Retrospective: Dorothy Arzner
Her name was destined to feature in our series of retrospectives on American cinema classics. The promise was made during the Ida Lupino retrospective, and now, we go back two decades to trace the achievements of Dorothy Arzner (1897–1979).
From her early beginnings in the silent film era to her later successes during the sound revolution, Arzner worked in Hollywood for nearly 25 years, spending 15 of them as a director and completing 16 films. Known as Columbus (for her discoveries), Napoleon (for her short stature and triumphs), and Cinderella (for starting with the simplest of jobs), Arzner’s name ultimately became its own brand.
She was one of the key directors of the great studio era, alongside legends like Frank Capra, John Ford, George Cukor, Ernst Lubitsch, and Josef von Sternberg. Her strength lay in shaping or elevating the careers of stars, not coincidentally—mainly actresses. But these weren’t just glamorous starlets, but spirited women like Clara Bow, independent suffragettes like Katharine Hepburn, and women fighting for themselves like Joan Crawford. She guided actresses like Clara Bow successfully through the transition to sound film and came to their aid when needed—such as producing dozens of Pepsi Cola commercials at Joan Crawford's request when her career hit a rough patch.
Arzner's career, however, was marked by the paradoxes of the time. Despite the media’s focus on her gender, Arzner denied facing significant obstacles because of it. A pioneer in the profession, she avoided discussions of gendered labor divisions, perhaps in part to shield her long-term relationship with another woman. Yet, it is precisely the unique way she portrayed women on screen that resonates with modern audiences, who are now keen to uncover the subtexts in her romantic comedies and melodramas.
The women in her films are certainly on both sides of the camera—they are objects of fascination and rulers of the gaze. The actresses' magnetism is emphasized by their costumes, close-ups of their hands and feet, and their metamorphoses. Female energy fills the collective scenes in dorms, hotels, dressing rooms, lecture halls, and bars. Second-wave feminists became particularly drawn to her work, especially Dance, Girl, Dance, whose famous scene, where a dancer directly addresses a male audience, has become a focal point in feminist film criticism. We invite you to discover what other surprises Arzner's remarkable filmography holds: Get Your Man, The Wild Party, Working Girls, Christopher Strong, and explore how contemporary filmmakers Julia and Clara Kuperberg interpret her legacy.
Get Your Man (1927)
In Paris, Nancy, a young American woman, crosses paths with Robert, the son of a French prince. After spending a night together in a wax museum, Nancy discovers that Robert is set to marry a marquis’s daughter. Unfazed, she devises her own plan to win his heart. This romantic silent comedy stars Clara Bow, the legendary “IT girl.” In the hands of this modern girl, tradition is a toy. Sexual magnetism allows her to manipulate the characters, and everyone loves her anyway. The film showcases the talent of Dorothy Arzner, a star creator.
The Wild Party (1929)
Stella lives in women's dormitory; she's the funniest and boldest among her fellow students. The girls share a close bond, especially when it comes to breaking the rules. When a new anthropology professor arrives, Stella becomes infatuated. In this lively romantic comedy, Dorothy Arzner and her star, Clara Bow, prove their skills in their first sound film. A film full of joyful, liberating, wild brawling.
Working Girls (1931)
May and June arrive in New York in search of work. They have neither money nor education, only their looks and sharp wit. They settle into a cheap hotel and set out to conquer the city. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this romantic comedy follows the sisters as they evolve through their experiences. Naive May gets into trouble, and modern June explains marriage issues with a revolver in hand. Directed by Dorothy Arzner, with a script by Zoë Akins and adapted from Vera Caspary’s play, the film's true strength lies in its razor-sharp dialogue and the women behind its creation.
Christopher Strong (1933)
Christopher Strong, a dedicated parliamentarian, husband, and father, crosses paths with Cynthia Darrington, a daring young aviator, at a ball. Known for breaking long-distance solo flight records, Cynthia soon becomes entangled in a romance marked by betrayal and scandal. Themes like infidelity and illegitimate children, daring for their time, could still be explored freely before the enforcement of the Hays Code. This film, featuring Katharine Hepburn in only her second role, solidified her stardom and remains one of Dorothy Arzner’s most enduring works.
Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
Judy and Bubbles, two cabaret dancers, set their sights on conquering New York. Judy, a classical ballerina, dreams of a theater career, but finds no success. Meanwhile, Bubbles rises to fame as a burlesque queen and hires Judy as her assistant, leaving her feeling out of place. Often regarded as Dorothy Arzner's most personal and boldest film, Dance, Girl, Dance has been celebrated by feminist critics as a landmark in the history of women's cinema.
Dorothy Arzner, pioneer, queer, feminist, dir. Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg (2023)
A documentary about Dorothy Arzner, the first woman to join the Directors Guild of America and a trailblazer in classic Hollywood. Arzner, who directed 16 feature films within the major studio system, shares her story through voice recordings from the 1970s. Her narrative is enriched by insights from female scholars and her former student, Francis Ford Coppola. Directed by Clara and Julia Kuperberg, known for their documentaries on American cinema history, including Ida Lupino: Gentlemen & Miss Lupino (2021).
Monika Talarczyk
