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The beautiful Monique insists on joining their expedition and cannot be dissuaded; we think at first she has a nefarious motive, but no, she's probably taken a class in screenplay construction and knows that the film requires a sexy female lead. This could be the first case in cinematic history of a character voluntarily entering a movie because of the objective fact that she is required.

Roger Ebert#61

FilmCharacterConventionFiction

About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote satirizes a character who joins an expedition solely because she fits a screenplay trope for a female lead. It highlights meta-awareness in storytelling.
In plain terms
A character enters the plot because the script needs a sexy woman.
What can you take from it?
Characters often exist just to fulfill screenwriting conventions.

Where it applies

  • film analysis
  • scriptwriting
  • character development

Putting it to work

  • spot token roles
  • avoid stereotypes

Questions to consider

  • Do characters feel real or functional?
  • Who drives the plot?

Another view

Not all female leads are merely plot devices.

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