Mona Lisa Smile
Mona Lisa Smile is a 2003 American drama film produced by Revolution Studios and Columbia Pictures in association with Red Om Films Productions, directed by Mike Newell, written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, and starring Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The title is a reference to the Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and to the song of the same name, originally performed by Nat King Cole, which was covered by Seal for the movie. Julia Roberts received a record $25 million for her performance, the highest ever earned by an actress at that time.[3]
"Mona Lisa Smiles" redirects here. For the Jane Child song, see Here Not There.Plot[edit]
In 1953, 30-year-old Katherine Ann Watson takes an Art History teaching position at Wellesley College. Katherine quickly discovers her students have memorized the entire textbook and syllabus, so she introduces modern art and encourages discussion about what is good art. Katherine becomes challenged to encourage her students to achieve more than marriage.
Opinionated Betty Warren is outspokenly conservative and insists a universal standard exists for what is good art. She writes editorials for the college paper and exposes campus nurse and lesbian, Amanda Armstrong, for supplying contraception, resulting in her termination. Other editorials attack Katherine for advocating that women seek careers in addition to marriage. Betty is eager to marry her fiancé, Spencer, and expects the traditional married-student exemptions; however, Katherine insists she will grade her based on merit and expects her to complete all assignments and tests.
Connie Baker begins dating Betty's cousin, Charlie, but breaks it off after Betty claims he is seeing another girl named Deb. She says Connie is just a casual fling. However, some weeks later, Connie and Charlie reconnect, with him insisting that he had stopped seeing Deb the previous summer. Connie later angrily confronts Betty for being hurtful and lying.
Joan Brandwyn considers studying law, so Katherine encourages her to apply to Yale Law School. Joan is accepted, but declines admission to instead marry Tom Donegal. She tells Katherine that choosing to be a wife and mother does not reduce her intelligence. Katherine says she will eventually regret her decision.
Giselle Levy has liberal views about sex and has had several lovers. She admires Katherine for encouraging students to be independent, while earning Betty's enmity.
Katherine's California boyfriend, Paul, unexpectedly visits. Katherine declines Paul's marriage proposal and begins seeing Wellesley Italian professor, Bill Dunbar. Bill is charming and has many stories about Europe and his heroic actions in Italy during the war. He also has had affairs with students, including Giselle. Katherine insists he stop. When Katherine later learns Bill spent the entire war at the Army Languages Center on Long Island, she breaks up with him. Bill claims she did not come to Wellesley to help the students find their way, but rather her own path.
Betty's marriage falls apart after Spencer is seen with another woman. Betty leaves him but her unsupportive mother demands she work things out with her husband. Betty visits Giselle in her dorm, at first attacking her for her promiscuity, then breaking down and accepting her sympathy and support. Betty regrets maligning Katherine in her editorials. Eventually, Betty files for divorce, and she and Giselle plan to find an apartment in Greenwich Village. When Betty’s mother confronts her, Betty chastises her, and credits Katherine as being the only one who supported her and vows to live her own life.
Although Wellesley administrators disapprove of Katherine's progressive teaching methods, but because her course is popular, she is invited to return the next year, but under certain conditions: she must follow the school's syllabus, submit lesson plans for approval, stop giving students private advice, and maintain a strictly professional relationship with all faculty. Katherine resigns and prepares to explore Europe. Betty dedicates her last editorial to Katherine, calling her, "an extraordinary woman who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes." As she leaves in a taxi, the students follow on their bicycles, with Betty reaching out to say goodbye until the taxi speeds away.
Production[edit]
Melanie Lynskey auditioned for the roles of Connie and Giselle.[4]
Mona Lisa Smile
Box office[edit]
In its first weekend, Mona Lisa Smile opened at number two at the U.S. box office, earning US$11,528,498 behind The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.[5] By the end of its run, while the film had grossed a respectable $141,337,989 worldwide, its U.S. domestic gross did not meet its $65 million budget, falling short at $63,860,942.
Reaction from Wellesley and Wellesley alumnae[edit]
The college issued an official statement explaining their decision to allow the film to shoot on campus.[10]
In a message to Wellesley alumnae concerning the film, Wellesley College president Diana Chapman Walsh expressed regret about some of the reactions it generated, given that many alumnae from the 1950s felt that the film's portrayal of Wellesley was inaccurate.[11]