This 12-week in-person SDG will explore the evolution of Hollywood’s portrayal of female characters in the movies. We will go decade-by-decade exploring the changing roles of women and how they have been depicted on screen vs. in the Real World.
Each week, we will critique, analyze and discuss a film featuring a female character from a singular decade (from the 1930s through the 2020s)
From serious “issue” films to light romantic comedy, this SDG will take its subject matter very seriously. From Norma Desmond to Norma Rae, we will examine Hollywood’s “gaze” on American women’s roles and expectations, while also exploring how successfully these films portrayed the changing roles of women in America. We will look at the films both in the context of when they were made, but also how they resonate in the world today, both socially and politically.
This SDG will be informative and entertaining.
These are the films that we will explore in this SDG (all available to stream):
WEEK 1: FEMALE FRIENDSHIP AND RIVALRY: “The Women (1939)
WEEK 2: WOMAN IN CHARGE PAYS A PRICE: “Mildred Pierce” (1945
WEEK 3: WOMAN VS. MAN: “Adam’s Rib” (1949)
WEEK 4: WOMEN BREAKING BOUNDARIES: “Hidden Figures” (2016, but takes place in 1961)
WEEK 5: WOMAN AS SEX OBJECT: “Klute” (1971)
WEEK 6: MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL: “Annie Hall” (1977)
WEEK 7: WOMEN EMPOWERED: “9 to 5” (1980)
WEEK 8: WOMEN TAKE CONTROL: “Thelma and Louise” (1991)
WEEK 9: WOMEN TAKE REVENGE: “First Wives Club” (1996)
WEEK 10: ORDINARY WOMAN AS HEROINE: “Erin Brockovich” (2000)
WEEK 11: WOMAN BEHIND THE MAN: “The Wife” (2018)
WEEK 12: ME TOO/YOU TOO: “After the Hunt” (2025)
There is no core book for this class, but participants will do their own research (books, articles, documentaries) on each film & period presented.
SUGGESTED READING: