Women vs Hollywood

The Fall and Rise of Women in Film

By: Helen O'Hara

Narrated by: Helen O'Hara

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A call to arms from Empire magazine's 'geek queen', Helen O'Hara, that explores women's roles - both in front of and behind the camera - since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field.

Hollywood was born just over a century ago, at a time of huge forward motion for women's rights. With no rules in place to stop them, there were women who forged ahead in many areas of filmmaking. Yet, despite the work of early pioneers like Dorothy Arzner, Mabel Normand, Mary Pickford and Alice Guy-Blaché, it soon came to embody the same old sexist standards. Women found themselves fighting a system that fed on their talent, creativity and beauty but refused to pay them the same respect as their male contemporaries - until now....

The tide has finally begun to turn. A new generation of women, both in front of and behind the camera, are making waves in the industry and are now shaping some of the biggest films to hit our screens.

In Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film, film critic Helen O'Hara takes a closer look at the pioneering and talented women of Hollywood and their work in film since Hollywood began. And in understanding how women were largely written out of Hollywood's own origin story, and how the films we watch are put together, we can finally see how to put an end to a picture that is so deeply unequal - and discover a multitude of stories out there just waiting to be told.

©2021 Helen O'Hara (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"Fascinating and righteous, Women vs Hollywood will be a game changer...as inspiring as it is informative." (Terri White, editor in chief of Empire)

"An enlightening page-turner, stacked with stories and stats that will have your jaw on the floor." (Anna Smith, host of the Girls on Film podcast)

"This is the film history we need: one that gives leading roles to people who usually only get to be background players." (Pamela Hutchinson, film historian and critic)

"A fascinating polemic." (Sunday Times)

"'A powerful, sobering and vital work." (The Mail on Sunday)

"A page-turning read, peppered with humour." (Sight & Sound)

"A must read." (Edgar Wright)

great book

insightful and you'll come away with a new perspective and some new movies to watch

Must Listen/Read

A must listen for anyone who loves movies - devoured this in no time at all!

fascinating, well researched and informative

Helen O'Hara digs deep into the lesser explored history of Hollywood, from it's inception to the current day, revealing rare stories from a fresh perspective. Not limited to women in film, both behind and in front of the camera, this book explores all under represented people, and how things may be changing.
As a middle-aged white cis male listener, at no point did the book feel that it was preaching, it maintained a great pace of insights and stories, keeping commentary balanced with the occasional flourish of humour
I recommend this to anyone who is interested in film, it's influence on culture or representation.

Excellent listen — with much fascinating insight.

I took my time in listening to this book as I wanted to absorb the facts, figures and stories Helen O’Hara was imparting. I found each chapter engaging and informative, and learnt so much about the history of cinema, and more importantly, the history of women in cinema — and the future we can hope for.

A must read

It's like a behind the scenes of stories about female in Hollywood, film festivals aroundtheworld. Totaly agree with the author about supporting female made films by watching it in theaters or online.