Have you heard of Jeanette Rankin? I had never until I saw the preview of the film. She was the first congress woman ever elected in the USA. She also voted against the 1st and 2nd World Wars. She was a true pacifist and that is why she was not very popular among "the power to be" or the media sponsored by Military Industrial Complex back then and even today.
She was very clear and true on what she says, which made her life very difficult and lonely. So even in the peace community of the USA today, very few people know her. She never got married and had no children. She died at the age of 93 in 1973.
It was Jeanmarie Simpson who found her and wrote her life into a play in which she stars. She is such an amazing writer and actor.
When I saw the making of "Single Woman" in Japan, I thought Jeanmarie was an old lady, but she is a young women with amazing make-up that made her look like a 90 some year old, which Jeanette Rankin was then.
The play "A Single Woman" had a long run, with more than 250 performances, which then attracted Kamala Lopez Dawson who later became the producer and director of the film. They are now making the film together.
She showed me some of the cuts of "A Single Woman" that she had finished editing. They were of the interview Rankin did on TV show with a right winger reporter when she was 92, the year before she died.
The reporter asked tough and nasty questions, but Rankin was tougher, nastier and more truthful in talking back, which made me cry. She was so right when she said, "We could have prevented it". "It" means World War 2 then, but of course we could have prevented all wars till now if no one would agree or cooperate with those involved with the military and the business of war!
Jeanmarie is so good at playing the 90 year old Rankin. It is hard to believe she could play such an old lady when she is just a few years older than me. Without makeup, she actualy looks younger than me. Towards the end of the movie, a new born baby can be seen in a basket. It is Jeanmarie's first grandchild! I could not believe it! She must have had her child when she was very young.
Kamala is now interested in making a film of of the book ‘Addicted To War‘, the book that Frank Dorrel first published. This would be great if it happens. A lot of new ideas and projects are emerging in LA!
"A Single Woman" will be completed this summer and I look forward to seeing it and maybe translating and producing a Japanese version.
It is exciting to be here in LA meeting such creative talents who are making an effort for a better and more peaceful world.
