The Rescuers

Much like the plot of Sleeping Beauty, the 1977 film The Rescuers is largely driven by female protagonists and a female villain. Although the majority of the supporting characters are male, the actions of the female characters drive the plot forward from every direction. Bernard, the sole male lead, falls into the role of the hero with some reluctance, but his uncertainty and cautious nature often place him in the background, while the more decisive and action-oriented female characters keep the audience’s attention. In many ways, this film displays a much more progressive view of women and gender roles. While limitations are still in place based on the traditional cultural values adhered to by Disney, these limitations are balanced with strength of character and are much less debilitating than those imposed on previous Disney females.

The film’s plot is set into motion by Penny, a young kidnapped orphan girl, who sneaks out in the middle of the night to send a message in a bottle, pleading for help. This initial act displays the character’s agency; rather than waiting around for her fate to unfold, as Snow White or Cinderella would have done, Penny rebels against her captors and takes action. Having failed earlier escape attempts, she recognizes that she needs assistance and she takes the initiative to gain it. Penny fights for her freedom throughout the film, refusing to simply sit back and take what life throws at her. Even when she is frightened, she shows defiance toward her captors and refuses to give in to fear. As a whole, she shows more initiative than past female leads, many of whom were twice her age and valued only for their beauty and obedience. This shift perhaps represents a change in societal values, as well as the expectations of an “ideal woman.”

Penny’s captors are Madame Medusa and Mr. Snoops, a duo intent on using Penny to navigate the small, dangerous passages of an abandoned mine that contains the world’s largest diamond. Medusa proves herself to be the brains of the operation, ordering the obedient and incompetent Snoops to do her bidding in a manner that openly defies the traditional power balance between a man and a woman. Snoops follows Medusa’s plan but contributes very little, doing menial tasks while she plots and prepares. In their relationship, Medusa is superior in terms of intelligence, aggression, planning, and authority as a whole. However, it is suggested that Medusa’s power corrupts, as her overall character design does not suggest an individual one would aspire to emulate. Medusa is not traditionally beautiful, nor is she shown to have good moral or social qualities. Her greed and selfishness drive her actions, and her self-imposed isolation is broken only by her bumbling companion, a kidnapped orphan, and her two pet alligators.

When Penny’s cry for help is intercepted by the Rescue Aid Society, the mouse-version of the United Nations, Miss Bianca volunteers to take the mission. Over the course of the search for Penny, Miss Bianca demonstrates her own intelligence and bravery, fearlessly finding clues and following leads in her search for the missing girl. She is also the higher-ranking partner in the investigation, having chosen Bernard, the RAS janitor, as her companion in the mission. Not only does she have greater authority and experience, but she chooses who she will work with rather than allowing the choice to be made for her, thereby maintaining the upper hand. Despite these qualities, Bianca does have moments of naïveté and carelessness that require Bernard’s intervention. Although he is merely a janitor rather than a RAS member, Bernard is the man, and the film automatically expects him to show bravery and strength suited to a traditional male lead, which requires a female victim in need of rescue. Bernard and Bianca are also seen to develop romantic feelings as the film unfolds, as Disney films rarely allow male/female interaction without reinforcing heteronormative expectations. However, despite some flaws in execution, the film displays a much-improved sense of agency in its female characters, all of whom take charge when confronted by trouble rather than waiting around for someone to assist them.