[Movie] Mona Lisa Smile--Plot Summary @ The Transformation of Women's roles in families from 19th Century to Now

Plot Summary

In 1953, Katherine Ann Watson takes a position teaching "History of Art" at Wellesley College, a conservative women's private liberal arts college because she wants to make a difference and influence the next generation of women. At her first class, Katherine discovers that the girls have already memorized the entire syllabus from the textbook. Therefore, she uses the classes to introduce them to Modern Art and encourages spirited classroom discussions about topics such as what makes good art and what the Mona Lisa's smile means. This brings her into conflict with the conservative president of Wellesley College who warns Katherine to stick to the syllabus, or she will lose her job. Katherine comes to know many of the students in her class well and seeks to inspire them to seek more than marriage to eligible young men.

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Betty Warren is a conservative woman just like her mother. Betty doesn't understand why Katherine does not get married and try to change their thoughts. She writes an editorial for the college paper to attack Katherine for advocating that women should seek a career instead of just being wives and mothers as intended. Betty can't wait to marry Spencer as their parents have arranged and expects to get the traditional exemptions from attending class because she is married, but Katherine insists that she will failed Betty if she does not come to the class.

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Joan Brandwyn wants to be a lawyer and enrolled as pre-law so Katherine encourages her to apply to Yale Law School. Joan, however, elopes with her fiancé Tommy and they feel very happy. She decides that what she wants most is to be a wife and mother after graduation and asks Katherine to respect her choice.

Connie Baker is dating Betty's cousin, Charlie. Betty persuades her that he is only using her since it has been arranged by his parents for him to marry Deb, a girl more of his social standing. So, Connie ends the relationship. However, Charlie has already decided for himself that he is not going to marry Deb, so he and Connie get back together. Another student, Giselle Levy, has liberal views, and she supports Katherine because she sees her choosing what she wants in her life. Giselle brazenly has affairs with a professor and a married man.

Katherine confides to the girls that she was engaged when she was younger, but that she and her fiancé were separated by the war. The relationship fizzled out, and she has since had several affairs. Katherine declines a proposal from her boyfriend because she doesn't love him enough.

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She begins dating with the Wellesley Italian professor, Bill Dunbar, who is charming and full of stories about Europe and his heroic actions in Italy during the war. He has also had affairs with many students (including Giselle). Katherine makes him promise that it will never happen again. When Katherine learns that Bill spent the entire war at the Army Languages Center on Long Island, she decides to break up with him because he is not trustworthy. Dunbar responds that Katherine didn't come to Wellesley to help the students, but to try to find herself.

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Betty's marriage fails miserably, as Spencer spends as much time as possible in New York on business. Giselle also catches Spencer having an affair. Betty's mother tries to ask Betty to remain her marriage, at least not to cause a scandal. At graduation, Betty tells Katherine that she is divorcing Spencer. She adds that she is going to New York and she is considering applying to Yale Law School.

Because Katherine's course is highly popular, the college invites her to return, but the president impose conditions on Katherine—she must follow the syllabus, submit lesson plans for approval, and not talk to the girls about other things that are not related to the class. Katherine decides to leave and go to Europe. In the ending scene, Betty dedicates her last editorial to her teacher Katherine Watson, claiming that Katherine is "an extraordinary woman who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes." As Katherine's taxi speeds up, all her students follow on their bicycles to keep up with the taxi to thank Katherine for changing their lives.

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