THE STEPFORD WIVES

US, 1975, 118 minutes, Colour.
Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Tina Louise, Nanette Newman, Patrick O'Neal.
Directed by Bryan Forbes.

A pity that the early part of this film moves in such a leisurely way. It lulls the audience into thinking that it is the kind of American domestic comedy that it is using. For the film does move from domesticity to menace and to ultimate horror leaving the audience to be alarmed and to reinterpret the characters and their behaviour in the light of the ending. The film might be described as Women's Liberation science-fiction, for the plot and the climax might appeal to male chauvinists and infuriate women. Katharine Ross is an attractive heroine and Paula Prentiss enlivens the film with comedy; but it is the ending that counts.

1. The film was not popular on its first release. Why? It was based on a popular novel and widely read novel.

2. The overall impact of the film; response during the film, the last 20 minutes, the effect of the finale on the overall impression?

3. Audience expectations from the title? The atmosphere of television soap operas? The styles of American television characters and serials and moral issues? How is the film a piece of Americana? How did it change into a style of Gothic horror with violence? As an oblique presentation of science fiction themes? How well did these combine? The importance of the colour-photography and locations the noise of New York and its hustle and bustle compared with the tranquillity of Stepford.

4. The ordinariness and realism of the opening, the realism of the supermarkets, and yet the irony of the horror with the robot wives? How well did the film combine this realism and artificiality?

5. The significance of the title, the irony of expectations and the reality, the robot-wives? What comment was being made on the Stepford wives as robots, very similar to the average American wife in her comments, limited vocabulary, housework, pleasing her husband?

6. Comment on the subtleties of the screenplay in the light of the ending; taking the television series atmosphere and yet giving hints of something sinister, e.g. the opening with the man carrying the dummy model across the street.

7. Comment on the ambiguities of the dialogue. The film's focus on Joanna and her family; the initial moving and the atmosphere of their moving from New York, her longing for the noise? How could audiences identify with her, a feminine audience identifying with her and going through the reaction, the searching for the truth, the victimization and the destruction? A man's reaction to the character of Joanna and what happened to her?

8. The portrait of Joanna and Walter: the motives of each for moving from New York to Stepford and the clarification during the film? Walter and his work? Joanna and her skill in photography and wanting to further her career? The loving bond between the two? What particular types of American did they represent? Reflecting contemporary family values, masculine, feminine values? The overtones of Women's Liberation?

9. The change of atmosphere with Carol's arrival and the gift of the casserole? Carol as representing the Stepford wives? The party, kissing her husband in the garden? The importance of the accident and her repetition of words? Was the audience suspicious that she was in some ways out of order? Carol's words, manner, dress? Her explanation of her history and the change.

10. The focus on the men's club? The masculine audience response? The feminine audience response? Walter's attitudes and his devious ways of putting things? The meetings, the portraits of the various men? The type of subject talked about, the artist sketching? The means to get Joanna’s voice on tape? The sinister getting her out of the house and surveying her bedroom? Comment on the men as various professional types and their style of behaviour, language, self-centredness, attitudes towards their wives? The importance of Dale Coba and his hold over the men and his attitude towards Joanna, his Disneyland background with robots, his final appearance and threat to Joanna?

11. The portrait of the women of Stepford? Carol, Frank and his attractive wife, Charmaine and her free thinking activity, tennis, etc. and the suddenness of her change and the tearing up of the tennis court? The observation of feminine behaviour?

12. The contrast with the character of Bobbie? The friendship with Joanna, the ordinariness of their talk, Bobble's comic style - and yet normality? Their wanting to start a club, the canvassing of the women's opinions and the reasons for their refusal, Chairmaine's attendance? The style of the meeting and the degeneration of the topics into domestic arguments? The importance of the water test and Bobby's theory? The visit to New York and the background of Joanna's liaison with the scientist and his approach to her?

13. Bobbie's going away for the weekend, the ominous presentation of her change -especially with her dress, manner of speaking, fixed smile? Joanna's desperation and confrontation? Stabbing her with a knife and Bobbie's going out of order with repetition and breaking crockery?

14. The significance of the discussion between Joanna and the psychiatrist? Joanna and her fears, and expressing these fears? The psychologist's understanding and reassurance but the inevitable delay?

15. The change of atmosphere at the ending with the Gothic house and the preparations for explaining the house, especially when Joanna took her dog for the walk and met the security guard? The storm? The atmosphere of the men's club? The confrontation with Dale Coba, the chase, the importance of the confrontation with the robot Joanna and the robot killing the real Joanna?

16. The appropriateness of the film ending with the supermarket sequence with all the Stepford wives going about their shopping as the supposedly model housewives?

17. American and contemporary themes - who are the robots? Attitudes towards women's liberation: Masculine - feminine attitudes and relationships? The implications of the domination of men and having wives who were dolls and of service to them? The underlying inhumanity and selfishness of the men? Science-fiction themes about the future of man and robots, Dale Coba as the mad scientist playing God?