Representations of Gender in "Blue Steel" (1990)

In Claire Johnston’s article, Women’s Cinema as Counter Cinema, she argues that in films whose story centres around a woman character, said character’s social and sexual self, as well as the man/woman opposition must be repressed in order to keep some sort of focus on the male characters. As a result, women in film are often viewed as simply absent from man, and the opposition is turned into male/non-male, rather than man/woman (Johnston 25). In Blue Steel (Kathryn Bigelow, 1990, U.S.A), not only are these stereotypical representations of women in cinema challenged, but typical constructions of viewing are as well, through the main protagonist, Megan Turner (Jamie Lee Curtis). Megan is not only whom the film centres around, but she is also in a more ‘masculine’ role in the fact that she is a police officer. However, contrary to typical representations of women in central roles, that strip them of their social and sexual lives, and turn them into ‘non-male’ rather than woman, Megan is still shown to have a social life and a love life, first with Eugene (Ron Silver) and then with Nick (Clancy Brown). While the film challenges sexist representation of central female characters through Megan, it also successfully illustrates sexist ideology and stereotypes women are subject to. In Megan’s case, these stereotypes and beliefs are specific to her being a police officer, specifically ideas that women, especially attractive women, should not be police officers.

One way these ideas can be explained is through an idea put forth regarding women as a spectacle by Mary Ann Doane in her article, The Desire to Desire. Doane claims that intellectual women in cinema are portrayed as unattractive, as she is able to “look and analyse” and thus poses a threat to the male gaze/masculinity. However, once she “removes her glasses” (ie: becomes attractive) she is turned into a spectacle. When she becomes a spectacle, she no longer poses a threat to masculinity and can thus be objectified (Doane 27).

A scene where this is illustrated is in the scene at her friend, Tracy’s (Elizabeth Peña), house. Tracy introduces Megan to her friend, Howard (Matt Craven), with the implied intention of setting them up to date. When they are first introduced, Howard is interested in Megan, but he loses that interest as soon as he finds out she is a police officer. Doane’s idea is present in this scene in a more complicated way, as Megan could be classified as both an intellectual and a spectacle. Howard finds her attractive which makes him feel as though he can objectify her, but when he finds out she is a police officer (ie: intellectual), he appears confused and no longer attracted to her, as this part of her identity poses a threat to him, his masculinity, and the patriarchy as a whole.

The camera shots used in this scene also help to illustrate this concept. The scene is made up of wide shots when Megan and Howard are walking together, and then close up shot reverse shots of each of their faces once they are seated and talking. By positioning both actors in similar shots, the characters are set up to be more at an equal level, in comparison to other modes of film where close up shots only on women, and more specifically on her body, are used to objectify her. In addition, by not having these objectifying shots of Megan, especially in moments where one can see Howard looking at her/checking her out, it not only makes his looking more obvious (when shown in close up shots of his face), but it can create a sense of discomfort in the viewer. In seeing Howard looking at Megan in a presumably objectifying way, while not actually seeing her in that way, the viewer is able to identify with her and her discomfort in the way Howard views and speaks to her.

Blue Steel challenges not only typical representations of women in film, but also the way viewing positions of these women are constructed. Through the main character, Megan, her role as a police officer immediately puts her into a stronger, and more ‘masculine’ role in comparison to typical female roles in cinema. In looking at her character and the way she is physically viewed on screen through ideas put forth by Mary Ann Doane and Claire Johnston, especially in regard to her social life and interactions with male characters, it is made clear how common viewing constructions and representations of women in cinema are successfully challenged in the film.