What Is The Girls About?
The premise of The Girls in 294 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a restless Swedish summer, a troupe of actresses carries the ancient comedy Lysistrata from town to town, turning modest theatres into makeshift arenas where the ancient call for female agency bumps into contemporary bewilderment. The play’s bold premise—women withholding intimacy to force peace—collides with audiences that often stare blankly or laugh nervously, creating a dream‑like atmosphere in which the line between performance and everyday life begins to dissolve.
The heart of the journey belongs to three women whose off‑stage lives echo the play’s themes. Liz wrestles with a husband whose infidelity has left her questioning whose needs come first. Marianne, a new mother, feels the tug of a toddler left in the care of strangers as she tries to step beyond the confines of home. Gunilla, mother of four, confronts a partner who urges her to remain a full‑time caretaker rather than pursue the stage. Their personal dilemmas intertwine, each woman both a confidante and a mirror for the others, shaping a fragile yet resilient bond that fuels their collective quest.
The film moves with a tone that is simultaneously playful and somber, using the absurdity of a classical Greek comedy staged in modern Sweden to probe deeper questions about gender roles, artistic relevance, and personal freedom. Surreal moments drift in and out—rehearsal lines bleed into whispered conversations, and the clamor of the road amplifies inner doubts—while a quiet humor undercuts the tension, keeping the mood from becoming heavy.
As the trio travels, they encounter polite indifference, subtle hostility, and fleeting flashes of understanding. Their shared desire to make the ancient chorus speak to contemporary ears pushes them into moments of confrontation and quiet revelation, hinting at how the stage may become a mirror for their own lives and a catalyst for change.
What Happens in The Girls?
The complete story of The Girls, from the first scene to the last, in 367 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Liz, Bibi Andersson, Marianne, Harriet Andersson, and Gunilla, Gunnel Lindblom, are three actresses hired to perform in a touring production of Lysistrata. Each woman faces challenges leaving their homes in order to tour. Marianne has left her married boyfriend and finds it difficult to leave her toddler in the hands of babysitters as she goes on tour. Liz’s husband is having an affair and wants her to leave while Gunilla, a mother of four young children, is urged not to leave by her husband who wants her to stay at home to help with the children.
Throughout the tour, the women meet with polite indifference: audiences either fail to grasp the play’s meaning or grow bored. After one performance, Liz asks members of the audience to stay behind to discuss the meaning of the play, but when she speaks about the importance of women they do not react; a male member of the company treats it as if it were just another part of the show and ushers her offstage. Liz’s stunt attracts attention from the press, yet because she cannot pinpoint a single incident that sparked her outburst, the coverage remains dismissive.
Later all three leads go out to dinner and talk over the problem of no one relating to the play, wondering if perhaps it would be better to hold a woman-only show. At dinner they are bothered by several men and when they turn down the men’s advances the men become hostile and only leave after Marianne threatens them.
On the road, a friend of Liz’s husband urges her to come home on behalf of her husband, saying he needs a wife to properly support him and his work. Liz argues that she is tired of putting her husband first, but her husband’s friend argues that his work is more important than hers. She stays on till the end of the tour.
The tour finishes and the women return home feeling as though no one is willing to change, but they have at least made people more aware of the misery of their lives. At a party celebrating the end of the play Liz tells the company that she wants to get a divorce.
The Girls Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Casting the Lysistrata tour” to “Liz declares she wants a divorce”. 9 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Casting the Lysistrata tour
Liz, Marianne, and Gunilla are hired to perform in a touring production of Lysistrata. The arrangement promises a demanding schedule and a long road away from home. The film follows the personal costs as each woman faces the challenge of balancing art and family.
- 2
Marianne leaves her boyfriend and fears leaving her toddler
Marianne leaves her married boyfriend and contends with the guilt of the separation. She finds it difficult to leave her toddler in the care of babysitters while she tours. The decision begins to strain her relationship and test her commitment to the stage.
When:before tour Where:home
- 3
Liz's husband has an affair and wants her to leave
Liz discovers her husband is having an affair and is urged to leave by him. She wrestles with the pull between love, marriage, and career on the road. The domestic pressure foreshadows the larger conflict of women's independence.
When:before tour Where:home
- 4
Gunilla urged to stay home to help with the children
Gunilla, mother of four young children, is urged by her husband to stay at home to help with the children. She worries about leaving her family but fears letting the tour or herself slip away. The touring schedule immediately encroaches on her domestic life.
When:before tour Where:home
- 5
The trio sets off on the Lysistrata tour
The three actresses set off on the Lysistrata tour, leaving their homes behind for the first leg of the journey. Travel is long and tiring, and the pace tests their stamina and resolve. They hope the production will be worth the personal sacrifice.
When:start of tour
- 6
Early performances meet polite indifference
Early performances are met with polite indifference; audiences fail to grasp the play's meaning or grow bored. The trio senses a gulf between the material and the viewers. The touring circuit reveals how theatre can be met with disengagement rather than spark.
When:early on Where:various venues
- 7
Liz invites audience discussion after a performance
After a single performance, Liz invites audience members to stay behind to discuss the play's meaning. When she speaks about women's lives and issues, the crowd is unmoved and even skeptical. A male company member treats the moment as if it were just another scene and ushers her offstage.
When:after performance Where:stage/backstage
- 8
Press attention follows Liz's post-performance moment
Liz's outburst draws a hint of press attention, but reporters struggle to pin down a single incident. Without a clear catalyst, the coverage remains cautious and dismissive. The public's response seems to confirm the audience's initial reluctance.
