MovieChat Forums > Flashdance (1983) Discussion > 18???

18???

posted 20 years ago by gwynnethjean
28 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie for the first time in years last week, and it had completely escaped my notice before that it is mentioned that the character is ONLY 18. When watching FD before, I assumed Jennifer Beals' character was in her twenties. Not only did she act a lot older than 18 (most of the time) in my opinion, but also, it seems very unlikely to me that an eighteen year old, who could only have left school a couple of years earlier, would have been able to save up enough money to renovate a warehouse, and to attend a first class ballet academy, and even though it is possible to get paid a fair amount working as a stripper, at her age she couldn't have been working as a stripper that long.

And let's not forget the fact that the man she gets involved with is around 40, and there seem to be no scruples on his side about the age gap (apart from a few jokes from Richie,there is no mention of it).

I know, for the purpose of her starting her advanced training as a ballet dancer, Alex would need to be 18, but when watching this movie now, it seems as though the filmakers have placed an adolescent in blatantly adult surroundings, and act as though she has been there for years!

I'm not saying that 18 year olds can not be very mature, and maybe this was the whole point the director was trying convey, but very rarely have I come across a teenager whom adults,people in their late twenties,thirties, etc, treat equally and ask them for advice(like the other strippers). Older teenagers or people in their early twenties treat them equally,but not actual adults. I've met many 20-25 year olds who ask 18 year olds for advice, but very rarely people much older than that. I know it does depend on th individual, and there are older people who are more immature than 18 year olds, so why wouldn't they ask them for advice? It is ignorant to suppose that they wouldn't,but it is VERY rare.

I love this movie though, I know it isn't meant to be taken that seriously, but I just thought I'd state my opinion!

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] gwynnethjean 20 years ago

Well, Jennifer Beals hardly looks biracial, I never thought that she was. Ialways thought she was Latina. However,I don't think it is ever said in the movie that Alex is meant to be white. Okay, she was Catholic, but there are plenty of Catholic African-American families.

You're right, matrity does depend on the envronment some one grows up in, not necessarily age.

[–] peachesNcream97 10 years ago

"Jennifer Beals hardly looks biracial"

Unless you've seen every biracial girl on earth that statement just comes off as ignorant. Human beings of any race can vary in their appearances. It's not a hard concept to grasp.

[–] JC_Aliss 20 years ago

I agree with your statements; I have always thought them myself in fact. However, it's not impossible for these things to be true.

Agreed on the being completely financially independent by 18. She seems to have no money woes at all, which is unusual for just about anyone let alone an 18 year old. Although I have heard you can really make some SERIOUS bucks dancing in bars like she did. And I always got the feeling that her welding job paid very, very well. Those jobs typically do. Still, I always did think that about this movie, just like you.

I also agree on the age thing. Although it is a fact that Jennifer Beals WAS 18 when they filmed this. She carried herself very maturely in general, as an actress. Still, I do agree that it is a bit unusual for an 18 year old to be completely accepted into the fully adult world without question. Grown man lover, great income, older round-the-block dancers going to her for advice; definitely not something you see every day.

At the same time the entire character of Alex was supposed to be an exception. A truly gifted dancer still yet to disover the scope of her own abilities. I think her matureness works with the whole overall fantasy aspect of the movie in general.

Still though, watch this against, say, Dirty Dancing (same age lead), or Center Stage (a whole SCHOOL of them at that age), and I feel those two films are much more realistic in their portrayal of that age range.

[–] lonzo666 20 years ago

>>Although it is a fact that Jennifer Beals WAS 18 when they filmed this.

Actually she was 20, because the movie is from 1983 and Jennifer was born in 1963.
I was 18 when this movie was done.

Enough nitpicking. :-)

This movie is supposed to be a modern fairytale, so take it as this.

[–] nieder27 20 years ago

The movie was released when she was 20, but very well could have been filmed when she was 18 or 19. Movies take awhile in post production.

[–] vihenchman 19 years ago

Actually she was 20, because the movie is from 1983 and Jennifer was born in 1963.

The movie was released when she was 20

I hate to further nitpick, but while Jennifer Beals was born in 1963 her birthday is 19 December (very late). According to the release dates, Flashdance was first released in the USA in April 83 and so she was only 19 when it was released. Furthermore, the movie was probably made at the very least 3-4 months earlier but probably more, so its likely she was still 18 when filmed.

