Gender Roles in Grease Movie Essay Sample

Have you ever watched a movie and thought, “Wow that film was sexist and misogynistic”? Throughout cinematic history, males and female have often been depicted in traditional gender roles. Films have the ability to significantly impact and influence people’s beliefs, opinions, and gender expectations. The movie Grease directed by Randal Kleiser is a 1970s classic that portrays males and females in the 1950s with traditional gender stereotypes. The characters Danny Zhukoas the macho, Sandy Olsson as the victim, and Charlene "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio as the hussy.

Danny Zhukoas is the male lead and the leader of the T-Birds. As a leader of the T-bird Danny was often adored by the other guys in his group for being the macho man. In the first song “Summer Nights” Danny describes his summer fling with Sandy to his crew as sexual rather than romantic. This shows the stereotype about how men are obsessed with sex, not feelings or intimacy. Danny goes to the pep rally at the high school where a group of girls come up to him and pushes Sandy up to him. At first Danny face lights up like a Christmas tree when he sees his love, but then he remembers that he’s around his crew and starts to act like he doesn’t know Sandy. Danny watches her runaway as he acts like a cool dude in front of his crew. This shows how man are portrayed as insensitive and heartless. The crew drives to the house where the pink ladies are having their sleepover but decides to walk away from his crew.  Dany sings “Grease Lightning” which inspires the guys to start working on the junkie car.

The character Sandy Olsson is the female lead. Sandy was vacationer from Australia who stays in the United States for her senior year of high school. When talking to her new classmates she sings her versions of “Summer Nights” and describes her summer fling as romantic with Danny. Sandy joins the cheerleading squad at Kydell high school. A crew named the pink ladies decide to introduce Sandy to Danny again. There Danny first is surprise and happy to see her then “turns on her” and acts like a jerk. Sandy runs away crying saying “I wish I never laid eyes on you”. She cries then gets invited to a sleepover with the pink ladies. The pink ladies ask Sandy if she wants to smoke, drink alcohol, and get her ears pierced. When politely declines, the members of the pink ladies tease her. Some of the members of the pink ladies sing a song named "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" making fun of her. 

Charlene "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio Is the date for one of Danny’s T-Bird crew members to the dance. There when she sees Danny she says “how you doing Zuko, baby” which implies Cha-Cha and Danny have history. After, she introduced herself one of theme members of the pink ladies says she has the “worst reputation’s”. 

The film industry is arguably one of the major influences in modern society. The film Grease depicts males and females with traditional gender roles. Throughout the movie, Danny Zhukoas is portrayed as the macho, Sandy Olsson painted as the victim, and Charlene "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio illustrated as the hussy. Growing up I loved watching Grease and saw nothing wrong with it. As a teenager, I realized the entertainment franchise is sending hidden messages about how they think genders should behave in society.