Glengarry, set of steak knives.

A truly all-female cast is 2005's The Descent (not counting the non-human creatures of course).

It's something I started noticing 30 years ago.
Lots of movies with all men, and few or none
with all all women. I'm afraid the answer is
simple, women as a rule are boring. Men are
about action, women are about talking. And if
you have action that has women, it looks like
women trying to act like men.

Look at the reality shows on TV. They are all
about men, except for a very few. They center
around men. Pawn Stars, Duck Dynasty, Gold
Rush, Chopper, any of the car shows, any of
the auction shows, on and on. Moonshiners,
loggers, Swamp Men, Treehouse Builders,
Dirty Jobs. Imagine Dirty Jobs or Mythbusters
with women as the stars. It would seem silly.

It's a mans world. Still.

Quote: terapined

I loved Glengarry Ross and I cant remember a woman in that movie. Nurses were mentioned as being a good sales target. I also loved Cool Hand Luke. Not cheating but just going by memory. In cool hand the only women I remember are Cool Hands Mom, The girl washing the car and the picture of Cool Hand with 2 ladies.
Both great movies, loved the 2nd place prize in Glengarry, set of steak knives.

1. Luke's mom
2. "Lucille"
3. Black woman hanging clothes during Luke's 2nd escape

Quote: AZDuffman

I was thinking about random things the other day as I often do, and I got to wondering if and if not why are there no movies with an all-female cast?

Pre Code Prison and Booby Hatch films.

There are many situations that are restrictive of casting: Chain Gangs such as Cool Hand Luke were largely male because the fifty man huts were male huts but there was the Bakersfield scene with the Texas plated old car and the tightly buttoned dress of the girl washing the car in a manner to arouse the chained men. I think it would be the same thing in a Steam Baths where just about the only female you could cast would be Bette Midler. It would be difficult to have a great many male roles at a Fat Farm for the Rich and Lazy.

Now you can have films about female youth offenders on roadside litter cleanup and male guards.

War movies? Not necessarily. We all remember Lee Marvin in the Dirty Dozen movie but tend to forget that in the novel he sleeps with a fourteen year old British virgin the night before the mission. Wars and war movies always stretch morality a bit. When US forces marched into Paris French women forced their way into the line of march and dragged entire units to their new billeting accommodations but I've never seen that filmed. For all their "Over Paid, Over Sexed and Over Here" complaints the British public really enjoyed the arrival of young male soldiers. The British public knew how thin the military was stretched and how universal wartime service had depleted civilian life. Women were operating entire farms on their own. It wasn't just the occasional female as depicted on Foley's War, entire towns were devoid of males of any age or occupation in some areas of Britain.

Soviet propaganda films often had snipers as females but history did too. So a woman lying motionless in the cold for hours was historically correct no matter what cinematographers wanted to shoot.

Even extreme expeditions such as a feminists scientific expedition with a feminist film crew .... will have some male characters written into the script if its made into a major picture.

Real life always has mixtures ... that is why it is a tip off to surveillance if its only males at a Blackjack table: it can be wives or broads or hookers...but its got to be "something'' with them or its just not quite right.

Quote: FleaStiff

Real life always has mixtures ... that is why it is a tip off to surveillance if its only males at a Blackjack table: it can be wives or broads or hookers...but its got to be "something'' with them or its just not quite right.

what if they all have pink shirts and hold hands?

Quote: AxelWolf

what if they all have pink shirts and hold hands?

Ever hear the term fag hag? Ever see the tons and tons of good looking young straight girls who hang around gay clubs because they are too young to hang around straight clubs and/or too afraid to take the plunge yet?
Besides...FIVE men at a table having pink shirts and holding hands would alert surveillance because of the hand holding being interpreted as card passing.

Action movies without women are easier to do than romantic movies without men?

I would suggest (briefly) surveying a random list of movies, and looking at their "starring" section in the sidebar on wikipedia, or, if heavily truncated (as it sometimes is in wiki), the entire cast list(?)

Quote: Mission146

How about those Bring it On movies? All 179 of them. Those are all about the girls, are they not?

The five Bring it on movies, appear to have had 20-25% male star's (they needed romantic interests). The expandables (the first modern action movie that came to mind, stars 9% women. The 5 die hard movies = 17-33% women stars (averaging 22%).

Steve Sailer writes a lot about social issues, is numerate (unlike so many bloggers), and works as a movie critic on the side. I'm sure he's had things to say about this issue if you want a thoughtful opinion and feel like digging

Quote: AxelWolf

what if they all have pink shirts and hold hands?

Sounds like a bowling team to me. ;)

Sea of Love... NYC cops (Middle Aged and young) males. ONE young female star. Everyone else were scene fillers at gyms, nightclubs, streets, jails and shops.

I imagine a clever script writer could get a group of broads off somewhere on their own where a lingerie shoot turns into an action flick or a sorority reunion turns into Night on Haunted Hill, but in reality same sex casts are indeed going to be rare. There may be a preponderance of males in Sea of Love but atleast there is some estrogen in the film.

