The Stepford Wives (1975/Paramount)
Picture: C+
Sound: C Extras: B- Film: B
Towards the end of the last golden age of Hollywood
filmmaking and last great cycle of Horror and Science Fiction, it was time once
again to turn to novelist Ira Levin for inspiration. When Roman Polanski turned Levin’s book Rosemary’s Baby
back in 1968, it became a classic.
Though it repeated some of the ideas of that book and subsequent film,
veteran British director Bryan Forbes decided to take on The Stepford Wives. Until recently, this was the only film
version, but that later Stepford Wives will be covered elsewhere, no
matter how many versions are on the DVD.
The original stars Katharine Ross as the freewheeling,
nature-connected wife Joanna. She is a
good mother, has an eye for photography and is a product of the 1960s. that includes a second-hand sense of true
Feminism. Like Rosemary’s Baby,
this lead lady is not expecting anything bad to happen, including any threats
to her or her family. Sick of the city,
her husband Walker (Peter Masterson) talks her into moving into the gated
suburban luxury town of Stepford. She
agrees and they move there with their two children hoping life will be better
for them all, though she still has their doubts when they arrive.
Joanna is bored until she meets Bobby (Paula Prentiss in
another winning performance), who has her kind of attitude, spunk, and
progressive ideas. When they try to
network with the other women in the neighborhood, they are surprised at the
majority of them who are more interested in housework, products and appliances
then personal happiness. Joanna and
Bobby start to wonder if it’s something in the water or some other odd
phenomenon. Will they discover the
truth before they can do nothing about it?
As was the case of Rosemary in Rosemary’s Baby Joanna’s
sanity will also come into question, but I like the way Ross and Masterson have
their character debates in a way that allows the audience to project their
angers, anxieties and fears into the situation. The remake fails here badly.
Forbes manages to keep a relaxed tone throughout the film and with the
characters in a way few filmmakers could do then, and less now. This leaves all the film’s issues up for
quiet debate as the viewer watches the story unfold. Though it is not as good as Polanski’s film, which got to what is
some of the same basic thematics first, it is a worthy flipside. The actors and casting make a difference. What does not hold up actually looks ahead
of its time if you get it, and appreciate a film that original releasing studio
Columbia did not get. They gave it a
limited release, particularly in drive-ins!
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image was shot by
William Friedkin’s cameraman Owen Roizman (The French Connection, The
Exorcist), who brought this film into a more suspenseful visual state than
most cinematographers could, the print is on the clean side. However, the color is a bit faded throughout
and shows it age, plus there is noticeable grain in some scenes. Some of it is this print, some of it is the
way the film was shot.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is a little weaker than
expected, despite the age of the film, whether you listen to the English or
French versions. That not only cuts
into the smart script and dialogue by William Goldman, but composer Michael
Small’s score is held back too much. I
would love to know if the music was recorded in stereo, because a remix in 5.1
would have been nice.
Extras include radio spots, an original theatrical
trailer, a few text biographies, and a featurette in which Forbes, Ross,
Prentiss and producer Edgar J. Scherick.
These were all the extra on the 25th Anniversary Anchor Bay
DVD and some of the menus also look like they recycle that disc’s
graphics. However, that was
underproduced and the anniversary designation was going to limit that
anyhow. From its great cast,
interesting ideas, and terrifying Kubrick-like conclusion, the original Stepford
Wives remains a minor classic in the genres it takes on. That is especially true after the mixed-up
remake and several telefilm sequels that were pointless. See it, even if you have before, to see what
I mean.
- Nicholas Sheffo
