Monday, May 19, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Instructor: Amy Corbin, Ph.D., Muhlenberg College
The Stepford Wives (1975) turns 50 this year and its dystopian vision takes on new meaning in our current moment. At the same time, it’s also a unique document of the second wave of American feminism. Its title has entered the cultural lexicon to describe a brainwashed, subservient, ultra-traditional American wife. The film follows photographer Joanna (Katherine Ross) as she moves with her family from New York City to the Connecticut suburbs, where the women she meets seem eerily perfect.
Screenwriter William Goldman and director Bryan Forbes had different aesthetic visions as they adapted Ira Levin’s 1972 novel, which led to a hybrid genre film that blends sci-fi, horror, and social satire. This mix of tones prompted some prominent feminists and critics to dismiss the film as ineffective, and its box office earnings were unimpressive. However, its tonal blend may be what makes it so powerful, as the viewer is pulled between emotional attachment to Joanna’s fate and an intellectual distance that considers gender roles in middle-class life. The film also links its feminist critique to a geographical one, contrasting the city as a place of heterogeneity and free thought against the suburbs as a place of conformity. In this seminar, we’ll study the film’s artistic style, the diverse reactions it sparked, and its cultural impact, including its influence on Jordan Peele’s acclaimed Get Out.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Coordinator Jill Malcolm with any questions.
