Women’s History Month is here (or so people tell me). And in celebration of that, I’ve put together a few clips that feature a handful of some fine moments in Hollywood history that involve women.

So without further ado, here they are in chronological order based on the year of release of the films.

1939: Gone with the Wind

Rhett Butler picks up Scarlett O’Hara and carries her upstairs to spend the night with him . . . whether she wants to or not.

https://youtu.be/RTw6ZLYudPc

1942: The Black Swan

Tyrone Power’s character manhandles Maureen O’Hara’s character throughout this film. Here are three scenes where he shows her who’s boss.

 

1946: Duel in the Sun

Jennifer Jones’s character is on her hands and knees, scrubbing away and really putting her hips into it when in walks Gregory Peck’s character. . . .

 

1951: Anne of the Indies

It’s two leading ladies here. Jean Peters’s pirate character attempts to sell Debra Paget’s character at the slave market. I couldn’t find a video clip of that scene, but here’s a link to an image of it at IMDB.

And you can watch the theatrical trailer for Anne of the Indies to get a flavor of the movie too.

 

1952: The Quiet Man:

John Wayne’s character finally has enough of Maureen O’Hara’s character, and he takes her for a little walk, dragging her along (literally at points) while the good townsfolk cheer him on.

https://youtu.be/E4Y5GpnWt5k

 

1953: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Sure, everyone remembers Monroe’s famous “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” song and dance in that pink dress. But there are plenty of other memorable moments in this movie. For instance, when Monroe’s character measures her hips and finds they aren’t quite the right size to fit through the window.

 

1956: Anything Goes

So they made them change the lyrics to the song “Anything Goes” in the movie with the same name, and a lot of people don’t like it. But it’s still a fun number. Mitzi Gaynor is a triple threat: acting, singing, and dancing, with dancing being the strongest of the three.

 

1959: The Indian Tomb

Debra Paget dances while barely wearing anything. (Skip to the 1:15 mark to see the actual start of the dance.)

https://youtu.be/jtkMUsRZP1k

 

By the way, that dance was not a one-off. Paget was a great dancer (and she was gorgeous). Here she is in a scene from Stars and Stripes Forever (1952).

 

1960: The Millionairess

The nurse tells Sophia Loren’s character to undress. And so she does.

 

1963: Donovan’s Reef

John Wayne’s character administers some corporal punishment to Elizabeth Allen’s character.

1963: McLintock!

John Wayne’s character administers some corporal punishment to Maureen O’Hara’s character.

 

1963: Spencer’s Mountain

Henry Fonda’s character administers some corporal punishment to Maureen O’Hara’s character (occurs around the 1:19 mark).

 

1963: 4 for Texas

What do you get when you put Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Anita Ekberg, and The Three Stooges in one movie? 4 for Texas. And you get multiple good scenes. One such scene is where Andress’s character explains to Martin’s character that she’s seeking a master—not a partner.

 

1964: Goldfinger

The scene where Bond tames Pussy Galore is famous—or rather, infamous. Why? Because it’s no longer politically correct.

 

1966-1968: Matt Helm Series

The Silencers (1966), Murderer’s Row (1966), The Ambushers (1967), and The Wrecking Crew (1968) are the four Matt Helm films that Dean Martin made. They all feature Martin and a lot of women. Here are two memorable scenes.

In The Silencers, Dean Martin’s character rip the clothes right off Stella Stevens’s character. (I couldn’t find a legit YouTube clip of it.)

And in The Wrecking Crew, Sharon Tate’s character runs up to Martin’s character and has a spectacular fall.

 

And for a little bit of trivia, in addition to Tate being in The Wrecking Crew, the film also featured Nancy Kwan, Elke Sommer, Tina Louise, and an uncredited Chuck Norris. Bruce Lee served as a “karate advisor.”

1998: The Mask of Zorro

Catherine Zeta-Jones’s character decides to get into a sword fight with Zorro. It doesn’t end well for her.

So enjoy and share these clips on social media. I’m sure everyone will agree with me that it’s a great way to celebrate Women’s History Month.

Top Image: Screen capture of scene from ‘McLintock!’