The Women's Room (film)

The Women's Room is a 1980 American made-for-television drama film directed by Glenn Jordan and starring Lee Remick, Ted Danson, Colleen Dewhurst and Tovah Feldshuh.^[1][2] In spite of Esther Shapiro's (ABC's vice president for miniseries) struggle with the (predominantly male) network to release the film despite its feminist content, "The Women's Room finally aired, and it received a huge 45 share (the highest rated movie on TV that week), prompted a raft of positive mail, and won an Emmy".^[3]

The Women's Room
Genre	Drama
Based on	The Women's Room by Marilyn French
Written by	Carol Sobieski
Directed by	Glenn Jordan
Starring	Lee Remick Ted Danson Colleen Dewhurst Tovah Feldshuh
Music by	Billy Goldenberg
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producer	Philip Mandelker
Producers	Anna Cottle Kip Gowans
Cinematography	Terry K. Meade
Editor	John Wright
Production company	Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	September 14, 1980 (1980-09-14)

The film is an adaptation of the novel The Women's Room by Marilyn French.

Premise

A married mother of two leaves her philandering husband and enrolls in graduate school.

Cast

• Lee Remick as Mira Adams
• Colleen Dewhurst as Val
• Patty Duke as Lily
• Kathryn Harrold as Bliss
• Tovah Feldshuh as Iso
• Tyne Daly as Adele
• Lisa Pelikan as Kyla
• Heidi Vaughn as Samantha
• Mare Winningham as Chris
• Ted Danson as Norman
• Gregory Harrison as Ben Volper
• Jenny O'Hara as Mrs. Martinelli
• Christopher Pennock as Harley
• Al Corley as Tad Ford

Critical reception

Critic Tom Shales found the film to be annoying and a "stinker."^[4] John J. O'Connor found the film to be a successful adaptation of the book and thoroughly enjoyed the movie, stating that "No one will be bored."^[5]

References

1. Unger, Arthur (September 10, 1980). "A controversial feminist drama that defeats its own purpose". The Christian Science Monitor.
2. Dresser, Norman (1980-09-16). "'Women's Room' A Political Message". Toledo Blade.
3. Faludi, Susan (1991). Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women. New York: Anchor Books. pp. 149. ISBN 0-385-42507-4.
4. "The Women's Room: TV Preview: Wrathful Melodrama on the Evils that Men Do Whining Made-for TV Melodrama" by Tom Shales, The Washington Post, September 13, 1980
5. "TV View: 'The Women's Room'--Devastatingly on Target" by John J. O'Connor, The New York Times, September 14, 1980

External links

• The Women's Room at IMDb