THE STEPFORD WIVES

US, 2004, 94 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Christopher Walken, Roger Bart, David Marshall Grant, Jon Lovetts, Faith Hill.
Directed by Frank Oz.

In 1975, Bryan Forbes made a version of Ira Levin’s novel, a blend of women’s magazine pages and a horror film. Levin had already written of diabolical incarnations (Rosemary’s Baby) and the cloning of Hitlers by Josef Mengele (The Boys from Brazil). Stepford was the ideal, American picture-perfect town, with picture perfect wives who had been transformed into robots to be the perfectly domesticated women and wives any fat-cat chauvinistic American male could want. This was ironic feminism in William Goldman’s screenplay although some of the feminists took a fundamentalist, uncritically literal, interpretation of the film and missed its satire.

At the beginning of the 21st century, you can’t do an exact remake. Feminism has moved on. Men are becoming more sensitive – but not to the extent that another version of The Stepford Wives would not go amiss. But, it is too late for horror surprises. And, after all, we live in a post-modern and flip one-liner world. Why not go for the comic elements, stay with the satire? And have Paul Rudnick write it? He is a master of camp humour with Jeffrey and In and Out. And have Frank Oz direct it? He was the voice of Miss Piggy so he knows more than a thing or two about pretentious putting on the glamour and he has directed many comedies (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Housesitter). And that is exactly what has been done – to the ire of those who don’t think it should be funny and of those who think it isn’t funny enough.

There are certainly a lot of funny things in it. The opening television awards with the parody of the reality shows and the dollar signs in the executives eyes set a satiric tone. When the sacked executive (Nicole Kidman, who does not have to be a real Stepford wife until the end of the film) and Matthew Broderick (definitely open to the possibility of robotising the wives) arrive in Stepford, they are greeted by town hostess, Glenn Close in a nicely-judged, almost over the top performance that deserves some kind of award. Who else should be there (but not Stepfordised and therefore able to make wisecracks) but Bette Midler in a welcome return to the screen? The sinister presence, all smiles and charm, is Christopher Walken. They have changed the ending a bit so that contemporary feminists may be momentarily wondering whether anything has changed!

1. The impact of the original film, the mid-70s, the writings of Ira Levin? The relationship between women and men in the 70s? The role of feminism? The blend of satire and horror?

2. The remake, necessary or not? For the 21st century audience, post-modern? The role of feminism at the beginning of the 21st century?

3. The option to go for satire, parody and spoof? Women and their reaction? Post-feminism? The issues of gay men? The jokey atmosphere?

4. The points made about relationships, women and their position in the workplace, the dominance of men, dominance of women? Wives and husbands in careers, in the household, the place of children? The possibilities of the nuclear family? Job equality? Men wanting women as stereotypes? Women and their control of their destiny? Macho selfishness, having the power to achieve their Stepford world? The irony of Claire Wellington and her being a neurosurgeon and her being behind the whole of Stepford – wanting to be a lady, controlling the men? The final images of the men doing the supermarket shopping and being controlled by the women?

5. The opening, Joanna and her television job, the elaborate show, the response of the audience, TV world, executives, programming, TV-speak and celebrity? The programming, the spoof on reality shows, the parody, the viewing of the marriage break-up on the reality show, the new husband and wife, her choices, the ordinary housewife and the possibility of being with musclemen? The husband, the gun, the threats in the theatre? The effect on Joanna?

6. The aftermath, her being sacked, her having to take it, the reptilian smile of the executive? The talking of the good of the network? Her dignified farewell, forced smile, goodbye to the staff, screaming in the elevator?

7. Her return to her family, her breakdown? Her relationship with Walter, their life in the city, driving to Stepford, taking the children, hopes for a new life?

8. The initial appearance of Stepford, everything beautiful and neat? Claire Wellington and the welcome, the real estate agent, her appearance, manner, way of speaking? The house and the description? The world of Stepford, the wives, their clothes, glamour, the décor of the houses? Their interests, the women’s clubs, the talking about women’s books? Recipes? Subservient to their husbands? The initial impression of the wives – on Joanna and Walter?

9. The family settling into the house, the children going to school, Joanna and her wariness of the way the women acted?

10. The men’s club, Walter, Bobbie’s husband, Mike and the others? The complete macho club, smoking and drinking, macho talk? The control of their wives? The irony of the square dance, the wife and her electric cistern, smoking, repetitive action, the impact on Joanna?

11. Bobbie, as a type, the Jewish writer, her house in disarray, her relationship with her husband, the advice to Joanna? Their going into the men’s club, running away? Her suddenly being transformed, the humour of her ultra-neat house?

12. Claire Wellington, her control, the socials? Her relationship with Mike? Mike as genial, head of the men’s club, the invitations to Walter? His seeming to be in charge of the mechanisms and the wiring of the women?

13. Roger, Jerry, the gay couple? Roger as the screaming queen, his camp behaviour, with the girls? The contrast with Jerry and his being a member of the men’s club? The sudden transformation of Roger, his suit, standing as a Republican candidate?

14. Joanna and the clash with Walter? The possibility of the marriage break-up? Her going to the club, the search, her discovery of the truth? The photos of all the women and their professional expertise in the past? The challenge to Walter, in the men’s club, the men and the pressure on Walter to transform his wife? Their leaving to go to the laboratory?

15. Joanna as a Stepford wife, Walter and his attitude towards her? At the celebration, the confrontation, Joanna not being transformed? Going to the laboratory, Walter and his disarming the functions of the wives? The women becoming normal again? Mike, the confrontation, Joanna hitting him, headless – and his being a robot? Claire and the revelation that she had controlled everything, neurosurgeon, Mike as the perfect husband, her wanting to be a lady, dictating the manners of Stepford? Her being electrocuted?

16. The transformation of the women back to their normal selves – and the humour of the men in the supermarket?

17. The range of jokes, camp style? The parody of traditional wives as glamorous? The parody of the macho men? How effective a satire at the beginning of the 21st century?