Why did it take fifteen years to bring this all-female remake to the screen?
In short: Diane English spent over a decade trying to modernize a 1939 classic, aiming to replace its catty reputation with a story of female solidarity. Despite a star-studded cast and a strict no-men-on-screen rule, the project faced years of development hell before finally reaching theaters as a polarizing box-office success.
The 2008 adaptation of The Women was a passion project for writer and director Diane English, who began drafting the screenplay in 1993. Her vision was to update the 1939 original and 1936 play by Clare Boothe Luce, shifting the focus from the original's famously catty social dynamics toward a narrative of self-reliance and mutual support. This required significant structural changes, including the removal of the archaic Reno divorce ranch plot and several associated characters, with one character even being reimagined as a dog.
The production journey was fraught with instability. Early iterations in the mid-1990s involved high-profile stars like Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan, but the project stalled amid rumors of casting conflicts and the departure of director James L. Brooks. Over the following years, English navigated a revolving door of potential leads, including Sandra Bullock and Uma Thurman, before eventually developing the film as an independent production. Even after completion, Warner Bros. executives initially sidelined the film, only moving forward after the success of Sex and the City signaled a viable market for female-led ensemble stories.
Upon release, the film faced a stark divide between commercial performance and critical reception. While it grossed over $50 million worldwide, critics largely panned the work, with many lamenting a lack of the original's wit and charm. The film holds a 13% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the leading cast members collectively earned Razzie Award nominations for Worst Actress. Despite this, some reviewers, including Roger Ebert, praised the craftsmanship and the performances of the ensemble, noting that the film successfully functioned as a well-acted, if melodramatic, piece of entertainment.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Women (2008 film)
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