The Disappearance of Shere Hite

Community Rating

Director: Nicole Newnham

Narrator: Dakota Johnson

Runtime: 1h 58m

MPAA: R

Released: November 17, 2023

How could a prominent feminist and sex researcher vanish from public perception? The Disappearance of Shere Hite is a documentary film that seeks to explain just that. It is directed with great care by Nicole Newnham.

Shere Hite is a name that seems to be rarely mentioned in modern day discourse, even within progressive and feminist circles. After seeing this documentary it is bizarre to fathom why this is the case. Nicole Newnham has done an excellent job putting together a documentary that explains why Shere Hite was so important. Her life story as an adult is explored fully along with the important sex research she compiled.

The magnitude of her book “The Hite Report on Female Sexuality” is clear to see in the film. It was a monumental work which built upon the previous research of Alfred Kinsey as well as Masters and Johnson. Shere Hite went a step further than those before her by collecting responses of women to anonymous questionnaires which posed open ended questions that allowed full elaboration. This was followed by “The White Report on Men and Male Sexuality” and “Women and Love: A Cultural Revolution in Progress”.

Each release by Hite was met with an increasing amount of criticism. The documentary shows well her growing frustration with these critiques. Many of these critiques were formed from ignorance by people who had not read her studies. Personal attacks against her also grew, making any honest criticism of her work get lost in a sea of negativity. The desires and fears she faced throughout her life are well explored by Nicole Newnham.

Also interesting is the shifting political landscape during the time frame of her life. The progressive explosion of the 60’s and 70’s is contrasted by the conservative reaction of the 80’s and 90’s. The response by Christian Fundamentalists of her time is also briefly touched on. This political struggle of the time is interesting and still relevant today. Though the film is already nearly two hours long it would have been interesting to see it dive even deeper into this.

The Disappearance of Shere Hite is edited into a sleek package by Eileen Meyer. Two hours breeze by as the story of Hite unfolds. A collection of historical clips have been blended with video, interviews, and voice overs from today. The film works through her life from her time at Columbia University in the 60’s to her life in Germany beginning in the 90’s. Dakota Johnson provides narration. She reads the words of Shere Hite in a voice that matches Hite’s style quite well.

Perhaps the only other thing that the documentary could have featured more of is how Shere Hite’s work affected the lives of women at the time and into today. While there is some of this, a greater emphasis is placed on the impact she had on those within her inner circle. These close friends are an interesting group, with each doing a wonderful job explaining their unique perspective of Hite. However, the greatest emotional weight of the film occurs in snippets of responses from regular people that answered her questionnaires anonymously.

With The Disappearance of Shere Hite, Nicole Newnham has brought back to light a figure that had burned out. It is an incredibly important story that deserves to be told. The documentary should be an enlightening watch for those who are unfamiliar with her story. Meanwhile those who do know of her will likely be pleased with the care that has been taken.

★★★★☆