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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Seeing Allred: the life of the outspoken equal rights lawyer | Seeing Allred: the life of the outspoken equal rights lawyer |
| (4 days later) | |
| Allred, who had gone up against Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump, is captured in a new film arriving at a highly opportune time | Allred, who had gone up against Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump, is captured in a new film arriving at a highly opportune time |
| Amy Nicholson | Amy Nicholson |
| Mon 12 Feb 2018 11.00 GMT | Mon 12 Feb 2018 11.00 GMT |
| Last modified on Mon 19 Feb 2018 12.41 GMT | |
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| Early on in Seeing Allred, Roberta Grossman and Sophie Sartain’s documentary on the controversial lawyer Gloria Allred, the fierce equal rights advocate grooms herself for the camera in her oceanfront home, grabs a red blazer from her color-coordinated closet – mostly St John, size two – and speeds off towards the city in her black Porsche. “Power only understands power,” declares Allred, her maxim for decades of warfare that have seen her get called shrill, unliked, a media hound, and a lying, money-hungry ghoul. | Early on in Seeing Allred, Roberta Grossman and Sophie Sartain’s documentary on the controversial lawyer Gloria Allred, the fierce equal rights advocate grooms herself for the camera in her oceanfront home, grabs a red blazer from her color-coordinated closet – mostly St John, size two – and speeds off towards the city in her black Porsche. “Power only understands power,” declares Allred, her maxim for decades of warfare that have seen her get called shrill, unliked, a media hound, and a lying, money-hungry ghoul. |
| “Gloria, she can take it,” says Sartain, on the eve of their film’s premiere in theaters and Netflix. Seeing Allred includes all those insults, and worse. “It was very important for us to show that criticism, and also show how it had started 40 years ago,” adds Grossman. “We felt like if people knew the whole trajectory of her career and how consistently she’s been out there fighting, trying to move the needle toward civil rights, human rights, women’s rights, then there could be a re-evaluation.” | “Gloria, she can take it,” says Sartain, on the eve of their film’s premiere in theaters and Netflix. Seeing Allred includes all those insults, and worse. “It was very important for us to show that criticism, and also show how it had started 40 years ago,” adds Grossman. “We felt like if people knew the whole trajectory of her career and how consistently she’s been out there fighting, trying to move the needle toward civil rights, human rights, women’s rights, then there could be a re-evaluation.” |
| As Sartain and Grossman note, Allred never bothered to fit in. The documentary’s first scene takes place at a 1977 taping of Dinah! After host Dinah Shore sighs about how husbands want to come home to a hot dinner and negligee, a young Allred stands up in the audience and announces, “Well, Dinah, I think we have a uterus and a brain and they both work!” Allred spoke fast and loud, insistent she get the words out before being derailed with a quip. The crowd stares in shock at this 5ft 2in warrior-elf in her gold-stacked necklaces. Finally, someone whoops. | As Sartain and Grossman note, Allred never bothered to fit in. The documentary’s first scene takes place at a 1977 taping of Dinah! After host Dinah Shore sighs about how husbands want to come home to a hot dinner and negligee, a young Allred stands up in the audience and announces, “Well, Dinah, I think we have a uterus and a brain and they both work!” Allred spoke fast and loud, insistent she get the words out before being derailed with a quip. The crowd stares in shock at this 5ft 2in warrior-elf in her gold-stacked necklaces. Finally, someone whoops. |
| She had said what someone was thinking – what many women were thinking – and she’d said it with ferocity. “She doesn’t make an apology for not apologizing,” says Grossman. “It’s kind of shocking to see a woman behave that way, even today.” Almost like a cultural psychic, Allred was an early voice arguing for civil rights that 10 or 15 years later would be largely accepted, like allowing gay soldiers to serve in the military. Adds Grossman, “What was perceived on the fringe becomes, if not mainstream, in the moral mainstream.” | She had said what someone was thinking – what many women were thinking – and she’d said it with ferocity. “She doesn’t make an apology for not apologizing,” says Grossman. “It’s kind of shocking to see a woman behave that way, even today.” Almost like a cultural psychic, Allred was an early voice arguing for civil rights that 10 or 15 years later would be largely accepted, like allowing gay soldiers to serve in the military. Adds Grossman, “What was perceived on the fringe becomes, if not mainstream, in the moral mainstream.” |
