Dorothy Arzner was the most well known female director during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Arzner began her film career as a screenwriter, eventually rose through the ranks as an editor, & finally became a feature film director. Never hiding her lesbianism, Arzner went against conventions of the time by wearing men’s suits & sporting short hair. She lived openly with choreographer Marion Morgan for more than 40 years
.
Between 1927 & 1943, Arzner directed 17 features. Almost all have unconventional heroines, strong & self-sufficient, who must reconcile marriage & career. Like James Whale, her films resonate with gay subtexts.
After an illness in 1943, Arzner never again directed a feature & no one knows exactly why. She made Army training movies & taught film at UCLA, and she shot some Pepsi commercials, probably at the express request of her longtime friend & rumored lover, Joan Crawford. The Directors Guild of America, which she was the first woman to join in 1936, finally honored her work in 1975, four years before her death.
No comments:
Post a Comment