In No Way To Treat A Lady they got rid of the testosterone by turning the cop into a handsome schlemeel and having the the beautiful young broad survive her ordeal, but they couldn't get rid of the male role. However, its easy for a script writer to turn estrogen into violence. Ira Levin could write a book wherein the male cop tortured the killer, but the script writers wouldn't go for it. Its easy though to get a heroine to be a Bunny Burner.

GI Jane is a good movie about a woman, but she acts
like a man the whole way through, that's the goal. I
really enjoyed it, I've seen it 3-4 times. Demi Moore
is a knockout and is in super fit condition. Great cast
and story.

Quote: FleaStiff

Ever hear the term fag hag?.

Not only have i heard of it, I believe i called a few girls that. Kathy Griffin comes to mind

Quote: AxelWolf

Not only have i heard of it, I believe i called a few girls that. Kathy Griffin comes to mind

"Fruit fly" is the new "fag hag."

Quote: AcesAndEights

"Fruit fly" is the new "fag hag."

I think my dad would use that term when being nice to describe gay men. Perhaps he was mixing it up with fruit loop. I'm fairly certain in order to be an official "Fruit fly" you must be attractive, where as a Fag Hag would be not attractive IE Kathy Griffin. My question to you is.... would you buddy up to the Fruit just to, get to the Fly?

Urban Dictionary FRUIT FLY An attractive female who hangs around gay males. The same as a fag hag but attractive.


The film "The Woman" continued the play's all-female tradition—the entire cast of more than 130 speaking roles was female.

The film was especially popular with gay male audiences. David M. Halperin notes that the film would be shown at the Castro movie theater in San Francisco: "The audience would be full of gay men who knew the movie by heart and who would recite the lines out loud in unison with each other and the actresses."

Quote: AxelWolf

I think my dad would use that term when being nice to describe gay men. Perhaps he was mixing it up with fruit loop. I'm fairly certain in order to be an official "Fruit fly" you must be attractive, where as a Fag Hag would be not attractive IE Kathy Griffin. My question to you is.... would you buddy up to the Fruit just to, get to the Fly?

Huh, I actually didn't know that. I thought fruit fly was just an updated term for the same person, to remove the offensive slang fag. Learn something new every day.

Oh and for the record, I find Kathy Griffin attractive.

Quote: AcesAndEights

Oh and for the record, I find Kathy Griffin attractive.

Hmmm...

Quote: AcesAndEights

Oh and for the record, I find Kathy Griffin attractive.

Does her own real estate math and renovation planning. Had the courage to do a tour in a military "hot" zone.

Quote: AcesAndEights

Oh and for the record, I find Kathy Griffin attractive.

Wow seriously? SICK! Bob even got limp from that comment and he likes, ugly man looking VB players on steroids. Looks like your dating pool is quite large, you should never have a problem with getting a date if needed.

I'd say that she's a fairly attractive woman for her age, make-up is a must.

Quote: Mission146

I'd say that she's a fairly attractive woman for her age, make-up is a must.

Then again, she is a red head. I think you know what i mean

I'll see your ugly picture and raise you 3 more pretty ones. Take a picture of any star on the street in workout gear in daylight, you're going to get something just as appalling, I don't care who she is, and there's an entire industry dedicated to doing exactly that to them. At least she was smiling in both her mouth and her eyes even knowing she was going to hate the picture; attitude counts for a lot with most people.

Quote: beachbumbabs

I'll see your ugly picture and raise you 3 more pretty ones. Take a picture of any star on the street in workout gear in daylight, you're going to get something just as appalling, I don't care who she is, and there's an entire industry dedicated to doing exactly that to them. At least she was smiling in both her mouth and her eyes even knowing she was going to hate the picture; attitude counts for a lot with most people.

Thats a string raise, sorry its not allowed in most poker games, you cant all and then raise. But since I'm fairly sure I have the Joker(semi pun intended) up my sleeve, "IM ALL IN" with this PIC http://i.huffpost.com/gen/781424/thumbs/o-KATHY-GRIFFIN-570.jpg?6 She looks like a retarded troll, to your credit she is smiling, I'm sorry if you don't like my candor. "Ship it"
:
When ever this board has discussions about beauty someone always plays devil's advocate. and uses the makeup thing to their advantage. IE i posted a pic of Megan HOT Fox and someone found the worst possible pic of her, posted it and claimed it was all the work and makeup that made her look good. Now you're using makeup to your advantage, IMO its not really helping If that's the best KG can look with full on makeup. I stand by my and probably most normal peoples opinion of her LOOKS. Guys/girls don't want to gaze up on or @#$% a girls attitude.

She is funny and entertaining but so is Ellen D, Ellen I think is one of the quickest witted comedians around. Beauty within maybe, Beauty on the outside NOT.

