Bernice Bobs Her Hair-1976
Director Joan Micklin Silver
Starring Shelley DuVall, Veronica Cartwright
Scott’s Review #1,141
Reviewed May 12, 2021
Grade: B+
Much transpires within Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976), a short film based on a short story by famed author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
For the non-literary crowd, Fitzgerald penned the worldly The Great Gatsby, a treasured story from the 1920s Long Island, New York setting.
The story was made into television production in 1976 for PBS for The American Short Story.
Bernice Bobs Her Hair is a quieter story than Gatsby, and more peculiar, resulting in a fabulous tale of revenge with a similar time of 1920, the cusp of the American Jazz Age.
The setting is presumed to be Long Island or Westchester County, New York though that’s never confirmed.
Regardless, our main character, Bernice (Shelley DuVall) hails from Wisconsin and comes to visit family.
The visit isn’t exactly peaches and cream as you can imagine.
The bitchy and sophisticated Marjorie (Veronica Cartwright), Bernice’s cousin, pities her for being awkward and unlikable, far inferior to the elitist company that Marjorie keeps. She rolls up her sleeves and becomes determined to shape Bernice into a sophisticated vixen, molding her into a girl who gets what she wants.
The idea ends up biting her in the ass.
Bernice, mocked for being quiet and dull, blossoms into a brave young woman, titillated by the attention of the society boys. She delights in having her pick of the litter and daringly proclaims to have her hair bobbed in a few days, to the shock and chagrin of the rich group of friends.
Would a young woman ever dare to do something so drastic for attention? Hell, she’ll have to go to a barber and be sheared!
Marjorie’s jealousy increases as Bernice’s confidence soars leading to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
DuVall is delightful in the role. The actress, very unconventional looking, appears the prettiest I’ve ever seen her, even when she plays dowdy. Telling so much with her wide-eyed and expression-filled eyes, she seduced me into her world of mystique and wonderment. DuVall has a charisma all her own and fascinates in any film she appears in.
Not to be overlooked, Veronica Cartwright, possesses Marjorie with fury and pizazz, also doing so much with her trademark blue eyes. The actresses work so well together as they eventually play a seductive game of will and wit.
For the boys, there are a few love interests to note. I loved seeing Bud Cort, struggling for work after his groundbreaking role in 1971’s Harold & Maude, appear in the short film. Insecure, he is nonetheless smitten with Bernice, just as Draycott Deyo (Patrick Byrne) is.
Other handsome suitors like Mark La Mura, of daytime television fame, appear.
The costumes and sets are lavish and fitting to the 1920s which enhanced my enjoyment. The hot summer setting also infuses the film with smoldering and rigid tension enhancing the experience. There is nothing like escaping into the past in style and enchantment.
The final revenge is extremely fulfilling as the classes clash. The socially awkward Bernice conquers the WASP’y Marjorie like a plain Jane would a beautiful evil princess. It’s quite satisfying.
The entire experience of Bernice Bobs Her Hair (1976) is pleasing and compelling. The kicker is when Bernice does indeed ‘bob her hair’ she looks amazing and trendy for the decade to follow. She gets her just desserts in more ways than one and the audience cheers her to victory!