I heard the sad news this morning about the passing of Jill Clayburgh from leukemia at 66.
I hadn’t thought about Clayburgh in a while not since the cancellation of the under appreciated Dirty Sexy Money, but upon hearing the news I was immediately reminded of her breakthrough role in An Unmarried Woman. Remember, that movie was released in 1978 and there were few women onscreen who were feminist role models. Just the title — An Unmarried Woman — was controversial itself. But Clayburgh played several roles in the late 70s through the early 80s that kicked the feminist door down onscreen and helped define a generation of women.
An Unmarried Woman - 1978 – written and directed by Paul Mazursky.
It’s My Turn – 1980- written by Eleanor Bergstein, directed by Claudia Weill.
I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can – 1982- written by Barbara Gordon and David Rabe, directed by Jack Hofsiss.
and I’ll throw in First Monday in October about the first female on the Supreme Court. – 1981- written by Jerome Lawrence, directed by Ronald Neame.
They all fit into a category I call the “feminist film” which are films that were released from the late 70s to mid 80s (films like Norma Rae, Silkwood, Yentl among others) that brought a new type of woman onscreen and helped define the new found power of women in our culture. This was also the time when women first started breaking through in Hollywood and getting jobs in the studios.
I challenge you to go back and watch any one of the above movies put them in the context of the time period and you will see what breakthroughs they are, and you will be reminded that Jill Clayburgh was one of the actresses at the forefront of a new female friendly and feminist friendly time at the movies.
Check out the dance scene from An Unmarried Woman, which when I watched it today it reminded me of a female version of Tom Cruise’s tidy whitey dance scene in Risky Business. Just remember that Clayburgh did it first.
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Jill defiined the 70′s on film and she had a natural sassyness you just thought she could be your best friends older sister! She wore her parts like a comfortable sweater she was hurt we were hurt she was happy we were happy.
She will be missed I hate Leukemia it took my Dad too another very cool person . Cancer is something we have to solve the puzzle to . Get your check ups know your body. Understand blood counts before they take you out
You know, in 1990, when I got divorced and bought my own home, the contract STILL read, “An Unmarried Woman”! Poor Jill….
I loved her in Pippin – but of course I also love her name. ;) Thanks for this post about her.
I love that in An Unmarried Woman they actually have a feminist conciousness raising session and that Jill’s daughter and female friends all donated money for a friend’s abortion. You don’t see stuff like that on film nowadays.
I’m going to have to check out Clayburgh’s other films now.
She will truly be missed, and we, at WVFC, also remember An Unmarried Woman as a standout work, one that portrayed us from inside out, even in 1978.
We are deeply saddened to hear of Jill Clayburgh’s death.
She was a favorite and always made us feel….real feelings.
Her brilliance, her candor, her talent and extreme abillity
will surely be missed.
We were hoping to have her in a role in our feature film
titled SPECIAL.
God Bless you Jill and Thank You!
SWORDFISH
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