We have now started a new century during which feminism has become the real "f-word." A Question of Silence embodies the 80's representation of radical feminism and the filmmaker's own views. Marleen Gorris, the director, implies that women can live fulfilling lives without the help or support of men. It reveals the oppresive nature of the patriarchial society in which we live. The film also implies how women must move to rediscover or begin to discover their own voices and fight against misogyny. The movie is absolutly riveting, and one begins to wonder if this is a realistic portrail of the way society treats women, or a radical feminist revenge fantasy?
             This movie obviously infuriates some audience members, especially those with penises, because it implies the actions women have or could possibly take against men because of their oppresioin. Men become scared of films like this because they are inevitably the ones at fault, and begin to think that women will eventually come after them. This, of course, will probably not be the case.
             In the movie, three women who have been silenced throughout their lives, beat and genitally mutilate an annoying male store clerk. A female psychiarist, who has "made it" in a man's world, is called to the case. After a while, she finally begins to see that she is just as unheard as these murderous women when she tries to say anything that contradicts the patriarchal judicial system.The psychiatrist begins to see them not as criminals or clients, but as sisters and begins to understand why they were driven to murder this man. She then begins to understand the choice not to speak in male terms. She pronounces them sane and are in control of their actions, just fed up with a world in which men felt free to degrade and rule over the "second sex." None of the male lawyers or cops, and judge or her own husband can seem to understand why she would deem them "sane" instead of "craz
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