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The Stepford Wives
The Stepford Wives film poster
Directed by	Bryan Forbes
Produced by	Edgar J. Scherick
Written by	Ira Levin (novel) William Goldman
Starring	Katharine Ross Paula Prentiss Peter Masterson Nanette Newman Tina Louise
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures Paramount Pictures (2004 DVD)
Release date(s)	12 February 1975 (USA)
Running time	115 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Stepford Wives is a 1975 sci-fi/horror film based on the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives. It was directed by Bryan Forbes with a screenplay by William Goldman. Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson and Tina Louise all starred in the film, which also marked the screen debut of brat pack actress Mary Stuart Masterson. It was remade in 2004.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 2.1 Casting 3 Reception 4 Sequels 5 Parodies and References 6 External links

Joanna Eberhart (Ross) is a young wife who moves with her husband (Masterson) and two children from New York City to the small Connecticut suburb of Stepford. She makes friends with another newcomer to town, Bobbie Markowe (Prentiss), and they start investigating, with ever-increasing concern, the oddly submissive and bland behavior of the other wives in town. The freewheeling Bobbie abruptly changes into another housewife, and then "breaks down" instead of dying when a desperate Joanna stabs her with a kitchen knife. Joanna sneaks into the mansion which is the headquarters of the town's "Men's Association" where she finds graphic confirmation that the women have all been replaced with robot duplicates. Her duplicate uses a scarf to strangle Joanna to death; the duplicate is then seen placidly purchasing groceries at the local supermarket, along with the rest of the wives.

The film was shot in a variety of towns in Western Connecticut, primarily in Westport.

Mary Stuart Masterson makes her film debut here as one of Joanna's children. Masterton is the daughter of Peter Masterson, who plays Walter Eberhart.

Nanette Newman (Carol Van Sant) is the wife of director Bryan Forbes.

Dee Wallace appears as Charmaine's maid.

Initially, Joanna Cassidy was cast as Bobbi. Her scenes were reshot.

Katharine Ross also appeared in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and its sequals, also written by William Goldman. Both films made use of her expressive eyes.

The Stepford Wives has a 67% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.com. Some critics deride its leisurely pace, but most applaud the "quiet, domestic" thrills the film delivers in the final third.

The film also created a fair amount of criticism at the time of release from feminist groups. However, the film is clearly pro-feminist. It has been compared to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, its sequals, and Coma.

Many sequels have been produced over the years including:

• Revenge of the Stepford Wives (1980) Starring Don Johnson, Sharon Gless, and Julie Kavner.
• The Stepford Children (1987) Starring Barbara Eden.
• The Stepford Husbands (1996) Starring Donna Mills and Michael Ontkean
• The remake The Stepford Wives (2004) Starring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick

• Married with Children - Season 11, Episode 10 was titled, "The Stepford Peg", where Peg (Katey Sagal) bumps her head on the coffee table after slipping on a candy wrapper and becomes a stereotypical housewife thanks to Al (Ed O'Neill) implanting suggestions that she does do housework.
• The Chronicle - Season 1, Episode 18 was titled, "The Stepford Cheerleaders."
• Homeboys in Outer Space - Season 1, Episode 10 was titled, "A Man's Place is in the Homey, or The Stepford Guys"
• Desperate Housewives - In Season 1, Bree Van de Kamp is said to be running for the "mayor of Stepford" because of her perfection.
• Newhart - Season 2, Episode 4 was titled, "The Stratford Wives."

Note: The BBC movie soundalike The Stretford Wives (2002) is not related at all, but it may have been a wink to the film and book.

• The Stepford Wives (1975) at the Internet Movie Database