Marge Gunderson - A Strong Female Lead

          

In the world of Hollywood, there are very few action movies that star women as the leads. If they are the leads, they are usually sexualized like Charlie’s Angels or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, or violent like Lucy or Kill Bill. The 1996 thriller film Fargo stands the test of time, not only with it’s brilliant writing, amazing cinematography, and talent, but with it’s main character and hero, Marge Gunderson.

In the film Fargo an in-debt car salesman arranges for his wife to be kidnapped and held for ransom by two criminals, so that his wife’s father can pay for the ransom and the salesman can pay off his debts. The women presented in the first thirty minutes of the film are either victims (the salesman’s wife) or hookers. Then, the audience is introduced to Marge Gunderson, a police officer investigating the crime.

Marge Gunderson is not only a police officer, but the police chief as well.  She is one of the most charming characters in recent times, with a folksy Minnesota accent and a cool and calming nature. When the situation gets rough, whether it’s her meet up with a stalker from high school, an interrogation, or driving with an arrested killer, she remains collected at all times. She does not blow up or act on instinct, just like many of the other characters in the film. Marge is also seven months pregnant, and very effeminate. While dealing with mostly men and working in a male dominated field, she does not sacrifice any of her effeminate qualities to succeed. Being pregnant does not stop her either.

Marge is a great female character for the fact her role in the movie is not defined by her gender. Even in movies outside of Fargo’s genre, many women are defined by their gender even if they are holding masculine-type roles. Katy Gilpatric in her study published in Springer’s journal Sex Roles, said that over 58 percent of violent female characters were portrayed in a submissive role to the male hero. 42 percent were in a romantic relationship with him. This was with films published in the same time period as Fargo. Fargo remains a unique and feminist film, because it shows how a pregnant, effeminate, kind and caring woman can too be the hero in an action/thriller film.