By Joan Amenn Mr. and Mrs. Charles (William Powell, Myrna Loy) have just arrived in New York City for the holiday season and they are ready to party! However, there seems to have been a murder committed and Nick Charles is called out of retirement to solve it, mostly to amuse his wife. Noir, comedy and season’s greetings all mix uniquely in “The Thin Man” … Continue reading In Their Own League Advent Countdown: 1. The Thin Man (1934)
By Joan Amenn It’s already that time of year when film fans start compiling lists of their favorites and the great team at Scarecrow Video are jotting them down and checking them twice. We got to sit down with Emalie Soderback and Kevin Clarke from Scarecrow’s fun YouTube program, “VIVA PHYSICAL MEDIA!” which you should definitely check out (VIVA PHYSICAL MEDIA episode 28 – YouTube) … Continue reading Interview: Scarecrow Video Chats About Their Favorite Films of 2021 Directed by Women
By Joan Amenn Few actresses are indelibly linked to the genre of film noir as Lauren Bacall. Thanks in no small part to her falling in love with her co-star Humphrey Bogart while making her film debut in “To Have and Have Not” (1944) Bacall became the female counterpart to his noir “tough guy” image. Their chemistry was so electric they were teamed up two … Continue reading The Big Sleep and the Femme Noir: #Noirvember Retrospective
By Kate Boyle There are few people more recognizable in the world of television than Shonda Rhimes. She is an accomplished screenwriter, producer, and author. When her name is attached to a project, it guarantees a carefully woven plot filled with intrigue, tension, and gut-wrenching moments that will haunt viewers for years to come. I don’t know what’s more dangerous, getting attached to a Game … Continue reading Spotlight: Shonda Rhimes
The chaotic plot narrated by Quinn (who often breaks the fourth wall and dazzles the audience) is well-crafted and entertaining. But what makes it even more exciting are multiple fighting sequences and phenomenal stunts. Continue reading #WomeninAction: ‘Birds of Prey’, Glitter Bombs, and the Importance of a Hair Tie
In the month of August, we at In Their Own League are focusing on Women in Action; female-led films in the action genre. For this piece I’ll be looking back at the work of Helen Gibson, a truly amazing woman from the silent film era who is dubbed “Hollywood’s First Professional Stunt Woman”. Continue reading Spotlight: Helen Gibson, Hollywood’s First Professional Stunt Woman
When Disney’s “Frozen” came out in 2013, it truly seemed like a cultural reset. Disney parks were flooded with little girls in Elsa dresses and you couldn’t escape hearing Idina Menzel singing “Let It Go” even if you wanted to. While Brenda Chapman had directed “Brave” the year before, “Frozen” marked the first time that a Walt Disney Animation Studios film was directed by a woman. Jennifer Lee also wrote the script, along with co-directing, and it seems fitting that a film so focused on the love between two sisters would be the first at the studio to have a female director.
However, while the character of Elsa got all the glory, her younger sister Princess Anna has been majorly overlooked. Voiced by the talented and sunshine-y Kristen Bell, Anna has a character arc just as touching as Elsa’s throughout “Frozen” and its sequel “Frozen II” (2019). Continue reading Animated April: Spotlight on Princess Anna from “Frozen”
Walt Disney Animation Studios has dominated the animation industry and set standards, expectations, and provided joy for audiences for almost a century. An industry mostly controlled by men was shook up by an extremely influential woman, who would eventually become a legend in the animation world. Her name was Mary Blair. Mary Blair started as a watercolour artist before she became one of the most influential colourists and stylists of all time. Continue reading Animated April: Mary Blair- Colours and Emotions
The first Mexican actress to work in Hollywood during the silent era was Dolores Del Rio. Born on August 3, 1904, in Durango, Durango, Mexico, Dolores was born into an elite family raised surrounded by expensive gifts, grand haciendas, where she was treated like a princess. At a very young age, she would be nicknamed “Lolita” by close family and friends. Continue reading Women’s History Month: Dolores Del Rio
Many women have been called “The It Girl” throughout the past century, but it’s Clara Bow that the term was created for. The actress who helped define what it meant to be a flapper in the 1920s played a shop-girl who wins the heart of her employer in the 1927 box office hit “It” and soon was being called “The It Girl.” Bow had “It” in spades: that sex appeal and vivacious charm that defined the modern woman. And yet, for all her success, Bow had a challenging life and struggled with mental health problems. She once said: “All the time the flapper is laughing and dancing, there’s a feeling of tragedy underneath. She’s unhappy and disillusioned and that’s what people sense.” Continue reading Women’s History Month: Clara Bow
In Their Own League 