MovieChat Forums > Flashdance (1983) Discussion > She is only 17

She is only 17

posted a year ago by Oblivioid (1239)
3 replies | jump to latest

Living on her own in an old factory, holding two jobs. One as a welder in a foundry, the other working strip clubs/bars. Then the dance school won't even look at her until she turns 18!

Of all that wrong things going on in Flashdance, her under age-ness just compounds things.

And to preempt any so-called smarty pants, no it was absolutely not normal for a 17 girl to be out living on her own like this in 1983. I'm pretty sure it was illegal to be stripping in a bar at that age as well, just like today.

[–] Heisenberg (6317) a year ago

No come on, in 1983 people lived in caves and were married and pregnant by their 13th birthday.
As anybody with his nose in his smartphone knows.

Seriously, I never picked on her being 17. That is total bullshit writing.

[–] Where (1238) a year ago

Where in the movie does it reveal her age? I assumed her and her skating bff were 18-19 yos. They weren’t in high school anymore. They were young, working class women trying to make a living while still trying to keep the flame of their childhood dreams alive. It worked out for one, not the other.

Where were her parents? Did they die and leave her that factory house to live in? This movie is intentionally hazy on the details. It’s as if they wanted to do a long version music video and just through together a backstory to glue the dance scenes together.

[–] Oblivioid (1239) a year ago

It's referenced twice, off the top of my head: its brought up when discussing the dance school, maybe in a talk with Hanna, that she can't really apply until she turns 18. The second reference is in the strip club dressing room, the older stripper talks to her and says "When I started out, I was 17 too"