Well, it took them long enough…..
A woman won an Oscar for directing last night—for the first time. Really so-called progressive Hollywood? It took you to 2010 to do this.
Interesting that it should happen the night before “International Women’s Day.” Didn’t know that was today? Well you’re probably not alone—I didn’t.
Gee, a whole day for us girls…. To contemplate what it is to be a woman? Well, a lot of things: daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, teachers, nurses, accountants, chauffeurs. All kinds of things. Most men can’t keep up. I know the one time my husband had to follow my schedule, when I was hospitalized, he was overwhelmed.
Then add jobs to all of the above….. No wonder many of the ladies I know are so tired all the time.
International Women’s Day was “launched” in 1911 in Copenhagen by a woman named Clara Zetkin, leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany [uh-oh—there’s that “s” word the conservatives have been throwing around.]
BUT—
They didn’t actually get around to observing it until 1945….
So, I guess I can’t be too pissed off at Hollywood.
Okay, I’m going to celebrate this evening by doing something highly cultural—and very lady-like: watch RuPaul’s Drag Race 2….
♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
Today’s interesting factoid:
Dorothy Arzner was the only woman director during the "Golden Age" of Hollywood's studio system in the 1920s, 30s and early 40s. Though she was the sole member of her gender to direct Hollywood pictures during the first generation of sound film, in the silent era, a woman aspiring to a career behind the camera was not a pipe-dream. The first movie in history was directed by a Frenchwoman, and many women were employed in Hollywood during the silent era, most frequently as scenario writers. Indeed, there were women directors in the silent era, such as Frances Marion (more famous as a screenwriter) and Lois Weber, but Arzner was fated to be the only female director to have made a successful transition to the Sound Era. It wasn't until the 1930s and the verticalization of the industry, as it matured and consolidated, that women were squeezed out of production jobs in Hollywood.
Dorothy Arzner was the only woman director during the "Golden Age" of Hollywood's studio system in the 1920s, 30s and early 40s. Though she was the sole member of her gender to direct Hollywood pictures during the first generation of sound film, in the silent era, a woman aspiring to a career behind the camera was not a pipe-dream. The first movie in history was directed by a Frenchwoman, and many women were employed in Hollywood during the silent era, most frequently as scenario writers. Indeed, there were women directors in the silent era, such as Frances Marion (more famous as a screenwriter) and Lois Weber, but Arzner was fated to be the only female director to have made a successful transition to the Sound Era. It wasn't until the 1930s and the verticalization of the industry, as it matured and consolidated, that women were squeezed out of production jobs in Hollywood.
