It is an old cliché that movie producers are misogynistic and that Hollywood adores the fake and promotes an unrealistic portrayal of modern American life. While not always true, decades of self-reflection and criticism have left a mark on modern America’s images of Tinseltown. “The Family of Mann,” directed by Margaux Weisman ’09 and performed in the ’92 Theater last weekend, picked up on these well known themes. Although it featured several impressive Wesleyan student performances, Theresa Rebeck’s script unfortunately fell into the stereotypes of Hollywood created decades ago.
“The Family of Mann” follows Belinda (Jessica Posner ’09), a story editor new to Hollywood after a short-lived career in academia. Belinda scores a job working on a new sitcom, “The Family of Mann,” with an unfortunate team of writers. Bill (Matt Connolly ’09) and Steve (Ben Smolen ’10) are more interested in telling fisting jokes than writing scripts, while the only other female writer, Sally (Sophie Finkelstein ’09), jumps at every opportunity to undermine Belinda’s career. Rebeck’s script juxtaposes this team of writers against the singsong dialogue and cringe-worthy jokes they create for middle America – an irony the audience enjoys during the first scene of the play, yet quickly finds wearied, as Rebeck constantly belabors this point throughout the show.
Ed (Chris Correa ’10), Belinda’s power-crazed, misogynist boss, demands absolute respect from his writers, and appreciates dumbed-down one-liners over the witty dialogue Belinda tries to write for him. Belinda finally finds a savior in Ren (Ben Gascoigne ’10), a former basketball player turned mediocre story editor. Yet Ren, too, falls for power-hungry Hollywood, rejecting Belinda in favor of Ed’s paternal adoration.
“The Family of Mann” featured many notable performances. Posner realistically fidgeted under Ed’s gaze while yearning for his approval. Correa portrayed Ed with gusto, sneeringly spitting his dialogue while enjoying the many benefits of the Hollywood “Boy’s Club” he created. Rebneck’s script, however, gave these talented actors little to work with.
As a newcomer to Hollywood, Belinda constantly faces the trials of an intelligent, talented woman in an utterly masculine market. Sally welcomes her to the studio with a warning anecdote explaining how, on her first set, a man whipped out his penis and told her to “suck it,” while Clara (Daphne Schmon ’09), the studio’s production assistant, endures sexual harassment on a daily basis. Yet Belinda is wildly unprepared for the Hollywood patriarchy she faces, and is taken completely by surprise when Ed fires her for questioning his authority.
Similarly, toward the end of the play, Ren asks Belinda why she came to Hollywood. Didn’t she know that the stereotypes were true? Didn’t she know she would face backstabbing, extraordinarily overpaid careerists that would stop at nothing to succeed? I found myself asking the same questions throughout the show, trying to understand Belinda’s motivation as she left academia for Hollywood. Was money really the only reason? If so, I found it difficult to sympathize with Belinda as she faced misogynistic bosses and all-night rewrites. Hadn’t she heard the horror stories?
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