Hosted by Movies Silently and The Last Drive In

I’m going to be talking about the mesmerizing Hedy Lamarr. She fascinates me & She’s not just a pretty face!

What is an Anti Damsel …? Well that is open to interpretation

Whether it’s a Queen who reigns over an entire lost civilization, a vamp, a dame or a femme fatale in the shadows woven by the spirit of Film Noir or…maybe she’s perceived as crazy or maybe the very things that frame her as crazy are responsible for getting her there! Can she still not be powerful, enigmatic?

It’ll be exciting to see people letting go of an archetype and setting the empowered woman free!

Women… both ON and BEHIND the screen railing against a culture that condemns them for growing older, gathering years that wear on their face and body.

as Garbo said “Time leaves traces on our small faces and bodies. It’s not the same anymore, being able to pull it off.”

A society that judges their sexual awareness…  the hypocrisy of fear, a fear of them possessing a sexual freedom…. some who see them in the role of ‘good girl’ or ‘the good wife’ barefoot and pregnant, as weak and dependent on anyone but herself… balderdash!

She’s been the central figure in danger, the iconic woman in peril … the one who is not in control, trapped by a the narrow gaze of objectification… instead of inherently capable of the same self sufficiency, violence, aggression, strength or self preservation as men….

BY NO MEANS DO I WISH TO IMPLY THAT IN ORDER FOR A WOMAN TO BE EMPOWERED SHE MUST BE ARMED!!!!!!

The Anti-Damsel can be any classic (from the Silent Era -1970) character in a film or a look at the actress herself. She can be working behind the screen, directing, writing, editing, designing, involved in the creative process that goes into a project and not just the illusion, the face the persona that is manifested on the other side of the screen.

The breadth of this theme can open up a world of possibilities and I’m really excited and so happy that the witty and prolific Fritzi of Movies Silently asked me to co-host this fantastic Blogathon!

God knows I’ve written about women-in-peril, it’s time to flip the coin and show some truly innovative, independent, visionary, magnetic and striking examples of the power of WOMEN… that’s the key word EMPOWERED….

Let’s scare off that woman in peril off for now!

Let’s drag out the ‘victimized woman’ and talk about the gals with guts, grit, gumption and genius!

From the silent era to 1970 is the window we’re giving everyone to gaze through. Check out the list of guidelines for the event just to make sure it’s the Blogathon for you!

And please stop by Movies Silently and laugh your ass off because no one turns a phrase or generates a gif quite like Fritzi! who has this to say-–“Now classic and silent films did sometimes rely on the damsel in distress trope (just as entertainment today does) but we’re here to talk about the women who kicked down stereotypes, took the reigns and generally got the job done.”

For clarification, this doesn’t mean that we only want action heroines. Oh no. We want bold, brave, smart women who made their mark in all walks of life.”- Fritzi of Movies Silently

And say… while you’re settin’ your mind to what you’d like to write about, grab a banner that inspires you… ! If you’ve got an idea drop either me or Fritzi a line-email me at Ephemera.jo@gmail.com or leave a comment …

What can I write about?
You have two options. Either you can write about an empowered film character or you can write about an empowered woman in the film industry (performers, producers, directors, designers, screenwriters, etc.)

Is there a date range?
Yes. Any film you cover must have been released in or before 1970. Any real-life woman you cover must have started her career on or before 1950/60.

What do you mean by empowered?
We’re leaving that up to our participants. What qualities do you admire about independent and capable women? Choose a character or real-life woman who fits these qualities and you’re good to go!

Any other rules?
In order to encourage variety, we are asking for no exact duplicates. This means that if someone claims, say, Katharine Hepburn, you are still free to cover her films or characters that she played.

Also, NO LENI RIEFENSTAHL. Obviously.

I’m in! What do I do?
Tell one of us your topic, grab a banner and you’re good to go. Please let us know if you have a date preference. Otherwise, we will divide the posts equally between us and let our participants know which hostess they belong to. Then write your fabulous post, send us a link at or before the event and you’re good to go.

I want to join but I don’t have a topic yet.
No problem. If you need a recommendation, contact either one of us for suggestions. We will add you to the roster once you make your choice.

Participation Etiquette
When claiming your topic, please let us know the name and URL (web address) of your blog. Sometimes usernames and blog names do not match or social media accounts are linked to an old blog or one that covers a different topic. We can’t link to you if we don’t know where to find you.

Blogathons can be chaotic so we ask that our participants please send us links to their posts via comment, email or social media. We try our best but it’s very difficult to track down all the participants to see who has posted and who hasn’t if they don’t let us know. In short, don’t just post and wait for us to come to you. If you leave us word that you have posted (and include the URL) then you are making our lives 100% easier. Thanks!