[–] kevadooch 20 years ago

I watched this on TV last night and here's my take:

When walking down the street with Jeanie, Jeanie asks Alex if she would teach her how to dance and how long it would take to learn how to dance like her, Alex replies "About 25 years!". From this comment one can either assume that Alex is in her mid twenties or she thinks that Jeanie would take a long time to teach. As Jeanie is a talented ice skater, which is pretty much dancing on ice, we can possibly assume that Alex is indeed in her mid twenties.

Also, Alex is not a stripper and never was, the dancers in her bar never take all their clothes off, they merely dance erotically. The strippers work across the street in Jezibels, the place where Jeanie ends up. When Alex finds out that Jeanie is a stripper she goes mad and goes straight down to get her friend, if Alex was a stripper herself she wouldn't do this.

One more thing is that most of the prestigious dance colleges will take anybody with enough talent, up to a realistic age of maybe late twenties. Also remember that Alex's boyfriend pulled some strings to get her the audition, at the end of the day if you can prove yourself worthy you are not too old.

All in all a fun, if predictable film, with a nice happy ending.

[–] JC_Aliss 20 years ago

Alex was 18. When she visited her friend Anna and was confessing her insecurities about auditioning for the dance company, Anna blurted out "Alex you are 18 years old! Do it now! Do it!"

The comment to Jeanie was meant as a joke (which you did mention was possible; I'm not trying to tear down your statement! :-) When she said "about 25 years" I always took it as "dancing is hard; you can't learn it overnight; I don't know HOW long I've been doing this; it just seems like forever!"

Also, Jeanie was still in the amateur level competition range as an ice skater (or maybe even junior level). In the highly competitive ice skating world, mid-20's is considered WAY overaged. It's almost exclusively made up of teenage girls.

Even so, with all the questions about age ranges, this movie was a blast! I love it to this day, and find it so heartwarming. When it comes right down to it, it is pure fantasy, and none of the ages matter.

[–] kevadooch 20 years ago

Good points, well made.

[–] hellraizer-1 20 years ago

Yes its feasable!!!!|
I am associated/working/socialising with a 19 yr old female . I am 37 . Now this "hard working no *beep* taken" young girl is a down to earth person who has ambitons in life.Now she DOES NOT WELD...she is less qualified but better skilled at what she does...High rise rigging.Multi story..head for heights. Now you may say "so what"..well... Great pay...
Shes a rigger for 40 hrs a week. And her "passion"...Ballet. Class after class mon- thurs...
Come Fri-Sat Night she needs to supplement her income to affored her 1 brd bedsit in the city...So she dances.
But alas!....she dances nude for males who throw money at her. Hence being able to pay for top quality ballet lessons and live in the city and still break even.
The middle of five sibblings , raised in a small town, she is VERY mature...
And her social circles...all well over 25!!!

[–] MinkPenny 19 years ago

Well, if you think about it, she kind of acted as an 18 year old sometimes. Like when she smashed Nick's window, let's say that was not a very mature thing to do.

Fire Fighter: Phoebe Buffay?
Phoebe: Fire alarm?!?

[–] bracus2002_6 19 years ago

I think the most unlikely thing in this film is that she's a welder. That trade would go to somebody who had taken the course, right. I know the trade union would have a cow if some trained welder was overlooked for a little girl, just out of high school, sexy or not.

[–] nmparagon 19 years ago

I think that the film may have wanted to go more into her background more, but just wasn't able to because of time or interest by audiences. Perhaps her past resulted in her learning welding at a young age (brothers, father, etc.). Perhaps a death resulted in her having to become self-sufficient at an early age. That is one thing that really bugged me about the movie...no background on her...for example, what was the story between her and the ex-dancer who passes away. I guess we will never know.

It also always bugged me that she was going around with that older guy. But, the filmakers were able to get him across as a decent guy and not some skeazy guy who likes much younger girls.

[–] realflashdancer 19 years ago

Hi,nmparagon;
You say, "I guess we will never know" about background information on Alex and other details about her life not included in the movie and that bugged you. Well, if you are still curious about Alex in a year or so, you will be able to find out ALL those details, and much, MUCH more when my book is published. I will reveal all kinds of information and you will clearly see how these facts relate to Alex in the movie--who was based on me. I hope you will enjoy my story when it comes out in a year or so. I'm working on it now, and am grateful for all of Alex's fans. Thank you for your interest.

sincerely,
Maureen

[–] ladyorthetygr 19 years ago

<<That is one thing that really bugged me about the movie...no background on her...

