The Stepford Wives (1975)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1975
Running Times: 115 mins (USA)     130 mins (UK)
Format: colour
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Fadsin Cinema Associates / Palomar Pictures
Executive Producer: Gustave M. Berne
Producer: Edgar J. Scherick
Associate Producer: Roger M. Rothstein
Unit Manager: Neil A. Machlis

SCRIPT
Script: William Goldman
Novel: Ira Levin

DIRECTION
Director: Bryan Forbes
1st Assistant Director: Peter R. Scoppa
2nd Assistant Director: Michael Haley

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Owen Roizman
Camera Operator: Enrique Bravo
2nd Assistant Camera: Gary Muller
Gaffer: Dusty Wallace
Stills: Muky
Colour: TVC

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Timothy Gee

MUSIC
Music: Michael Small

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Andy Ciannella, Dick Smith
Hair: Romaine Greene
Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Gene Callahan
Set Decorator: Robert Drumheller
Title Designer: Robert Ellis

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: B.J. Borkman

LOCATIONS
Locations: Darien, Connecticut, USA; Norwalk, Connecticut, USA; Weston, Connecticut, USA

CASTING
Casting: Juliet Taylor

CAST
Katharine Ross (Joanna Eberhart)
Paula Prentiss (Bobbie Markowe)
Peter Masterson (Walter Eberhart)
Nanette Newman (Carol Van Sant)
Tina Louise (Charmaine Wimperis)
Carol Eve Rossen (Dr Fancher)
William Prince (Ike Mazzard)
Carole Mallory (Kit Sundersen)
Toni Reid (Marie Axhelm)
Judith Baldwin (Patricia Cornell)
Barbara Rucker (Marie Ann Stravros)
George Coe (Claude Axhelm)
Franklin Cover (Ed Wimperis)
Robert Fields (Raymond Chandler)
Michael Higgins (Mr Cornell)
Josef Somer (Ted Van Sant)
Paula Trueman (welcome wagon lady)
Martha Greenhouse (Mrs Kirgassa)
Simon Deckard (Dave Markowe)
Remak Ramsay (Mr Atkinson)
Mary Stuart Masterson (Kim Eberhart)
Ronny Sullivan (Amy Eberhart)
John Aprea (young cop)
Matt Russo (moving man 1)
Anthony Crupi (moving man 2)
Kenneth McMillan (market manager)
Dee Wallace (Nettie the maid)
Tom Spratley (Charlie the doorman)
Patrick O'Neal (Dale Coba)

The Eberhart family move to the small town of Stepford where Walter joins up with the local Men's Association. But Joanna finds it more difficult to fit in when most of the women seem subservient and unduly meek. Her only real friend is the feisty Bobbie Markowe, but when she suddenly changes into one of the Stepford Wives, Joanna uncovers a monstrous conspiracy.

A classic paranoia thriller that has been positioned by some as a rabid anti-feminist tract. In fact it's more subtle than that and Forbes does well to prevent the whole endevour from simply becoming hysterical. The sense of mounting paranoia is captured well and the final shot is one of the most chilling of any science fiction film. Good performances and taut, well paced script perfectly complement Forbes' spot-on direction.

UK
DVD Distributor: Anchor Bay

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
DVD Distributor: Anchor Bay (DV 10326)

Australia
Rating: M

Norway
Rating: 15

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: PG

1975
February
12: USA - theatrical release

1978
April
10: Sweden - theatrical release

1997
November
18: USA - DVD release (Anchor Bay (DV 10326))

Something strange is happening in the town of Stepford.

A very modern suspense story from the author of Rosemary's Baby.

SEQUELS
Revenge of the Stepford Wives (1980)
The Stepford Children (1987)
The Stepford Husbands (1996)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-rama Show Southern Style Volume 2 (1995)

androids, book into film, conspiracies, families, housewives, machines, male chauvinism, robots, paranoia, suburbia

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008