# Looking for films with heroic/brave girls **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311 "2012-06-16T02:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/21 "2012-06-16T03:13:01Z")
_Pan’s Labyrinth_. In case the intended audience is a child, be warned that it’s pretty gruesome. And does the girl need to be the main character? Because if not, the Harry Potter movies would also work. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/22 "2012-06-16T03:33:23Z")
[A Little Princess](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113670/) - the 1995 version, not the Shirley Temple one. ---
**Author:** ![Violet\_Femme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/2bfe46/32.png) [@Violet\_Femme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet_Femme)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/23 "2012-06-16T03:42:22Z")
The Professional ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/24 "2012-06-16T03:53:25Z")
Well, not sure if you’ll be able to find it, but Island of the Blue Dolphins. [Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058241/) ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/25 "2012-06-16T04:14:47Z")
Most of these are a little milder than those listed above, but here you go. Pollyanna Heidi To Kill a Mockingbird Secret of Roan Inish The Secret Garden Anne of Green Gables Paperhouse (warning - horror film) ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/26 "2012-06-16T04:21:19Z")
The Very Long Engagement Missing The House of the Spirits ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/27 "2012-06-16T04:24:57Z")
Scout Finch. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/28 "2012-06-16T04:25:11Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > _Spirited Away_ Good one. And also _The Secret World of Arrietty_, _Kiki’s Delivery Service_, and _Howl’s Moving Castle_. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/29 "2012-06-16T04:37:58Z")
The Diary of Anne Frank ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/30 "2012-06-16T04:43:51Z")
Harriet the Spy Nancy Drew Joan of Arc - there are several film versions ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/31 "2012-06-16T05:01:39Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > […] Aliens […] > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Um…those aren’t girls. If it helps, let’s go with 18 or younger. Newt in _Aliens_ is a girl, nonsexualized and given the situation was exceptionally brave for a little girl. I could see not wanting her if you only want main characters but she fits the bill for what you asked. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/32 "2012-06-16T05:34:48Z")
Mirrormask - another Neil Gaiman (Coraline) story. Flushed Away - Rita isn’t the lead, but she’s the strong, intelligent, practical one. Aardman (Wallace and Gromit) animation. Fun for the backgrounds and slugs as much as the story itself. Chicken Run, another Aardman, if you have no political objection to Mel Gibson voicing the male lead. The Cat Returns & Ponyo from Studio Ghibli. The Golden Compass. The Kid also suggests Monsters Vs Aliens, Monster House and The Incredibles as movies that contain strong female characters. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/33 "2012-06-16T06:10:37Z")
[Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103262/) [Rabbit-Proof Fence](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252444/) ---
**Author:** ![Rhaegar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@Rhaegar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhaegar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/34 "2012-06-16T07:11:39Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Sexualized heroines need not apply. I was just about to say Lara Croft, when I read that. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Sasquatch\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sasquatch\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sasquatch_1)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/35 "2012-06-16T08:54:37Z")
Pretty much all of the Hayou Miyazaki movies from Studio Ghibli, girl protagonists is sort of his thing. And flying. Someone already mentioned a few of them, like Spirited Away. ---
**Author:** ![cruel\_butterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@cruel\_butterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cruel_butterfly)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/36 "2012-06-16T09:33:37Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I admit I was thrown off by the movie poster. Are you recommending [Soul Surfer], or is it just an example? The OP is asking for examples of movies that depict brave or heroic girls, right? So I guess I’m recommending that movie as an example of a story about a brave girl who IRL overcame the incredibly traumatic experience of having her arm ripped off by a shark and went on to achieve professional status in the world of competitive surfing. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/37 "2012-06-16T10:44:32Z")
> [@Sasquatch](#): > > Pretty much all of the Hayou Miyazaki movies from Studio Ghibli, girl protagonists is sort of his thing. And flying. > > Someone already mentioned a few of them, like Spirited Away. Yeah I was coming in to mention Miyazaki. I love Spirited Away! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/38 "2012-06-16T12:04:53Z")
There are a LOT of great suggestions in this thread, thanks so much! > [@Rhaegar](#): > > I was just about to say Lara Croft, when I read that. Oh well. You know, I thought about that. Sure Jolie runs around looking all big-boobed, but I couldn’t recall whether her sexuality plays into the plot or not. I guess it probably does. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/39 "2012-06-16T14:33:17Z")
The Incredibles. Monsters Inc. (little Boo is pretty brave with all those monsters!) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311/40 "2012-06-16T14:42:12Z")
Oh, also Jurassic Park (“This is a UNIX system! I know this!”) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-films-with-heroic-brave-girls/625311.md?page=3)