WOMAN OF THE HOUR

US, 2024, 93 minutes, Colour.

Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatti, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Matt Visser, Jedediah Goodacre.

Directed by Anna Kendrick.

Anna Kendrick as established herself as a significant star of many American films. She stars in this one but has been acknowledged strongly because it is her first film as director. She has been generally praised for her work – and encouragement for her to continue as a director.

Audiences will feel disturbed at many moments of this film, sometimes a bit disoriented.

It is based on actual characters and events. And, it is a film about a serial killer. The film introduces him, 1977, charming, a photographer, taking photos in a remote spot of a woman who has just been through some trauma. Then he brutally kills her. In fact, the screenplay is something of a jigsaw puzzle, moving around in time the audience having to do the piecing together. Especially with the time shifts. There is a murder scene from 1971. There is an attempted murder scene from 1979.

But, at the centre, is an event which rather defies belief. It is an episode of the television popular show, The Dating Game. This is the program where three men are concealed from the woman who interrogates them and who has to choose one of them for a date. (There have been favourable comments about the recreation of this event except to say that the murderer was contestant number one rather than in the film, contestant number three!).

Anna Kendrick herself plays a young woman who has come to Los Angeles, experiences a put down at an audition, exploited by her neighbour at the apartment block, given the opportunity for some exposure by being the young woman on The Dating Game. The screenplay is highly satirical of the show, the efforts of the compere, the dimwitted answers of the first contestant, the innuendo and explicit comments of the second contestant, and, the audience knowing who and what the third contestant is, fascinated by his skill in answering the questions and being charming. There is a tense episode after the filming where the young actress is in fear of the contestant.

There is also an episode where a member of the audience recognises contestant number three in connection with the death of a friend, going to the television authorities and being fobbed off, going to the police without their following up. At the end of the film, there is adverse comment on the investigations and how long it took to arrest the killer.

Ultimately, the killer makes a mistaken decision and is arrested.

And the title? A focus on women, in the 1970s, discovering their power and value, put upon by men embodied by the compere and the contestants and their approaches and the violence embodied in the vicious killer.

1. Based on actual characters and a true story? The US, the 1970s? The serial killer? The television episode?
2. The atmosphere of the 70s, the variety of locations, the desert, small towns, Los Angeles, television studio? Police precincts? The musical score?
3. The title? The focus on women? Victims of the serial killer? Women taking a stance? Sheryl symbolic of this? Laura and her interventions?
4. The structure, the opening with the murder of the young woman, Rodney, charm, photography, vicious? The moving about in time, the focus on 1978 and the television show, the return to 1971 in the murder of the flight attendant and his interactions with her, the shift to 1979, the encounter with Amy, travelling with her, the attack, her calling the police? The overall effect of the structure, jigsaw pieces, together?
5. The story of Rodney, little background, his appearance, charm, photography, the initial murder? 1971, helping with the furniture, charming, turning the tables, vicious? With Amy, seeing her in the streets, flattery, photography, the driving, out into the country, the brutality and tying her up, his not killing her, travelling with her, his going to the toilet, her escape, watching him, phoning the police, his waiting their arrival? The arrest, his denials?
6. The portrait of the women, their stories, difficulties, charmed, their fate?
7. The introduction to Sheryl, her story, coming to Los Angeles, the sexism of the audition, the producers and the low bar for the auditions, her apartment, her neighbour, his attentions, the outing, his approach, expectations, going home with him, the night, her discussed with herself, the later encounter with the neighbour, his walking past? The phone call, the possibility for The Dating game? The decision to go? Some exposure?
8. Audience responded to The Dating Game, the contestants, the audience and their expectations, the woman for the dating? And, of the compere, in charge, sweeping around, criticisms, the manner of the show, his disagreeing with Cheryl and her approach, the aftermath? The members of the staff, the producer picking her on, make-up and hair, support? Joel, being urged to charge, writing alternate questions after the platitudinous questions, the reactions?
9. The three contestants, the first and his background, but playing dumb? The second a furniture designer, playing the sexy games and innuendo? Rodney is the third, self-confidence, his answers? Sheryl changing the question is, more intellectual and philosophical, the reactions of the of the two, Rodney and his charm about women and their expectations? Sheryl and her choice of Rodney, the whispering warning from the second contestant?
10. The aftermath, walking with Sheryl, the coffee, Sheryl apprehensive, I signal to the waitress, Rodney and his talk, her being uncomfortable, running away from him, in the car, his pursuit?
11. Laura and her friend, and the audience, seeing Rodney, the flashbacks to her friend, for friends death? Leaving, knocking over the equipment, the guard and his popping her off? Going to the police, their not listening, her desperation? Her snapping her boyfriend, his return with the flowers, the attempt was the police?
12. The tone of the film and its title, the importance for women, women and dignity and rights, men and their attitudes, sexism, violence and brutality?