Notes for Mona Lisa Smile 1953

"Kathryn Watson made up in brains what she lacked in pedigree."

An art history teacher (Julia Roberts) fulfills her dream at “Wellesley College” an all-girls college in New England. Her first day is a disaster as her entire class has previously memorized the entire text book.

“What is art, what makes it good or bad, and who decides?”

There is turmoil among the girls when it is discovered that the school nurse is dispensing contraception. Betty (Kirsten Dunst) writes for the college paper and states that the school is promoting promiscuity.

Amanda the school nurse is then let go.

One of Kathryn’s students (Julia Styles) is a straight A prelaw student who is planning on marriage once graduating. Kathryn tells her that she could go to law school and be married and gives her an application to Yale.

At one point Kathryn takes her class to see a Jackson Pollack painting, she requests that they look at it with an open mind and tell her what they see.

The schools administration suggests if she likes teaching there that she spend less time on modern art.

Over Christmas break Kathryn’s boyfriend Paul surprises her with a visit to the school. He proposes marriage, but she is confused about the whole thing and turns him down.

Bill Dunbar an Italian professor tries to end a past affair with Gisele a female student.

After being married, Betty misses six classes, a paper and her midterm she is warned to do the work or she will be failed. Betty tells Kathryn that if she is failed there will be consequences.

Kathryn is invited to an AP party for a game of truth or consequences.

Shortly after Betty prints in the school paper that Kathryn rejects the idea of marriage and influences her students to do the same. “Challenging the roles they were born to fill.”

Betty is finding out that marriage is not all it’s cracked up to be and wants more, her mother is of no support to her.

Kathryn is finding herself attracted to Bill; she ends up spending a night with him.

The student played by Julia Styles is accepted into Yale but turns it down for marriage. Kathryn tries to convince her that she can have both but she is convinced and elopes.

Kathryn finds out that Bill has not always been honest with her about his past.

The school’s administration offers Kathryn another year but there are conditions.

Each of her students makes her a painting for her to remember them by.

Against her mother’s wishes Betty files for divorce and decides to move to Grenage Village with Giselle to attend law school.

Kathryn declines the offer to stay on another year.