When:following the stunt
- 9
Leads discuss a potential women-only show over dinner
Later, the three leads go out to dinner and discuss the problem of audience engagement. They wonder if a women-only show might better connect with viewers. The conversation reveals their frustration and longing for meaningful recognition.
When:after dinner Where:dinner
- 10
Men harass them at dinner; Marianne asserts herself
Several men bother them; the women calmly turn down the advances, only to provoke hostility. Marianne, drawing on her resolve, warns and threatens to escalate the situation. The men back off, leaving the table under the tense weight of gendered power.
When:during dinner Where:restaurant
Show the other 4 events of The Girls Hide the last 4 events
- 11
On the road, a friend's plea to return home
A friend of Liz's husband presses Liz to come home, arguing that her husband needs a wife to support him and his work. Liz argues that her own career and independence matter as much as his. The conflict intensifies as the tour continues.
When:mid-tour Where:on the road
- 12
Liz remains on tour to finish the production
Liz stays on until the end of the play, insisting on completing the production. The others endure personal sacrifices as the tour carries on. They emerge from the road with a sense that little has changed, yet the lives of women are more visible.
When:during tour
- 13
Tour finishes and the women return home
The tour finishes and the women return home with mixed feelings of fatigue and small victories. They feel that society is not ready to change, but they have raised awareness of their misery. The shared experience forges a bond among them.
When:end of tour
- 14
Liz declares she wants a divorce
At a party celebrating the end of the play, Liz declares she wants a divorce. The statement marks a personal victory of sorts, even if it remains a fragile option. The scene closes with a glimmer of possibility for independence.
When:end of tour Where:party
Who Are the Main Characters in The Girls?
5 characters, among them Liz / Lysistrata (Bibi Andersson), Marianne / Myrrhine (Harriet Andersson) and Gunilla / Kalonike (Gunnel Lindblom): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Liz / Lysistrata (Bibi Andersson)
Played by Bibi Andersson
One of the three actresses touring with Lysistrata, Liz faces a fragile home life as her husband has an affair and urges her to leave. She pushes to discuss the play's meaning with audiences and to challenge them to engage with women's issues. Her onstage and offstage moments reveal a resolve to assert her own needs and question the balance between work and family.
- 🎭 Actress
- 💪 Independence
-
Marianne / Myrrhine (Harriet Andersson)
Played by Harriet Andersson
Marianne has left her married boyfriend and struggles to leave her toddler with babysitters while on tour. The motherhood challenge is central to her choices as she negotiates professional demands and personal loyalty. She asserts herself at times when men overstep boundaries, showing resilience in the face of social expectations.
- 👶 Motherhood
- 🗣️ Voice
-
Gunilla / Kalonike (Gunnel Lindblom)
Played by Gunnel Lindblom
Gunilla is a mother of four who is urged by her husband to stay at home to care for the children, complicating her participation in the tour. She embodies the tension between family duties and artistic ambition. Her perspective adds depth to the group's discussions about gender roles and independence.
- 👪 Family
- 🎭 Actress
- B
Bengt
Played by Åke Lindström
Liz's husband, Bengt is described as having an affair and pressing Liz to leave, revealing the strain of marital expectations. He represents the male viewpoint that work should take precedence over a wife's career. His presence underscores the couples' conflicts that drive Liz to seek personal autonomy.
- 💔 Husband
- ML
Marianne's Lover
Played by Frank Sundström
A lover of Marianne, he features in the tour and adds a layer of romantic tension to Marianne's life as she navigates commitment, desire, and independence. His interactions highlight the complexities of relationships outside conventional marriage.
- 💘 Lover
- 🎭 Performer
Where and When Is The Girls Set?
The Girls is set in Sweden (1960s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1960s
Set in the 1960s, a decade of social change and evolving gender norms in Sweden. The touring production serves as a catalyst for exploring women's independence, marriage, and career. Public attention and media interest frame the actresses' personal struggles as part of a broader conversation about women's roles.
Where
Sweden
The film is set in Sweden, following a touring Lysistrata production across towns and theaters. The road between performances, backstage spaces, and local audiences highlights the contrast between private domestic pressures and public art. The setting emphasizes the lived experience of touring actresses, their travel rhythm, and the social backdrop of 1960s Sweden.
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🎭 Touring setting
What Are the Themes of The Girls?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Feminism, Performance and Motherhood.
-
01
Feminism
Three actresses challenge traditional expectations of wifehood and motherhood, seeking control over their careers and lives. The Lysistrata event becomes a platform to critique male authority and to assert female solidarity. The film presents the obstacles women face when pursuing autonomy, including social judgments and practical constraints. Their behind-the-scenes discussions and onstage courage push the conversation toward change, even if the audience remains resistant.
-
02
Performance
The touring troupe confronts audience apathy and misinterpretation of the play's meaning. The line between art and life blurs as the actresses try to translate political ideas into public discourse. Media coverage and audience reactions reveal how theater can provoke thought but not guarantee transformation. The meta-narrative underscores the tension between staging a radical work and living it in daily life.
-
03
Motherhood
Each woman bears maternal responsibilities that complicate touring, from babysitters for toddlers to distance from children. The film foregrounds the emotional labor of balancing home life with a demanding career. Conversations among the trio reveal a longing for a sense of fulfillment beyond traditional family roles. The tour exposes the cost of artistry when personal duties demand attention first.
What Kind of Film Is The Girls?
Melancholic in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A reflective and melancholic journey following three actresses as they navigate the frustrations of their art and personal lives, blending onstage drama with offstage reality in a steady, introspective pace.
- introspective
- melancholic
- frustrated
- reflective
- theatrical
- dreamlike
- feminism
- marriage
- career vs family
- female friendship
Quiz
How well do you remember The Girls? Test yourself on the story.
