The Stepford Wives (2004)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Frank Oz

Writers (WGA):

Ira Levin (book)
Paul Rudnick (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

Make one.

Plot:

What does it take to become a Stepford wife, a woman perfect beyond belief? Ask the Stepford husbands, who've created this high-tech terrifying little town, in a very modern comedy-thriller.

Plot Keywords:

Community | Writer | Connecticut | Housewife | Homosexual

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Joanna Eberhart
Matthew Broderick	...	Walter Kresby
Bette Midler	...	Bobbie Markowitz
Glenn Close	...	Claire Wellington
Christopher Walken	...	Mike Wellington
Roger Bart	...	Roger Bannister
David Marshall Grant	...	Jerry Harmon
Jon Lovitz	...	Dave Markowitz
Dylan Hartigan	...	Pete Kresby
Fallon Brooking	...	Kimberly Kresby
Faith Hill	...	Sarah Sunderson
Matt Malloy	...	Herb Sunderson
Kate Shindle	...	Beth Peters
Tom Riis Farrell	...	Stan Peters
Lorri Bagley	...	Charmaine Van Sant

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, thematic material and language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Malaysia:18PL | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40783) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:12 | Ireland:15PG (original rating) | Ireland:15 (video rating) | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG (edited for re-rating) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A

Filming Locations:

Darien, Connecticut, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Siblings John Cusack and Joan Cusack were originally cast as Walter Eberhart and Bobbie Markowe respectively, but had to drop out of the film for family reasons.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Moments before Walter drives to up to the Stepford community gates, the scenery outside his window shows cars passing by him even though he is driving on a one-way street.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Helen Devlin: Ladies and gentlemen, I would now like to introduce a legend in our industry. She's the most successful president in the history of our network and for the past five years has kept us at the very top of the ratings.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (2002)

Soundtrack:

The Star Spangled Banner

A MUST TO AVOID

Bryan Forbes got ir wrong the first time round, using his wife Nanette Newman, to play the perfect Stepford wife, but compared to this 2004 rendition of the wonderful Ira Levin work, the original is a masterpiece. The script is of the cheapest kind. Little TV jokes and no characters. Nicole Kidman, a superb actress, throws herself into the part but there is no part. Bette Midler, always a welcome relief, goes through her changes withous allowing us to understand or care how, when or why. Glenn Close, one of my favorites, does an embarrassing impersonation of a someone impersonating a Stepford wife. Who's idea was the gay couple? Please! It is, without question, one of the most ill conceived ideas ever put on film.