No Female Liberation
"The Girl On a Motorcycle" tried to present an independent woman on the road- rebellious in nature due to her driving a motorcycle- but she is on the road desperately going toward a man who is clear and blunt about not having feelings for her aside from their sexual encounters. This obviously does not present her in the best light.
Just about every man she faces in the film uses their male gaze toward her. The film is clearly shot with the male gaze with the precise camera shots of her body, and we also only see her naked, not any of the men. There is a hint of her lover's body but it is awkwardly covered by a bouquet of flowers. As a viewer, you can feel the sexual nature of the men's stares, and she is very aware of it as well. In fact, when the boarder patrol does not show interest she assumes he is gay- she is thrown off by not becoming an object through his male gaze and/or touching. She is a sex object, and becomes one through her lover, Daniel. He presents power over her both physically and verbally. Daniel assumes his power beginning with the rape- although she does not put up a fight, she in unaware of who she is sleeping with- and verbally as he speaks to her in a manner of importance over her. For example when she says she is going to stop seeing him he responds, "I give you 10 days." She also says to her husband "You ought to tell me to shut up and tell me what you want to do, " throwing herself further down as a subordinate object.
Furthermore, her motorcycle is the phallocentric object within the film. She has given the motorcycle a male gender when she says "there he is" upon viewing her bike. The motorcycle between her legs acts as her phallus or even just a phallic symbol for the film. There is also the aspect of the sex object while she is at the gas station and the gas pump and the gas tank on the bike are clearly shot to insinuate sex.
Finally, her journey on the road comes to an end through her horrible death suggesting a punishment for her supposed independence and unfaithfulness. This further suggests the fact that this film demeans women rather than promoting sexual freedom and independence of men.