Please only claim topics that you are sure you can cover. In a “no duplicates” event, it can be frustrating for fellow participants if a popular topic is snapped up and then cancelled at the last minute. Of course, life intervenes and everyone has had emergencies interfere with blogging commitments but please be considerate of fellow bloggers. If you find that you are unable to take part in the event, please let us know as soon as you can. This will give other bloggers a chance to write about the subject.

This is what happens when you create confusion for us hosts!

PS: I will be taking donations of chocolates, it is easier to be femme-powered when working with a bit of chocolate at the ready!

My tiny wish list!

Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Margaret Leighton
Eartha Kitt -The Catwoman on Batman 60s tv series
Rosalind Russell
Ann Margaret in Kitten with a Whip (1964)
Madie Norman in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Hope Emerson
Edith Head
Märta Torén

FemmePowered Roster

Movies Silently | Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Milton Sills: How Miss Lulu Bett Struck a Blow for the New Woman

The Last Drive In | Hedy Lamar: From Ecstasy to Frequency- A Beautiful Life  & Special List-Enduring Empowerment: 111 Women who didn’t give a damn in Silent & Classic Film!-collaboration with Fritzi from Movie’s Silently!

Cinematic Catharsis | Patria Neal in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Wide Screen World | Gloria Swanson

The Joy and the Agony of Movies| Sue Ann Stepanek (Tuesday Weld) in Pretty Poison (1968)

Hear Me Talk of Sin | Pola Negri

Speakeasy | Cobra Woman (1944) & Leigh Brackett’s writing

Sister Celluloid | Margaret Dumont

Nitrate Diva   | Blue Jeans (1917)

Carole & Co. | Carole Lombard as Feminist and Producer

Tales of the Easily Distracted | Charade (1963

Critica Retro| Tess Harding (Katharine Hepburn) Woman of the Year

The Hitless Wonder | Lady Jane Ainsley (Frieda Inescort) in The Return of the Vampire

The Motion Pictures | Ida Lupino

Now Voyaging | Westward the Women (1951)

Aperture Reviews | Kate Hepburn in The Lion in Winter

Serendipitous Anachronisms | Kim Hunter in Planet of the Apes (1968)

Shadows and Satin | Joan Blondell in Blondie Johnson (1933)

Silver Screenings | The Films of Alice Guy

Old Hollywood Films | Lillian Gish in Night of The Hunter (1955)

CineMaven’s ESSAYS from the Couch | Ella Raines in Phantom Lady (1944)

Moon in Gemini | Vance Jeffords (Barbara Stanwyck) in The Furies

BNoirDetour | Edie Johnson (Linda Darnell) in No Way Out

Love Letters to Old Hollywood | Nicole Chang (Shirley MacLaine) in Gambit

Let’s Go to the Movies | Mae West

Classic Becky’s Brain Food | Barbara Stanwyck (Night Nurse 1931)

Big V Riot Squad | The Exploits of Pearl (Pearl White)

Goregirl’s Dungeon | Anna Karina in the films of Jean-Luc Godard

A Person in the Dark | Italian Silent Screen Vamps: Lyda Borelli, Pina Menichelli & Francesca Bertini

Mind of LeVine | Carole Lombard

Caftan Woman | The Making of an Anti Damsel-Deborah Kerr as Cathy Wilson Perfect Strangers 1945

Century Film Project | Mabel Normand

Once Upon A Screen | Barbara Stanwyck in The Lady Eve (1941) & Allison Hayes in Attack of the 50 ft. Woman (1958)

In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood | Bette Davis

MovieFanFare | Olive Thomas in The Flapper

Margaret Perry | Katharine Hepburn as Anti-Damsel

Sacred Celluloid | The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Girls Do Film | June Mathis

Silent-ology | Unsung Ladies of Keystone: Polly Moran, Minta Durfee and Louise Fazenda

That Classic Movie Life | Now Voyager

Karavansara | Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) in The Avengers 60s British television series

Classic Reel Girl |Alison Drake (Ruther Chatterton) in Female

Defiant Success | Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity

Vitaphone Dreamer | Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers in Stage Door

The Wonderful World of Cinema | Lola Delaney (Shirley Booth) in Come Back Little Sheba

Phyllis Loves Classic Movies   | Frances Marion

Mondo Heather | Marni Castle as Big Shim in She Mob (1968)

Sacred Celluloid | The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Wolfman Classic Movies Digest | Joan Crawford as Mildred Pierce

Smitten Kitten Vintage | Mary Pickford, Clara Bow and Bette Davis as Margo in All About Eve

Silents, Please! | Asta Nielsen

Outspoken and Freckled | Mary Pickford in Sparrows

Mother Time Musings | Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress

Film Dirt | Phyllis Gordon in The Werewolf (1913)

Superflous Film Commentary | Gene Tierney and The Ghost & Mrs Muir