Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in Boulder, Colorado, a university town known for its progressive culture. The setting uses Boulder's familiar neighborhood atmosphere to show how a local community responds to the growing women's rights movement.

• boulder
• colorado
• setting
• location

The movie is set in the 1970s, during the era of second-wave feminism. This was a decade when women began demanding public voice, legal equality, and changes in daily life across the United States.

• 1970s
• time period
• second wave feminism
• era

The central theme is women's empowerment and their fight for equality and agency in their lives. The film presents empowerment as both personal growth and collective action, showing how women claim power in households and public spaces.

• empowerment
• feminism
• equality
• women's rights
• theme

The film highlights how public demonstrations bring women's issues into the spotlight. A key scene involves disrupting a Playboy press conference, turning a high-profile media event into a platform for feminist critique of objectification.

• protest
• demonstration
• playboy
• visibility
• media

The movie shows women from diverse backgrounds, housewives, professionals, and those from different class and ethnic backgrounds, uniting in the movement. These relationships reveal both tensions and shared goals, emphasizing the strength of collective identity.

• solidarity
• collective action
• unity
• women
• diversity

Sheila Hammond is a journalist portrayed by Jacqueline Bisset who returns to her hometown to cover the Women's Liberation movement. She starts as a skeptical outsider but gradually engages with the complexities of activism, with her reporting becoming a mirror for the movement's ambitions and tensions.

• sheila hammond
• journalist
• reporter
• jacqueline bisset

Mabel Hammond is Sheila's mother, portrayed by Anne Francine. She is deeply involved in the movement and represents the generation bridging traditional domestic roles with new feminist activism. Her participation provides a domestic perspective on the broader social shifts of the era.

• mabel hammond
• mother
• family
• generation

Karen Hammond is Sheila's sister, played by Lee Purcell. She serves as an organizer of meetings and helps bring in speakers. Her involvement showcases grassroots organizing as a driving force behind local change in Boulder.

• karen hammond
• sister
• organizer
• grassroots

Yvonne Kellerman, portrayed by Stella Stevens, is a trophy wife who grows tired of being objectified. She seeks empowerment by participating in the movement, challenging assumptions about status and voice within social circles and demonstrating how activism can redefine personal identity.

• yvonne kellerman
• trophy wife
• transformation
• identity

Hilary McBride, played by Loretta Swit, is a housewife who becomes involved in the movement seeking agency beyond traditional roles. Her character arc highlights how activism can transform everyday life and self-perception, making her a visible part of the push for equality.

• hilary mcbride
• housewife
• loretta swit
• transformation

Dr. Joyce Brothers appears as herself, a speaker at the women's meetings. Her presence lends professional credibility and mainstream visibility to the movement, helping frame the dialogue for participants and the audience.

• joyce brothers
• speaker
• credibility
• professional

Boulder's reputation as a progressive university community makes it an ideal backdrop for showing how a local town responds to rising feminism. The setting contrasts traditional values with activist change, highlighting tensions between past and present social norms.

• progressive
• university town
• community
• social change