The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory [Paperback]

Tania Modlesk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415901766 | ISBN-13: 978-0415901765 | Publication Date: March 16, 1988 | Edition: New edition

Tania Modleski claims that critical approaches to Hitchcock have falsely fallen into two camps: either he is seen as a misogynist, or he is seen as sympathetic to women in his demonstration of women's plight in patriarchy. In opposition to these positions, Modleski asserts that Hitchcock is ambivalent towards his female characters. Applying the theories of psychoananlysis, mass culture, and a broad range of film and feminist criticism, Modleski presents careful and fascinating readings of seven Hitchcock films from various periods in his career.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tania Modleski is Florence R. Scott Professor of English at the University of Southern California. Among her other books are Loving with a Vengeance and Feminism without Women. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; New edition edition (March 16, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415901766
• ISBN-13: 978-0415901765
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #606,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important work, October 23, 2010

By 

Mike (Astoria, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory (Paperback)

Fabulous, accessible writing! Deft use of theory makes for sensible critique. A book I go back to time and time again.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A feminist reading of seven of Hitchcock's films., December 16, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory (Paperback)

A fascinating though dense read for people interested in women's studies or Hitchcock. It ain't easy reading, but Modleski's perspectives of some of Hitch's best work (as seen through the lens of feminist criticism) is worth the struggle.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Primer for considering the place of women in film, May 30, 2001

By 

Chris S Hansen-Nelson (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory (Paperback)

This book was assigned reading for a Hitchcock class at NYU. I thoroughly enjoyed its even-handed approach to pondering the great film auteur's perspective on women as expressed in his films and the place of women in American films in general.

Although I might disagree with about 5-10% of her conclusions, I would still highly recommend this study.