Backwards & In Heels: The Past, Present and Future of Women Working in Film

For a person like myself, who generally plans his evening time in front of a TV around what movie is being shown on TCM at 8 PM, the presence of Alicia Malone on that channel is becoming rather familiar. She is one of five hosts who introduce the movies making up the viewing schedule each month. Most viewers, I suppose, know that Ms. Malone is from Australia, Canberra in fact, and that she has lived in the US for a number of years. She now has what is for her the perfect job, that of being a host (or hostess, if you wish) on her dream station, Turner Classic Movies, which allows her to present films for an audience that is interested in the films of the classic movie period, the same period in which she is most interested (as am I).Ms. Malone is also making a mark for herself as an author of books on films and film-making, with a focus of the role of women in film-making. Such is the subject of the book under review here, i.e., Backwards & In Heels: The past, present and future of women working in film. The first part of this title is a reference to a comment made by Ann Richards, the 45th governor of Texas. Her point obviously was that what ever Fred Astaire accomplished in dance was easier and required less skill that what Ginger Rogers had to bring to bear (not to mention the rest of Astaire’s dancing partners).Ms. Malone’s recounting of the history of women in film is essentially the same story of the involvement of women in the affairs of life in general. Women in film have sought to make a showing in this art as closely equivalent to their representation in the general population at the national and/or global level. This is the same challenge that women face in the world of business, government, or any other undertaking in modern-day life.This wonderful book is the story of the role of women in the history of film-making, especially in the United States and is divided into three parts dealing with the past, the present, and the future. Simply put, the past and the present has largely encompassed a story of the primacy of men in all aspects of film-making. What has maintained this primacy is a base-level sort of misogyny that gives rise to comments, made by men, of course, that “men will not go to see movies starring women.” Other comments are just as misogynistic, such as “Women cannot direct blockbuster movies” and so forth and so on. These kinds of comments find their origin in male attitudes that have been around for a long time, such as the role of women should be confined to the home, with responsibilities like cleaning, cooking, and raising the kids. As a male, a father, and a grandfather, I don’t even want to point out…oh, well, perhaps I will…how much easier it is to perform the role of father than it is that of mother. Have any of you guys spent any time being pregnant or giving birth? How about nursing a child…and on and on it goes.The third part of the book, about the future, is only a page and a half long. But, short as it is, it is a statement of hope that present-day development in the world of films and film-making that women will step up to show how they can do all the things that guys can do…and given the support that they deserve…have the potential to do them better.As a man who has spent his life watching other men screw things up, I am looking forward to a time when women will carve a place for themselves in the world that will exemplify what their traditional strengths can accomplish. I suggest that we men just step back and see what female world leaders might be able to do about the continuing problem of nuclear weapon proliferation as just one example of a situation in which the guys have worked to create a global doomsday machine. So, given that the guys have shown us what they have been able to do in the last eight decades or so in this arena, how about we step back and let the ladies she what they might be able to accomplish.

Chronicling the lives of women in Hollywood from the early days of film until today, Alicia Malone sets out to uncover and document wonderful facts about those who defied the odds, becoming successful writers, producers, directors and actresses, blazing trails and leaving important legacies behind them despite the many limitations set upon them by Hollywood’s written and unwritten patriarchal rules.Covering many important women through a series of mini-biographies, Malone explains how they (especially during the early days) had a great role in pioneering film technologies and film-making techniques. However, further to their technical prowess, it was women who were also ready to tackle taboo subject matter in their films. That was of course, until such a time when Hollywood was left in the hands of a small number of large studios with predominantly male executives; controlling everything from stars to theaters. This changed the landscape for women and the stories that could be told in film. Heavy censoring, racist stereotyping and sexist policies left women with an even harder road through the system than it already was. Yet still, many continued to fight their way through and paved the way for the next generation.Surprising, inspiring and tragic at times, the book is more than a treatise on women in film, with insight into a broader Hollywood history. Explaining how Tinseltown was like a microcosm of the world, with everything from world wars to shifting social taboos and foreign influences affecting what was considered beyond the pale for women and minority groups who sought (or were forced into) careers in show business.While Malone acknowledges her book is not a complete history of women in Hollywood, the concise timeline she presents gives a wide picture, satisfying her intent of ensuring the false “boy’s club” narrative no longer hinders our thinking. We can now celebrate them along with her as we get to know about a long line of passionate, strong, artistic and important filmmakers. Ones who left a lasting legacy, from Hollywood all the way to living rooms in Canberra where she first met them as a child.By challenging our ideas and understanding about the role of women throughout the history of Hollywood, Backwards & In Heels becomes more than a chronology of events but rather a splash of water in the face of that false narrative which has permeated the industry regarding the role of women in film as it's been told in recent times, making the book an important read for movie buffs and contemporary historians alike.This review first appeared on blurbhack.com

Great read.A must have for movie fans, especially if you're interested in classic cinema

An absolute must read If you like movies and the movie business. Such a delightful read. Great work Alicia Malone

The extremely well written book explores the known and not well known stories of women who made history. Brilliant read and a must for film fans...

Love this book. Thought-provoking and well presented. A must read for any film fan.

Habe das Buch via Amazon durch einen Drittanbieter bestellt (weil Amazon selbst den Titel in Deutschland einfach nicht auf Lager bekam) und musste nur rund 9 Tage auf die Lieferung warten. Dies ist das zweite "YouTube"-Buch, dass ich bestellt habe. Das erste war "The Film Buff's Bucket List: The 50 Movies of the 2000s to See Before You Die (Bucket List 101)" von Chris Stuckmann, einem der bekanntesten Film-Kritiker auf YouTube (und damit meine ich, er kann davon leben und weitere Projekte verfolgen). Es war auch Christ Stuckmanns Erfolg mit diesem Buch, das Alicia Malone (neben vielem anderen) davon überzeugte es auch einmal als Autorin zu versuchen.Anders als Stuckmanns stark unter seinem Layout-Stil leidenden Buch, das zwar interessant aber letztendlich nicht mehr als eine (nur) 50seitige Sammlung von Kurzkritiken ist (das man in weniger als einer Stunde durch hat), ist Alicia Malones Buch ein "richtiges" Buch.Das Buch selbst ist sehr gut geschrieben und aufgebaut, anstelle eine endlosen Textes werden die faszinierenden Informationen Absatzweise eingestellt, wodurch das ganze für nicht-englische Muttersprachler nicht ganz so einschüchternd wirkt. Die Sprache selbst ist einfach gehalten und zumindest für einigermaßen des Englischen Mächtige sehr gut zu verstehen. Keine Aneinanderreihung von trockenen Fachausdrücken oder hochgestochenen Satzungetümen - hier spricht eine intelligente und leidenschaftliche Filmliebhaberin aus dem Bauch heraus.Ich empfehle Alicia Malones You-Tube Channel oder einfach ihren Namen bei Youtube eingeben und genießen.