Something Strange is Happening in the Town of Stepford A Thesis on Portrayal of Women in The Stepford Wives (1975, 2004)

Abstract

The thesis works from the assumption that films produced in Hollywood are important historical documents that can provide interesting comments on changes in U.S. society and culture. Through a comparative analysis of The Stepford Wives film from 1975 and its 2004 remake, this thesis aims to examine how changes in genre, plot and overall narrative from the original to the remake reflect public understandings of feminism, and what the lead characters in both movies can reveal about the changing roles of women in American society. My research shows that some of the modifications that were made in order to modernize the story did make the updated version more relatable to a 21st century audience and can be said to reflect a fundamental change in the perceived roles of women in American society. However, my discoveries also reveal that the changes complicated the reading of the underlying message in the remake and shifted the basic premise of the original film from addressing the oppressive nature of a deeply patriarchal society to focusing on conflicting demands of women in 21st century America.