‘Wanda’: Barbara Loden’s feminist masterpiece
In 1970, Tony-winning actor Barbara Loden turned her attention to filmmaking at a time when female directors were hard to come by. The androcentric nature of the film industry has routinely silenced the voices of women, often preventing the production of stories that ring true to the reality of the female experience. Yet, Loden’s only directorial feature, Wanda, is a searingly beautiful and raw depiction of a woman on the run – both literally and figuratively.
The film stars Loden as the aimless housewife Wanda Goronski, who decides to run away from her dead-end life. In her pursuit of internal discovery, Wanda is continually abused, whether that be physically or emotionally, by the various men she comes into contact with. Eventually, she finds herself on the run with Mr Dennis, a bank robber, with Loden using a real news story as inspiration. Shot through a gritty lens that feels documentary-like in its simplicity, Loden’s film communicates an honesty that is rarely afforded in glossy Hollywood cinema.
The director cited avant-garde filmmaking as a significant source of inspiration, such as Andy Warhol’s low-budget, experimental movies, which were aesthetically and thematically driven by imperfection and non-professionalism. Despite being married to Elia Kazan and starring in several Hollywood movies, Loden wanted to distance herself from the industry’s flashiness as much as possible. With Wanda, Loden offers an alternative space for a female story to be told from a woman’s perspective, using herself as inspiration.
She once explained: “It was sort of based on my own personality. A sort of passive, wandering around, passing from one person to another, no direction — I spent many years of my life that way.” Upon Wanda’s release, some critics were quick to label the protagonist as too passive. Yet, Loden allows her character to be vulnerable and complex – painting a chilling portrait of a life heavily shaped by the patriarchy’s tight grip.
At the same time, Wanda is not simply a victim defined by men with no voice of her own – the entire film charts her journey through hopeful discovery, even if the results are often tragically bleak. Thus, Loden suggests that attempting to find autonomy, identity and self-discovery in a world of deep-rooted misogyny and sexism – one that infiltrates every aspect of our lives, including our own minds – is not that simple.
Loden is fearless as Wanda, allowing the audience a glimpse into her real-life inner world. The film is confronting and unforgettable, and it is a true shame that she never made another feature. Wanda paved the way for many female filmmakers to pick up the camera and consider how form and content can work together to make a deeply feminist statement. The film’s very existence is revolutionary, and since Wanda’s release, few movies have explored female isolation and identity with as much breathtaking poignancy as Loden’s.
Watch the trailer for Wanda below.
