Fighting Stance: Bruce Lee and the Emergence of Leading Women in Martial Arts Cinema

Abstract

This thesis intervenes on the male-centered scholarly research that surrounds Bruce Lee and his impact on the martial arts film genre and shifts the conversation to one that focuses on a female-centric perspective and foregrounds leading women in martial arts films. It explores the emergence of trailblazing women, Cynthia Rothrock and Michelle Yeoh, and examine their experiences within the martial arts film industry. It also analyzes fight scenes, characters, and performances in films including Yes, Madam; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; China O’Brien; The Martial Arts Kid; Black Creek; and Everything Everywhere all at Once. This research aims to answer the following questions: How did Bruce Lee’s success lead to Rothrock and Yeoh’s career in martial arts films? What parallels can be drawn between Bruce Lee and Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock’s careers? What were Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock’s experiences within this male-dominated genre? The rationale for this research is to include women in the history of the martial arts genre alongside their male counterparts and within the lineage of Bruce Lee. This thesis reveals that women have had a long, complicated history within the martial arts film genre. It concludes that women are often held to standards based on traditional gender norms, are routinely compared to men, and viewed as gaining temporary access to male traits when cast in leading roles. It concludes that Rothrock and Yeoh’s contribution to the genre challenge the convention that women are meant to be relegated to subsidiary roles.