Common Sense Media Review
By Corrina Antrobus
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Eerie 1975 cult sci-fi horror explores gender roles.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Stepford Wives (1975)
Parent and Kid Reviews
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 :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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