Depictions of Unintelligent Women in Film and Literature

Recently, I was watching a James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and considered all the female characters involved. I also considered Doc OC's challenge posed to the class -- that throughout our reading of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, where might we find an intelligent, or even a positive, portrayal of a developed female character.  

Bambi and Thumper, at the mercy of James Bond

       There were only 4 total female roles in Diamonds: Tiffany Case, Bond's beautiful female partner, played by Jill St. John, a well-known "Bond girl;" Plenty O'Toole, a well-endowed, mindless girl who struts about the craps table on the arms of whatever handsome man she can find, and who is thrown into a pool topless; and then two scantily-clad women, Bambi and Thumper,
who attempt to use elaborate gymnastics to kill James Bond, but both end up being dunked in a pool continuously by Sean Connery, and readily reveal the location of their evil boss.
       There is no role in this film for a strong female lead, but that has a lot to do with the genre of film and the anticipated audience. Women have their piece of eye candy to ogle over in Sean Connery, and the average man's movie-going experience is highlighted by scenes of fighting and violence, as well as sexual scenes with the likes of Plenty O'Toole (in its own, a name that doesn't necessarily give a off a strong, independent feel). The purely physical value of Plenty is highlighted in this clip. 

       A depiction of a female in a role like this is reminiscient of a "Hair Lip"-type charcter in Huck Finn; a women inserted for mere comedy, and no more.