The Glorias Movie Storyline. Journalist, fighter, and feminist Gloria Steinem (Julianne Moore) is an indelible icon known for her world-shaping activism, her guidance of the revolutionary women’s movement, and her writing that has impacted generations. In this nontraditional biopic, against the backdrop of a lonely bus on an open highway, five Glorias trace Steinem’s influential journey to prominence—from her time in India as a young woman, to the founding of Ms. magazine in New York, to her role in the rise of the women’s rights movement in the 1960s and beyond.
In her hotly anticipated new film, Julie Taymor (Frida, Across the Universe) brings her signature inventiveness and audacity to craft a complex tapestry of one of the most iconic and legendary figures of modern history, based on Steinem’s own memoir My Life on the Road. Remarkable performances by Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander steer an engaging cast with strong supporting turns from Janelle Monáe and Bette Midler. Taymor makes her own rules in this dazzling ode to self-reflection, exploring the importance of forging your own path and embracing the challenge of the open road.
The Glorias is a 2020 American biographical drama film directed and produced by Julie Taymor, from a screenplay by Taymor and Sarah Ruhl. The film is based upon My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem who is represented by four actresses in the movie who portray her life in different ages. It stars Julianne Moore as Steinem, with Alicia Vikander portraying a younger Steinem, from ages 20 to 40, Lulu Wilson portraying a teenage Steinem, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Steinem when she was a child.
The cast also includes Lorraine Toussaint, Janelle Monáe, Bette Midler, Janelle Monáe, Timothy Hutton, Lorraine Toussaint, Enid Graham, Kimberly Guerrero and Monica Sanchez. The Glorias had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2020 and was released on September 30, 2020, by Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment.
About the Story
lA Greyhound bus filled with Gloria Steinems of all ages drives along the road. The Glorias begin to reminisce about the past. As a young child, Gloria is charmed by her father, an antique salesman whose make do attitude aggravates her mother. A few years later, her parents are separated and a young Gloria is forced to be her mother’s caretaker as she falls into a deep depression. To her surprise she finds various articles written with a male byline that her mother reveals were written by her before she was married.
As a young woman, Gloria travels to India on a fellowship. Returning to America she seeks out jobs as a journalist and, despite casual sexism and harassment, manages to succeed writing articles on fashion and dating. After writing an exposé on the poor working conditions of the waitresses working at the Playboy Club, Steinem’s name is made. However she feels ashamed by the continued degradation of her work and turns down an offer to turn her article into a book.
Shortly after, Gloria’s father is in a car accident. Arriving to see him a week after the accident she learns he has died and feels immense guilt that she delayed her visitation out of fear she would have to become his caretaker as she once was for her mother.
While attending the March on Washington to write a profile of James Baldwin, her discussions with a black woman open her mind to the prejudice faced by black women in America and to her own complicity as a white woman. She later attends a speak out on illegal abortion that causes her to reflect on her own abortion which she had shortly before her fellowship. Moved by the stories of other women and knowing that magazines will not allow her to write the stories she wants, Gloria moves towards activism and befriends Dorothy Pitman Hughes and Florynce Kennedy, two black women who teach her about public speaking and activism.
In the early ’70s, Gloria and her friends decide to publish their own magazine, Ms., in order to finally be able to talk about subjects they are interested in. In the first issue, Gloria, along with 52 other famous women, publicly admits to having had an illegal abortion.
Gloria begins to move further into politics by campaigning for Bella Abzug. At the National Women’s Political Caucus, Gloria and other women in various movements fight to establish the Equal Rights Amendment. The amendment ultimately fails.
Gloria continues to advocate, speak, and campaign despite being continually plagued by opposition to her pro-choice stance and questions about her marital status and lack of children. At the age of 66, she marries for the first time only to become widowed shortly after.
In 2016, she writes an article about the devastating effect of Hillary Clinton’s loss during the 2016 United States presidential election. It is then revealed that the Greyhound bus is filled with protestors headed to the 2017 Women’s March with the real life Gloria Steinem on board. Footage from the 2017 Women’s March, including the real Steinem’s speech as well as footage from around the world is shown.
The Glorias (2020)
Directed by: Julie Taymor
Starring: Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Bette Midler, Janelle Monáe, Timothy Hutton, Lorraine Toussaint, Enid Graham, Kimberly Guerrero, Monica Sanchez
Screenplay by: Sarah Ruhl, Julie Taymor
Production Design by: Kim Jennings
Cinematography by: Rodrigo Prieto
Film Editing by: Sabine Hoffman
Costume Design by: Sandy Powell
Set Decoration by: Elizabeth Keenan
Art Direction by: Michael Auszura, Sam Bader
Music by: Elliot Goldenthal
MPAA Rating: R for some language and brief lewd images.
Distributed by: Roadside Attractions
Release Date: January 26, 2020 (Sundance), September 30, 2020 (United States)
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