DAMSELS IN DISTRESS

US, 2011, 99 minutes, Colour.
Greta Gerwig, Carrie Mac Lemore, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Analeigh Tipton, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford.
Directed by Whit Stillman.

Whit Stillman has not made many films, three in the 1990s (Metropolitan, Barcelona, Last Days of Disco), the last of which was in 1998. So, after thirteen years, a new film, in the vein of the previous films but set amongst college students. Stillman could be considered something of a cousin to Woody Allen, with his wry look at his characters, an emphasis on dialogue and a delight in language and play on language.

This means that Stillman’s films are an acquired taste, giving two valid impressions: that there is a serious observer of human nature at work but that the touch is quite light, sometimes witty, sometimes frivolous.

The main focus in on Violet, a character with verve and supreme self-confidence (with some moments of being undermined) played with a performance that demands notice by Greta Gerwig. She looks as if she has everything together, a leader with a clique of like-minded young women, who have no hesitation in criticising men (and the group on display here are very criticisable, quite dumb at times, mentally and socially). Violet makes pronouncements on everything, especially as she runs a suicide prevention club – and intervenes in people’s lives. She also believes in speaking directly and in taking criticism on board, an expert on rationalizing.

Then she experiences a betrayal in love and goes into a tailspin. One way out is her belief in dancing (especially tap-dancing, as a remedy for depression). Despite being mocked, she finally creates a dance which she believes will change world history.

At the beginning of the film, the clique welcome a newcomer, Lily (the other two in the group are Rose and Heather) played by Analeigh Tipton, who has a broader view on life and relationships and offers the audience a way of judging Violet’s attitudes and behaviour.

It’s difficult to judge how far Stillman has taken us by the end of the film (a long way or, rather, some marking time), but, if you can take Violet, then it is a serious and comic reflection on young adults and their questions, quite different from those many raucous and coarse comedies.


1. The work of the director? Urbane stories, characters, wit? Society and critique?

2. The title, the irony of the credits, the listing of the damsels, those in distress? The irony of who was to be rescued?

3. The university campus, the houses, the fraternities, restaurants? Classes? Dance? The realism – heightened? The musical score?

4. The wit, satire, the use of language, truth and directness of expression, cliché, the role of talk, support, counsel, hurt, chastisement, challenge?

5. The focus on the theme of suicide, student suicides, prevention, depression, the reasons for depression and suicide, romances, break-ups? Concern, help, interference? The office, the three girls, the offer of doughnuts and coffee, talk, the role of dance in helping for recovery? Soap opera styles?

6. The campus, a female campus, the introduction of men, the reaction of the girls, smell, body odour? The individuals? Men and women? Relationships?

7. Violet and her friends, the names of flowers? Violet in herself, the introduction, her poise, talk, the encounter with Lily, deciding that Lily should be their friend? The roommates? Talking? The club? Suicide and prevention? The arrival of Jimbo, the comments on his name? The nature of nicknames? His concern about Priss, their handling the situation, going to meet her, cheering her up, her becoming part of the group? Their techniques?

8. Violet as leader, her family background, her real name of Emily, her mental condition in the past? Wanting to do good? Rose and Heather and their characters, followers? Violet and her pronouncements? Going to the meeting of the Daily Complaint? The editor and his speech, the clashes with Violet, his ridiculing her, especially about the tap-dancing? The issue of arrogance and hypocrisy? Lily and her comments to Violet? The chastisement? Violet and her attitude towards Frank, helping him, love?

9. The character of Rose, from London or not? Her ultra-sensitivity to body odour? Character, snob?

10. Heather, the follower, glamour, parroting Violet’s opinions?

11. The portrait of the men, their being held up to ridicule, stupidity? Frank and his being dumb? The discussion about blue eyes? Thor and his not thinking about eyes? His platitudes about learning? Xavier, the argument about X or Z, Zorro, his relationship with Lily, his new girlfriend? Charles, at the bar, his ordering drinks? His later being exposed, his life and identity? Freak Astaire and his dance training? The satire on men?

12. Lily, her character, university, her puzzlement, her being a more normal character, encountering Violet and the women, following along, observing, criticising? Yet friendship? The scenes with Xavier and Alice? The food? Her encounter with Xavier, his sexual behaviour, his explanation that he was a Cathar, the beliefs of the Cathars in the Middle Age, sexual behaviour and identity? Lily and her disgust, leaving him? The encounter with Charles, liking him? Helping violet? The encounter with Xavier later, his telling the truth? Separated from Alice?

13. Violet, her love for Frank, seeing him with Priss, her collapse? Leaving, hiding, the motel, depression, the note under the bed, her return?

14. Violet and Dance, the possibilities for international change and affecting the human race? Her belief in tap-dancing, her performances? Her inventing the Sambola, setting it up, nobody turning up, the failure?

15. Frank, his story, failure, return? Violet and the effect?

16. Fred, his story, pretending to be Charles, suave manner?

17. Jimbo, his becoming friends with the girls, with the suicide prevention?

18. The people turning up for the finale, the dancing of the Sambola – the subtitles indicating the nature of the dance and its steps? As contributing to human betterment?

19. A comedy of manners, the niche audience, the portrait of young adults, pretensions, truth? Serious undertones? The light and slight story?