It also always bugged me that she was going around with that older guy. >>

I agree, nmparagon, on both counts. I couldn't quite figure out why she was on her own and financially independent either, when she seemed so young. I also didn't really approve of her dating someone so much older, and her boss, no less! I also didn't like her smart-aleck comment about how she 'F'ed his brains out' to his ex-wife, then gave him a big, naughty grin when he blushed and the ex frowned. I liked this movie ok, but totally could NOT relate ot her character. I really didn't like her character much.

[–] JC_Aliss 19 years ago

I always felt this way too. It didn't so much as bother me that her BF was her boss and older, but just that she seemed SO independent of her family for such a young age. Further up on this thread, someone pointed out about this topic that it is not of unheard of, and of course it is not, but just unusual in the sense that she seemed to have no money worries, no ties with her family, and absolutely no insecurities that young people just out on their own seem to have. She mentioned once in the film that she was from Altoona, a small town in Pennsylvania. Okay, why go to PITTSBURGH to dance? What about Philly? Or more likely, NYC?

It also always bugged me terribly that they never explained the origin of her relationship with Anna. Anna was just an elderly woman she loved greatly, and obviously helped emotionally support her dreams of being a dancer, but who WAS she to Alex, REALLY? An old family friend? An aunt? Who????

[–] skaew 19 years ago

Just wanted to say something about Alex living in a warehouse/loft. I don't know how long living in such a place has been a cool yuppy thing in the States. But when I watched the movie when it first came out (and I was 12 years old), I thought her living there was a good way for her to save money and that the place looked filthy! She also doesn't have a car and has to ride her bike everywhere. Remember the sequence when Nick follows Alex in his Porche and the way he looks at her place? It always seems to me that she lives in a not-so-nice side of town.

[–] orioleadams 19 years ago

To be a union welder (and working on a high-rise in Philadelphia would certainly require union workers), she would've had to have gone through specific schooling, then an apprenticeship. You don't just walk out of high school and get a job like that. That's why it's called a "skilled trade." And, if she *was* a union welder, she most likely wouldn't need a second job.

[–] realflashdancer 19 years ago

Hi again to Alex's fans and others who may be curious about this character in Flashdance. As I said in a previous post, if y'all can wait a short while, I will make things that seem puzzling to you in the film clear, or, at least clearer, in my book. I'm aiming for its release in another few months to a year from now, and your questions--such as this one of the welding skills of a person that young--will be addressed to some satisfaction, I hope.

Thanks again for the interest in my alter-ego, Alex. I hope everyone will enjoy the book even more than you enjoyed the movie. I likely will have a website too at that time and will be able to answer your questions more directly then.

my best regards to all,
Maureen (aka: Alex Owens)

P.S. I wish everyone a VERY Happy Holiday Season!

[–] jefgg 10 years ago

Could someone learn welding at a vocational high school?

[–] eileen-guthrie555 9 years ago

I learned welding in High School, we lived in a rural area with hundreds of farms with cows, horses and etc. A lot of courses were centered around the area and welding was and is part of the farming community. I learned in about 3 months, it was hard work but I liked it. The class had both males and females and our teacher was a farmer, he own a working farm in the area we lived in. It was a regular high school.

[–] serval26 9 years ago

I learned welding in High School, we lived in a rural area with hundreds of farms with cows, horses and etc. A lot of courses were centered around the area and welding was and is part of the farming community. I learned in about 3 months, it was hard work but I liked it. The class had both males and females and our teacher was a farmer, he own a working farm in the area we lived in. It was a regular high school.

That's really cool, I'm jealous! Your high school was smart to offer something so useful and practical that not a lot of other high schools offer.

I didn't see Flashdance until I was in my 30's, but after I was out of high school, I worked in machine shops and really wanted to be a welder until my boyfriend pursued it and went through so much crap to get certified and whatnot. I ultimately wasn't interested enough in it to pay for and go through schooling... In my area too (Western WA) there was a lot of welders and a lot of competition.

I always knew that the character in Flashdance was a welder by day/dancer by night, but I had no idea the character was supposed to be 18! That's absurd!