Helen Reddy’s ‘I Am Woman’ was released as a single – remember those? – in 1972 and instantly became an anthem for the women’s equality movement. It’s now also the title of the first ever biopic of the Australian singer, which is released in cinemas this week.
Her death last month means she leaves behind a legacy of songs that have now become standards, alongside I Am Woman, which traces her rise to fame after leaving Australia to follow her dream of a singing career in the US. The film is directed by her friend Unjoo Moon who, in this exclusive interview, describes Helen’s appeal as a singer and an activist and her involvement in the making of the film, as well as how she probably would have reacted to knowing that the announcement of her death on TV upstaged the presidential election debate between Trump and Biden.
The film is also co-produced by Reddy’s son, Jordan Sommers, who very kindly talked to us about how Australian audiences have reacted to the film, as well as his favourites among his mother’s songs.
Congratulations on the film. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me because it must feel very strange talking about the film at the moment.
It has been a very difficult week, as you can imagine, but I’m here to talk about the movie and her legacy and I hope people get the chance to see it.
You must be very proud of the film. Was this your first feature film as a producer?
Yes, it was. As a co-producer, my main role was the inception of it. When Unjoo, the director, approached Helen about making her life into a film, she said ‘talk to my son’ so it went from there and developed over the next several years to what you’ll see in theatres.
So was film making something you’d always wanted to do?
I’ve always been interested in different aspects of it. I worked as a music supervisor on a couple of movies, I’ve written for a couple of films as a screenwriter and I’ve been a fan of films since I used to watch them as a kid. One of my first memories is of watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Top Hat with my Mom – on a Betamax cassette!
How much were you able to help Unjoo with her research when she was preparing to make the film?
I was happy to introduce her to the rest of the family who she hadn’t yet met when everything first got off the ground, and provided her with archival materials – press clippings and personal photos – and just generally putting her in touch with anybody who we thought she might want to talk to get a different perspective on things.
Did you get to spend any time on the set when it was being filmed?
I did a bit. I’ve lived in London for the past few years, so I didn’t make it out to Sydney where the majority of it was shot, but when they did a week of filming in LA I was out there for that, so I was there for the big moment when Jeff and Helen play I Am Woman for the first time for Capitol Records’ executives – it sounds kind of angry! – and for a few other bits and pieces that were shot during that week. It was nice to see, but kind of weird as well, to be honest.
Were you involved in choosing Tilda Cobham-Hervey to play your mother?
I wish I could take some credit for that, but I can’t. That was entirely down to Unjoo and thank goodness for Tilda. What an amazing piece of casting – she’s marvellous in the film.
You obviously love her performance. It must have been a little bit strange when you were on set to see her in front of you, playing your mother.
Overall, yes, sure, of course. The entire thing is a bit surreal, but she did such a terrific job of capturing her energy and her spirit that I didn’t feel I was watching my mother. It came across as Helen Reddy.
So when you saw the finished film yourself, you were also watching somebody else playing a younger version of you. How did that feel?
That was more amusing than anything else. There are three different ages in that movie, firstly a baby and I was portrayed as a baby by twin girls, so that’s the magic of movies! And then the young man who played the eight year old me was terrific and in a bit at the end I’m 15 – 16 years old. It was almost trippy to watch – I think that’s the best way to describe it!
The film’s been shown in Australia already. How have audiences there responded to it?
By and large, terrifically. It’s had really good reviews which, given the history of my mother and Australia, has not always been the case. They haven’t always been kind to her in the past. But almost across the board the reviews have been positive. More importantly than the critics, though, people have had wonderful things to say about it and that’s the most important thing.
And do you think the film’s going to bring your mother’s music to a wider audience – and a new one as well?
I certainly hope so. Her whole story is one that should be shared and told and learned from. Given that a lot of the things she was fighting for 50 years ago sadly have not changed as much as they should have, it’s as relevant and as timely today as when she wrote the song. I do hope it reaches a new audience. The themes are universal and timeless and I wish they were dated, but they’re not.
Which of your mother’s songs is your favourite? And you don’t have to say I Am Woman!
I have different favourites at different times, depending on different moods or circumstances. The past week has put her body of work in a whole new light for me personally. I like playing the tongue-in-cheek ones, like Showbiz, the ones that she recorded for me when I was very young like Blue. And then You And Me Against The World is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, in my opinion. Ear Candy is probably her least understood album is one of my personal favourites too, because the whole thing was kind of tongue-in-cheek, and people might not know what a phenomenal sense of humour – a weird and wonderful wit – my mother had. A lot of the satire was lost, so I hope people get the chance to re-visit Ear Candy with that in mind.
I Am Woman is released in cinemas and on digital on Friday, 9 October.
