Reading that Karen Allen will return as Marion Ravenwood in the new Indiana Jones movie, I thought, “Please, please, please let the movie be great.” Marion is a terrific action movie heroine, and was from the get-go. As Allen explains:
“How can you go wrong when you meet a woman in a bar in Nepal and she’s drinking men under the table, yelling at large men in Nepalese and ordering them out of the bar, and when she first sets eyes on Indiana Jones, she socks him in the jaw?”
Here, in no particular order, are five of my favorite action heroines.
Marion Ravenwood. Just picture her shaking her head, dusting off her hands, and laughing with cynical disbelief as she saunters across her bar toward Harrison Ford. “Indiana Jones. Always knew someday you’d come walking back through my door.” How I love her.
Sarah Connor. Now that’s what I call a protective parent.
Trinity. Cool, collected, and can think her way out of danger as the bad guys close in. From The Matrix:
Neo: Can you fly that thing?
Trinity: Not yet.
Tank: Operator.
Trinity: Tank, I need a pilot program for a B-212 helicopter.
All that, and leather boots I’d kill for.
Lisa Fremont. Okay, Rear Window isn’t technically an action movie. But, my God, did anybody ever look more fabulous than Grace Kelly — climbing over balconies, fighting the murderer, wearing the latest couture from Paris?
Ripley. “Get away from her, you bitch.” Enough said.
IN THE COMMENTS: DJ Paterson notes, “I think even Seven of Nine would struggle to get the better of Joy, from My Name is Earl.”
17 responses so far ↓
daveg // May 10, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I’ve got the exact same feeling about Indy IV. It just can’t suck, can it? My inner thirteen-year-old just won’t be able to take it.
By the way, Geena Davis in “The Long Kiss Goodnight” is pretty kick-ass too.
Dan // May 10, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I have to throw a few of my favorites out there….
Gillian Anderson/Dana Scully - “The X-Files”
Eva Marie Saint as Eve Kendall - “North by Northwest”
Uma Thurman as ‘The Bride’ - “Kill Bill Vol. 1″
Angelina Jolie/Lara Croft - “Tomb Raider” (I know…this is pushing it…but…Angelina Jolie!)
And I agree with Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood - she was great in “Raiders”.
Monita // May 10, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I loved Marion Ravenwood so much, she made me hate Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) in the Temple of Doom–totally useless, all she did was scream. Also I agree with Ripley and Sarah Connor. At the risk of being an uber-geek, may I suggest:
Uhura, of Star Trek the Original Series: “Oh, I’ll have Mr Adventure eating out of my hand, and I’ll see all of you at the rendezvous”
K’Ehleyr, of Star Trek: Next Generation: “I don’t bite. Well .. that’s wrong. I do bite.”
The Star Trek franchise has always had great female action heroines!
susan // May 10, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Yes indeed, Marion Ravenwood was terrific. Too good for the series’ creators to use her again. Go figure.
What was that line she delivered as her bar had been overrun by enemy agents and sent up in flames? (paraphrasing here….) “I’ll say this for you, Jones, you still know how to show a girl a good time.”
Time for a rewatch.
Maxine // May 10, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Showing my age a bit here, but a mould-breaking action heroine was Genevive Bujold in Coma, based on the Robin Cook novel of same name. It wasn’t an action movie as such, but boy she was tough, and I seem to recall she had to do quite a few stunts, such as climing through the hospital ventilation system, as well as discover the evil plot, outwit Michael Douglas, etc. Of course the formula has been copied endlessly since, so it probably would look dated now, but it was great at the time.
susan // May 10, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I seem to recall Sandra Bullock was pretty feisty in The Net. Need a rewatch there for confirmation.
Ken // May 11, 2008 at 10:37 am
You cannot beat Michelle Pfeiffer in black latex.
Sharon K // May 11, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Aw, Meg - just back from my romantic fiction writing course in Tuscany (I know. But somebody has to do it and did tell them all about my friend, the amazing crime novelist) - to find your spotlight on my recent Beeb interview. Thanks! Will direct Harlequin editorial to have a look-see.
And favourite action heroine? Well, Julie Andrews certainly kept all those children occupied in The Sound Of Music…
xx
Sharon K // May 11, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Ps. I have probably missed the reason why they have suddenly appeared alongside blog entries - but those coloured snowflake things make me feel as if I’m in the middle of a middle-eastern poetry book!
Sharon K // May 11, 2008 at 12:20 pm
(Can’t I have a PINK one?!)
susan // May 11, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I thought they were quilt blocks. They’re lovely, aren’t they?
(Looks like Daveg already got the pink one.)
Meg // May 11, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Monita, if I start rhapsodizing about Star Trek I’ll be here all day. So I’ll just say that Klingon women did more than anyone to rehabilitate the image of the species. And Uhura: she was forty years ahead of her time, using a Bluetooth headset.
Maxine, Genevieve Bujold certainly was tough. But I worried that her patients might die because nurses would misunderstand her accent. “What did she say to prescribe… aspirin? Ice Cream? Thorazine?”
Dan: Dana Scully, absolutely!
djpaterson // May 11, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Wouldn’t argue with anyone on your list, Meg, but would like to add Milla Jovovich as Leeloo in the 5th Element.
And I think even Seven of Nine would struggle to get the better of Joy, from My Name is Earl.
The Husband // May 11, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Happy Mother’s Day Meg, and thanks big time for the great kids.
And as for action heroines I fell in love with Tarzan’s all time great mate, Jane, Maureen O’Sullivan in real life. Yep I’d fight crocs for her too.
Jeff Abbott // May 11, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Is Emma Peel of The Avengers too obvious a choice? She’s still one of my favorites. Brilliant, beautiful, and butt-kicking.
Meg // May 12, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Mrs. Peel definitely deserves a place on the list. Pure class.
Don // May 13, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Princess Leia Organa anyone?
‘Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader’s leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board. ‘
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