Fading Fame on Hometowns to Hollywood
While there is much to praise in Hollywood history, the filmmaking industry certainly has a variety of problematic issues. Among them is the issue of ageism, with individuals’ career opportunities being limited because of one’s age. Women, more often than men, tend to face this issue as roles grow scarce and typically deal with this reality at an earlier point that some of their male peers do.
Pam Munter’s Fading Fame: Women of a Certain Age in Hollywood offers a series of survival stories told in creative ways. Her book is comprised of ten short stories in addition to two short plays that depict both ageism and sexism in the film industry. Munter’s book expertly delves into life beyond the seeming image of glamour and deals with the harsh realities of what it means to be a woman in the film industry.
While ageism and sexism are prominently featured as issues women face in the industry, there are also other forms of injustice in pay and prominence that are also addressed in Munter’s book.
Though these issues are serious and disheartening to read about, Munter’s book offers hope in pinpointing these issues and the work to address these challenges through various movements as well as moments of national reflection and reckoning.