Greta Gerwig has quickly become a director whose work is well-respected in Hollywood, and this can partly be attributed to the interesting variety of self-proclaimed favorite movies that have influenced her work. Both of the feature films she's directed are intimate, honest, funny stories that dig deep into what it means to be a woman in society. The movies that Gerwig loves, however, run the gamut from vintage Westerns to love stories to even British thrillers.
Gerwig's solo directorial debut was Lady Bird (2017), which was critically acclaimed and is one of A24's most profitable films to date, topping Oscar Best Picture winner Moonlight (2016) and only beaten by 2018's horror hit Hereditary. Lady Bird won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and garnered Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress (for Saoirse Ronan) and Best Supporting Actress (for Laurie Metcalf). Her second directorial effort was Little Women(2019), an adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. Gerwig's version of the story has been critically acclaimed, though Little Women was snubbed by the Oscars for the film's direction, even though it was one of the most praised aspects of the adaptation. Still, Little Women managed to rack up nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress for Saoirse Ronan, Best Supporting Actress for Florence Pugh, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and a win for Best Costume Design. Gerwig's next project is a live-action Barbie film, co-written by Noah Baumbach and starring Margot Robbie.
Even though her movies are on the surface incredibly different from the movies that inspired her, their influence can still be seen. While speaking to Movies on Demand (via Far Out), she revealed her all-time favorite movies. There are some classic films on her list but also some lesser-known picks. Here are Greta Gerwig's favorite movies and how each has influenced her work.
Jeanne Dielman - Chantal Akerman
The first title on Gerwig's list is the 1975 Belgian film Jeanne Dielman, directed by Chantal Akerman and filmed by Babette Mangolte. It's a three-hour film that chronicles the daily routine of a single mother over a period of three days. Jeanne Dielman is notable for using long single takes and sparse dialogue. As a female director herself, it is not surprising that Gerwig would have a pick from a woman on her list. Jeanne Dielman was very experimental for its time and it's easy to see how Gerwig was drawn to that. Like Jeanne Dielman, Lady Bird dives into a woman's experiences through the viewpoint of a female creator, and does it well.
Singin' in the Rain - Stanley Donen
The second film on the list is Stanley Donen's classic 1952 musical romantic comedy. Singin' in the Rain follows three stars, played in the movie by Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor, in late 1920s Hollywood as the film industry is making the transition from silent movies to "talkies." Singin' in the Rain is Gerwig's most-watched movie and inspired her to make films (via Unpublished Zine). Gerwig's adoration of musical movies is especially apparent in Lady Bird, which contains a subplot of Christine getting involved in the school production of Stephen Sondheim's musical Merrily We Roll Along, where she meets and develops a crush on fellow theater kid Danny (Lucas Hedges). Similar to Singin' in the Rain, there is quite a bit of dancing in Little Women; there is a scene early in the film when Jo first meets Laurie at a party and the two friends dance together. Later on, Laurie offers Meg a dance at a ball, and there's a party scene in Europe where Amy briefly dances with a companion.
Red River - Howard Hawks
Greta Gerwig mentions two Westerns that John Wayne made with director Howard Hawks. The first is Red River, a 1945 Western film focused on the tension between a father (Wayne) and adopted son (Montgomery Clift) as they partake in a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas. Greta Gerwig has explained her fascination with Wayne: "He can be really scary in movies like Red River, or he can be very gentle. I like how much time he takes for everything [...] Maybe because I struggle with it as an actor—taking your time, you don’t have to rush anything—watching him, it’s such a generous amount of time he takes with everything [...]That’s what I always aspire to.” (via The Dissolve) The parent-child conflict at the center of Red River is sensitively explored in Lady Bird with Christine and Marion (which, interestingly, is Western star John Wayne's real first name).
Rio Bravo - Howard Hawks
Next on Gerwig's list is Rio Bravo, a 1959 film considered one of the best Westerns of all time. The movie features Wayne as a Texas sheriff who has to hold Joe (Claude Akins), the spoiled brother of a land baron, in jail for one night until a U.S. Marshal can come to get him. The film shows Wayne in a more good-hearted role than in Red River, which speaks to Gerwig's previous discussion of his range as an actor. In the Dissolve interview, Gerwig says, I love John Wayne; I think he’s great. I love the movies he made with Howard Hawks, and I think as an actor, he embodied a whole kind of cinema." Like Howard Hawks, Greta Gerwig has worked with two actors multiple times, Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, in her movies. Working with actors multiple times worked out for both Hawks and Gerwig because after working with someone once, a rapport is built up that can be carried over to the next project. Wayne worked well with Hawks, as did Ronan and Chalamet with Gerwig.
The 39 Steps - Alfred Hitchcock
According to the Movies on Demand interview, Greta Gerwig considers The 39 Steps to be "one of the most perfect films ever made." It's a 1935 thriller focusing on a Canadian man (Robert Donat) who gets tangled up with a mysterious woman (Madeleine Carroll) while trying to stop a British spy ring and clear his name of murder. Gerwig also mentions in the interview that she loves the level of detail present in The 39 Steps, a movie that would inspire future spy thrillers such as The Little Drummer Girl. While Greta hasn't yet directed a thriller, there is also a level of great detail present in Lady Bird and Little Women. Like Hitchcock, Gerwig is also a meticulous filmmaker who is focused on finely crafting movies.
Brief Encounter - David Lean
Brief Encounter is a 1945 romantic drama directed by David Lean and based on Still Life, a 1936 one-act play by Noël Coward (who helped write the film adaptation's screenplay). The film follows Laura, a married woman with children, whose life changes after she meets and later falls in love with a stranger at a train station. Greta Gerwig believes Brief Encounter is "one of the most romantic movies ever made." Gerwig herself has made a great romance in her adaptation of Little Women. Amy March (played in the movie by Florence Pugh) has a few encounters with Laurie, her crush since childhood, throughout the film. Amy and Laurie have fantastic chemistry together and it's not hard to imagine that Gerwig was influenced by a classic romance film like Brief Encounter.
The King of Comedy - Martin Scorsese
The final film that Greta Gerwig mentions on her list is Martin Scorsese's 1982 satirical black comedy. The King of Comedy follows Robert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), a delusional aspiring stand-up comic who will do anything for fame, even kidnapping a late-night talk show host so he can perform on his show. The Scorsese film, an influence on the 2019 movie Joker, easily blends comedy and drama, something Gerwig also accomplishes with Lady Bird. Lady Bird has plenty of humorous bits, but also has drama stemming from Christine's shaky relationship with her mom.
Greta Gerwig has a diverse list of favorite films that have all influenced her in some way. They all span different decades and genres, which is interesting to analyze. Gerwig has a deep love for classic films, but she has also created two classic films of her own that are modern, yet timeless. Perhaps someday, filmmakers will emerge citing Greta Gerwig's directorial efforts as something that's inspired them and their work.