Even though I prefer to focus on foreign films depicting lesbians, this movie needs to be recognized for its credit to the suffragettes who stood up in the face of opposition, faced arrest, alienation, separation, abuse, mockery, and all else unimaginable so that woman today can enjoy the rights we do.
Nora ( Marie Leuenberger) is a housewife and mother of two boys in Switzerland in 1971. The story begins by explaining that while the world was changing, their town remained unaware. Nora’s life, along with every other woman in the small town, was to be a mother and a housewife, which included taking care of her husband’s narrow-minded father. Women were often not made aware of their home’s financial stability, so in some cases when their husbands passed away, the women were forced to sell their possessions and/or property.
On a visit to town, a suffragette hands her some information on women’s rights to vote and after first dismissing the idea, decides she’d like to know more about it. Meanwhile, a female elder in her town is raising money against the cause and vehemently opposes women’s rights, stating that it is against the bible and that the men should be the ones making all the decisions. Nora alone speaks up. She wants the right to vote.
One by one, other women join her. On the path to independence, some really fun and funny things take place, and of course some things that aren’t so great happen. I did find the movie to be more light and uplifting rather than difficult to watch.
The movie is not only about women wanting to vote, it is also about becoming independent in thought, becoming involved in one’s community, asking for value of opinion. It’s about having the courage to stand up when others, even your own spouse, opposes you.
These women did the dirty work so that we women today can enjoy the freedom and laws to demand equal pay, voting, working, living independently…
We are not yet there in all the ways we should be, but I think it’s important and also inspiring to remember what some women sacrificed in order to obtain the opportunities we now enjoy.
Even though this movie didn’t take place in the country I live in, I enjoyed watching progression for these women in their town. The story was not overly gut wrenching, but its points were clear.
I found the supporting actors rich in character and well developed. Each of them were important in making the audience aware of different viewpoints and to show the different hardships/difficulties women and their families faced for taking their stand.
I highly recommend watching The Divine Order not only for inspiration, but to remember to appreciate that it wasn’t that long ago that we were laughed at and flat out denied what is now easily taken for granted: the right to vote.
This movie was in Swiss German with English subtitles
I watched this movie on Amazon Prime
Erinne Bates 