Marion Ravenwood, presexual tomboy

[dreamer_easy]

"Our initial image of Marion is as a woman who is physically tough and mentally determined. Furthermore, she is a 'presexual tomboy', the ideal companion for Indy, whose masculine quests would only be undermined by any love interests in the peripheral plot... Showing no remorse for placing Marion into these precarious situations, Indy criticises her for wearing a dress given to her by Belloq. His criticism is, in fact, a criticism of her blossoming femininity. 'Whereas Indy treats Marion like an irritating kid sister,' Biskind states, 'Belloq treats her like a woman.'"

- Biber, Katherine. The Emperor's New Clones: Indiana Jones and Masculinity in Reagan's America. Australasian Journal of American Studies 14(2) December 1995, pp 67-86.

(I periodically find my photocopy of this article in the piles of paper about the place, and get something new from it every time I re-read it.)

Comments

[ashamel.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the original discussions about the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark? It is Lucas, Spielberg and the writer in a hotel room, nutting out ideas, and all recorded: http://mysterymanonfilm.blogspot.com/2009/03/raiders-story-conference.html

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

That is fascinating. (omg, underage Marion!)

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

OhmyGod... Oh, the racial politics... [CRINGE]... The sexual politics [WINCE]... "You can't take a girl through that kind of story"?!? Ouch! Ouch ouch ouch...

(I'm only a quarter of the way through so far. *LONG* document! =8o} )

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

[SHAKES HEAD] These guys clearly have no clue how to write an Indiana Jones movie. They don't even get around to thinking about "the girl" as an actual *character* until a quarter of the way through the discussion! Don't they realise *Marion is the star*?!? =8oO

(Which is why the next two movies were so disappointing, and the Young Indy series was a complete waste of time, IMHO. =:o} )

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

I think I'm having a "Well, duh!" moment. Isn't it established in the early scenes that Marion and Indy were childhood playmates? Of *course* he sees her as a bratty sister! Until, that is, he sees her in That Dress^TM (supplied by Belloc), and starts to get other ideas...

(The "mirror moment" still makes me wince, even though I know to expect it! =:o} )

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

I thought Indy and Marion had had a romantic relationship prior to events in Lost Ark and he had broken her heart (one of the reasons her father and Indy had broken off contact)?

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

I believe the implication is that he was decently older than she was; her specific line to him is, "I was a child; I was in love-- it was wrong, and you knew it!"

So there are a host of things implied by that statement, notably that she had a huge crush on him which he may well have played into despite his supposedly better conscience.

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Actually... Hm. Yes, I remember that now, sort of. Modulo Alryssa's comment, I think... [SCRATCHES HEAD] Weird how the memory re-invents things, isn't it? [BOGGLE]

Damn it, now I'm going to have to watch the movie to straighten my head it out! =:o}

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

In point of fact, Marion places *herself* into the situation. She sets the terms of their agreement, and thwarts Indy's attempt to keep her out of the mix.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

The ... is the bit where he leaves her tied up and gagged in Belloq's tent!

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

If memory serves, at that point she's the only one who knows he's there, and his life is in danger if he's revealed. Her life isn't at risk at the moment, his is, and he hasn't got any safe means of rescuing her at that time.