| Today, now that a majority of Americans embrace once-controversial ideas like enforcing fathers to pay child support – a proposal that, when touted by Allred on a talkshow in the 80s, made a fellow guest’s eyes bulge as though she’d just suggested riding unicorns to work – Seeing Allred’s archival footage can be head-scrambling. “That’s the world that I grew up in,” says Grossman. She was 13 when a Barbie commercial applauded that its dolls could “bend over to serve lemonade to Ken” – a TV spot the documentary includes. Shortly afterward, Allred successfully sued a drugstore to stop dividing its toys into girl and boy aisles. “There were a lot of things in the culture that I wasn’t offended by and realize now I should have been,” says Grossman. “It’s very interesting to look at the world through Gloria’s eyes.” | Today, now that a majority of Americans embrace once-controversial ideas like enforcing fathers to pay child support – a proposal that, when touted by Allred on a talkshow in the 80s, made a fellow guest’s eyes bulge as though she’d just suggested riding unicorns to work – Seeing Allred’s archival footage can be head-scrambling. “That’s the world that I grew up in,” says Grossman. She was 13 when a Barbie commercial applauded that its dolls could “bend over to serve lemonade to Ken” – a TV spot the documentary includes. Shortly afterward, Allred successfully sued a drugstore to stop dividing its toys into girl and boy aisles. “There were a lot of things in the culture that I wasn’t offended by and realize now I should have been,” says Grossman. “It’s very interesting to look at the world through Gloria’s eyes.” |
| Allred was ahead of her time, or the culture was behind it. But what people remember isn’t that she was right, say when she gifted an anti-reproductive rights male senator a chastity belt. It’s that she wasn’t nice about it. | Allred was ahead of her time, or the culture was behind it. But what people remember isn’t that she was right, say when she gifted an anti-reproductive rights male senator a chastity belt. It’s that she wasn’t nice about it. |
| At the start of her law career, says Allred, “I thought to myself, what should I be like?” She decided to show no fear – emphasis on “show”. When Allred first came to Los Angeles, she had plenty of personal reasons to be scared. She was a 25-year-old single mother, recently divorced from a man who was violently bipolar. Not long after, she was raped, impregnated, and forced to get an illegal abortion that nearly killed her. At the hospital with a 106F fever, she heard the nurse tut: “This will teach you a lesson.” | At the start of her law career, says Allred, “I thought to myself, what should I be like?” She decided to show no fear – emphasis on “show”. When Allred first came to Los Angeles, she had plenty of personal reasons to be scared. She was a 25-year-old single mother, recently divorced from a man who was violently bipolar. Not long after, she was raped, impregnated, and forced to get an illegal abortion that nearly killed her. At the hospital with a 106F fever, she heard the nurse tut: “This will teach you a lesson.” |
| It did, though not the one the nurse had in mind. Instead, it taught Allred that women like her needed, well, someone like her – or the crusader she’d will herself to be. Later, at another low point, she admits thinking, “Gee, I wish I had a Gloria Allred to take care of me.” | It did, though not the one the nurse had in mind. Instead, it taught Allred that women like her needed, well, someone like her – or the crusader she’d will herself to be. Later, at another low point, she admits thinking, “Gee, I wish I had a Gloria Allred to take care of me.” |
| Grossman and Sartain first approached Allred about telling her story in 2011. Despite thriving in the spotlight, off-camera, Allred is deeply private. She shot them down, nicely. Laughs Grossman, “She didn’t send us out of the room throwing law books.” | Grossman and Sartain first approached Allred about telling her story in 2011. Despite thriving in the spotlight, off-camera, Allred is deeply private. She shot them down, nicely. Laughs Grossman, “She didn’t send us out of the room throwing law books.” |
