The Stepford Wives (1973) was based on 1972 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. Katherine Ross was a popular actress in the 1960's and 1970's and starred in the film version of The Stepford Wives (1975). 1970's horror and thriller films had a unique style that combined chills and scares with subjects that were relatable to society. The Stepford Wives combined all of that and still showcased some incredible acting and fashion.
It begins with a close up (photo below) of Ross who plays Joanna Eberhart, a young wife and mother who is an inspiring photographer. You can see right away that Joanna is not fully happy about moving out of Manhattan into a small town named Stepford in Connecticut. She soon finds herself lonely but eventually befriends another newcomer named Bobbie (Paula Prentiss). Joanna and Bobbie meet more of the women in the town and find their attitudes on cleaning and housework go above and beyond the call of duty and it peaks their interests.
When one of the wives they know goes from being a tennis playing trophy wife into a industrious and devoted wife overnight, Joanna and Bobbie know something very wrong is happening to the women in Stepford. The creep factor in this film is high. Many find this film to be a good example of a feminist movie. I find there are many layers to this story that are equally fascinating, thought provoking, and horrifying,
If you like thrillers then you really need to watch this film. Have you seen this film? Or read the book? If you did, did the ending freak you out as much as it did me?
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