Femme Friday: Sigourney Weaver in ‘The Year of Living Dangerously’ (1982)
I was interested to see Sigourney Weaver getting attention for her purported interest in Star Wars. This is going to cause the Disney shills a certain amount of discomfort, because not two weeks ago they were slamming Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley character from the Alien franchise, making the bizarre assertion that if the films came out today, she’d be seen as a “girlboss” or “too masculine.” As before, this is high-grade, fully pasteurized b.s.
However, it does present an opportunity to highlight Weaver’s other work, which goes beyond fighting xenomorphs or busting ghosts. Today we will look at The Year of Living Dangerously (1982).
Actual Acting
I wrote about this movie a few years ago , but the focus then was on the totality of the film, with a particular emphasis Linda Hunt’s award-winning portrayal of Chinese photographer Billy Kwan. It is impossible to imagine anything like that happening today, but once upon a time, actors were expected to actually a ct ; that is portray people different from themselves . The best among them relished roles where they stretched themselves and going from a white woman to a Chinese man represented incredible range and was justly lauded. I have watched the film several times, and Hunt is perfect.
Alas, that has obscured Weaver’s excellent performance as Jill Bryant, a member of the British diplomatic staff.
The story is set in 1965 and recounts the events surrounding the fall of the Sukarno government in Indonesia. Cold War tensions abound, and the tale is told from the perspective of Guy Hamilton, an ambitious Australian journalist on his first overseas assignment, played by Mel Gibson. Billy Kwan serves as Guy’s guide, introducing him to the both the foreign upper crust as well as the downtrodden people of the slums.
Jill is a career member of the foreign service, and Weaver does a wonderful job of conveying the languid charm commonly found among the diplomatic class. Some might criticize her British accent, but I think it’s pretty on-point for someone who is constantly overseas. All of the traveled people I know have an eclectic (and completely inconsistent) way of pronouncing various words and phrases. For example, I served under an officer born in Romania who subsequently came to Texas, where he went to college. Most of the time he sounded like Count Dracula, but he would – completely unconsciously – dip into a Texan drawl when saying certain things. Jill follows this pattern.
She works as an assistant to the Defense Attache, which gives her access to highly classified intelligence. When she offers Guy secret information intended to protect him, does he keep her secret and discretely depart the country, or attempt to get a career-making scoop?
Sexy, Intelligent, Vulnerable
We first meet Jill lounging at poolside, languid in a one-piece swimsuit. We also meet her boss, who challenges Guy to swim race. Guy accepts and pulls well ahead before allowing the older man a narrow win. This display amuses Jill, and as greater events unfold, the nascent couple try to find time for one another.
At its core, The Year of Living Dangerously is about normal, relatable people thrown into extraordinary circumstances . Of late, all Hollywood seems to be interested in are superheroes and space fantasies, but not long ago films set in the real world generated huge audiences and critical praise.
While we can’t know what it was like to be in Jakarta in 1965, we can absolutely relate to the moral and personal questions that Guy and Jill face.
It’s important to note that this film was made after Alien but before Aliens or Ghostbusters , so Weaver was very much cast for a female role. This utterly destroys the arguments about her being in any way typecast as a girlboss or considered masculine. Her strength comes from her personality, and is displayed in moral decisions and personal courage rather than laying about her with a lightsaber (or a load-lifter).
She’s a great example of an independent woman who falls in love and has to choose between conflicting loyalties.
A Romantic Desolation
Contemporary Hollywood struggles tell stories like that because they have no idea what sacrificial love is like , and their morals are entirely situational . The same people who scream that Donald Trump is rapist and crook are remarkably silent regarding the long-term, pervasive abuse of children in their own industry (and that is still going on today). Indeed, being a rape-enabler is a career-enhancer is certain circles. But I digress.
In order for a film like The Year of Living Dangerously to work, the characters have to be fully realized, and though overshadowed by Gibson and Hunt, Weaver turns in a memorable performance. If you want to see her outside of a spaceship or away from a demon-haunted apartment, this is a great opportunity to do so. Grab a physical copy , just to be on the safe side.
See Also Evacuation Flashback: The Year of Living Dangerously
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