A Woman Rebels (1936)

A Woman Rebels Poster

A Victorian-era woman struggles to break free of the moral codes established by society and enforced by her father.

Title and Release
"A Woman Rebels" is an American drama movie launched in 1936, directed by Mark Sandrich. Set in the Victorian period, it stars Katharine Hepburn, Herbert Marshall, and Elizabeth Allan in lead roles. The movie obtains its story from Netta Syrett's novel, "Portrait of a Rebel", adjusted for screen by Anthony Veiller and Ernest Vajda.

Plot Synopsis
The film basically focuses on the character Pamela Thistlewaite (played by Katharine Hepburn), a strong-willed lady with a rebellious spirit. It recounts her battles to assert her self-reliance and selfhood in a staunchly patriarchal Victorian society. The story starts with Pamela defying societal standards by refusing to wed an old widower selected by her dad, bringing dissatisfaction and embarassment upon her family.

Checking Out Feminism and Independence
Pamela's rebellion heightens throughout the motion picture as she promotes for females's rights and self-reliance. Despite societal restrictions, she becomes a successful editor of a feminist publication. She fights versus gender inequality, striving to change the societal views that bisect opportunities between men and women. Pamela's feminity and strength are encapsulated perfectly by Hepburn, who delivers a remarkable efficiency as a woman at odium with the gender-based restrictions of her age.

Forbidden Love and Secret Motherhood
The movie also looks into Pamela's love life. Participating in a clandestine relationship with Parliamentary member Thomas Lane (played by Herbert Marshall), Pamela conceives a kid and becomes an unmarried mom. To protect her track record and the father's identity, she winds up declaring that her daughter, Flora, is her dead sis's child. This narrative takes viewers on a psychological journey while highlighting the daunting challenges and options numerous females confronted with punitive social standards throughout the Victorian period.

Hidden Themes and Comments
Apart from showcasing the scenarios females like Pamela needed to navigate, "A Woman Rebels" also clarifies the many restraints they had to deal with-- both social and structural. The movie highlights how females were regularly rejected access to education, profession opportunities, and intellectual freedom. The semi-biographic story encapsulates the fight versus gender stereotypes and repression, illustrating how one female's strong will resulted in her ending up being an important figure in society.

Important Reception
However, "A Woman Rebels" supposedly didn't delight in enormous success at package office throughout its release. Critics suggest that the film's feminist themes, mainly concentrating on females's emancipation, were ahead of its time for the 1930s audience. Nonetheless, Hepburn's sterling performance made her important honor for capturing the trials and victories of a defiant woman in a period understood for its rigid social norms.

Conclusion
In conclusion, "A Woman Rebels" is an evocative movie that deftly highlights the battles dealt with by females in a patriarchal society, following one lady's decision to defy such standards. Katharine Hepburn's strong-headed representation of the protagonist stays an unforgettable and prominent representation of early feminist cinema. Though it didn't initially spell great commercial success, the movie's narrative holds significance today as an essential cinematic turning point in feminist representations.

Top Cast

  • Katharine Hepburn (small)
    Katharine Hepburn
    Pamela 'Pam' Thistlewaite
  • Herbert Marshall (small)
    Herbert Marshall
    Thomas Lane
  • Elizabeth Allan (small)
    Elizabeth Allan
    Flora Anne Thistlewaite
  • Donald Crisp (small)
    Donald Crisp
    Judge Byron Thistlewaite
  • Doris Dudley (small)
    Doris Dudley
    Young Flora
  • David Manners (small)
    David Manners
    Lieutenant Alan Craig Freeland
  • Lucile Watson (small)
    Lucile Watson
    Betty Bumble
  • Van Heflin (small)
    Van Heflin
    Lord Gerald Waring Gaythorne
  • George Davis (small)
    George Davis
    French Purser (uncredited)
  • Leonard Carey (small)
    Leonard Carey
    Lord Gaythorne's Butler (uncredited)
  • Elspeth Dudgeon (small)
    Elspeth Dudgeon
    Lord Gaythorne's Maid (uncredited)