The
Stepford
wives
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Book
| Movie
| Discussion
questions
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Book:
The opening is just perfect. The Welcome Wagon lady is
greeting Joanna Eberhart and telling her how much
she's going love the town of Stepford. Just as
Rosemary Woodhouse was convinced she would love living
at the Bramford in Rosemary's Baby and Kay Norris was
thrilled to move into 1300 Madison Ave in Sliver,
Joanna thinks that she too has found the perfect
little nest.
Joanna is married to Walter and they have two
children, Kim and Pete. It was Walter's idea to leave
the city and move to Stepford. He has also decided to
join the Men's Association, supposedly to help change
the 'men only' policy. He promises Joanna that if he
cannot get them to change their outdated practices in
six months he will quit the organization.
Its hard for Joanna to make friends in the new
community. The women of Stepford all seem to be too
busy waxing their kitchen floors and ironing to engage
in any social activities. The Stepford women seem to
have the same devotion for housework that Lassie
displayed for Timmy.
The one exception is Bobbie Markowe. Bobbie is
interested in the women's lib movement. Joanna and
Bobbie set out to change the Stepford wives, to
introduce them to women's lib, to bring them up-
to-date. Unknown to them, there are plans afoot to
change Joanna and Bobbie.
The clock is ticking for Joanna and Bobbie. If they
can find out what's really happening in Stepford they
might be alright. But if they don't pick up the clues
fast enough, if they don't see what's closing in on
them...then they lose the race and much more. You'll
find yourself running with them - trying to figure out
the ending before it traps you.
from:
http://www.intercoursewiththedead.com/stepford.htm
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Movie:
Levin was not particularly thrilled with the 1975
movie version of The Stepford Wives. It was directed
by Bryan Forbes and starred Katharine Ross, Paula
Prentiss, Tina Louise, and Patrick O'Neal.
In 1980 we were given the TV movie, Revenge of the
Stepford Wives. It was directed by Robert Fuest and
written by David Wiltse. Sharon Gless played a
reporter who came to town to do a story about the
place with the lowest divorce rate in America. Arthur
Hill, Don Johnson, and Julie Kavner also appeared in
it.
1987 brought us The Stepford Children. This one was
directed by Alan J. Levi and written by William
Bleich. Here we had Barbara Eden, Don Murray, Tammy
Lauren, James Coco, and John Cameron Mitchell.
Wives - Children - What was missing? You guessed it.
In 1996 The Stepford Husbands, directed by Fred Walton
II, and written by the Wheat brothers, Ken and Jim,
made its appearance. Donna Mills, Michael
Ontkean, and Cindy Williams starred in it.
Can the little village of Stepford take much more?
Well, perhaps it can. A remake of The Stepford Wives
opened June 11, 2004. Nicole Kidman plays Joanna and
Bette Midler plays Bobbie. This time the story is done
as a dark comedy. Matthew Broderick, Christopher
Walken, Faith Hill, Glenn Close, Roger Bart, and Jon
Lovitz also star. Frank Oz directs it and Paul Rudnick
does the screenplay.
from:
http://www.intercoursewiththedead.com/stepford.htm
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Discussion
questions:
1.
It is Walter's idea to leave the city and move to
Stepford. He has also decided to join the Men's
Association to change their policy of "men only".
Do you think Walter knew of what happens to the women
in Stepford before he (& the family) decided to move
to Stepford? In other words; did the family move to
Stepford on purpose? Did your opinion about Walter changed as the story unraveled?
2. In the movie Joanne is (in the beginning) portrayed as an unlikable character.
Is she (as) unlikable in the book? Did you feel with her as she discovers the
truth and realizes she may become a Stepford
wife too?
3. Why do you think the Stepford men do this to their
women? Is it (just) that they want an easy household
and a not complaining wife, or is there more to it,
like power, anger, something else? In that respect: do you think some of the men are
pushed into the process or do they all participate
willingly? Does Walter?
4. Here is a passage in the book between Joanne and her
psychiatrist:
"I think the men are behind it."
"What men?"
"All of them!"
What does this passage say about Joanne's way of
thinking and the theme of the book/movie?
Do you think there are these highly stereotypical
roles for men and women; then (time in the book) and now?
5. Would you say
The Stepford Wives is a satire? Did you see any humor in the book? What about the movie?
Is Ira Levin warning us in some way in his story? If yes, for what?
6. Ira Levin wrote this story in 1975, when robots weren't so advanced and often humanlike as they tend to be now.
Do you think we're really heading the way Levin describes in the future? Humanlike robots
fulfilling our "every" need. What would you do when we really have the choice buying such a robot?
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