Film mona lisa smile

In 1953, a 30something grad student from ucla named katherine watson roberts accepts a teaching position at a liberal arts college for women in massachusetts. I find it hard to believe that wellesley college was as reactionary in the autumn of 1953 as mona lisa smile says it is but then i wasnt there. The film is about katherine watson, a college lecturer from liberalminded california, who manages to get a teaching position in the art history department at wellesley, a prestigious, conservative, and elite private womens college situated at the opposite end of the country in. The film s treatment of roberts is a primo example of what i like to call double datingthe way contemporary looks inevitably infect period. The soundtrack takes the utmost care to sound like an artifact from the early 50s, which is refreshing and frustrating in equal measure. Oscars best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon sundance toronto intl film festival awards central festival central. Katherine watson accepts a post teaching art history at the very conservative wellesley womens college. In 1953, a time when womens roles were rigidly defined, novice art history professor katherine watson julia roberts begins teaching at the prestigious allfemale wellesley college, which despite. It tells the story of katherine ann watson played by julia roberts, a teacher who comes to teach at wellesley college, a conservative womens private liberal arts college in massachusetts, united states in 1953. Mona lisa smile mike newell, julia roberts, kirsten dunst. Simone now operates at a higher level in the sex business, but she never forgets where she started.

Mike newell, rachel portman, david snell, randall poster, and jeff atmajian. Film education resources film library mona lisa smile. Essay on analysis of the inspirational film, mona lisa smile. Another film about a progressive teacher trying to teach her students how to think outside of the box. The movie, mona lisa smile is an inspirational film that explores life through feminism, marriage, and education lead by a modernist teacher at the end of a traditional era. We are pretty sure what the story parabola of mona lisa smile will be the inspiring teacher will overcome adversity to enlighten and guide, but the movie is more observant and thoughtful than we expect. Academy award winner julia roberts best actress in a leading role, erin. It doesnt just grind out the formula, but seems more like the record of an actual school year than about the needs of the plot. An appealing female cast gives the hollowly formulaic mona lisa smile more dignity than it perhaps deserves, yet its julia roberts in an illsuited starring role that represents one of the film. See more ideas about mona lisa smile, the secret history and kill your darlings. Mona lisa smile is a funny, inspiring and uplifting film about an art history professor with a lot to teach about life and much to learn about.

Mona lisa smile is a 2003 american film directed by mike newell, starring julia roberts, kirsten dunst, maggie gyllenhaal, and julia stiles. Mona lisa smile is a smart and provocative period drama thats especially wellcrafted. Mona lisa smile doesnt really try to get around that. It became known as both the eisenhower era and the mccarthy era, and mike newells movie, mona lisa smile, begins in 1953 during dwight. History versus her story the readers guide feature. Five years later, the propaganda shifted and the government set out to persuade them to abandon their brief, newfound freedom. Movies like mona lisa smile if you like mona lisa smile you are looking for sentimental, romantic and inspirational movies about with feminism, teachers and students, college, dedicated educator, gender, fighting the system and society themes of drama genre shot in usa.

It is an intelligent historical drama that tells a familiar story in a new and inspiring way. Mona lisa smile is a 2003 american drama film produced by revolution studios and columbia pictures in association with red om films productions, directed by mike newell, written by lawrence konner and mark rosenthal, and starring julia roberts, kirsten dunst, julia stiles and maggie gyllenhaal. In terms of the gap between the movie its trying to be and the movie it actually is, mona lisa smile is in many ways indefensible. Mona lisa smile 2003 official trailer 1 julia stiles movie duration. Mona lisa smile is a positive, thoughtful film about the importance of education and a womans right to choose her own future. The soundtrack to mike newells mona lisa smile, a dead poets societylike film set at a womens college in the 50s, features a wide array of contemporary artists covering standards from that decade. Mona lisa smile is a 2003 american drama film produced by revolution studios and columbia pictures in association with red om films productions, directed. Fortunately, unlike school of rock, my views on which were. Mona lisa smile 2003 official trailer 1 julia stiles movie youtube. The movies cartoon notions of the 50s and snooty easterners say more about hollywood cluelessness than about the period the film condescends to. Julia roberts, kirsten dunst, julia stiles mona lisa smile 2003 official trailer 1 julia stiles movie a freethinking art professor. With an allstar cast that includes julia roberts, kirsten dunst, julia stiles, and maggie gyllenhaal, the performances in the film are excellent.

