Movie review – “Wanda” (1970) *1/2

One of the few American films made by a female director at the time and as such importance in feminist cinema history but I found it a little dull. It was directed by and stars Barbara Loden, who was married to Elia Kazan. She plays a dopey woman who leaves her husband and falls in with a small time hoodlum. The plot is actually similar to the sort of exploitation films New World would later make (eg Jackson County Jail) but here the excitement is drained from the story, except for the bit where Loden meets the hoodlum at a bar and you realise he’s holding it up. Other than that, some scenes which you think would be sure-fire. But I should be fair – if you like John Cassavetes movies you might dig this.