Happy birthday, Martin Scorsese!
The legendary American director turns 79 today, marking a six-decades long career in the film industry. Since Scorsese’s birthday falls on a Wednesday, we thought we’d use this opportunity to talk about female characters in the director’s movies, as part of our ongoing #WomenWednesdays series.
Image credits © Columbia Pictures
Scorsese has come under fire by certain critics for limiting the dialogue of his female characters, and presenting one-dimensional representations of women within his heavily male-focused narratives. Yet other critics have praised Scorsese’s portrayal of strong female figures, by placing them in realistic scenarios that are said to be authentic to the female experience.
Image credits © Universal Pictures
So much has been said on this topic already, that we thought we’d share with you the best views out there. Take a look below for our recommended reading on the topic of women in Scorsese’s movies.
- ‘Nine Scorsese women: stories of survival and sacrifice’ - Christina Newland
- ‘Scorsese makes movies about men but they speak to women too’ - Joanna Di Mattia
- ‘The Women of Martin Scorsese’s Films’ - Caroline Madden
- ‘Seen but not heard: why don't women speak in The Irishman?’ - Beatrice Loayza
- ‘Voiceless Women in Scorsese’s Films: Taxi Driver’ – Artleove
- ‘Scorsese’s Golden Women’ - Mark Harris
- ‘Martin Scorsese and the Male Gaze’ - Sam Adams
- ‘The 10 Best Female Performances in Martin Scorsese Films’ – Matthew Eng
Who is your favourite female character from Scorsese’s body of filmography? Do you think Scorsese does a good job of presenting diverse women in his films? Help us keep the conversation going by leaving us a comment on social media, and don’t forget to drop us an email at marketing@londonfilmacademy.com to let us know what we should discuss in our next #WomenWednesdays post!