We shouldn’t be surprised a film from 1984 is sexist. But the blatant, almost parody levels of sexism in Tom Hanks movie Splash really shocked me when I re-watched it this year.
For those who don’t know it, Splash tells the story of a man (Hanks, who turns 68 on July 9) who falls in love with a mysterious woman who is actually a mermaid Daryl Hannah). It’s a romance film essentially, with some comedy thrown in.
I first saw Splash probably 20 years ago, when I was a little gay boy who would watch anything with a mermaid in it. Back then, at around 11 years old, I definitely didn’t understand the more adult themes, or why certain things were sold in a way at which I was supposed to laugh.
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I’ve watched it again since, and I enjoy it every time I do watch it. I’m still just a mermaid-loving homosexual at heart.
(Image: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)
But after I saw it again more recently, I couldn’t help but notice the very obviously sexist themes. Some of it is in the behaviour of the characters, others are more plot points.
For example, Hanks’ character Allen’s brother Freddie (John Candy) is seen dropping coins by groups of women, getting on the floor and then looking up their skirts. It first shows him as a child doing it in 1964, and it’s basically just seen as a “cheeky little boy” type of thing.
After the time-jump to the brothers as grown men, though, it’s not something that can be as easily forgiven. It’s clear that Freddie’s behaviour is supposed to be seen as creepy, though, which it is.
But I took more issue with some of the actual plot points. When Hannah’s character Madison first arrives in New York, she turns up naked.
That’s to be expected, she’s a mermaid, she’s not just going to magically grow clothes. This isn’t a Disney movie, after all (although it is available to stream on Disney+, FYI).
Of course, Allen is instantly attracted to her after seeing her naked. Daryl Hannah is undeniably beautiful, but the entire basis of their relationship is built on physical attraction.
Allen and Madison can’t keep their hands off each other. They instantly jump into bed with each other.
The fact that Madison usually has a fish tail and presumably different reproductive organs never comes into it. But I couldn’t help thinking how she would even know how to have sex with a human.
She learns to talk by watching TV. Surprise, surprise, it’s from watching shopping channels.
And then, as woman can only do, she simply must go shopping. We see her copying the routine of at-home exercise videos, too.
It could be argued that these stereotypical tropes are used because Madison is learning how to become a human woman. But I really think if the film was re-made now, there’d be some big changes made.
That isn’t to say Splash as a whole doesn’t hold up now. It’s a brilliant film, and the chemistry between Hanks and Hannah is undeniable.
And I’m sure I’m not the only person who will eat up anything mermaid-related, even in their 30s. But still, there is more to women than shopping, sex and long, blonde hair.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
