Three Notable Female-Directed Films Shining a Light on Desire, Ageism, and Choices Made
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sandy Rodriguez
By Gilda Baum-Lappe and Sandy Rodriguez
Stories featuring memorable female characters, especially when their narratives are brought to life by women directors, can be especially powerful. In this series of articles, we dive into three such films—The Substance, Babygirl, and The Last Showgirl. Whether through sci-fi, sensuality, or heartfelt emotion, these films show how women can command the screen in thought-provoking ways.
Golden Globes judge Gilda Baum-Lappe and Heart Of Hollywood Magazine editor Sandy Rodriguez offer their unique takes on each of these cinematic experiences.
THE LAST SHOWGIRL: Nostalgia, Glamour, and the End of an Era
The Last Showgirl, directed by Gia Coppola and written by Kate Gersten, features a star-studded cast led by Pamela Anderson. Jamie Lee Curtis, Brenda Song, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Billie Lourd and Jason Schwartzman join her for an emotionally charged film.
Pamela’s character delves into the bittersweet reality of having her long-standing role in the spotlight come to an end. With its poignant themes, stunning cinematography, and deeply human performances, the film offers a fresh take on the challenges women face as they age, particularly in industries that prize youth and beauty.
Golden Globe judge Gilda Baum-Lappe and Heart of Hollywood Magazine editor Sandy Rodriguez explain why The Last Showgirl is not just a nod to old-school Vegas, but a film that will resonate with contemporary audiences. The release is planned for mid-December.
What was your emotional response to this movie, and why?
G: Painful… personal… You can see Pamela Anderson pouring her heart and soul into this role of a showgirl aging out of her own life. Pamela shines in her performance as Shelley, an aging Las Vegas showgirl being forced into retirement, while, at the same time, having to cope with the memories of moments when she made choices that come back to haunt her.
S: I felt both anger and sadness. The main character’s struggle to accept the end of her career is something so many people face, especially women in certain industries who find themselves pushed out of the workforce as they age. It’s a reflection of the ageism that’s still rampant in society, which seems to be one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination.
The movie also highlights how harshly parents, particularly mothers, are judged for their choices.
Who would you recommend this movie to, and is there anyone who might not enjoy it?
G: Everyone and anyone who enjoys nostalgia in cinema. Lovers of good storytelling. Female-focused cinema lovers. Not recommended if you only enjoy thrillers, violence, or science fiction. Men loved Pamela Anderson and this is just a more vulnerable version of the Baywatch babe. She is sensational in this role, as an aging Vegas showgirl , something Anderson had wanted to explore for a long time, and she does it with charm, beauty, smarts, honesty, and wisdom. Truly, pure perfection. Gia Coppola was a great director for The Last Showgirl.
S: This movie is beautifully shot, so I’d recommend it to anyone who loves high-quality cinematography. That said, it’s geared toward a female audience, especially Gen Xers and younger Boomers.
If you’re expecting something like Baywatch or Barb Wire, you’ll be disappointed. This is a beautiful, bittersweet, deeply reflective, artistic film, full of heart and emotion—a far cry from Pamela Anderson’s earlier work, but in the best possible way.
What did you like most about the movie?
G: I liked seeing Las Vegas from a different perspective, not depicted under the usual light of excess and exaggeration, but in a more intimate, personal way.
S: Seeing Pamela Anderson in a dramatic role was a thrill for me. I’ve been a fan since her early days—her Playboy shoots, her activism, and even her comedic turn in a sitcom called Stacked.
What did you think of Pamela’s performance?
G: I feel that Shelley, Anderson’s character in The Last Showgirl, is her personal love letter to a new era in her life and career—a role that allows her to embrace with strength, love, and pride the decision to move beyond the "pin-up" image. This is the perfect role to represent this moment. Pamela Anderson has been exposed in so many ways; in the documentary Pamela, a Love Story, she opened up her soul, sharing deeply personal and painful experiences. Being a public sex symbol, although not in a person’s heart, can be sensitive and hurtful. In this movie, Anderson has the perfect vehicle to turn towards a new chapter in her life.
S: She was incredible, even better than I expected. It was such a treat to see her take on a dramatic role, and she handled it with grace and depth. It’s refreshing to see her in something so different from what people might expect.
Offscreen, her image has gone from bombshell to natural beauty. She radiates kindness and just launched a cookbook titled I Love You. There’s truly nothing this woman can’t do. Several years ago, I got to see her working as a magician’s assistant in Vegas, working with Dutch illusionist Hans Klok.
Was there another actor whose performance stood out to you?
G: Oh, yes! Jamie Lee Curtis, transformed into an elderly waitress, with a heavy spray tan and orange skin, who used to be a showgirl, is painfully realistic. There’s a feeling of deliberate nostalgia in the casting, with Jamie Lee being the daughter of Hollywood royalty Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, and another character—who plays Pamela’s daughter—is beautifully portrayed by Billie Lourd, daughter of Carrie Fisher and granddaughter of Debbie Reynolds. It’s nostalgia on steroids!
S: Jamie Lee Curtis was phenomenal. I almost didn’t recognize her at first, and her presence was such a pleasant surprise. She was completely believable as an older, down-on-her-luck cocktail waitress who needs her job but is being phased out.
How did the movie leave you feeling?
G: Sentimental… longing for the past, a desire to return to moments and images long gone. It evoked emotions that feel like yearning to relive experiences that won’t come back. I think Shelley’s character embodies that nostalgia, a genuine desire to revisit past experiences and regrets. Lourd even mentioned that this role felt cathartic for her, and that feeling resonated with me, too.
S: It made me feel nostalgic for that old-school Vegas glamour. But beyond that, it reminded me how fleeting everything in life can be. We really need to appreciate what we have because, at some point, it will come to an end.
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