Women’s History Month
is finally here! March is dedicated to celebrating the contributions women have
made throughout history, and Rock Hill is doing our part by highlighting some
of the most notable female directors in Hollywood! Check back every week in
March to find new posts showcasing trailblazing female filmmakers.
Arzner made a name for herself in Hollywood as a film editor
and worked on over 50 projects before directing her first film. She knew she
had a passion for directing and insisted that Paramount allow her to fulfill
her dream, threatening to work for a rival studio if they did not meet her
demands. The studio agreed and her debut film “Fashions for Women” premiered in
1927. The film was such a success that Paramount entrusted her with directing
three more silent films in two years.
In 1929, Arzner directed her first sound film—also known as
a “talkie”—titled “The Wild Party.” The film provided further confirmation of
Arzner’s directing abilities and also allowed her to flex her creative muscles
behind the scenes. She was the first known director to implement a makeshift
boom microphone, which solved a persistent sound recording issue that had
stumped even the greatest male directors of the time. Though she did not patent
her invention, her ingenuity forever changed the course of cinema.
In the 1970s, Arzner claimed that her career directing
big-name studio films ultimately met its demise when Louis B. Mayer, co-founder
of MGM Studios, said that she was “difficult” to work with.
Though she no
longer immersed herself in the glitz and glamour of directing “A” movies, she
went on to make training films for WWII, work on commercials, and teach film
courses at UCLA.
Arzner fell into relative obscurity until feminist movie
buffs rediscovered her work in the 1970s. Her work fits perfectly into feminist
discourse due to her focus on strong, well-developed female characters and
emphasis on female relationships.
Arzner’s personal life is also a topic of discussion among
movie lovers and feminists alike. She, like many of her characters, defied the gender
expectations of the day by wearing suits and keeping her hair cut short. She
was also romantically linked to numerous actresses, including Alla Nazimova and
Billie Burke. Some critics have noted lesbian undertones in some of her films;
while some people see criticisms of gender expectations of the time in her
movies, others see criticisms of heteronormativity and heterosexual
relationships as a whole.
Arzner was the only woman directing in the early days of
sound film, yet she surprisingly did not face as much discrimination as one may
think. She encountered few roadblocks and said that male coworkers were often
more helpful than women. The complete absence of other female directors during her
time indicates a presence of sexism within the industry, but Arzner, through
strategic career moves, circumvented these biases.
A true pioneer, fans and critics remember Dorothy Arzner as
a prolific and inspiring queer and feminist filmmaker. Her resourcefulness and
imagination shaped the film industry and, to this day, she has the largest body
of work of any female director in Hollywood. Rock Hill honors her and all women
directors this Women’s History Month with our display for films directed by
women. Come check out some of these wonderful movies at the library!
Notable Films: Blood and Sand (editor); Fashions for Women; The Wild Party; Christopher Strong; Dance,
Girl, Dance
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dorothy-Arzner
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1920s-dorothy-arzner-paved-way-female-directors-today-180955904/
https://americacomesalive.com/2016/03/08/dorothy-arzner-first-female-director-hollywood-studio-system/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002188/bio
https://wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-dorothy-arzner/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dorothy_Arzner.jpg
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