Now six decades into his career,Martin Scorsesehas not only remained one of the most respected and lauded filmmakers of all time but his popularity has perhaps never been higher. With the help of a recent string of late-period achievements, his devout passion to film preservation, and hot-topic comments on thestate of the industry, the director is inseparable from film culture and discourse. His style, themes, and preferences are all documented and understood by everyone with an ounce of film knowledge. One association with Scorsese, which is a slight misconception, is his lack of female representation across his films.
Martin Scorsese Cares About Female Representation
There is no denying that Scorsese is a male-centric filmmaker. His films grapple with traditionally masculine ideas. This is the world he is familiar with. During the festival release of his 2019 film,The Irishman, Scorsesedenied the claimsthat his films are not gender diverse, stating at an Italian press conference, “That’s a question that I’ve had for so many years. Am I supposed to? If the story doesn’t call for it, then it’s a waste of everybody’s time. If the story calls for a female character lead, why not?” The director is drawn to stories with rich themes and character complexities, and hisgrowing concern with agingthreatens his ability to adapt his tales for the screen. Scorsese may never escape discourse surrounding his light female representation, asThe Irishmanfaced selected criticism overAnna Paquin’s lack of substantial dialogue in the film.
To say that Scorsese does not care about women or refuses to direct compelling female characters is false. Actors such asCathy MoriarityinRaging Bull,Lorraine BraccoinGoodfellas, andMargot RobbieinThe Wolf of Wall Streetgave breakout performances and served as integral forces to the respective narrative and kinetic energy of their films. At the aforementioned press conference, Scorsese citedSharon Stone’s brilliant work inCasinoas something disregarded among his critics. Along with the authentic, intense, and vulnerable performances of these four, two films in Scorsese’s filmography dispense any notion that the director is not interested in women. His 1993 adaptation of theEdith Whartonnovel,The Age of Innocencefeatured a pair ofdynamic female performancesinMichelle PfeifferandWinona Ryderand should have forever put the fallacy that he only directs crime/gangster movies to bed. The director’s best female protagonist, portrayed magnificently byEllen Burstynin 1974 as the titular lead inAlice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, is an important text to understanding Scorsese’s relationship to film.
Ellen Burstyn Chose Scorsese to Direct ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’
Coming off the heels ofThe Exorcist, Ellen Burstyn held influence in Hollywood. She had creative control overAliceand couldpick any director she desiredfor the project. Seeking out an exciting, young director, Burstyn discovered the man behind the livewire indie,Mean Streets. She knew that the energy behind Scorsese’s breakout film was perfect to spice up a story about a single mother traveling cross-country in pursuit of a better life. Burstyn, who was fond of his filmmaking prowess, was curious if Scorsese knew"anything about women.“The director responded, “No, but I’d like to learn.” Hollywood in the 1970s is often defined by its aggressively masculine films by male auteurs, but Scorsese’s enthusiasm to become more open-minded separates him from the bunch.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which garnered Burstyn an Academy Award for Best Actress, meshes a story from a woman’s perspective and her everyday plights of just trying to get by with Scorsese’s gritty, documentary-like aesthetic that poweredMean Streets. The film confronts raw emotions and ordeals, such as Alice losing her husband, pulling herself up as a single mother, working dead-end jobs to live a basic life, and balancing independence with the promise of finding a new lover. She decides to pursue a singing career in California, only to face misogyny from lounge owners. After getting caught up in an abusive relationship with Ben (Harvey Keitel), she and her son, Tommy, flee to Tuscon, Arizona, where she works as a waitress at a diner. While in Tuscon, she strikes up another romantic relationship with a local rancher, David (Kris Kristofferson). Throughout the film, Alice is conflicted with the lofty crossroad of what to do with her life.
Alice Hyatt belongs in the canon of great Scorsese protagonists. While not psychologically haunted like Travis Bickle or Jake LaMotta or bleak examinations of greedy notoriety and capitalism likeRupert Pupkinand Jordan Belfort, Burstyn’s warmth and assurance causes her character to be thoroughly true to life. Scorsese’s commitment to exploring the livelihood of a single mother is evident in the film’s perspective. Supported by a script byRobert Getchell,Aliceis never heavy-handed with its confrontations of the woman’s plight. Scorsese identified the human quality in Alice as a flawed person but an admirable figure. Audiences can only help but express sympathy for the character. The allusions toThe Wizard of Ozin the film serve as a fascinating framing device for the story. Where the original text shows leaving one’s native home as a magical adventure, Alice is forced to embark on a journey out of necessity, due to economic implications. This subversion of classic tales is why Scorsese is so beloved.
Martin Scorsese’s Female Characters Deserve More Attention
The previously mentioned standout female characters throughout Scorsese’s filmography are supporting players — who all happen to be the romantic interests of the leading men, which is certainly indicative of his preferences. However, their relationship to their husband’s violent tendencies and criminal ways and how it affects their well-being are essential to the overarching story. Scorsese employs these characters to identify the conflict between enabling criminal monsters and maintaining moral integrity. Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder are quite resonant in the Scorsese canon, but there is nothing quite like Burstyn’s performance inAlice. She is the dominant presence of the film, and the actor seems to be as prominent of a creative force as Scorsese.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymoreproves that, when the right story comes along, Martin Scorsese is capable of thoughtful characterization of women. What is most audacious on the director’s part is that he was just beginning his professional career at the time of filming. At 31 years old, Scorsese demonstrated artistic flexibility to stories beyond his purview. Along with accepting various director-for-hire gigs such asThe Color of MoneyandCape Fear, and light-hearted fare such asHugo, he has established himself as a versatile filmmaker. The exceptional work onAlicemakes one wish that he tackled more female-oriented films. Filling more movies likeAliceinto his filmography would be welcomed, as it is the perfect chance to open a different perspective for his movies and audiences alike.
