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{{short description|1996 American drama film by Susan Streitfeld}}
{{short description|1996 American film by Susan Streitfeld}}
⚫
{{more citations needed|date=February 2011}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Infobox film
{{refimprove|date=February 2011}}
⚫
| name = Female Perversions
⚫
{{one source|date=February 2011}}
| image = Female Perversions film poster.png
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Susan Streitfeld
| producer = Mindy Affrime
| screenplay = {{Plainlist|
* [[Julie Hébert]]
* Susan Streitfeld
}}
| based_on = {{Based on|''Female Perversions: The Temptations of Emma Bovary''|[[Louise J. Kaplan]]}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* [[Tilda Swinton]]
* [[Amy Madigan]]
* [[Karen Sillas]]
* [[Frances Fisher]]
* [[Laila Robins]]
* [[Paulina Porizkova]]
* [[Clancy Brown]]
}}
| music = [[Debbie Wiseman]]
| cinematography = [[Teresa Medina]]
| editing = {{Plainlist|
* Curtiss Clayton
* Leo Trombetta
}}
| production_companies = {{Plainlist|
* {{nowrap|Trans Atlantic Entertainment}}
* ARD Degeto Film
* Starhaus Filmproduktion
}}
| distributor = [[October Films]]
| released = {{Film date|df=no|1996|1|22|[[Sundance Film Festival|Sundance]]|1996|11|21|Germany|1997|4|25|United States}}
| runtime = 120 minutes
| country = {{Plainlist|
* United States
* Germany
}}
| language = English
| gross = $926,954<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0116293/ |title=Female Perversions (1996) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref>
}}
}}
⚫
{{italic title}}


'''''Female Perversions''''' is a 1996 [[drama film]], the first feature directed by Susan Streitfeld, which stars [[Tilda Swinton]], [[Amy Madigan]], [[Karen Sillas]], [[Frances Fisher]], [[Paulina Porizkova]], and [[Clancy Brown]]. It draws on insights from the 1991 book ''Female Perversions: The Temptations of Emma Bovary'' by the New York psychoanalyst [[Louise J. Kaplan]]. Aspects of female psychology, particularly the more morbid, are explored through the interactions of the characters and through their fantasies.
'''''Female Perversions''''' is a 1996 [[Erotic film|erotic]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] film directed by Susan Streitfeld (in her feature directorial debut), based on the 1991 book ''Female Perversions: The Temptations of Emma Bovary'' by American psychoanalyst [[Louise J. Kaplan]]. It stars [[Tilda Swinton]], [[Amy Madigan]], [[Karen Sillas]], [[Frances Fisher]], [[Laila Robins]], [[Paulina Porizkova]], and [[Clancy Brown]]. Aspects of female psychology, particularly the more morbid, are explored through the interactions of the characters and their fantasies.


==Plot==
==Plot==
Eve Stephens, a successful trial attorney in Los Angeles, is close to the high point of her career, which is being appointed as a judge. Her private life is less successful, however. She has occasional intense sex, sometimes with a male geologist John and sometimes with a female psychiatrist Renee, but the relationships lack warmth or commitment on her part. She is troubled by erotic nightmares and by flashbacks to the lives of her parents, centering on her unfeeling father and the suspicious death of her mother.
Eve Stephens, a Los Angeles trial attorney, is almost at the peak of her career: being appointed as a judge. Her private life is less successful. Beneath her cool exterior, Eve is filled with self-doubt and struggles to find satisfaction while conforming to society's expectations of her as a woman. She is troubled by erotic nightmares and flashbacks to the lives of her parents, centering on her unfeeling father and the suspicious death of her mother, Beth. Although she has occasional intense sex – initially with a male geologist called John, later with a female psychiatrist, Renee – the relationships lack warmth or commitment on her part. She also feels threatened by Langley Flynn, a younger woman being lined up to replace her as an attorney.


