Biopics of Women

This book is an accessible overview of biographical fiction films of women and is structured around four of the most popular subjects of female biopics: queens and political figures; entertainers; writers; and subjects of current affairs. While the biopic is commonly accepted as a deeply conservative cinematic form that represents glorification of the past and of the self-made individual, a number of biopics of women challenge all of these characterizations. They show the genre to be much more complicated and challenging to regressive ideas than has been proposed, and open to different formats and thematic possibilities. Providing an overview of key subgenres complemented by analyses of key texts that illustrate major aspects of each category, Biopics of Women examines the development of biographical films in each area and the images of successful women they project in order to investigate the issues involved in women’s representation in the genre as a whole. This is a lively and readable text for students and scholars in Gender and Film, Gender and Media, and Women’s Studies.

Introduction Chapter 1: Biopic History and the Issue of Gender Chapter 2: Theoretical Approaches to the Biopic Chapter 3: Queens I: The Elizabeth I Films Chapter 4: Queens II: Elizabeth Is Not the Only Queen Chapter 5: Entertainers Chapter 6: Ripped from the Headlines Chapter 7: Writer Biopics Chapter 8: Conclusion Selected Bibliography

Karen Hollinger is Professor of English and Film Studies in the Department of Literature at the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University, USA. She teaches courses in Film Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Literature. She is the author of Feminist Film Studies (2012), The Actress: Hollywood Acting and the Female Star (2006), and In the Company of Women: Contemporary Female Friendship Films (1998).