MovieChat Forums > Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) Discussion > Why is there nothing in the movie about ...

Why is there nothing in the movie about Parker's politics?


I enjoyed this film for what it was, but I think it is unfortunate that they left out Dorothy Parker's political activism. The filmakers have the right to concentrate on only part of her life, and they probably decided that her politics would not be entertaining to the typical movie audience that can't deal with complexity in characters, especially in women, but it's a crime that they reduced the legacy of a brilliant and talented woman to her failed love life and suicidal disillusionment. We see her only as a cynical drunk and a libertine, which was very amusing and showed she was independent and liberated, but there was much more to her than that. There was only a brief mention of her participation in the Spanish civil war in the interview at the very end and a hint about her involvement with the Hollywood blacklist when the actor bought her a drink, also at the end, but that's all. There is nothing else in the film that even hints that in the 1930s Parker became an outspoken advocate of civil rights and civil liberties except for a few words on the screen at the very end explaining that she left her estate to Martin Luther King Jr. She helped to found popular Hollywood anti-Nazi and anti-fascist organizations well before WW2 began and was branded as a Communist because of it as were many other patriotic Americans, but nothing is said of that. Most of the jokers of the round table became so sick of her politics that they abandoned her, even after the war proved her right. It's no wonder she badmouthed them later on as loudmouths and mediocre writers.

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The filmmakers have the right to concentrate on only part of her life, and they probably decided that her politics would not be entertaining to the typical movie audience that can't deal with complexity in characters, especially in women, but it's a crime that they reduced the legacy of a brilliant and talented woman to her failed love life and suicidal disillusionment.


My thoughts, exactly.

This filmmaker left plenty of room for others to write and produce a comprehensive movie worthy of Parker's legacy. What makes the lives of many famous writers interesting is their struggle with substances and finances and broken hearts and Dorothy Parker fits that mold well however this film fails to make a clear connection between the personal experiences and her body of work.

While I love so much about the film, my scathing criticism is that it is sexist (hateful) treatment of a woman's legacy. Not only do they silence her political views and actions by omitting them from the story, they also minimize the value of her work by spending way too much time focused on her personal life. Even the Algonquin table scenes are not connected to her influence on society, literary peers or her own writing.



Susan, "but I was thinking..." Leo, "STOP! Thinking is for losers!" - Scandal's satirical message.

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I find it sad that the "vicious circle" plays so little a part considering they consume half the title.
Such a fine cast too.
I think a mini-series about "The Ten Year Lunch" is long overdue. What a wonderful combination of acidic wit and knowledge. Far too much for a 2hr movie.

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