Shirley
2020 · United States · 107 min
- Director
- Josephine Decker
- Producer
- Christine Vachon
- Music
- Tamar-kali
- Cinematography
- Sturla Brandth Grøvlen
- Production company
- Killer Films
Awards: Sundance Special Jury Prize Dramatic
Cast
What it is about
Newlyweds Fred and Rose Nemser move to Bennington College, where Fred has taken a teaching post. Rose, still a student, is already captivated by the work of writer Shirley Jackson, wife of professor Stanley Hyman. Soon Rose finds herself doing household chores in the Hyman home, watching a strained marriage and an atmosphere that grows more oppressive as the demands of writing shape everyone's lives.
How it was made
The film adapts Susan Scarf Merrell's novel, which builds a largely fictional story around the period when Jackson was writing Hangsaman. Sarah Gubbins wrote the screenplay and Josephine Decker directed, with Christine Vachon producing through Killer Films and Martin Scorsese serving as executive producer. Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg were the first cast members announced. Principal photography began in late July 2018 in Jefferson Heights, New York, with scenes shot at Vassar College standing in for Bennington.
Reception and legacy
The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, where Decker won the Special Jury Award. Critics responded generally favorably, praising Moss's performance, although its loose approach to biography sparked debate. Jackson's son criticized the film for portraying his parents unfairly.
Stills
Trailer
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Trivia
A stand-in campus
Bennington College was not used for filming. The scenes set there were shot at Vassar College instead.
A family's objection
Shirley Jackson's son, Laurence Jackson Hyman, criticized the film's portrayal of his parents and said it failed to capture his mother's sense of humor.
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