The movie Jane Fonda called a “turning point in my career”
American actor Jane Fonda made her film debut in 1960, playing the love interest of Anthony Perkins’ character in Tall Story. It didn’t take long for the actor to become a Hollywood star, following in the footsteps of her famous father, Henry Fonda. At the same time, her brother, Peter, also rose to prominence, suggesting that the Fondas were born with natural acting talent running through their blood.
While nepotism certainly helped bolster Fonda’s career, landing her opportunities on stage and screen with relative ease, her acting ability has always been undeniable. She became a key figure of the 1960s, quickly becoming a sex symbol following performances in movies such as Circle of Love, The Game Is Over and Barbarella, all of which were directed by her husband, Roger Vadim, whom she married in 1965. The director was well-known for his scandalous movies, famously helming And God Created Woman, starring Brigitte Bardot, in 1956.
However, Fonda started to find herself interested in feminism as the second wave of the movement picked up pace at the end of the 1960s. Feminist film theory was also beginning to emerge in the early 1970s, reconsidering how women were portrayed on screen. For Fonda, a fascination with gender politics began to shape her career choices, leading her to take on one of her greatest roles – Bree Daniels in Klute.
Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Klute follows Fonda’s character – a call girl – who finds herself at the receiving end of mysterious calls and letters from an unknown stalker. Fonda was initially hesitant to accept the role, writing in her memoir, My Life So Far, “I’d begun to wonder if it wasn’t politically incorrect to play a call girl. Would a real feminist do that?”
Luckily, her friend, Barbara Dane, offered some vital words of wisdom, “Jane, if you think you have room in this script to create a complex, multifaceted character, you should do it. It doesn’t matter that she’s a call girl, as long as she’s real.”
Fonda was keen to ditch her sex kitten image, and Klute provided her with the perfect opportunity. In fact, talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Fonda called the movie a “turning point”.
She explained, “I’d left my first husband [Vadim], moved back to the US, was becoming a feminist.”
Additionally, the actor compared working with Pakula to “dancing a great waltz” and highlighted how the movie gave her a chance to debut her new iconic haircut. “And that shag haircut!” she exclaimed, “I went to my husband’s barber and said, ‘Do something.’ It was a hair epiphany that everyone started to copy.”
In Klute, Fonda gives an incredible performance as Bree, imbuing her character with plenty of nuance that reflected her interest in the burgeoning feminist politics of the time. She won her first Oscar for the role, proving to be one of the industry’s finest stars.
