Die Frauen von Stepford (1975)
57KDie Frauen von Stepford: Directed by Bryan Forbes. With Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson, Nanette Newman. Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents.
“u0026quot;The Stepford Wivesu0026quot; certainly isnu0026#39;t the greatest thriller ever made, it isnu0026#39;t one of my all-time favorite movies, yet Iu0026#39;ve probably seen it 25 times and Iu0026#39;m always willing to return for more of its creepy, seductive ambiance. Director Bryan Forbes has created a funny/sinister atmosphere surrounding a secretive society of men in suburbia who exchange chilling glances and lines when they are alone (u0026quot;She cooks as good as she looks, Ted.u0026quot;). It does however feature a very moody and unhappy Katharine Ross at the center, and itu0026#39;s easy to see why somebody might want to bump her off: she gripes, she complains, she stalks out of rooms flicking her long, thick hair out of her face. When Patrick Ou0026#39;Neal tells Ross at a social gathering that he used to work at Disneyland, she balks, u0026quot;You donu0026#39;t look like someone who enjoys making other people happy.u0026quot; This just after meeting the man! Thank goodness then for happily crass and vulgar Paula Prentiss as Katharineu0026#39;s gal-pal Bobbie. Prentiss overdoes it a bit, but she comes into the picture at the right time and gives it an extra lift. The scenario (a squeaky clean Connecticut community) is gleefully turned inside out to reveal sinister underpinnings, and I loved Rossu0026#39; sequence with the psychiatrist (who seems convinced by Katharineu0026#39;s outlandish story, which is a nice change of pace). No, it isnu0026#39;t art (or even the black comedy screenwriter William Goldman says he intended it to be), but u0026quot;The Stepford Wivesu0026quot; is smooth, absorbing and enjoyable. It cooks as good as it looks. ***1/2 from ****”