| “We just persisted,” says Sartain. At last in 2014, Allred said yes. The film-makers had intended to make a film about Allred’s history of activism. Quickly, the documentary plunged into the present when, three months after they began rolling, Bill Cosby’s decades-old rape accusations began to surface. Due to statute of limitation laws that can restrict the prosecution of sexual assault, Allred could only hold press conferences giving Cosby’s victims an opportunity to be heard. | “We just persisted,” says Sartain. At last in 2014, Allred said yes. The film-makers had intended to make a film about Allred’s history of activism. Quickly, the documentary plunged into the present when, three months after they began rolling, Bill Cosby’s decades-old rape accusations began to surface. Due to statute of limitation laws that can restrict the prosecution of sexual assault, Allred could only hold press conferences giving Cosby’s victims an opportunity to be heard. |
| The first time the women affected by Cosby speak out, many cry. Allred puts an arm around each as though trying to power them with her own strength. Later, when the battle shifts to successfully striking down those statute of limitation laws, the same women give their testimony again. “You can see how the women have been transformed,” says Sartain. “I was always hoping that some of her chutzpah would rub off on me.” | The first time the women affected by Cosby speak out, many cry. Allred puts an arm around each as though trying to power them with her own strength. Later, when the battle shifts to successfully striking down those statute of limitation laws, the same women give their testimony again. “You can see how the women have been transformed,” says Sartain. “I was always hoping that some of her chutzpah would rub off on me.” |
| Grossman and Sartain spent years running after Allred as she crisscrossed the country for dozens of clients. The documentary’s key image is Allred tirelessly racing down a terminal in time for her next flight, and next fight. “We were just chasing her through airports,” says Sartain. “She does not travel light – I didn’t learn any packing tips.” | Grossman and Sartain spent years running after Allred as she crisscrossed the country for dozens of clients. The documentary’s key image is Allred tirelessly racing down a terminal in time for her next flight, and next fight. “We were just chasing her through airports,” says Sartain. “She does not travel light – I didn’t learn any packing tips.” |
| When gay marriage was nationally legalized in 2015, it was a triumphant end to a campaign that began for Allred when she filed the first lawsuit agains the state of California in 2004. The next year, Allred became a Hillary Clinton delegate, and the film-makers figured, they admit, that their documentary would end with “a victory lap”. Instead, the crusade – and the cameras – continued as Allred filed new suits against Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein. | When gay marriage was nationally legalized in 2015, it was a triumphant end to a campaign that began for Allred when she filed the first lawsuit agains the state of California in 2004. The next year, Allred became a Hillary Clinton delegate, and the film-makers figured, they admit, that their documentary would end with “a victory lap”. Instead, the crusade – and the cameras – continued as Allred filed new suits against Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein. |
| Seeing Allred finally wrapped in time to debut at this year’s Sundance. “There is a certain irony that instead of this being the territory of Weinstein, this year it was the territory of women speaking out and having their voices heard,” says Grossman. | Seeing Allred finally wrapped in time to debut at this year’s Sundance. “There is a certain irony that instead of this being the territory of Weinstein, this year it was the territory of women speaking out and having their voices heard,” says Grossman. |
| Once more, Allred packed up her suitcases to zip to Park City. The day before the film premiered, nine inches of snow fell on the Women’s March on Main Street. In lieu of a bold blazer, Allred wore a bright red parka and led the protesters in a chant: “Resist. Persist. Insist. Elect.” | Once more, Allred packed up her suitcases to zip to Park City. The day before the film premiered, nine inches of snow fell on the Women’s March on Main Street. In lieu of a bold blazer, Allred wore a bright red parka and led the protesters in a chant: “Resist. Persist. Insist. Elect.” |
| Smiles Sartain, “Even though were were all freezing in a snowstorm, she fired up the crowd.” | Smiles Sartain, “Even though were were all freezing in a snowstorm, she fired up the crowd.” |
| Seeing Allred is now available on Netflix | Seeing Allred is now available on Netflix |
| Documentary | Documentary |
| Gloria Allred | Gloria Allred |
| Netflix | Netflix |
| Sexual harassment | Sexual harassment |
| interviews | interviews |
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