The Stepford Wives (1975)
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The Stepford Wives (1975)
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Stepford Wives is a thought-provoking sci-f thriller, adapted from Ira Levin's "feminist horror" novel. Katharine Ross and Peter Masterson play Joanna and Walter Eberhart, who move to the idyllic town of Stepford, only to discover things aren't what they seem. The movie has a creepy tone throughout with women depicted as part of the satirical plot of men rewiring them into submissive, obedient wives who are sexually available and eerily docile. Violence is shown when a fire poker is used as a weapon (and draws blood) and a knife is used to see if someone bleeds (they don't). Characters discuss sex -- but never in any graphic detail -- and there is one scene of nudity where a woman's bare breasts are shown under a negligee and a couple are also heard having sex. There are some uses of "bastard" and "ass," and characters drink spirits and smoke cigars. The film led to the term "The Stepford Wife" being integrated into mainstream psyche and a remake was made in 2004, although that film led further into comedy than horror.
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What's the Story?
In THE STEPFORD WIVES, married couple Joanna (Katharine Ross) and Walter Eberhart (Peter Masterson) relocate their family from bustling New York to the idyllic suburb of Stepford. Joanna -- an aspirational photographer -- soon notices something subdued and submissive about the women in town, while the men of the Stepford Men's Association seem to be up to something quite sinister.
Is It Any Good?
This 1975 original -- there is a 2004 remake starring Nicole Kidman -- brims with wit as it ribs knowingly at a culture of misogyny. Although some of the scenes in The Stepford Wives are as stiff as a starch-iron shirt, it all adds to the '70s kitsch charm of this classic manic movie. The subject of feminism is a juicy subject to pick apart here, and in retrospect, the audience is left with some questions. For example, which "wave" of feminism is this film surfing? And what is the purpose of the apparent voyeurism of the stereotypically attractive women? Ultimately it's about one woman's quest for independence on behalf of the modern American woman. But does it fall into its own trap of the male gaze, when behind the camera, only men are at the helm? These are all valid questions, but at a time when the Women's Liberation Movement was in full swing, the film makes a noble attempt to juggle awareness of the imbalance of women's rights while representing a mood of female empowerment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what The Stepford Wives is trying to say about society and the role of women. Would you describe the film as a "feminist movie?" What do you understand the term feminist to mean? Can anyone be one? Would you class yourself as one?
What makes the perfect partner? What makes a happy relationship? And should you try to change someone?
The movie is written and directed by men. Does that matter when it comes to the movie's messages? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 12, 1975
- On DVD or streaming: December 3, 1997
- Cast: Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson
- Director: Bryan Forbes
- Studio: Columbia Pictures
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Book Characters, Robots
- Run time: 115 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: January 10, 2023
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