Is being smart the new 'sexy?'

A couple of weeks ago, the wolf-boy and I discussed a couple of articles that he pointed me towards. That boy, coupled with his fanfare for gorgeous women (read Sonam Kapoor and Tina Fey) has some amazing links to share for a bygone reader like me. You can read those articles here and here

In gist, very crudely put, smart women can't be sexy. At least in mainstream media. Coincidentally, that night, we went out to watch the Tina Fey starrer 'Date Night.' Thanks to extremely low expectations from us, we thought the movie was pretty good (in spite of bad reviews) In this movie, her character is of a bored suburban mom/wife who has a regular job. She looks the way she is portrayed in most of her TV shows - specs, formal wear and of course, harried thanks to motherhood (Very discouraging for the rest of us, possible future mothers) The one day, she decides to look sexy and look attractive (brains are never considered attractive for women on the first impression), things go awry. And of course, its fun stuff from there.

I'm quite used to this. A hot woman is always a bimbo. A hot woman who is intelligent ( say, secret agent) is only that because they need to show equal opportunity or something. How many of us talk of Lara Croft's physical power or her intelligence v/s her awesome body? Of course, its not our fault. That is what the film-makers want to project anyway, right?

This is not a feminist debate, really. When I saw Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer, all these thoughts came back to me. I haven't watched any other Polanski movie to comment and compare on his film-making style. Its a different thing that I couldn't have done it even if I had seen any of his movies earlier :)

That said, this movie was a treat to watch. I'm quite tired of 'action' movies, alien movies, sci-fi ( I *hate* them) and random chick-flicks. I need to be engrossed, like most of you would like, am assuming. The Ghost Writer did just that. It wasn't entirely brain numbing as some other 'intelligent' movies, but it did make me focus on the movie in hand than about how I relate to the movie. Until now, that is. The mystery in the movie was so engrossing that I didn't realize the nuances of characterisation in this movie.

The wife of the British Prime Minister played by Olivia Williams is shown to be a smart politician, student activist, someone who understands the dirty world of politics and what not. And how does she look, you ask? Certainly nothing compared to Kim Cattrall who plays the Secretary to the Prime Minister and possibly his mistress too. Now, how cliched can we get with the idea of a sexy secretary? And of course, only women who don't get to have any other career become secretaries no?

The character played by Olivia Williams is always having a fight with her suave Prime Minister husband. She hates the secretary. You knew that, didn't you? She ends up being a person who 'needs' sex, so has it with the writer who comes in to write the PM's memoirs. At the surface level, the fights between the PM and the wife seem like marital disputes, the likes of less attention being given, of not listening to the wife - you know, the usual. The wife gives a suggestion to help him gain mileage in tough times, and he disregards them and she is upset. Isn't that what happens in everyone's lives?

But when I think about it now, a week after the movie. I'm thinking, maybe she was way smarter than him (which is true in the movie, anyway) that he can't keep up with her thought process and her quick decisions. He needs a posse of lawyers and advisors to keep things moving. In the movie, it is shown that it is due to her intelligence that he grows from an ordinary student activist to being the PM and it is thanks to herself that she is highly regarded. So, I wonder, was her intelligence also the cause of her downfall as a 'wife' or as a 'woman?'

In fact, from a personal experience of a friend who was recently considered attractive (in not so many words), a group of us sent emails to each other and spoke about it. Now, I wonder what was so surprising about her being attractive? Why? Because she is considered one of the boys and therefore, smart and sensible and not a 'pain' like other women? :) Or, is it something else?

Can't smart women be sassy and sexy? I know there are umpteen examples to prove this cliche wrong. However, writing this post, I wondered how I'd end it. As you can see, I'm quite scattered :)

Does that make me attractive? Because you can laugh, pat on my back fondly at my obvious confusion? Or, shall I trust my instincts that I'm smart already and ask if you consider me attractive?

I have a feeling I know what it is. I think I want it. Just like Tina Fey? :)