Both her professional and personal lives start unravelling when her intelligent but disturbed sister Maddie, who lives in a desert cabin, is arrested for repeated shoplifting. In the end, the two sisters begin to recognise the malignant influence of their parents on their lives and the unsatisfactory responses they unconsciously adopted, one seeking compensation in stealing and the other in sex.
Eve's professional and personal lives start to unravel when her intelligent but disturbed sister Maddie, a doctoral student whom Eve believes to be a [[kleptomania]]c, is arrested for repeated shoplifting. After Eve [[Bail|bails her out]], Maddie steals the "lucky suit" that Eve planned to wear to her interview with the [[California Governor]] about her potential judgeship. During the interview, Eve's anger toward Maddie manifests itself when she tells the Governor that she has no time for family. Feeling disadvantaged as a candidate by her status as an unmarried woman, Eve fears that this admission will cost her the appointment, and subsequently flies into a rage. The two sisters begin to recognize the malignant influence of their parents on their lives and the unsatisfactory responses they unconsciously adopted, one seeking compensation by stealing and the other by sex.

In the end, the Governor approves Eve's appointment. Later, Eve comes to the aid of Maddie's neighbor Edwina ("Ed"), a [[tomboy]]ish 13{{nbh}}year{{nbh}}old who uses [[Self-harm|self{{nbh}}harm]] to cope with the struggles of puberty. As Ed prepares to attempt suicide by jumping off a cliff, Eve runs up behind her and pulls her back from the edge. The last shot is of Ed's face pressed into Eve's lap.


==Cast==
==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Tilda Swinton]] as Eve Stephens
* [[Tilda Swinton]] as Eve Stephens
* [[Amy Madigan]] as Maddie Stephens
* [[Amy Madigan]] as Maddie Stephens
** Kirstie Tyrone as young Maddie
* [[Karen Sillas]] as Renee
* [[Karen Sillas]] as Renee
* [[Frances Fisher]] as Annunciata
* [[Frances Fisher]] as Annunciata
Line 22: Line 63:
* [[John Diehl]] as Jake Rock
* [[John Diehl]] as Jake Rock
* [[Paulina Porizkova]] as Langley Flynn
* [[Paulina Porizkova]] as Langley Flynn
* [[Dale Shuger]] as Edwina
* Dale Shuger as Edwina
* [[Sandy Martin]] as Trudy
* [[Sandy Martin (actress)|Sandy Martin]] as Trudy
* [[Marcia Cross]] as Beth Stephens
* [[Marcia Cross]] as Beth Stephens
* [[John Cassini]] as Gas Station Attendant
* [[John Cassini]] as gas station attendant
* [[Shawnee Smith]] as Make-Up Salesgirl
* [[Shawnee Smith]] as make-up salesgirl
}}

==Reception==
The film was rated 3.5 out of 4 stars by [[Roger Ebert]],<ref>[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/female-perversions-1997 Review by Roger Ebert], accessed February 15, 2021.</ref> 4 out of 5 stars by ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]''<ref>[https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1997-05-23/142452/ Review by ''The Austin Chronicle''], accessed February 15, 2021.</ref> and 3 out of 5 stars by ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine.<ref>[https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/female-perversions-review/ Review by ''Empire''], accessed February 15, 2021.</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' gave it a C grade.<ref>[https://ew.com/article/1998/04/03/female-perversions/ Review by ''Entertainment Weekly''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106110202/https://ew.com/article/1998/04/03/female-perversions/ |date=2015-11-06 }}, accessed February 15, 2021.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0116293}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{rottentomatoes|female_perversions|Female Perversions}}
* {{AFI film}}
* {{AllMovie title}}
⚫
* {{TCMDb title}}


⚫
{{DEFAULTSORT:Female Perversions}}
[[Category:1996 films]]
[[Category:1996 films]]
[[Category:1996 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1996 drama films]]
[[Category:1996 drama films]]
[[Category:American drama films]]
[[Category:1996 LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:American LGBT-related films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:1990s erotic drama films]]
[[Category:Bisexuality-related films]]
[[Category:1990s psychological drama films]]<!-- https://www.allmovie.com/movie/v135545 -->
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:American erotic drama films]]
[[Category:German drama films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:German films]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:German LGBT-related films]]
[[Category:American psychological drama films]]
[[Category:Lesbian-related films]]
[[Category:English-language German films]]
[[Category:LGBT-related drama films]]
[[Category:Films about female bisexuality]]
[[Category:Films about lawyers]]

