Female Perversions

The title of this film is dangerously misleading because the film might be thought to be pornographic, and many people who might otherwise find it interesting will not see it. (The contrary is also the case, that all the wrong people will want to watch it because they are titillated by the title. They will also react with violent antipathy, in the wake of their disappointment. The choice of title seems to have been a deliberate act of provocation.) The German title, translated, is 'Fantasies of a Woman', which is rather milder. The film is a feminist essay, and the title is intended to be ironical, the 'female perversions' referred to being those imposed upon women by a conventional male-dominated society, so that for instance being a housewife is regarded as one type of 'female perversion'. It seems somehow natural that the wildly experimental Tilda Swinton would have to be in this film: indeed, how could she say no? How could such a film be made without her? She seems to be everywhere that people and films are pushing the envelope. As usual, she is breathtakingly brilliant. A surprising addition to the cast is Frances Fisher, who made such an impact as Angie, the red-headed waitress in the diner, in the intriguing television series 'Strange Luck' in 1995-6, at about this same time. Here she does some rather unnerving 'exotic dance' routines, which all goes to show something, I'm still trying to decide what, but whatever the reason for this is, she does it very well and one would think she had been a stripper or a showgirl all her life if one did not know she had instead been an actress. Tilda Swinton is electric here as a career gal who is so tense she might snap like a wire stretched too taut. She is about to be made a judge, God help us! (Many judges are crazy or weird anyway, but she would be more so than most, as the film makes all too clear.) Tilda Swinton portrays an extreme neurotic, and 'looking good' is essential to her, so she is always doing and re-doing her lipstick (an insecure woman's last refuge). She is a control freak and insanely superstitious. For instance, if she cannot wear her white suit for an interview with the Governor of California (not Arnie, a fictional one) for a judgeship, because it is 'lucky', she falls apart. Her kleptomaniac sister sees to it that she cannot wear the suit to the interview. Things are pretty tense like this throughout, and there are many fantasy elements to this film written, produced, and directed by women with women for women. I don't believe this film can really be excused by a 'women searching for their identities' justification, and if one approaches it earnestly from that angle (which may have been the earnest intention of the makers, for all I know), it is a failure which verges on parody sometimes, and has pretentious aspects. The merits of the film are different, and concern the intensity of portrayal and the mysterious depths of character revealed, especially of hidden or suppressed motivations. The lesbian aspects of the film are not central, but merely a part of the evolving self-realization of Tilda Swinton's character. I am firmly convinced that men can never understand women and women can never understand men. I first came to realize this in my teens when the novelist Pearl Buck said to me that 'men and women are completely different species and can never hope to understand one another'. That shocked me a lot, I never forgot it, and it has been repeatedly verified. I have now come to the conclusion that Nature has designed things this way. The imperative of Nature is the propagation of the species. If men and women understood each other, that would get in the way of propagation, and many fewer babies would be born. Consequently, evolutionary pressures have seen to it that this can never happen, in order to safeguard the future of the species. That is why men like myself who do not regard women as inferior beings (as many of my gender definitely do) are so intrigued by 'the mystery of women' and interested to see attempts to make films like this one where women contemplate women and try to understand themselves. It is true that there are no admirable characters on offer here, and that they are all pretty horrible people. Nevertheless, this film manages to be fascinating, although it is understandable that it would cause a lot of contradictory reactions, some of them violently opposed to it, and some admiring and appreciative. If we want films to punch us in the ribs instead of putting us to sleep, this one certainly qualifies. This is what is called 'independent film making', and long may it continue.

This is a terrific film about women struggling to discover a way to find and develop their identity. While some of the allusions and metaphors can be a bit heavy handed, they are effective.

Eve (Tilda Swinton) is a lawyer about to be nominated for a judgeship. While her professional life is as much as she could wish, her personal life is a mess. She is involved with an architect (male) and a psychotherapist, Renee. But she is unable to connect with either. Her upbringing, devotion to her work, and desperate desire for control have left her emotionally stunted, unable to make a real connection to anyone around her.

One day, her sister is picked up for shoplifting. Eve rides to her rescue, and spends several days in the middle of nowhere, with an exotic dancer, a young girl just entering puberty, and a brilliant but shattered friend.

Many critics hated this movie (most guides give it just 2 or 3 stars) but I think they couldn't get past Eve's coldness. But this movie is a study in coldness, in emotional death and rebirth. But it is not Eve who is reborn. See it and judge for yourself.

Eve Stephens (Tilda Swinton) is a driven attorney about to become a judge. She uses her femininity to get what she wants and to rise to the top of her profession.

She has passions outside of work. She craves sexual satisfaction. Not emotional attachments mind you, but the satisfaction of satisfying sexual hunger. The difficulty in balancing the two is driving her mad, and makes for an excellent film about the role women play in the corporate world.

She is not satisfied with the executives in her firm; she also picks up Renee (Karen Sillas), a new psychiatrist in an elevator.

Her sister, Madelyn Stephens (Amy Madigan), fulfills her erotic desire by shoplifting. Eve is forced to deal with her problem to keep on track for the judgeship.

She also has problems dealing wither her replacement (Paulina Porizkova), who is considerably more attractive.

I am not sure about the fantasy sequences with what I guess to be an Earthwoman. There was enough interesting characters besides her sister - a woman who runs a bridal store (Laila Robins), a stripper (Frances Fisher) and an adolescent tomboy named Ed (Dale Shuger), who is into self-mutilation - that they could have kept it real.

"Female Perversions" is short on story and long on character as it peers into the life of an ambitious attorney (Swinton) who is far more confident in a courtroom than in her own insecure and sexually needy personal life. Apparently a sort of testament to the female condition, this flick by women about women surrounds Swinton with a conglomeration of neurotic females as it plods doggedly through a maze of peculiar behavior. On the upside, this deep character study offers some excellent performances as it explores its dark and aberrant landscape. On the downside, the film is a little over-the-top and glommed up with symbolism, dream sequences, and excursions into the surreal. Lacking in story, unpleasant in subject, and artsy-fartsy in execution, the common filmgoer may find this flick unsatisfying. However, for those into deep character studies and psychodramas, an interesting watch awaits. (B)

The compulsive, neurotic, deranged and bi-sexual efficient and tough lawyer Evelyn Stephens (Tilda Swinton) is depending on an interview with the Governor to be appointed as a judge in the court of law. Her kleptomaniac sister Maddie Stephens (Amy Madigan) is finishing her PhD in UCLA. While waiting for her interview, Eve has a simultaneous affair with John (Clancy Brown) and the psychologist Renee (Karen Sillas), and helps her mean sister to leave the jail, arrested in a shoplifting.

"Female Perversions" is a weird movie with bizarre characters. The sad soundtrack and the photography are very beautiful and the interpretations of the cast are excellent. However, although being intriguing and provocative in some moments, the story never reaches a point and sometimes becomes boring. Further, although having naked women and many sex scenes, they are not erotic and does not excite, at least under the view of a man. I did not like this movie, but I recognize that it is a stylistic film with great performances. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Desejos Femininos" ("Female Desires")