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Hollywood and Catholic Women:
Virgins, Whores, Mothers, and Other Images
by Kathryn Schleich
Hollywood and Catholic Women is one of the texts being used in the Religious Women in Film course being taught at the University of South Carolina, in the Department of Religious Studies for Fall 2007. This is exactly what I had in mind when I wrote the book - to expand perceptions and knowledge of how Catholic women are portrayed in film. The second goal is to encourage others to engage in new research on a fascinating and important topic.
Hollywood and Catholic Women provides an intriguing look into the portrayal of Catholic women in American film. For an excerpt from Hollywood and Catholic Women, click on Excerpt.
Book Description
For years, actresses have been commenting on the dearth of interesting movie roles for women. Virgins or vamps, but few women of depth, few complicated women with conflicting emotions or moral uncertainty. Author Kathryn Schleich wondered why women in Hollywood have so few choices.As an adult convert to Catholicism, Schleich was introduced to the equally patriarchal hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Seeing the reality of Catholic women being barred from full participation in so many of the important, meaningful practices of the Church, Schleich again asked, “Why?”
So, in the same way someone put peanut butter and chocolate together in one bite-sized package, Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers, and Other Images was born.
Why should a group of nuns who have escaped East Germany need the help of a wandering handyman to build a chapel? How is it that the brutal murder of a whore can trigger the redemption of an ambitious priest? And why can’t Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby live the religious life, side by side, happily ever after? Both entertaining and insightful, Hollywood and Catholic Women addresses important questions about women in the Church and women in Hollywood and should spark lively debate.
Kathryn Schleich discovered her passion for writing in her teens and has been published both regionally and nationally. Her interest in the portrayal of women in the media, her love of film, and conversion to Catholicism as an adult were the impetus for this work.
For an excerpt from Hollywood and Catholic Women, click on Excerpt.
Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers, and Other Images; Format: Paperback; Size : 6 x 9; Pages: 126; ISBN: 0-595-30303-X; Published: 11/03; Price: $13.95 US, $18.95 Canada
Purchase the Book
Hollywood and Catholic Women may be purchased directly through iUniverse by calling 1-877-823-9235 for Customer Service. The book may also be purchased off the web site at www.iuniverse.com. Once on the site, enter Hollywood and Catholic Women in a title search or the ISBN number and follow the purchase instructions.
If you know of others who are interested in the topic, please tell them about Hollywood and Catholic Women. Thank you for your interest and enjoy!
If you’ve read Hollywood and Catholic Women and would like to comment send us an e-mail via kathrynschlei777@yahoo.com and tell us what you think.
ReviewsMeticulously deconstructing female roles in movies
Rated Five out of five stars by Midwest Book Reviews"Knowledgeably written by Kathryn Schleich (an adult convert to Catholicism), Hollywood And Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers, And Other Images blends two seemingly disjoint questions into a thoughtfully reasoned whole: "Why do Hollywood roles for women tend to typecast them as virgins or vamps, with little depth or complexity?"; and "Why are Catholic women to this day restricted from full participation in many meaningful practices of the Church?". Deftly exploring the history of how women have been perceived in Catholicism, and meticulously deconstructing female roles in movies such as "The Song of Bernadette", "True Confessions", "Sister Act", "Dogma", and others, Hollywood And Catholic Women is a unique, thoughtful, and thought-provoking survey and commentary of institutionalized of Catholicism and Hollywood studio perspectives with respect to and its lasting impact upon the female gender."
Bookviews by Alan Caruba, April 2004"Another book about women is so unique that it deserves notice. It is Kathryn Schleich’s Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers and Other Images (iUniverse). The author examines how the Church has dealt with women throughout its long history and how Hollywood has adopted its point of view in films such as Song of Bernadette, The Bells of St. Mary’s, A Nun’s Story, Agnes of God, and even Sister Act, to name just a few of those examined for their content and their message. You don’t need to be Catholic to enjoy this intellectual journey and I think any woman will find it resonates with her life."
This book is now recommended among our Featured Books.
"Kathryn Schleich's well-researched and highly readable analysis of how Catholic women are portrayed in film should be a requirement for any serious student of either women's issues or film or even the role of religion as it relates to society. It contains a wealth of information and insight and draws a very interesting relationship between the static patriarchy of the Catholic church and the male-dominated Hollywood production system.
"Schleich presents a helpful glossary for non-Catholics and a useful overview of how women historically have been treated by the Catholic church with special attention paid to the impact -- or lack of same -- of the Second Vatican Council. Thus prepared the reader is then taken through 15 films (seven which Schleich refers to as of the clerical/religious genre and eight of the non-clerical/religious genre), given a brief synopsis of each film and then the author's intelligent analysis of the role of women and the church within each film.
"Discussing such issues as the archetypal roles the church has assigned to women, the virgin-whore dichotomy, and the legitimacy of a male institution making decisions about women's lives, the author shows how these concerns and more play out both in the church in reality and in the movies as fiction.
"An intriguing selection of films is made from the obvious (The Bells of St. Mary's and The Nun's Story) to the less obvious (Looking for Mr. Goodbar and Return to Me) to the truly inspired (Dogma). One just wishes she had included more. Personally I'd love to know her analysis of Household Saints or The Crime of Padre Amaro but perhaps there is a volume two already brewing in the author's mind. Let's hope so."Beverley Buehrer has been a freelance writer since 1980 authoring numerous articles on film and history. She also is a contributing writer to Magill’s Cinema Annual and has published three books on film (Cary Grant: a Bio-bibliography, Boris Karloff: a Bio-bibliography, and Japanese Films). In addition to her many writings covering cinema, Buehrer is an instructor at Kishwaukee College where she teaches philosophy and history, as well as Continuing Education courses on writing and film.
This was very interesting, even for a non-Catholic. It certainly sparked some lively conversation--okay, arguments, really--but always intellectually challenging and never resolved. In these troubling political times, it seems wise to revisit the place of women in strict, male-dominated hierarchies, or, more accurately, oligarchies. The lessons of Hollywood and Catholic Women should remind us all of how precarious women's gains are, how easily stripped of rights and responsibilities we may be by a handful of powerful men who think they know what's best for us all. Christine, Minneapolis, MN
When I first started reading the book my interest waned considerably as I thought that the overriding theme was overdone in a chauvinistic manner, along with a little paranoia as it related to the treatment of Catholic women, and women in general. In any event, I continued reading the book until I seriously became interested. The first chapter or two were difficult for me to understand and appreciate, and I can only say that I was glad that I got over that initial negative reaction. All in all, great book!
Jerry, Lincoln, NE
Thanks to Kathryn Schleich for not holding any punches at the patriarchy – wherever it shows its harmful face. I was not surprised that Hollywood mirrors the Church patriarchy’s treatment of women. Neither was I surprised at my disappointment in Hollywood’s failure to reflect the changes feminist Catholics have created in pews, schools, and communities around the world. I was delighted, however, at the insight and thought Schleich’s book shines on the contrast.Kay, Minneapolis, MN
Kathryn Schleich © 2009
10220 Country Club Curve
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