[[Category:Films about sisters]]

[[Category:Films based on non-fiction books]]
{{LGBT-drama-film-stub}}
[[Category:1996 LGBT-related films]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:German erotic drama films]]
[[Category:German independent films]]
[[Category:German LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:German psychological drama films]]
[[Category:1990s LGBTQ-related drama films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:1990s German films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Debbie Wiseman]]
[[Category:English-language erotic drama films]]

Latest revision as of 04:58, 27 September 2024

Female Perversions
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySusan Streitfeld
Screenplay by
Based onFemale Perversions: The Temptations of Emma Bovary
by Louise J. Kaplan
Produced byMindy Affrime
Starring
CinematographyTeresa Medina
Edited by
  • Curtiss Clayton
  • Leo Trombetta
Music byDebbie Wiseman
Production
companies
  • Trans Atlantic Entertainment
  • ARD Degeto Film
  • Starhaus Filmproduktion
Distributed byOctober Films
Release dates
  • 22 January 1996 (1996-01-22) (Sundance)
  • 21 November 1996 (1996-11-21) (Germany)
  • 25 April 1997 (1997-04-25) (United States)
Running time
120 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Germany
LanguageEnglish
Box office$926,954[1]

Female Perversions is a 1996 erotic drama film directed by Susan Streitfeld (in her feature directorial debut), based on the 1991 book Female Perversions: The Temptations of Emma Bovary by American psychoanalyst Louise J. Kaplan. It stars Tilda Swinton, Amy Madigan, Karen Sillas, Frances Fisher, Laila Robins, Paulina Porizkova, and Clancy Brown. Aspects of female psychology, particularly the more morbid, are explored through the interactions of the characters and their fantasies.

Plot

[edit]

Eve Stephens, a Los Angeles trial attorney, is almost at the peak of her career: being appointed as a judge. Her private life is less successful. Beneath her cool exterior, Eve is filled with self-doubt and struggles to find satisfaction while conforming to society's expectations of her as a woman. She is troubled by erotic nightmares and flashbacks to the lives of her parents, centering on her unfeeling father and the suspicious death of her mother, Beth. Although she has occasional intense sex – initially with a male geologist called John, later with a female psychiatrist, Renee – the relationships lack warmth or commitment on her part. She also feels threatened by Langley Flynn, a younger woman being lined up to replace her as an attorney.

Eve's professional and personal lives start to unravel when her intelligent but disturbed sister Maddie, a doctoral student whom Eve believes to be a kleptomaniac, is arrested for repeated shoplifting. After Eve bails her out, Maddie steals the "lucky suit" that Eve planned to wear to her interview with the California Governor about her potential judgeship. During the interview, Eve's anger toward Maddie manifests itself when she tells the Governor that she has no time for family. Feeling disadvantaged as a candidate by her status as an unmarried woman, Eve fears that this admission will cost her the appointment, and subsequently flies into a rage. The two sisters begin to recognize the malignant influence of their parents on their lives and the unsatisfactory responses they unconsciously adopted, one seeking compensation by stealing and the other by sex.

In the end, the Governor approves Eve's appointment. Later, Eve comes to the aid of Maddie's neighbor Edwina ("Ed"), a tomboyish 13‑year‑old who uses self‑harm to cope with the struggles of puberty. As Ed prepares to attempt suicide by jumping off a cliff, Eve runs up behind her and pulls her back from the edge. The last shot is of Ed's face pressed into Eve's lap.

Cast

[edit]

Reception

[edit]

The film was rated 3.5 out of 4 stars by Roger Ebert,[2] 4 out of 5 stars by The Austin Chronicle[3] and 3 out of 5 stars by Empire magazine.[4] Entertainment Weekly gave it a C grade.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Female Perversions (1996)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Review by Roger Ebert, accessed February 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Review by The Austin Chronicle, accessed February 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Review by Empire, accessed February 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Review by Entertainment Weekly Archived 2015-11-06 at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 15, 2021.
[edit]
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