Live Poll: Top 250 Films With Women in the Lead

@rubyfruit76​ ,

If I get a chance, I will look. Unfortunately, this weekend looks like it could be extremely busy.

@dan_dassow​ Thanks, Dan. 'No hurry. I can always add them if one of you don't mind doing a re-push -- if this goes live, that is. And some of them will probably be caught by IMDb's "Related Polls" A.I. 

@rubyfruit76​ 

Please, do not list them in the poll, as it is too much. But, I will make note here of my Inspirational Women Biopics series.

​​​​​​Women's History Month Companion Polls​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​Leader Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Trailblazer Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Humanitarian Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Sports Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Writer Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Singer/Musician Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Visual Artist Biopics​​​​​​​​​​​​ : ​​​​​​​​​​​​Performance Artist Biopics​​​​​​ : Scientist Biopics

@Peter_pbn​ That's a very good point -- that even if they're debatable, they don't seem out of place. I actually started with ten that were questionable, The Exorcist included, but most of those were "questionable" only because I hadn't see them. My brother, who has seen an awful lot of movies, helped me narrow it down. What was left was what he didn't see or remember well enough. 

I guess what I'll do is include them in the list so that if any of you want to push it, it'll be ready, and then if anyone really disputes a film, I can revisit it. 

Thanks Peter -- that was a great suggestion that also simplifies things. 

@urbanemovies​ 

Princess Mononoke follows a male character for most of the story.

@Peter_pbn​ Thanks, my mistake. It has been a while since I have seen it and I only saw it once. It actually works out, as it eliminates the 36th option, if we all agree on the other 35 possibilities as being near equal or lead characters that feature women.

O? Okay...

Hi Urb, thanks for your feedback. As for your list of FYC suggestions, I decided before I finished the list not to include any films in which there was a male co-lead unless it could be reasonably argued that the female was actually the only lead. For one, when I first did this list, it took the list over 35 movies, and also I really wanted solo female leads, if possible, since there are so many solo male leads.   I did include Sunset Boulevard, I think. Wow, I say that as if I couldn't check, lol... And, oh, you provided a screen shot of my list. : ) Do you think that I shouldn't include the ones that you marked with a "co-lead?" Those were mainly the ones I originally had listed as questionable and was requesting feedback about. I thought Peter's comment made a lot of sense, though, so I decided to include them and stop worrying about it unless someone felt strongly that any really don't belong. 

Oh, so do you think I should cut Million Dollar Baby? I saw it so long ago that my memory is fuzzy. Swank is first billed on IMDb but that doesn't necessarily mean that she was the lead, of course, so I really don't know: l'll go with what you think. 

Thanks, again, for the help. 

@rubyfruit76​ 

​If the standard is  

"I decided before I finished the list not to include any films in which there was a male co-lead, unless it could be reasonably argued that the female was actually the only lead." 

I think Rebecca has co-leads, but Rebecca is clearly the more dominant character over Maxim. Also, in Million Dollar Baby has co-leads, but Swank who plays Maggie, is clearly the dominant lead. I also think in To Kill a Mockingbird has co-leads, but Mary Badham, who plays Scout is the dominant lead. In all three, these stories revolve around the female character for the most part, IMHO.

In The Excorcist, Sunset Boulevard, The Professional, and Mad Max: Fury Road, I think the female character is slightly behind the male character on most metrics. But, it is so close, it really is a tough call to make and I could understand if the actual data showed the female character had more lines or screen time or another metric. I have no problem with their inclusion, based on both their toss-up status and your reasonably arguement clause. If you were to make a co-lead concession, those are the first four that should make the list. I also think Mary and Max is worth a second look for your list.

"I decided to include them and stop worrying about it unless someone felt strongly that any really don't belong."

I listed my take just to share my thoughts, if you do not label some of these as co-leads (or we simply have different definitions) or make some really close calls differently than I would. I can respect that and I don't think you are wrong or would say I feel strongly about these cases, which are true judgement calls.

Also, I can see where you drew the line, but I am having a hard time understanding how #110. To Kill a Mockingbird  and #199. Mary and Max (2009) didn't qualify for the list, when The Excorcist, Sunset Boulevard, The Professional, and Mad Max: Fury Road did. They seem to me all about the same to me, as far as being tough calls to make or the being in same neighborhood at least.

@rubyfruit76​ Million Dollar Baby's Hillary Swank as should definitely stay, as I would call Maggie Fitzgerald the main character in the movie. I think is it fair to call Eastwood a co-lead, because he has his own Frankie storyline too and he was Oscar-nominated for Best Actor. But, the two are not equal leads with Swank being the more dominant lead of the two.

Too bad The Hunt, starring Betty Gilpin, isn't in the Top 250. For some reason, observing the reference to Million Dollar Baby reminded me of Hilary Swank's more recent work.

@urbanemovies​ 

I think Rebecca has co-leads, but Rebecca is clearly the more dominant character over Maxim.

A misstatement perhaps, but Rebecca is the former wife who does not appear in the film.

@Peter_pbn​ Thanks

@rubyfruit76​ ,😎

@Pencho15​ Thank you, Pencho!