Commentary: This movie had me hooked on the cast alone. Then it kept me engaged with the narrative. THE GLORIAS takes a look at the life and legacy of journalist and freedom fighter Gloria Steinem. If you are expecting another Gloria there isn’t one. The Glorias in here are all one in the same, yet like all of us it is the journey of our own lives that make us who we are. (continued below)
September 30th, 2020 – On Digital and Streaming Exclusively on Prime Video #TheGloriasMovie
**Based on Gloria Steinem’s autobiography “My Life on the Road”**
Synopsis: Journalist, fighter, and feminist Gloria Steinem is an indelible icon known for her world-shaping activism, guidance of the revolutionary women’s movement, and writing that has impacted generations. In this nontraditional biopic, Julie Taymor crafts a complex tapestry of one of the most inspirational and legendary figures of modern history, based on Steinem’s own biographical book ‘My Life on the Road.’ THE GLORIAS (Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson, Ryan Keira Armstrong) traces Steinem’s influential journey to prominence—from her time in India as a young woman, to the founding of Ms. magazine in New York, to her role in the rise of the women’s rights movement in the 1960s, to the historic 1977 National Women’s Conference and beyond.
THE GLORIAS includes a number of iconic women who made profound contributions to the women’s movement, including Dorothy Pitman Hughes (Janelle Monáe), Flo Kennedy (Lorraine Toussaint), Bella Abzug (Bette Midler), Dolores Huerta (Monica Sanchez) and Wilma Mankiller (Kimberly Guerrero).
Taymor gives us her singular take on that rare genre- the Female Road Picture, one in which the female leads do not die in the end, and where the “narrative” is not driven by romance or a bad marriage, or unrequited love or, for that matter, men. Gloria’s road story is about her “Meetings With Remarkable Women”. And that is a love story in itself.
(continued) Throughout the movie we meet Gloria in different moments of her life. From recognizable magazine founder (Julianne Moore), the young, free spirit traveling the world (Alicia Vikander), and even the young woman (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) shaped and molded by her unconventional father (Timothy Hutton). Each story line is intriguing all its own and shows not only the woman but also the world in which we share.
Gloria Steinem broke a lot of ground for women in the 60s and 70s in a time when our country, and the world, was not so liberated. I enjoy films that allow us to view certain decades though the lens of a person’s life. The Glorias shines a light on my favorite decade, the 70s. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I was alive then but not old enough to engage or partake in the culture. I have memories of my mom, aunts, and older cousins. How cool they seemed to me in the clothes and style of the times.
The Gloiras is a long movie with over 2-hours of run time. There are parts that move faster than others but the decision to jump from timeline to timeline helps break any monotony. It is rated R for some language and brief lewd images. No one is going to the theater these days so the length is not as big an issue. Films like this will do better on your couch than in an uncomfortable movie seat.
I give it a B for bra burning. I feel it deserves that and did not grade it just for the chance to use that alliteration. I learned a lot about Gloria and it is always inspiring and encouraging to watch films that show glimpses of people and times defined our great nation.
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