It’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years since the release of The Stepford Wives, a film based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but its lasting cultural influence is undeniable. A psychological horror/thriller with a hint of sci-fi, the film spawned multiple made-for-TV sequels and a campy 2004 remake, as well as inspiring one of the main characters in the hit series Desperate Housewives. The term “Stepford wife” became part of our shared cultural lexicon, and Jordan Peele even cited the film as one of the key influences for his 2017 masterpiece Get Out.
(Spoilers below for the novel and both film adaptations.)
Levin’s novels were a hot commodity in Hollywood at the time, especially after the success of his most famous novel, Rosemary’s Baby (1967), adapted into a 1968 horror film starring Mia Farrow. (The novels A Kiss Before Dying, The Boys from Brazil, Sliver, and Levin’s play Deathtrap were also adapted to film.) The plot of the The Stepford Wives film follows the novel’s plot fairly closely.
Source : https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2025/02/the-stepford-wives-turns-50/
