Black Eyes and the Perfect Heroine



Image from piddleville

I got this idea a couple days ago to do a sort of series highlighting some of my favorite movie heroines and what makes them so great. McLintock! is one of my favorite movies, and having recently watched it for the umpteenth time—and never tiring of it—I studied the character of Katherine “Katie” McLintock and wondered why I am continuously so drawn to this red-headed hussy!

So what do black eyes have to do with the perfect heroine? Well, in Maureen O’Hara’s case in her portrayal of feisty Katie, quite a lot! After a muddy mess of a fight, alongside hero John Wayne--er, G.W. McLintcok-- when asked by the hired help (played by the lovely Yvonne De Carlo) if the man himself gave her the black eye, she replied in her fiery tone, “No, nobody gave it to me. I won it!" 

Katie is often, so... well, so petulant. So why do I find myself time-after-time, smiling at the Irish lass's spitfire temperament, know-how, confidence, and cockiness? She is my quintessential version of Scarlett O'Hara, with so many more layers...

The back story to Katie's and G.W.'s relationship says a lot about who she has become; a woman separated from her husband, who has taken up heirs, determined to protect her heart from anymore wounds. The tension continues to build until G.W. finally has it out with his leading lady.

"You came home from Denver..." Katie finally breaks out, shaking her finger at him.

"...with lipstick on my collar," G.W. finishes.

"And I've got the shirt to prove it!" she fires back triumphantly.

Though we never know what really happened in Denver (Hey, maybe he tripped and a nice lady clad in lipstick broke his fall. It could happen!), it is evident the encounter left a much slighter affect on our hero than our heroine.

So all of this petulance (watch the movie to see why I keep using that word!) stems for a source of fear on Katie's part, a feeling of inadequacy. This well-thought, enormously felt mixture of vulnerability and sprightliness bubble in a volatile chemical combination until the tension brought forth in Katie's character reacts with that of G.W.'s leaving us breathless as we watch this turbulent, passionate romance.

So, here is to Katherine Gilhooly McLintock! One fine heroine in my book!

Oh, and to find out if these two had a happy ending, well... I won't say a word.