Reel Herstory: The REAL Story of Reel Women

Gr 9 Up—This documentary interweaves clips of host Jodie Foster with rather dated looking interviews of various women who have worked behind the scenes in Hollywood and film clips from the silent era to modern times. It highlights the contributions of film pioneers, such as Alice Guy Blaché, who directed what's considered the first narrative film; screenwriter Frances Marion; and editor Margaret Booth, among others. After discussing sound's arrival, the film examines why women were largely excluded from the director's chair for decades. Regarding the current state of affairs, Greta Gerwig and Sarah Polley are two of the filmmakers spotlighted. Though the film covers more than 100 years of history (1896–2014), most of the interviews appear to be from the 1980s. Of the more than 35 women interviewed, fewer than five or six could reasonably be considered household names. As a result, the documentary seems incredibly lengthy, with little relevance for today's students. The final credits include a clip of Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, yelling, "Don't f*** with me, fellas!" Those concerned about salty language could easily stop the DVD before reaching this point, but it seems unlikely that any instructor would screen the entire film.