Molly Haskell is the shit when it comes to writing about women’s films with a feminist perspective. There is no one better. Her book From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies is one of the best books about women in film and it was written in the 70s. (There is an additional chapter that covers the 70s and 80s in the paperback.) That just goes to show you how few books have critically looked at this issue (from a non-academic perspective.)
Haskell has taken on one of the most beloved films Gone with the Wind in her new book Frankly My Dear which is out now. The book has gotten stellar reviews and including in the NY Times this weekend.
Haskell’s argument is mounted on feminist principles that at first glance seem antithetical to a film widely regarded as prefeminist fluff. She contends that “themes centering on women” are “always an inferior subject matter to socially conscious critics of literature and film.” After 70 years of “GWTW” bashing, a creditable critic finally says, “Not so fast!”
Haskell gave up regular reviewing in the early ’90s, leaving criticism that seriously examined the big-screen image of women and the popular representation of female social roles to go underground — into academic studies where abstruse, tenure-seeking jargon is used to rebuff popular taste. That makes “Frankly, My Dear” all the more remarkable. It’s Haskell’s feminist perspective that provides insight into a movie most academics won’t touch and current critics dismiss. She disentangles the film’s qualities from the confounding issues of misogyny, racism and intellectual snobbery.
I’ve added it to my list of things to read.
What the Wind Blew In (NY Times)
Buy From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies
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there was also a recent article in NYT (I think) saying how that new book will be relevant today, due to the poor economy we’re having right now and that Scarlett O’Hara will be easy to relate to; since she was a brave, courageous woman during the tumutlous (sp?) Civil War. something like that, anyway.
Good post! I hadn’t heard of Molly Haskell, I’m gonna go look into her writing more. Thanks!
What a coincidence. I’ve been reading another Haskell book lately for a research/writing project. She’s terrific.
I was never too keen on From Reverence to Rape but this book does look interesting.
However, I strongly disagree with your assertion that Haskell is the best writer on the subject of women in film and there are several I’d recommend over her. Annette Kuhn and Judith Mayne being the obvious choices for the subject of “women’s pictures”.
The NYT article stating that “abstruse, tenure-seeking jargon is used to rebuff popular taste” seems to be a disgusting attack on feminist scholarship rather than a reasoned critique. Why should it be necessary to promote a book by saying everything else is rubbish?