The Stepford Wives

Entertainment Value:     Technical Quality:

A great cast highlights this comic adaptation of Ira Levin's novel. Paul Rudnick keeps the satire funny, while director Frank Oz moves it along at brisk, lively pace.

Pre-review

A cast that includes the impeccable Mathew Broderick, the immaculate Nicole Kidman, and the incomparable Christopher Walken, is reason enough to be compelled to see "The Stepford Wives". A plot involving husbands who replace their wives with robots, however, is reason enough for concern. My fear is that, for all the humour, this will turn out to be a film whose conclusion is that men are pigs. Or, just as bad, that this will be yet another cinematic round in the insufferable so-called "battle between the sexes". (I am, quite frankly, tired of it: both sides fire blanks, to no good purpose.)

Interestingly, rottentomatoes’s Tomato Meter is at 28% for the film. Surely it is not because of Frank Oz’s direction, the cast, or the production quality. Could it be the plot? I wonder. The 1975 film adaptation of paranoia-obsessed Ira Levin’s book, which I admit I’ve never seen, is considered a horror film. (I suppose much like "Rosemary’s Baby" is considered a horror film.) So, apparently, is this version, although I get the impression it is more comedic than either the book or the 1975 film. Considering that I don’t trust the horror genre to deliver good stories, well...let’s just say that although I’ve previously enjoyed movies that most other critics didn’t, I am definitely entering the theatre with a bit of skepticism.

Review

It seems like a dream; a posh country town away from the neurotic kerfuffle of urban life. The people are friendly and welcoming. Everything is spotlessly clean. Walter Kresby (Broderick) hopes it will be a nice haven for his wife, Joanna Eberhart (Kidman), who suffered a nervous collapse after being fired from her job as a network executive. It really seems to be the perfect place to nurture a family. The men are happy, particularly when gathered at the Men’s Association mansion. The women are happy spending time at the spa, cleaning their houses, and cooking. And they are all drop-dead gorgeous, which also makes the men happy. So what if there is something a little robotic about it all? A little bit of oddity is a small price to pay for a cozy little small-town life...but Joanna doesn’t think so. There’s something rotten in the town of Stepford, and she intends on finding out what it is...

Fears that "The Stepford Wives" would be a male-bashing extravaganza worthy of Andrea Dworkin proved, mercifully, to be unfounded. Less horror than satire, the film is mostly harmless; a jab at an ideal of how a woman should be and a poke at the insecurity men may have at associating with powerful (read: equal) women. That there’s no real insight isn’t a surprise - the re-enactment of the (so-called) battle between the sexes lost steam a long time ago - but the film definitely squeezes out some quirky comedy from its premise. The whole thing works thanks to a polished, colourful production, David Arnold’s sassy score, Rudnick’s good script, and a high-end cast. The worst that can be said is that the actors inhabit familiar roles that don’t require them to challenge their acting muscles. But, no matter. When the cast includes the likes of Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, and other major players, it’s churlish to quibble. They are unquestionably one reason why this big cottonball of a movie is a sheer delight.

Finally, there is something else to appreciate, namely, a finale that is not of the horror movie kind. I’m not quite sure how the final plot twist fits into the film’s overall feminist-lite theme, or even if it’s supposed to. Maybe it’s just a clumsy attempt at irony. Regardless, it is a surprise and part of an overall satisfying ending. Somehow, everything comes together to spice up the film’s satirical impact.

So what does it all amount to? Let’s be frank: this is not a film that lends itself to in-depth analyses. But, with a good dose of humour, "The Stepford Wives" is - even in our supposedly enlightened 21st century - a much-needed reminder of how ridiculous male sexism is. On that note, I’m going to go find something to read by that individualist-feminist breath of fresh air, Wendy McElroy.

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Paramount Pictures presents a film directed by Frank Oz. Written by Paul Rudnick. Based on the book by Ira Levin. 93 minutes. Rated PG-13 (for sexual content, thematic material and language).

Joanna Eberhart: Nicole Kidman
Walter Kresby: Matthew Broderick
Bobbie Markowitz: Bette Midler
Mike Wellington: Christopher Walken
Claire Wellington: Glenn Close
Sarah Sunderson: Faith Hill
Roger Bannister: Roger Bart
Dave Markowitz: Jon Lovitz