Mona Lisa Smile
Dialogue 1
Betty Warren: All her life she had wanted to teach at Wellesley College. So when a position opened in the Art History department, she pursued it single-mindedly until she was hired. It was whispered that Katherine Watson, a first year teacher from Oakland State, made up in brains what she lacked in pedigree, which was why this Bohemian from California was on her way to the most conrvative college in the nation. But Katherine Watson didn't come to Wellesley to fit in. She came to Wellesley becau she wanted to make a difference.
President: Who knocks at the door of Learning?
Joan Brandwyn: I am every Woman.
President: What do you ek?
Joan: To awaken my spirit through hard work and dedicate my life to knowledge.
President: Then you are Welcome. All women who ek to follow you can enter here. I now declare the academic year begun.
Dialogue 2
--- From the beginning, man has always had the impul to create art. Can anyone tell me what this is?
--- Wounded Bison, Altamira, Spain, about 15,000 B.C. Joan Brandwyn.
--- Very good, Joan. Despite the age of the paintings, they are technically very
--- The shading and the thickness of the lines that moves over the hump of the bison. Is that right?
--- Yes, that's exactly right. Next slide. This is probably less familiar. It was discovered
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-- In 1879, Lascaux, France, dates back to 10,000 B.C., singled out becau of flowing lines depicting the movement of the animal.
--- Impressive. Name?
--- Herd of Hors.
--- I meant yours.
--- We call her Flicka.
--- Elizabeth Warren. They call me Betty.
--- Very good. Betty is also correct.
--- Just becau something is ancient doesn't mean that it is primitive. For example. Next slide, plea.
--- Mycerinus and His Queen. 2470 B.C. It's a funerary statue of the pharaoh and queen originally intended to prerve the pharaoh's ka. Soul.
--- Have any of you taken Art History before?
--- No.
--- Let's go on. Slide.
--- Seated Scribe. Egypt. 2400 B.C. Peasant Couple Plowing. Sixteenth century B.C. Egypt. Snake Goddess. Minoan. 1600 B.C. Fresco. Minoan. 1600 B.C. Funeral Mask. Mycenaean. 1200.
--- Could someone ? Thank you.
--- By a show of hands only, how many of you have read the entire text?
--- And the suggested supplements. Long way from Oakland State?
--- Well, you girls do prepare.
--- If you've nothing el for us, we could go to independent study.
Dialogue 3
Betty: What is that?
Katherine: You tell me. Carcass by Soutine. 1925.
Susan Delacorte: It's not on the syllabus.
Katherine: No; it's not. Is it any good? Come on; ladies. There's no wrong answer. There's also no textbook telling you what to think. It's not that easy; is it?
Betty: All right. No. It's not good. In fact; I wouldn't even call it art. It's grotesque.
Connie Baker: Is there a rule against art being grotesque?
Gille Levy: I think there's something aggressive and erotic.
Betty: To you; everything is erotic.
Gille: Everything is erotic.
Katherine: Girls.
Susan: Aren't there standards?
Betty: Of cour there are. Otherwi a tacky velvet painting could be equated to a Rembrandt.
Connie: My uncle Ferdie has two tacky velvet paintings. He loves tho clowns.
Betty: There are standards; technique; composition; color; even subject. So if you're suggesting that rotted side of meat much less good art; then what are we going to learn?
Katherine: Just that. You have outlined our new syllabus; Betty. Thank you. What is art? What makes it good or bad? And who decides? Next slide; plea. Twenty five years ago someone thought this was brilliant.
Connie: I can e that.
Betty: Who?
Katherine: My mother. I painted it for her birthday.
Katherine: Next slide. This is my mom. Is it art?
Susan Delacorte: It's a snapshot.
Katherine: If I told you Anl Adams had taken it, would that make a difference?
Betty: Art isn't art until someone says it is.
Katherine: It's art!
Betty: The right people.
Katherine: Who are they?
Gille: Betty Warren! So lucky we have one right here.
Betty: Screw you.
Katherine: Could you go back to the Soutine, plea? Just look at it again. Look beyond the paint. Let us try to open our minds to a new idea. All right; back to chapter three. Has anyone read it? Okay.
Narration 1
Dear Miss Watson: It is with great pleasure that we invite you to return as an instructor in the Art History department for the 1954-1955 academic year. We do wish to make clear, however, that this invitation is absolutely conditional upon the following: Number one: You will teach only the syllabus as outlined by the department chair. Number two: All lesson plans must be submitted at the beginning of every term for approval and revision. Number three: You shall not provide counl beyond your own subject for any student at any time. And finally: That you will agree to maintain a strictly professional relationship with all members of the faculty. Assuming you accept the conditions, we look forward to your continuing to be a part of our Wellesley tradition.
