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A woman's role was one of house-maker and family organiser
and not only did she have to keep well dressed, but she had
to smile while doing the vacuuming or the laundry.
Careers - despite women joining the workforce during the
war years - were for chaps, unless it came to things like
teaching and nursing.
It is into this strange-to-modern-eyes world that we step
in Mona Lisa Smile, where art lover and teacher Katherine
Watson (Julia Roberts) has just arrived at Wellesley College,
a prestigious Massachusetts school for wealthy girls.
Her job is to teach the young women to appreciate art, but
finds they know all the basics and are not prepared to look
outside the acceptable or the established way things are looked
at.
Right from the start she has problems with getting them to
think for themselves and dare to do something with their lives
other than get married and raise a family. These are no career
girls despite their brains and money.
As you would expect, Watson has to battle the college establishment
and the families of her young charges, as well as some of
the rude little cows themselves.
Watch for Kirsten Dunst in arguably her most revolting role.
Mona Lisa Smile is a good, well-told story that will have
you absolutely gobsmacked at society's values in the 1950s
and how many young women were prepared to accept their allotted
roles in life.
Thank God it has changed.
Conclusion: Movie 85% Extras 80%
Continued:
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