She Works Hard For The Money

List creator: ZenBones Created on: June 10, 2005 - 12:17 AM PDT Description: Films that celebrate hard-working, independent women (request 'she works hard by playing hard' "Kansas City Bomber"!)

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	movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
	Rosie the Riveter (2001)			Not Rated
Meet the work force behind the armed forces! Great documentary about the women who answered America's call for female factory workers during WWII, only to be pushed back in the kitchen after the war
	Heartland (1980)
A quiet, beautiful, unassuming film about a pioneer woman surviving bracing winters at a Montana ranch at the turn-of-the-century. Very realistic-looking, and excellent performances by Conchata Ferrell and Rip Torn. A real gem!!
	Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
I can't recommend this film enough! Ellen Burstyn, an excellent supporting cast and superb detail highlight this great road movie about a single mother/aspiring singer who finally lands a job... as a waitress
	Live Nude Girls Unite! (2000)
Hey, dancing naked ladies have to eat too! This was a real eye-opener for me about a world I knew nothing about. These women are smart, independent, and thankfully, no longer exploited by their employers. Entertaining and fascinating!
	Bread & Roses (2000)
Another eye-opener about people we often take for granted. British filmmaker Ken Loach, focuses on the lives of two Hispanic sisters in L.A. who work as janitors and are trying to form a union. Elpidia Carrillo is incredible as the sister, Rosa
	Salt of the Earth (1954)
A remarkable film made by blacklisted Americans in 1954, about striking Hispanic miners in New Mexico. It was the wives who made the strike successful, and the film fully shows the toils they faced both as housewives and as strikers
	Norma Rae (1979)
Sally Field's tour-de-force as a strong-willed textile worker who, with the aid of a northern union rep, inspirers her fellow workers to unionize. Honest view of the South, and a rare chance to see a friendship between a man and a woman
	Fargo (Special Edition) (1996)
First there was Mary Beth Lacey (of Cagney and Lacey), and now Hollywood salutes Marge Gunderson, female cop and soon-to-be mother, who also has a husband who isn't threatened by her intelligence, strength and independence
	Broadcast News (Criterion) (1987)
Holly Hunter is hilarious as a brilliant news producer who (understandably) finds it difficult to deal with the doltish world of TV journalism, and to meet a man who has the right chemistry and isn't threatened by her drive and intelligence
	Double Dare (2003)			Not Rated
Stuntwomen who risk their lives for our entertainment - but they love it even more than we do!
	The Silence of the Lambs (Widescreen Special Edition) (1991)
Most people associate this movie with Hannibal Lecter. He's delicious, no question (!), but what keeps bringing me back to this movie is Jodie Foster's perfect performance as Hollywood's greatest detective
	Klute (1971)
This is still the only movie out of hundreds (!) of movies about prostitutes, that really gets into the mind of one and gives her real depth and character. It's also a great, thriller, and one of Jane Fonda's best performances
	Working Girls (1986)
I have no desire to keep listing movies about hookers, but this one bares mentioning because it's almost documentary-like, and gives one an appreciation of how hard these women really have to work (and from their point of view!).
	Woman of the Year (1942)			Not Rated
In 1942, Hepburn played this worldly, hard-working journalist who might possibly have had more drive than Eleanor Roosevelt! The ending's a sellout, but that doesn't cancel anything out, and the Tracy/Hepburn chemistry is irresistible!
	Mildred Pierce (1945)			Not Rated
She worked damn hard for her money, but did her spoiled little brat of a daughter appreciate it? NOOO! Crawford's iconic performance as a single working mom is priceless
	Bagdad Cafe (1987)
A little gem about a rather large German woman who finds herself stranded at a desert motel in Nevada that's run by a single black mother. Both women blossom in different ways, inspired by each other and by a weird supporting cast!
	Private Benjamin (1980)
A comic feminist masterpiece with Goldie Hawn as a widowed Jewish American Princess who gains self-respect in the army (at least after she gets over the fact that there are no condos or yachts there).
	You Can Count on Me (2000)
Laura Linney made her mark as the working single mother trying to juggle difficult relationships between her brother, her boss and her son
	Clockwatchers (1997)
I suppose there are worse jobs than being a temp secretary, but one would be hard pressed to argue that after seeing this dark comedy! Great ensemble cast!
	Chisholm 72: Unbought and Unbossed (2003)			Not Rated
She's female! She's black! And she's running for president! Good historical documentary. I'm hoping for a movie version of her story starring Pam Grier!
	Silkwood (1983)
Real-life story of the brave plutonium plant worker who risked her job and her life, to bring to the world's attention to the dangerous working conditions the employees had to endure. Nice slice-of-life movie too
	Erin Brockovich (2000)
I must admit, I'm not a Julia Roberts fan but at least Hollywood attempted to depict an important subject and feature a multi-dimensional female lead character
	9 to 5 (1980)
I would much rather list the hilarious THE ASSOCIATE but since it isn't available on DVD, I'll salute this 70s tribute to female secretaries who get even with their misogynist boss. The humor doesn't always work but the 3 leads are good