I have yet to learn how to post pics directly on the message board. If someone can do the honors of posting the pic in the link I provided, I would appreciate it. possibly under a spoiler with a warning." Loss of appetite may occur".That pic could possibly be a cure for Viagra erections lasting more then 3 hours

^^^^^ Nice suck out Wolf. :)

Quote: rainman

^^^^^ Nice suck out Wolf. :)

I started off with the advantage, even tho my HAND was DOG(KG), I was in the blind with 7 2 off and a JOKER(KG) up my sleeve, with a table full of tight players, then realized we were playing that that seven/duce game, where if you win the pot with a 7 2 you get a bonus from all the players. I love that game.

Quote: AxelWolf

I started off with the advantage, even tho my HAND was DOG(KG), I was in the blind with 7 2 off and a JOKER(KG) up my sleeve, with a table full of tight players, then realized we were playing that that seven/duce game, where if you win the pot with a 7 2 you get a bonus from all the players. I love that game.

Lol...I think she does well with what she has. You have to admit there's something to be said for variety. Or we'd all look like Barbies.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Lol...I think she does well with what she has. .

So does Andy Dick. That's not saying much..

Quote: beachbumbabs

Lol...I think she does well with what she has.

all I can say is, she is somewhat funny ( and funny looking)

Quote: beachbumbabs

You have to admit there's something to be said for variety.

I will admit nothing. Variety can be found along with beauty without the same exact look.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Or we'd all look like Barbies.

We can only dream

Quote: beachbumbabs

I'll see your ugly picture and raise you 3 more pretty ones. Take a picture of any star on the street in workout gear in daylight, you're going to get something just as appalling, I don't care who she is, and there's an entire industry dedicated to doing exactly that to them. At least she was smiling in both her mouth and her eyes even knowing she was going to hate the picture; attitude counts for a lot with most people.

One star even had an article prepared showing her 'cover photo'....and the "before", "during" and "after" shots for that photo shoot.

For many women, the limit is their make up skills or the workings of a once a month hairdresser ... for various stars there are separate make up artists, hair stylists, wardrobe consultants, seamstresses, hairdressers and photography assistants. Blouses that are draped perfectly for the photo are often held in place by a quick shot of hair spray, actually walking around in the outfit would probably provide a less precise view of the merchandise.

There is always a difference between what an invited paparazzi snaps and what an uninvited paparazzi snaps!! Even the English Royal Family recently found out that security personnel can get rich selling a vantage point to an uninvited photographer.

Quote: FleaStiff

One star even had an article prepared showing her 'cover photo'....and the "before", "during" and "after" shots for that photo shoot.

For many women, the limit is their make up skills or the workings of a once a month hairdresser ... for various stars there are separate make up artists, hair stylists, wardrobe consultants, seamstresses, hairdressers and photography assistants. Blouses that are draped perfectly for the photo are often held in place by a quick shot of hair spray, actually walking around in the outfit would probably provide a less precise view of the merchandise.

There is always a difference between what an invited paparazzi snaps and what an uninvited paparazzi snaps!! Even the English Royal Family recently found out that security personnel can get rich selling a vantage point to an uninvited photographer.

I figure they write all that stuff off as business expense. When what they're selling is their look, whether model, actress, celebrity, they have to make an investment in the business. That includes all the fluffers, botox, plastic surgery, top fashion (often comped for the publicity), hours in the gym every day or personal trainers, food choices, etc. And then they still get waylaid just going about their business. A large price to pay (one I wouldn't be willing to pay, personally) for fame.

Yeah, the stuff they do to food and models for professional photography! Lol..Preparation H under the eyes for bags, spray adhesive on the skin to hold skimpy clothing in place, full and painful waxings and plucking, vaseline on the teeth so lips don't stick when you smile, flammable and allergy-inducing chemicals in your hair, bandaids on your nipples, glue on your hands for acrylic nails that eats the beds underneath, deformed feet and toes from ridiculous heels, plaster and spray paint on your face to hide craters and blemishes caused by the plaster and spray paint, eyelashes glued on that tear off your real ones, foundation garments that constrict your breathing, padding to create an illusion of flesh, pinned into things you can't take 2 steps in...and then they still photoshop and airbrush the pictures into complete unreality. Nobody can live up to that, even the people in the photos, and yet that expectation has been set firmly in men's (and women's) minds that women should look like that. Ugh.

Quote: beachbumbabs

That includes all the fluffers, .

Hmmmm....Since when do women need fluffers? I thought ice cubs did the trick

Quote: AxelWolf

Hmmmm....Since when do women need fluffers? I thought ice cubs did the trick

Hmmmm yourself...lol. I was using the term in a generic sense, though a case could be made for high-fashion photography/porn equivalence.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Hmmmm yourself...lol. I was using the term in a generic sense, though a case could be made for high-fashion photography/porn equivalence.

NO.....its definitely a specific term.

Quote: AxelWolf

NO.....its definitely a specific term.

Funny, you knew exactly what I was talking about; I would say I communicated just fine using it generically.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Funny, you knew exactly what I was talking about; I would say I communicated just fine using it generically.

I'm sorry but you cant use that term generically it has one specific meaning, unless your talking about pillows

I should have kept my mouth shut, as I don't really care enough to defend Kathy Griffin's appearance.