“As well as social space, Arzner also creates romantic interpersonal space, most strikingly in the naturalistic choreographies of homoerotic body language between Stella (Bow) and Helen (Shirley O’Hara)... so the scenes between Stella and Helen have two distinct, simultaneous meanings. As dialogue scenes, they are discussions of heterosexual activity; as images, they are depictions of a lesbian relationship.” - Luke Aspell, Senses of Cinema
“The movie has a rollicking appeal—and that’s due mostly to Bow, one of Hollywood’s most charismatic performers.” - MoMA
As a butch lesbian and Hollywood’s first female director to tackle a sound picture, director Arzner crafted a collegiate comedy full of sapphic subtext in the pre-code charmer THE WILD PARTY. Appearing in her first talkie, Clara Bow stars as the vivacious Stella, a party girl who repeatedly disregards the norms of her strict all-women’s school. In depicting girls' dormitory life, Arzner captured a liberated, pre-Code era of women’s behavior that would become heavily censored just a few years later.
20th Century Queers | July 4–30, 2026
Contemporary queer cinema enjoys more visibility and mainstream success than ever before, but many of its roots lie in avant-garde and underground filmmaking. The films in this series trace that history, showcasing queer artists, in front of and behind the camera, who disrupted traditional cinematic form to suit their purposes, whether creating coded stories, exploring stylistic pleasures, or grossing out the normies.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu