Written by: Claire Phillips | Entertainment Editor

“Clueless,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” and “She’s the Man” are humorous high school movies with dynamic protagonists. These three films have kept audiences entertained since the 1990s and 2000s. However, what many may not know about these movies is that they are based on century-old classics. 

Jane Austen’s “Emma” was first published in 1815 and was the last novel to be published during Austen’s lifetime. The title character, Emma Woodhouse, is intelligent, a little spoiled and an enthusiastic matchmaker. What modern character is Emma’s equal? Cher Horowitz from the 1995 chick flick “Clueless,” of course. It would be a disservice to Jane Austen to limit “Clueless” to just a chick flick — there is more nuance to the movie that refreshingly pulls from the original story.

The witty female protagonist and charming bad-boy love interest from the film “10 Things I Hate About You” has dominated the screen since 1999. The film’s protagonists, Kat and Patrick, are the late ’90s equivalent of Katherina and Petruchio from “The Taming of the Shrew” — the Shakespeare play that was written over 400 years before the movie. Kat is stubborn, Patrick is sarcastic and together they create the perfect couple.

A lesser-known Shakespearean modern favorite is “She’s the Man,” a high school movie based on the comedy “Twelfth Night.” Twins Viola and Sebastian Hastings are complete opposites — Viola loves sports and Sebastian is an aspiring musician. The 2006 rom-com challenged gender norms, as Viola pretended to be her brother in order to play on the boys’ soccer team — and kicked some serious butt no less. This movie carries on the miscommunication trope that both Shakespeare and modern audiences love so much.

Hailee Carmody, a sophomore at Western shared her opinions on “She’s the Man” and how it presented feminism. 

“We see the idea that women are just as capable as men… especially when the gender switch happens,” Carmody said. However, she also spoke up about parts of the movie that are now outdated. “I definitely think there are some gender stereotypes that are present and not necessarily addressed. It’s a movie that’s a product of its time and should be taken with a grain of salt.”

These classics had powerful female protagonists centuries ago, and their stories have carried over into the present day for modern audiences to enjoy. These tales never became irrelevant — they just needed a little reworking. This genre of movie has reintroduced fans to inspiring stories their ancestors once enjoyed.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu