In the 1910s, Hollywood was a male-dominated industry. Female directors like Lois Weber and Alice Guy-Blaché were pioneers given rare opportunities to direct movies. However, there was one female director who was the only one of her gender working in Hollywood during the Golden Age. Her name was Dorothy Arzner. Arzner started in the industry as an editor and made her mark working from the 1920s to the 1940s as a film director. Film studies educators should include Dorothy Arzner as an example of a woman who had the courage to direct films in a male-dominated industry and provide new themes not commonly seen on the big screen.
Early Life and Career
Dorothy Arzner was born on January 3, 1897, growing up in Los Angeles where her father owned the Hoffman Café, a famous Hollywood restaurant. Many silent film stars and producers would go to this restaurant like Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Once she graduated from high school, Arzner enrolled at the University of Southern California where she studied medicine for two years. But after working in the office of a respected surgeon, Arzner decided that she no longer wanted to be a doctor.
According to Britannica, Dorothy Arzner worked as a typist for Famous Players–Lasky Corporation which would later be called Paramount. She then moved up from typing scripts to editing movies. After editing 52 films, Arzner impressed Paramount so much with films like Blood and Sand- particularly the bullfighting scenes. By the 1920s, she wrote and edited James Cruze’s Old Ironsides. In 1927, she was offered a directing position and only agreed to it if she could “be on a set for two weeks with an A picture.” Fashions for Women ended up being her directorial debut and became a commercial success. This followed silent films like Ten Modern Commandments and Get Your Man.
How Dorothy Arzner Broke the Mold as a Director
Dorothy Arnzer is recognized for being one of the earliest females to sit in the director’s chair and have a thriving career after the film industry transitioned to sound films. Her film collection broke the conventions of the “women’s film” genres by giving audiences strong female protagonists who make conflicting decisions. She began the 1930s with the film Sarah and Son about a woman abandoned by her abusive husband after he sells her child to a wealthy couple. Once she becomes an opera singer, she reclaims her child back. When Arzner made her first talkie The Wild Party in 1933, she came up with a technical innovation to move freely while working with sound equipment: a rig that had a microphone attached to a fishing rod. This is now called “the boom mic."
Most Notable Films
This female pioneer was also known for the themes of unconventional romances as in Christopher Strong. This pre-Code romantic drama starring Katharine Hepburn was about a female aviator falling in love with a married man and the wife forgiving her. Arzner subverts expectations by having the two women share a genuine connection instead of rivals.
One of Arzner’s most notable works is Dance, Girl, Dance. Starring Lucille Ball in a dramatic role and co-starring Maureen O’Hara, this film is about two dancers vying for their chance in the spotlight and the affections of a male suitor but supporting one another at the same time.
Later Life
One Dorothy Arzner’s last films, First Comes Courage is about a Norwegian spy during the Nazi occupation who gives up the man she loves for her own independence. After experiencing pneumonia during the production of this war film, Arzner decided to retire from directing movies.
However, Dorothy Arzner’s time with films wasn’t over. She taught the first class on filmmaking at the Pasadena Playhouse, directed films for the Women’s Army Corps during WWII, and more than 50 Pepsi-Cola commercials in the 1950s. She even became a member of Pepsi-Cola’s board of directors. In the 1960s, Arzner taught film at the University of California for four years. In Arzner’s last years, she left Hollywood and moved to the desert where she passed away in 1979 at the age of 82.
Legacy
Dorothy Arnzer’s work was reappraised in the 1970s by feminist film theorists for the depictions of female sexuality, gender, and the focus on female relationships.
She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and even has a dressing room building in Paramount dedicated to her.
Dorothy Arzner should be celebrated for being a female trailblazer during the Golden Age of Hollywood and for offering audiences a different perspective on femininity and female friendships.
How can teachers and librarians use Dorthy Arzner's films as an educational resource?
Screenings and Discussions: You could organize screenings of Arzner's films, either in a classroom or library setting, followed by discussions with students or library patrons. These discussions could explore the themes and techniques of Arzner's films and their relevance to contemporary issues.
Feminist Film Studies: Arzner's work has been celebrated for its feminist perspective, making her films excellent material for feminist film studies courses. Students could analyze her films in the context of feminist film theory and explore the ways in which Arzner's work challenges and subverts traditional gender roles and stereotypes.
Film History: Arzner was a trailblazer for female directors in Hollywood, making her an important figure in film history. You could use her films to teach students about the history of women in film and the challenges they faced in a male-dominated industry. Students could also explore Arzner's legacy and the impact she had on future generations of female filmmakers.
Creative Writing: Arzner's films could also inspire creative writing projects. Students could be tasked with writing their own screenplays or short stories that explore similar themes to Arzner's work. They could also be challenged to create their own films, using Arzner's innovative techniques as a guide.