Around 1920, director Lois Weber (Katie Killhourhy), the first woman to ever director a feature film, and a director of so much esteem even the era's superstar Charlie Chaplin (Kris Salvi) respects her, was at the height of her game, owning her own production company and having a distribution deal with Paramount in her pocket, and she's a guiding like to female creatives of her era. But in 1921, with her feature What Do Men Want?, she goes too far - at least in the eyes of the (male) bosses of Paramount: As  What Do Men Want? carries an undeniable (and in fact very intentional) feminist message, they refuse to distribute the film, and when she needs his support most, her husband Phillips Smalley (Paul Noonan), an actor and director in his own right, who always felt a tad in the shadow of Lois, pretty much stabs her in the back (figuratively speaking of course) ...

Unfortunately, over the years Lois Weber has become a bit of a forgotten heroine of early film history - which of course makes this film all the more important as it smashes prejudice while at the same time focusssing on sexism unfortunately still prevalent in the film industry to this very day. But the film doesn't drive its message home with a sledgehammer but packs it into a rather engaging drama, and using a cinematic language very reminiscent of silent cinema without blindly mocking it, with the same going for the musical score. And a very able ensemble only helps to make this a joy to watch.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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