Summaries. The movie Mona Lisa Smile takes place in a setting that would make a modern woman become incensed (Newell, 2003). Betty goes along with it. She tells the competent but conservative school president (Marian Seldes), "I thought I was headed to a place that would turn out tomorrow's leaders -- not their wives." The movie is not really about her romances at all, but about her function as a teacher and her determination to install feminism on the campus before that noun was widely in use. Set in 1953, Katherine Watson (Roberts) is a free-spirited graduate of UCLA who accepts a teaching post at Wellesley College, a women-only school where the students are torn between the repressive mores of the time and their longing for intellectual freedom. I find it hard to believe that Wellesley College was as reactionary in the autumn of 1953 as "Mona Lisa Smile" says it is -- but then I wasn't there. No doubt she had a teacher as inspiring as Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), who trades in the bohemian freedom of Berkeley for a crack at Wellesley's future corporate wives. This process is beautifully portrayed in Mona Lisa Smile. Some reviewers on this site claim the movie has a liberal agenda. We are pretty sure what the story parabola of "Mona Lisa Smile" will be (the inspiring teacher will overcome adversity to enlighten and guide), but the movie is more observant and thoughtful than we expect. Altough a strong bond is formed between teacher and student, Watson's views are incompatible with the dominant culture of the college. The film is about Katherine Watson, a college lecturer from liberal-minded California, who manages to get a teaching position in the Art History Department at Wellesley, a prestigious, conservative, and elite private women's college situated at the opposite end of the country in Massachusetts. The title is a reference to the Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, and to the song of the same name, originally performed by Nat King Cole, which was covered by Sealfor the movie. The main character is a teacher that represents the brave, intelligent individuals that broke ground for women to pursue equality. Mona Lisa Smile is a weird Dead Poets Society- esk movie, but with more estrogen. The movie, directed by Mike Newell, may be a little too aware of its sexual politics and might have been more absorbing if Katherine and her students were fighting their way together out of the chains of gender slavery. | However, these same people look at her as an adult and realize that she is smiling. Set in 1953, Katherine Watson (Roberts) is a free-spirited graduate of UCLA who accepts a teaching post at Wellesley College, a women-only school where the students are torn between the repressive mores of the time and their longing for intellectual freedom. Conclusion I think this movie calls Mona Lisas smile because she always was smiling like Mona Lisa. This movie is very interesting because give us an example of what kind of teacher have we to be. Parents Guide. Unlike the typical heroes of movies about inspiring teachers, however, she doesn't think the answer lies in exuberance, freedom and letting it all hang out, but in actually studying and doing the work, and she despairs when competent students throw away their futures (as she sees it) for marriage to men who have already started to cheat before their wedding days. Mona Lisa Smile is a smart and provocative period drama that's especially well-crafted. Has been studied by art my granddaughters like to watch movies over and over time, to Synopsis | plot Keywords | Parents guide a weird Dead Poets Society- esk movie but. 'M with them and realize that she is the novelization of one of my favourite movies 'Mona Smile! 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