# Best of the Helpless Females **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058 "2006-02-12T00:54:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/21 "2006-02-13T13:34:20Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > I can’t recall if she was “helpless” or not, but Nicole Kidman’s run as _teh_ dumb blonde nuclear scientist in _The Peacemaker_ just astounded me. I mean willingness to take off your shirt in a movie is one thing, but personally it felt like it was one of the greatest bits of female actress whoring I had ever witnessed. Yeah, I think that can be a form of helpless heroine. I wrote a review of a movie callled “All Tied Up” about three women (they’re the women who do the tying up) whose zeitgeist makes them so helpless that they have no access to any resources … not even their own brains. I called this movie phenom a ‘bimbo cluster.’ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/22 "2006-02-13T16:09:40Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > that, and the over-the-top double teaming of the Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones almost offsets the fact that Seagal stars in the film. > Stranger You mean \*almost \* makes up for the fact that Seagal has to be in the film. 😉 I despise this sort of thing too. I came in to mention the first Indy woman, Willie Scott. She ruined half the movie with her incessant whining and screaming. People always say how shallow Arnold action flicks are, and I don’t deny that…but if you pay attention, his girls are rarely whiny and always help out. I like seeing that. I also loved Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, one of the few romantic comedies I love. I still think Princess Bride is one of the best examples of this, but even better would have to be Fay Wright. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/23 "2006-02-13T16:19:16Z")
When I think of the helpless female, I think of Lois Lane. Movie or 1960’s comic version. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/24 "2006-02-13T16:31:08Z")
> [@matt](#): > > I _loathe_ the helpless female stereotype; it’s the sort of thing that makes me shout at the TV. I always start rooting for the bad guy-- the whiny bitch _deserves_ to die! I’ve wondered on occasion if women in real life are victimized more often because of this stereotype, as they’ve been subconciously trained just to stand there and cry in the face of danger, as opposed to seeing women kick the asses of their attackers. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/25 "2006-02-13T16:38:03Z")
Maureen O’Sullivan, as Jane, in the old Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies. The plots seemed to be based on her repeatedly being attacked by wild animals or some such, and Tarzan coming to the rescue. ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/26 "2006-02-13T21:42:53Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I despise this sort of thing too. I came in to mention the first Indy woman, Willie Scott. She ruined half the movie with her incessant whining and screaming. > . Actually, Willie Scott was the **second** Indy woman. The first was Marion Ravenwood (played by [Karen Allen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Allen)) in [Raiders of the Lost Ark](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/). She was the daughter of Indy’s late professor. She was fiesty, tough minded and not afraid to take on anyone, quite the opposite to Willie Scott. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/27 "2006-02-13T22:05:10Z")
> [@ninevah](#): > > Actually, Willie Scott was the **second** Indy woman. The first was Marion Ravenwood (played by [Karen Allen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Allen)) in [Raiders of the Lost Ark](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/). She was the daughter of Indy’s late professor. She was fiesty, tough minded and not afraid to take on anyone, quite the opposite to Willie Scott. You’re both right. Chronologically, _Temple of Doom_ took place before _Raiders_, so they were _both_ the first Indy woman. But that’s just me being insufferable. 🙂 I’m definitely casting my vote for Snow White. Didn’t do a damn thing except exactly what Grumpy told her _not_ to. ---
**Author:** ![Nightingale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/28 "2006-02-13T22:08:54Z")
I nominate Judith O’Dea in _Night of the Living Dead_. By the time the movie was twenty minutes old I was ready to feed her to the zombies myself. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/29 "2006-02-13T23:37:03Z")
> [@Nightingale](#): > > I nominate Judith O’Dea in _Night of the Living Dead_. By the time the movie was twenty minutes old I was ready to feed her to the zombies myself. Fixed in Savini’s remake where the Barbara cahracter becomes a badass by the end and is the only survivor. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/30 "2006-02-13T23:44:03Z")
Susan Sarandon as Janet ("SLUT!) in **the Rocky Horror Picture Show**. Gillian Anderson as Scully in **the X-Files** movie. Veronica Cartwright in “Alien” AND the 1979 version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/31 "2006-02-14T01:37:05Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > When I think of the helpless female, I think of Lois Lane. Movie or 1960’s comic version. In the old, old _Superman_ TV show, Phyllis Coates played the first Lois Lane as a much tougher character than Noel Neill’s later version. Despite her brassiness, when confronted by a bad guy, Phyllis-Lois could unleash a scream that put Fay Wray to shame. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/32 "2006-02-14T02:01:03Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > I’m definitely casting my vote for Snow White. Didn’t do a damn thing except exactly what Grumpy told her _not_ to. Have you ever read the original Brothers Grim version? In the written story the wicked queen shows up in disguise **THREE TIMES!** offering magically death-trapped items for sale, and only luck keeps Snow White from getting killed. Even the poisoned apple was supposed to kill her but she lucked out by getting the first bite stuck in her throat where it only put her into a coma. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/33 "2006-02-14T02:13:33Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Don’t you know that women lack the fight or flight response and once you crash land on an island all you can do is giggle and writh? Its’ empirically proven. It’s true. I once crash landed on an island. I kept giggling and writhing. I sent a postcard to my mother (via message in a bottle): "Dear Mom, Crashed on deserted island. Uncontrollable urge to giggle and writhe. Succumbed to it. I met several possible saviours, but could only giggle and writhe. Love, Stasia" She wrote back: "Dear Stasia, Good girl! They will surely make a movie of your time on the island! Be sure to bathe naked. Scream often, especially over the smallest things. Good girls don’t defend themselves. They act like Lhasa Apsos and alert real heroes. Love, Mom" ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/34 "2006-02-14T02:39:51Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Good girls don’t defend themselves. They act like Lhasa Apsos They pee on the bedspread? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/35 "2006-02-14T02:47:20Z")
Shelley Duvall came to mind immediately for her quivering, quavering, screaming, runny-nosed, squeaky-voiced tremblefest in **The Shining.** ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/36 "2006-02-14T02:58:49Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > They pee on the bedspread? That was too darn funny. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/37 "2006-02-14T03:22:38Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > Gillian Anderson as Scully in **the X-Files** movie. On what basis do you see Scully as a helpless heroine type? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/38 "2006-02-14T03:47:28Z")
Barbara Crampton from **Re-Animator** stands out as particularly great, especially the scene where the head is going down on her. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/39 "2006-02-14T04:47:13Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > They pee on the bedspread? When all one does is giggle and writhe, it’s inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058/40 "2006-02-14T07:07:34Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Shelley Duvall came to mind immediately for her quivering, quavering, screaming, runny-nosed, squeaky-voiced tremblefest in **The Shining.** I’ve always said, the problem I had with **The Shining** is that, from the moment you see Jack Nicholson, you know he’s going to kill somebody, and from the moment you see Shelley Duvall, you hope it’s her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-helpless-females/344058.md?page=3)