| The Stepford Husbands | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Original Novel: Ira Levin Screenplay: Ken Wheat Jim Wheat |
| Directed by | Fred Walton |
| Starring | Donna Mills Michael Ontkean Cindy Williams Sarah Douglas Louise Fletcher |
| Language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Edgar J. Scherick Mitch Engel |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Distributor | Victor Television Productions Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999 Video) |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Stepford Children |
| Followed by | The Stepford Wives (remake) |
The Stepford Husbands is a 1996 made-for-television sci-fi/horror film inspired by the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives. It was directed by Fred Walton with a screenplay by brothers Ken Wheat and Jim Wheat. Donna Mills, Michael Ontkean, Cindy Williams, Sarah Douglas, and Louise Fletcher all starred in the film. It is the third in a series of sequels inspired by the 1971 novel and the original 1975 film The Stepford Wives.
Contents |
In a prologue, a docile man suddenly kills his wife in a violent method, and then commits suicide.
Several months later, graphic artist Jodi and struggling author Mick Davison (Mills and Ontkean) move to Stepford, Connecticut, in the same house, hoping that life in the seemingly idyllic town will help rejuvenate their troubled marriage. Jodi reunites with old college friend Caroline (Williams) and meets the brilliant Dr. Borzage (Douglas) as well as the intimidating Miriam Benton (Fletcher), who heads a powerful women's group. Mick notices the docile men in the community, including Caroline's husband (who shows surprising moments of aggression), but befriends sloppy neighbor Gordon; both agree they are unnerved by the community. However, both Jodi and Mick are concerned when Gordon undergoes a radical behavior change after a stay at the Stepford Institute for Human Behavior, afterwords thinking only of wife Lisa, but ignoring his son and other interests.
Caroline subtly manipulates the Davisons and drugs Mick at a party. When Mick reacts to the drug, Jodi is convinced her husband has serious problems and commits him to The Stepford Institute for a cure. Mick is given mind altering behavioral therapy and psychotropic drugs, altering him to behave docily, but passionless. Jodi is concerned about the drugs Mick takes as part of the therapy; when she learns that the previous couple in her house (of the murder-suicide) was linked to heavy drugs, she replaces Mick's drugs with placebos. The serious side effects of the treatment becomes clear, the men can become violent, and Mick crashes and threatens to kill Jodi. They reconcile when he is convinced she didn't know of the Institute's motives or methods. (In essence, Caroline had made the decision for Jodi.) They plan to leave immediately.
Caroline has learned of the Davisons' plan to leave town. With the other residents, Caroline captures them in their own house. Mick is returned to the Institute for reconditioning, while Jodi is forced to escape to rescue Mick. Benton allows Jodi to find Mick in the Institute, but with Dr. Borzage, plans to kill her. Borzage, however, is alarmed by the out of control ethics and kills Benton with a hypodermic needle meant for Jodi. Borzage then allows the Davisons to escape.
In the epilogue, the fate of the town is not revealed, but Jodi and Mick have returned to New York, Mick has written a book about the experience, and a movie will soon be made.
The film first aired on May 14, 1996. It was filmed in North Carolina.
This is the third sequel in a string of stories suggested by, but not necessarily true to the original concept of the novel. The first sequel, Revenge of the Stepford Wives (1980) starred Don Johnson, Sharon Gless, and Julie Kavner and suggested a similar drug induced compliance. The second sequel, The Stepford Children (1987) starred Barbara Eden hewed closer to the original, but that time, the men were also transforming children of Stepford. This third sequel basically reverses the roles, with the women being the oppressors. Louise Fletcher's role, in particular, recalls the role of "Diz", the Men's Club President, in the original. The muddled 2004 film remains the closest to the original, but with an entirely different tone and ending.
The Executive Producer for the film is Edgar J. Scherick, who produced the first film.
The Stepford Husbands is generally considered to be a modestly budgeted and cliché-ridden film, with mediocre acting. The Hollywood Reporter said "it's hard to care since this is about as shabbily done as you can get with a good-and-scary, tried-and-true idea. Flat and dull, without passion, a sort of Stepford script."[1] Much of the bite is gone from with a lack of the black comedy found in other incarnations.
The film actually deviates from the original pro-feminist with a clearer message recognizing marriages aren't perfect, but still based in love. By having a strong central couple of Jodi and Mick, though troubled, this is one case where the spouse is not betrayed, perhaps suggesting the ending of the later 2004 remake. Unfortunately, the routine treatment and script dilute this message.
Another odd deviation is most of the men post-change are shapeless, dull, and not attractive. One of the major reasons the men of the original changed their wives was to render them as always beautiful and desirable sex objects. The women are pleased the men "listen to their feelings", but do not take full advantage of a "change". Critics wondered why the wives would be happy with such dullards. One review commented "The 'turnabout is fair play' tactic could have been handled intelligently, but this is not that film."
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