Marcia Nasatir is ‘A Classy Broad’ Still Breaking Hollywood Stereotypes

The film industry has always been thought to be a man’s world, from the board room to the casting couch. The notion that women aren’t allowed to be part of the upper echelon has been a stereotype for well over 130 years of cinema.

However, Alice Guy-Blaché was the first woman to ever own and operate a movie studio in 1910s France, which opened the door for the Texas-born bad ass, Marcia Nasatir.

You may not know Nasatir by name, but you know her work having been the Vice President of Production at United Artists (UA) that brought forth such classics as Rocky, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Carrie, The Exorcist and Apocalypse Now, just to name a few. In fact, it was Nasatir who was responsible for getting Robert Towne an advance in order for him to venture off to Catalina Island and write Chinatown.

Having made its world premier at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2016, A Classy Broad: Marcia’s Adventures in Hollywood directed by Anne Goursaud, chronicles the life of Nasatir as she was the first woman VP at UA before being unceremoniously dismissed, which was a-blessing-in-disguise that allowed her to produce, The Big Chill, Hamburger Hill and Ironweed.

Nasatir, who turns 91 today on May 8th, is an unsung Hollywood icon that continues to work. Her latest project is an adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

From the instant Nasatir opens her mouth you fall in love with her straight shooter personality as she calmly proclaims, “Hi I’m Marcia, I”m a film producer now, but before that I’ve had 15 different jobs and I consider being fired from them a mark of honor.”

Nasatir continues to be a big burst of energy who grew up playing baseball, claiming that her son said if she had continued to pursue the sport, she would have been the first woman to play in the majors.

Ironically, the daughter of a Russian immigrant and Crystal Award Winner who paved the way for the younger generation of women is envious of them for being allowed to dress, speak and act in the manner of their choosing. Something that wasn’t look upon so favorably in the 1930s through 80s.

Nasatir is so eventful that she even had a small part involving the Watergate scandal. Having been introduced by a surfing buddy of Maureen Dean the wife of John Dean, a member of the White House Counsel to President Richard Nixon, Nasatir met the couple in New York City to talk about a publishing deal for his book, Blind Ambition. What started off as a great story of hearsay was confirmed when Alexander Butterfield took to the witness stand and confessed that there was a tape recorder in the White House, confirming all of Dean’s stories.

Publisher, author, cowgirl, film executive, heroine.  The words, “no” and “can’t” are not in Nasatir‘s vocabulary. A vibrant woman that was always willing to extend a helping hand in allowing others to follow their dreams Nasatir continues to work, inspire and forge ahead because that is who she is and the entertainment world is better because of her efforts.

A Classy Broad: Marcia’s Adventures in Hollywood will be screening at the following domestic and international film festivals throughout 2017: