Mrs. Perry once said, 'It seems women are always getting killed or raped, and those are men's fantasies we're seeing, right?'” So true. I’ve thought that since I was old enough to watch movies. What a wonderful article.
Oh my goodness! I had forgotten "The House Without a Christmas Tree" and "David and Lisa" and certainly had no idea the same mind was behind them! Thank you, Michael Gonzales! My mom's favorite book is "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing," too.
It also resonates with me about seeing powerful women in the news and doing things, growing up (I'm 57). I wish today's kids had that, but I don't think they do.
"The House Without a Christmas Tree" was my favorite holiday special (next to Charlie Brown) when I was a kid. You can find the entire movie on YouTube.
I am 56 and was thinking the same thing. The women who succeeded in the 1970s were honest about the difficulty of the path. There are many brilliant and powerful women today but we act as if the path has been cleared, as if we have “won” feminism and their accomplishments are expected and not significant. The lie of the post-racist, post-feminist society is being exposed by the current situation which is showing how disposable human rights are.
🎄🎄🎄Everything about this is amazing! The House Without a Christmas Tree was one of the first things I googled when googling became a thing. I’m fairly certain it’s where I picked up the fixed and sort of stubbornly crazy idea that I was going to become a writer. It’s the little girl’s plan of escape in the movie. Although I guess now I’m realizing … it was Eleanor Perry’s. Really I can’t thank you enough for this deep dive. It’s like I asked someone to research something that’s been haunting me my whole life. [And then Sari published it!!] Oh, and Blue Pages are not a thing of the past! [The first revision after the production draft is blue, the second is pink, etc., etc.] That is such a fucking great title for a book about a screenwriter. 💘🙏🏻💘🙏🏻
Thank you Gina. I'm with you about "A House Without a Christmas Tree." I watched it on YouTube while working on this piece and it still holds up. I'm so happy you enjoyed the piece. I want more folks to be aware of Ms. Perry and her work.
This is excellent. Unfortunately women face a lot of the same challenges today more than ever. Men are who they are but it is the women who disappoint and sometimes hold us back - "not every woman should be considered an ally." So true.
This was a fascinating and informative read for me and sparked memories of “ The House Without A Christmas Tree “. When I was a first year teacher one of the staff members introduced this book to me and gifted me a copy. She had been reading this story to her students over the years and thought I might want to introduce it to the children. And, that is exactly what I did year after year. This book by Gail Rock led to many thoughtful and deep discussions with my students about life, kindness,caring, life’s hard challenges, love and how families are not all the same. I could barely get through reading this book to the children without tears. I would also bake them cookies and wrap them in wax paper tied with string. ( If you’ve read this book you’ll know the connection. )
Thank you Michael A. Gonzales for this retrospective about Eleanor Perry.
I will remember your remembrance of this book when I read it or view the film. Very touching. Especially teaching children that all families are not the same.
If I had been a boy I would have been David, because, yeah, my mom was determined to name me after one or the other emotionally disturbed teens from the film.
Ah! Diary of a Mad Housewife! This was a "literary" screenwriter, as Sue Kaufman is one of the great, great novelists of the last century, now somehow forgotten.
I am a screenwriter and filmmaker who knew NONE of this history. Now I can't wait to learn more about Eleanor -- aka, I'm going to read her book. Thank you!
I love this post, with so many good memories of movies I've enjoyed. The 60s brought us into a new era of interesting movies. I missed The Swimmer but recall reading Cheever's story. Thank you for this.
Thanks for reintroducing me to some of her early films. The big takeaway here for me is: in the time period she was most prolific and creative she wasn’t able to have creative control because she was female and therefore discouraged and discounted- ironic considering she often dealt with women’s emotional distress.
Oh wow. I can’t wait to check out some of these movies. I love the top photo of them and the one with Capote. I think you need to write a book about Eleanor! What a life.
Mrs. Perry once said, 'It seems women are always getting killed or raped, and those are men's fantasies we're seeing, right?'” So true. I’ve thought that since I was old enough to watch movies. What a wonderful article.
Thank you very much Helene.
Oh my goodness! I had forgotten "The House Without a Christmas Tree" and "David and Lisa" and certainly had no idea the same mind was behind them! Thank you, Michael Gonzales! My mom's favorite book is "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing," too.
It also resonates with me about seeing powerful women in the news and doing things, growing up (I'm 57). I wish today's kids had that, but I don't think they do.
"The House Without a Christmas Tree" was my favorite holiday special (next to Charlie Brown) when I was a kid. You can find the entire movie on YouTube.
I am 56 and was thinking the same thing. The women who succeeded in the 1970s were honest about the difficulty of the path. There are many brilliant and powerful women today but we act as if the path has been cleared, as if we have “won” feminism and their accomplishments are expected and not significant. The lie of the post-racist, post-feminist society is being exposed by the current situation which is showing how disposable human rights are.
Wells said.
Exactly
Fascinating. I loved learning about Eleanor Perry. Thanks for publishing this.
🎄🎄🎄Everything about this is amazing! The House Without a Christmas Tree was one of the first things I googled when googling became a thing. I’m fairly certain it’s where I picked up the fixed and sort of stubbornly crazy idea that I was going to become a writer. It’s the little girl’s plan of escape in the movie. Although I guess now I’m realizing … it was Eleanor Perry’s. Really I can’t thank you enough for this deep dive. It’s like I asked someone to research something that’s been haunting me my whole life. [And then Sari published it!!] Oh, and Blue Pages are not a thing of the past! [The first revision after the production draft is blue, the second is pink, etc., etc.] That is such a fucking great title for a book about a screenwriter. 💘🙏🏻💘🙏🏻
Thank you Gina. I'm with you about "A House Without a Christmas Tree." I watched it on YouTube while working on this piece and it still holds up. I'm so happy you enjoyed the piece. I want more folks to be aware of Ms. Perry and her work.
I'm so glad, Gina!!
🙏🏻I’m going to look for it on You Tube!! And I also really do want to read the memoir.
This is excellent. Unfortunately women face a lot of the same challenges today more than ever. Men are who they are but it is the women who disappoint and sometimes hold us back - "not every woman should be considered an ally." So true.
This was a fascinating and informative read for me and sparked memories of “ The House Without A Christmas Tree “. When I was a first year teacher one of the staff members introduced this book to me and gifted me a copy. She had been reading this story to her students over the years and thought I might want to introduce it to the children. And, that is exactly what I did year after year. This book by Gail Rock led to many thoughtful and deep discussions with my students about life, kindness,caring, life’s hard challenges, love and how families are not all the same. I could barely get through reading this book to the children without tears. I would also bake them cookies and wrap them in wax paper tied with string. ( If you’ve read this book you’ll know the connection. )
Thank you Michael A. Gonzales for this retrospective about Eleanor Perry.
Thank you too. What a wonderful story.
I will remember your remembrance of this book when I read it or view the film. Very touching. Especially teaching children that all families are not the same.
If I had been a boy I would have been David, because, yeah, my mom was determined to name me after one or the other emotionally disturbed teens from the film.
Oh, wow.
Yes, WOW!
Ah! Diary of a Mad Housewife! This was a "literary" screenwriter, as Sue Kaufman is one of the great, great novelists of the last century, now somehow forgotten.
I am a screenwriter and filmmaker who knew NONE of this history. Now I can't wait to learn more about Eleanor -- aka, I'm going to read her book. Thank you!
Thank you for reading it.
Perfect!
I love this post, with so many good memories of movies I've enjoyed. The 60s brought us into a new era of interesting movies. I missed The Swimmer but recall reading Cheever's story. Thank you for this.
what an ICON. thanks so much for introducing me to her.
Thanks for reintroducing me to some of her early films. The big takeaway here for me is: in the time period she was most prolific and creative she wasn’t able to have creative control because she was female and therefore discouraged and discounted- ironic considering she often dealt with women’s emotional distress.
Wow. I learned so much. This was a wonderfully researched profile. Thank you for sharing. I’m eager to watch and read some of her work. Appreciated.
You are so welcome. Thank you for your kind words.
Oh wow. I can’t wait to check out some of these movies. I love the top photo of them and the one with Capote. I think you need to write a book about Eleanor! What a life.
Thank you for this. New for me. I’m eager to watch the diary of a mad housewife, the swimmer, and the house about a Christmas tree.
I love old movies … it’s great to get the backstory. Thank you.
You are very welcome. Enjoy the films.
Mike, you know I am a fan of your writing. This essay is enthralling!
Having worked in the film industry, I enjoy learning about women who did the award-winning work and did not get the full credit.
Hi Maura! Thank you very much. So many contributions to the things we love become buried, I was so glad to shed a little light on Eleanor Perry.