A WOMAN REBELS
US, 1936, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Katharine Hepburn, Herbert Marshall, Elizabeth Allan, Donald Crisp, Doris Dudley, Lucille Watson, Van Heflin.
Directed by Mark Sandrich.
A Woman Rebels sounds a very good title for a Katharine Hepburn film of the 1930s. It is set in England in the later part of the 19th century, an interesting period, especially for women. Hepburn plays a woman who is put down by her father, a judge (Donald Crisp) and finally rebels against him, having a child out of wedlock, asserting her own personality and making her own decisions. Even in 1936, this was something of a breakthrough in Hollywood film-making.
The difficulty was that it was not a commercial success, contributing to the famous title of box-office poison for Katharine Hepburn at this period of her life.
In retrospect, she gives a very strong performance – with Herbert Marshall, a stalwart of so many films of the 30s and 40s, in a sympathetic role. Van Heflin appears early in his career.
The director, Mark Sandrich, is better known for light comedies and musicals, including those of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
1. The impact of this film now, enjoyment and interest?
2. The film as one of the thirties, style, issues, treatment? The difference of these now?
3. The performance of Katharine Hepburn and her attractiveness in the thirties, in retrospect now?
4. The importance of the Victorian setting for this film and its themes? The picture of home life, society, travel to Italy, the world of diplomacy, work and the role of women? How authentic did the background seem?
5. The significance and tone of the title? The opening scenes at home with the reading and Pamela’s self-assertion? The nature of her rebellion? Its rights and wrongs?
6. The characteristics of Pamela as a person? As a woman, her role in the family and subordination, her need for self-assertion and the examples of this, her loneliness and reaction to her father? Arranged marriages? The importance of her liaison and its symbolic representation at Madame Tussaud's Waxworks? The impact of the liaison on her as regards marriage, motherhood, the role of women?
7. The contrast of Flora and her finding happiness? in marriage? Motherhood?
8. The irony of Flora's death and the birth of Pamela’s daughter? The irony of the truth and having to conceal the truth? The rights and mm wrongs of these pressures of 19th century society? Did Pamela make the right choice?
9. The quality of the loving relationship between Pamela and Thomas? The comedy of their first meeting, the proposals, Thomas' ability to wait, the effect on him and his life in diplomacy, the effect on Pamela? Her sacrificing herself for the truth? The inevitabIlity of the truth coming out and the effect on Thomas? On Pamela? The final regret for lost lives and opportunities?
10. What kind of person was Thomas? The 19th century English diplomat? His respect for Pamela? His patience in waiting? His loving protectiveness? The admirable qualities of character?
11. The visualizing of Pamela’s ambitions? Her seeking of work, her achievement with the paper, her sympathy for the unmarried mother? The collage of her work for women's rights, talks and articles, the impact of her as a public figure?
12. The irony of her disrupting a marriage? The malice in trying to destroy her?
13. The consequences of sin and evil as represented in the court case, suffering , suppressing the truth?
14. How satisfactory was the resolution? Pamela seeing her daughter and knowing the truth? Having made a decision to stand by principles? Her relationship with the father of her daughter? (A typical villainous man of the 19th century, self-assertion and selfishness?)
15. The style of the film and its enjoyment? The topical themes even decades later? The film's insight into the theme of women in the world and society?
