Dorothy Arzner
Stuff You Missed in History Class
Legacy of a Trailblazer: Dorothy Arzner
This chapter explores the later years of pioneering filmmaker Dorothy Arzner as she transitioned to teaching at prestigious institutions like UCLA. It highlights her innovative educational methods, significant impact on the film industry, and the ongoing recognition of her legacy, including a building dedication at Paramount Studios.
00:00
Transcript
Play full episode
Transcript
Episode notes
Dorothy Arzner wasn’t the first female film director in the U.S., but she was really the only one working in the studio system during most of the period that’s known as the Hollywood Golden Age. Her short career was still incredibly prolific.
Research:
- "Dorothy Arzner." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631009688/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=19d5d3af. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
- Bryant, Sara. “Dorothy Arzner’s Talkies: Gender, Technologies of Voice, and the Modernist Sensorium.” Modern Fiction Studies , Summer 2013, Vol. 59, No. 2, Women's Fiction, New Modernist Studies, and Feminism (Summer 2013) Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26287651
- Casella, Donna R. “What Women Want: The Complex World of Dorothy Arzner and Her Cinematic Women.” Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media , SPRING & FALL 2009, Vol. 50, No. 1/2 (SPRING & FALL 2009). https://www.jstor.org/stable/41552560
- Chuba, Kirsten. “Francis Coppola Helps Paramount Dedicate Building to Pioneer Director Dorothy Arzner.” Variety. https://variety.com/2018/film/news/dorothy-arzner-paramount-building-francis-coppola-1202715056/
- D’Alessandro, Anthony. “Francis Ford Coppola & Paramount Dedicate Studio Building To Trailblazing Female Filmmaker Dorothy Arzner.” Deadline. 3/1/2018. https://deadline.com/2018/03/francis-ford-coppola-paramount-dorothy-arzner-jim-gianopulos-1202307320/
- Field, Allyson Nadia. “Dorothy Arzner.” Women Film Pioneers Project. https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-dorothy-arzner/
- Geller, Theresa L. “Arzner, Dorothy.” Senses of Cinema. 5/2003. https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/arzner/
- Kuperberg, Julia & Clara. “Dorothy Arzner, Pioneer, Queer, Feminist.” Wichita Films. 2022.
- Lane, Christina. "Directed by Dorothy Arzner." Velvet Light Trap, fall 1996, pp. 68+. Gale OneFile: Business, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A90190315/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=04146780. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
- Levy, Carly. “Dorothy Arzner: The Only Female Director of the Golden Age.” Video Librarian. 4/21/2023. https://videolibrarian.com/articles/essays/dorothy-arzner-a-golden-age-era-female-director/
- Lewis, Maria. “Dorothy Arzner: mother of invention.” ACMI. https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/dorothy-arzner-mother-invention/
- Lugowski, David M. “Queering the (New) Deal: Lesbian and Gay Representation and the Depression-Era Cultural Politics of Hollywood's Production Code.” Cinema Journal , Winter, 1999, Vol. 38, No. 2 (Winter, 1999). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225622
- Madsen, Axel. “The Sewing Circle : Hollywood's greatest secret : female stars who loved other women.” London : Robson. 1996.
- Mayer, So. “Dorothy Arzner: Queen of Hollywood.” BFI. 3/7/2015. https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/dorothy-arzner-queen-hollywood
- Norden, Martin F. “Exploring the work of Dorothy Arzner as a film-making teacher in southern California.” Film Education Journal. 2022. https://doi.org/10.14324/FEJ.05.2.01
- Norden, Martin F., editor. “Dorothy Arzner: Interviews.” University Press of Mississippi. 2024.
- Tangcay, Jazz. “Women Were Better Represented in Hollywood During the Silent Film Era, AFI Study Reports (EXCLUSIVE).” 1/6/2023. https://variety.com/2023/film/news/women-hollywood-silent-film-era-american-film-institute-afi-1235480998/
- Tatna, Meher. “Forgotten Hollywood: Dorothy Arzner.” Golden Globes. 2/16/2022. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/forgotten-hollywood-dorothy-arzner-articles-forgotten-hollywood-dorothy-arzner/
- Tietjen, Jill S. and Barbara Bridges. “How Women Were Pushed Out of Hollywood—and Fought Their Way Back In.” Excerpt from "Hollywood: Her Story" The Helm. 4/22/2021. https://thehelm.co/hollywood-herstory-book/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
