In Honour of International Women’s Day: Remembering Film Pioneer Nell Shipman

“Surely not many a silver screen star can write, produce and slice her own nitrate. I take pride in my skills but without a distribution deal, these talents remain ‘in the can’, as we say – invisible, worthless. Tomorrow the studio heads will wave their magic wands of approval – or not. I believe we have good prospects if I can dodge the (creditors) by the fire escape one more day. (…) There are so many stories yet to be told and sold in our future. Tomorrow. Thank God, there is tomorrow.” – Nell Shipman

One hundred years ago, before Wall Street moved in and before the domination of the large studio system, women ruled Hollywood: in front of and behind the scenes, they wrote the stories, shot the scenes, managed production budgets and dreamed up the publicity scenarios that turned everyday shop girls into superstars. One of the most fearless of these early film pioneers was Nell Shipman, a Canadian born director, actress (who performed all of her own stunts!), producer, screenwriter, novelist and animal rights activist and trainer. I recently discovered Nell during a midnight screening of Back to God’s Country (1919), an action-adventure blockbuster that she both wrote and starred in. I was equal parts surprised, delighted and enchanted by Nell’s earthy sensuality (her infamous skinny-dipping scene is more joyful than salacious) and the feminist tone of the film (her character – a woman surviving in the harsh Canadian wilderness – is no damsel in distress but rather a defiant dame).  The thoughtful portrayal and gentle handling of the many animals in the film is also refreshing; at a time when most other nature filmmakers were as likely to shoot animals as they were to film them, Nell Shipman emphatically advocated for the humane treatment of animals in movies and spoke out against animal cruelty.

As an artist myself, one of the many things that I admire about Nell Shipman was her perseverance: even when her production company went bankrupt, even when she was living close to the poverty line, she never gave up on her art. She never stopped creating. She never stopped writing her stories.

Near the end of her life, a humbled Shipman applied to the Motion Picture Relief Fund for a pension. This woman who wrote, directed, produced and starred in over twenty-five films during Hollywood’s pioneer years was curtly told that she didn’t qualify.

The rejection was an apt symbol of how very thoroughly – and successfully – Hollywood had managed to cover the tracks of its pioneer women filmmakers.