Thats the setup for mona lisa, a new british film set in the tattered precincts of soho, where vice lords run sordid clubs in which young, bewildered provincial women sell themselves to earn money for drugs. A 2003 drama directed by mike newell, starring julia roberts, maggie gyllenhaal, kirsten dunst and julia stiles. Its impossible to miss any of the film s irony considering how hard the filmmakers work to shove their subversions into the. Julia roberts leads an impressive cast of top young actresses including maggie gyllenhaal, kirsten dunst, and.

Its a lot like some of the beauty contestants we see in the 1950s montage at the end pretty, but pretty shallow. Mona lisa smile is a film directed by mike newell with julia roberts, kirsten dunst, julia stiles, marcia gay harden, year. I had no idea the theme of this movie but i teach art history and the main opening scene is a true nightmare for an art history teacherthe precocious students knew. Mona lisa smile is a funny, inspiring and uplifting film about an art history professor with a lot to teach about life and much to learn about romance. Mike newells mona lisa smile is a pretty period film that combines a quaint pedagogical tale with a feminist dissection of traditional female roles in 1950s society. Mona lisa smile adds up to glossy entertainment that is a long way from art.

The story follows an art instructor who comes to the elite womens college wellesley during the 1950s and upsets the establishment with her unconventional teaching methods. Manufactured to appeal to liberals and conservatives alike its okay to fuck with tradition, but its also sometimes okay to paint by numbers, the gollygee mona lisa smile is a work of abject delusion. In the movie, a vibrant and independentminded teacher shows her students a paintbynumbers kit for a van gogh picture to show them the difference between art that is insightful and meaningful and mindless repetition of pretty images. Taking place in 1953, mona lisa smile is a fictional drama that depicts the everyday lives of proper schoolgirls at wellesley college.

Starring julia roberts, kirsten dunst, julia stiles, maggie gyllenhaal. See more ideas about mona lisa smile, julia stiles and wellesley college. Mona lisa smile cert 12, 117 mins progressive teacher katherine watson arrives at the prestigious, conservative all women college of wellesley in the autumn of 1953 to teach history of art. The main character is katherine ann watson portrayed by julia roberts. The students are amongst the brightest women in the country, and have absorbed the course. The theft that made the mona lisa a world famous masterpiece duration. These films are important because they celebrate the great and essential value of those who teach welland also remind audiences to appreciate those from whom they learned. Unfortunately, in both films, the protaganist left with hisher tail between the legs. The mona lisa smile as a film tried to superficially challenge the status quo with a female teacher. Wellesley college is among the stars of mona lisa smile. On the contrary, kelly, lewis and others, including myself, view feminism in a pluralistic way.

This process is beautifully portrayed in mona lisa smile. Watson presents feminist pedagogy as a singular excluding any different points of view. Directed by 1 writing credits 2 cast 172 produced by 5 music by 1 cinematography by 1 film editing by 1 casting by. Im a julia roberts fan, and think shes smart and interesting in almost any film shes made.

Set in the early 1950s, mona lisa smile tells the inspirational story of a young teacher, katherine watson, who on graduating from college accepts a teaching job at a school for posh girls. Set at allfemale wellesley college in 1953, this is an uplifting and poignant drama about one womans desire to enrich the lives of her students. Purchase mona lisa smile on digital and stream instantly or download offline. Since the producers had already set the movie at wellesley college, the college permitted filming on campus because the beauty of our campus is a matter of special pride and we wished to have it accurately depicted. The students are amongst the brightest women in the country and have absorbed the course readinglist before katherines first lecture.