A little over a month ago, one of the things I did to pass time while in quarantine was watch the entirety of Xena: Warrior Princess, a childhood favorite of mine, and when I was finished, I decided to check out a documentary that I have been meaning to watch for a while called Double Dare. In that documentary, we followed stuntwoman Zoë Bell through her work during the final season of Xena, and her attempts at finding work afterwards while finding solace under Jeannie Epper’s mentorship. It’s an excellent documentary that brings an intimate lens to a place in the entertainment industry that doesn’t get much of a spotlight.
Double Dare was released in 2004, and since then, one could certainly argue that the work put in by stunt people has become far more recognized and respected in the mainstream, and not just within the industry. For years, there are calls for the Academy to formally recognize stunts in the Oscars, though the odds of that happening unfortunately still seem quite low. That said, as much things have progressed in the industry, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a ways to go, especially when it comes to bringing in more women and non-white people.
That is the territory explored by filmmaker April Wright in her documentary, Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story, which is based on the book by Mollie Gregory. In we, we get a more sprawling look at the experience of stuntwomen, looking back at the earliest pioneers in silent films to the work put in relative newcomers today. Michelle Rodriguez serves as the narrator, while also appearing on occasion on-screen when she’s hanging out with other stuntwomen or tagging along with other talking heads ranging from directors, producers, veteran stunt coordinators, and newcomers that are rising the ranks.
Like with Double Dare, this is a documentary that I would absolutely recommend to people who are intrigued by the industry. I’ve always found stunt people to be the coolest, and not just because their work and process is fun to watch, but the people themselves are always interesting to hear from. You get plenty of anecdotes and stories from some of the veteran stuntwomen here like Jeannie Epper, Julie Ann Johnson, Jadie David, Debbie Evans, and many, many others. It’s endlessly fascinating to hear them talk about their experiences, and all the ways the industry has changed over time.
One thing I found disappointing about the documentary was the lack of stories regarding some of the earliest examples of stuntwomen in film. There is one sequence early on where we watch Rodriguez, a few stuntwomen, and film historian/TCM host, Ben Mankiewicz, discuss how the really early years of Hollywood, while certainly reckless, had more inclusion and opportunities for women, than they did when it became a bigger and organized industry, listing a few examples and clips, which are all exciting to watch. However, the insight on that particular era was limited to just that one short sequence when I think it is rich enough to warrant more time.
The documentary also is also a bit scattershot in its editing between all the various interviews and anecdotes. It will jump from one person to another, and for most of the time, it does work because it’s following a train of thought that many of the women are sharing, so it’s allowing those ideas to be followed through. But there are occasions where the idea is a little less clear, which results in an experience that feels really rushed at times since it rarely sticks with any person for longer than couple minutes before moving on to someone else.
Despite some faults, I think Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story is still a worthy documentary that explores both the struggle and joy that stuntwomen experience doing what they love doing. It brings a collection of young and old faces, touching on many facets of the industry. I love that they brought a diverse group of women here, allowing for discussions on not only how they faced gender discrimination, but racial discrimination as well. It might not provide much insight for those who are in-the-know, and have awareness of all the happenings of the industry, but it’s still a fun and fast watch. Like I said, stunt people are the coolest, and it’s really satisfying to see them do their thing, and talk about their experiences. If you have a love for filmmaking, and the filmmaking process, this is one worth checking out. And also, watch Double Dare, that one is quite good too.
Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story will be available on digital platforms on September 22nd.