Margot's greatest mistake was being sympathetic. If she'd just kicked Eve (Anne Baxter) to the curb, instead of buying her hopeless fan sob story, she'd have been better off. Unlike others on this list, Margot's struggle isn't with a man. Women in this movie do the fighting while men lick their wounds and occasionally act as supportive partners (right before getting dumped). When it becomes obvious to Margot that Eve is poisoning the well, the men defend the new girl. Surely in her excess Margot must be confused, (Oh, that Margot, you know how she gets.), but therein lies the complication: Margot's a success story due largely to her determination, and she's earned her power, but still her entourage finds said power suspect. Ponderous. Of course, Margot wins, but does the plight of the powerful woman always rests on her ability to defy the words of her peers? If so, that sorta sucks.

Even as a secondary character Lois' is a major force in Superman. She's the journalist in the center of the biggest story ever to hit New York facsimile Metropolis, she's in the right place at the right time (or the wrong place if you're into self-preservation), and really good at what she does. She's the lone gunwoman among an army of male editors and peers, and never once is cornered to do menial tasks. In ways she's a perfect compliment to Superman; a sort of real world Woman of Steel.