About Mona Lisa Smile (HBO)

"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. The movie, set in the 1950s, follows an unconventional art history professor who teaches at the conservative all-female Wellesley College. The movie explores feminism, freedom, and change at a time when the place of a woman was considered predominantly to be the home.

Making / Production

Directed by Mike Newell and written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, the film was produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Debby Lukito Goey, and Julia Roberts through their production companies Revolution Studios and Red Om Films Productions. Filming took place in Massachusetts, USA.

Actors

• Julia Roberts as Katherine Watson: Cast in the lead role, Roberts embodied the spirit of a forward-thinking woman who challenges societal norms through her teaching methods.
• Kirsten Dunst as Betty Warren: Dunst gave a gripping portrayal of a conservative young woman whose opinions start to change over the course of the movie.
• Julia Stiles as Joan Brandwyn: Playing a conformist at the start who eventually stands up for her rights, Stiles offered an emotionally nuanced performance.
• Maggie Gyllenhaal as Giselle Levy: As the rebellious student, Gyllenhaal’s portrayal added depth to the movie.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The title of the movie is a reference to the famous painting 'Mona Lisa' by Leonardo da Vinci, symbolising the enigmatic smile that is open to interpretation, much like the views on womanhood and femininity in the movie.
• While the movie is set at Wellesley College, the majority of it was shot at two other Massachusetts colleges: Wheaton College in Norton and Emmanuel College in Boston.

Quotes

• "You can bake your cake and eat it too." - Katherine Watson
• "Not all who wander are aimless, especially those who seek truth beyond tradition, beyond definition, beyond the image." - Betty Warren

Music, Soundtrack

• "Mona Lisa" - Nat King Cole
• "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" - Ella Fitzgerald
• "Santa Baby" - Eartha Kitt
• "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" - The Trevor Horn Orchestra