Elvis (2022)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History, Musical

(For Day 15 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was to write a poem praising a role model while suggesting doubt around their supposed reputation. A biopic seemed like an ideal choice for this topic, since they so often expose the seedier aspects of celebrities.)

When searching music history,
From madrigals to neo-soul,
Elvis Presley was expressly
Called the King of Rock and Roll.

That clearly means the genre must
Have started with his rise to fame.
Raucous singing, pelvic swinging –
Closely linked to Elvis’ name.

Is Elvis not the true foundation
Of the rock we now revere?
When your sound is that renowned,
He must have been the pioneer,
Or so I hear.
____________________

MPA rating: PG-13

At this point, I expect all successful musicians of yesteryear to eventually get a film exposing their struggles and faults. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for Elvis Presley to get the Hollywood biopic treatment (not counting incidental narratives like Elvis & Nixon), but director Baz Luhrmann certainly went all out to finally make the King’s story into a flashy blockbuster. Framed as a deathbed recollection of Elvis’ infamously controlling manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), the story recounts Elvis’ life from his early fascination with African-American gospel music to his 1968 Christmas special comeback to his restrictive Las Vegas residency.

As I think most people acknowledge, the real star here is Austin Butler, who plays Elvis to perfection with an effortless drawl and swagger yet still makes him feel like a real person in a way old performance footage often doesn’t. It’s one of those rare ideal matches between star and subject that every biopic dreams of finding. And while Tom Hanks has gotten plenty of flak for his fake Dutch(?) accent, even winning two Razzies for the role, I thought he did a fine job, striking a convincing balance between fondness for “his boy” and the greed and anxiety of not wanting to lose control of his cash cow.

What felt more divisive than Hanks’s performance is Luhrmann’s direction, pumping as much visual glitz and bustle into each second as possible. The camera swoops and swirls with fever-dream abandon and rarely rests on any one scene for very long, further punctuated by anachronistic music, I suppose chosen to show Elvis’ continuing impact on modern music, even though rap tends to clash with 1950s Memphis. Yet as the film progressed, the drama and conflict between Elvis and Parker become more pronounced, and the direction likewise settles into a more serious mode that supports the emotional moments toward the end. I’m discovering that this is apparently a Luhrmann trend, since I recall Strictly Ballroom having a similar tonal switch from a first half I hated to a second half I loved. I suppose a strong ending is preferable to the alternative, but his style does take some getting used to.

That being said, Elvis does right by its iconic namesake, highlighting his stage presence and vocal power so closely replicated by Butler, who absolutely deserved his Best Actor nomination (though I am happy for Brendan Fraser’s win). His stunning rendition of “If I Can Dream” and the closing integration of “Unchained Melody” with real footage are especially brilliant. While it’s overlong and sidesteps some of his failings, like marital infidelity, the film shines a light on many details I never knew about the King of Rock and Roll and will likely become the de facto cinematic version of his story.

Best line: (Elvis) “A reverend once told me, ‘When things are too dangerous to say, sing.’”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2023 S.G. Liput
784 Followers and Counting

The Mercy (2018)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History

(For Day 6 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was to base a poem off of some other poem in a different language from the Poetry International website, drawing inspiration from the sounds and letters. I used “Jailhouse Haikus” by Basque poet Kirmen Uribe, and tried to mimic the flow of the sounds while tying the meaning to this film about an unfortunate sailor.)

Bane of chart and map,
Against which straight courses drift –
An ignorant man.

Hang on and look out,
Bet and build and don’t compare –
Better to just dare.

Look, the open sea.
I’ll sail, only heart speaking.
Error? I care not.
_________________________

MPA rating: PG-13

We’re so used to underdog biopics being tales of misjudged heroes overcoming adversity and earning their place in history over all the naysayers. Think Rudy, Rocky, and The Rookie. After all, why would anyone want to watch an underdog story that doesn’t end happily? That is the question I was left with after seeing The Mercy, a biographical drama starring Colin Firth as amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst. In the late 1960s, Crowhurst came up with a ship design that he felt confident could win the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, in which sailors would circumnavigate the globe alone on their yachts. The first half of the film has all the hallmarks of an inspirational history lesson, with Crowhurst betting his home and his business on one crazy idea he believes he can make happen, yet it’s no spoiler for anyone familiar with the notorious tale that things do not go as planned.

I debated whether or not to disclose the film’s ultimately sad turn, but I felt it was worth including, and it’s hardly a secret when looking up the movie. As an American, I had never heard of Crowhurst’s story and so was not expecting the ultimate tragedy of the tale. It’s a sad and open-ended account in real life, so the same is true for the film, which tries to fill in some gaps with speculations beyond the logs Crowhurst left behind. I will credit Firth, as well as Rachel Weisz as his devoted wife Clare, both of whom give excellent and nuanced performances. There is a place for tragic heroism and stories that remind us that well-intentioned hubris is no guarantee of success, if only to contrast with the overabundance of stories telling us the opposite. It’s just hard not to be disappointed at the reminder.

Best line: (Sir Francis Chichester, famed sailor) “To only do what has been done before is to live one’s life in the shadow of other men.”

Rank: Dishonorable Mention

© 2023 S.G. Liput
784 Followers and Counting

King Richard (2021)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, Sports

Diamonds in the rough, by definition,
Are diamonds no one ever thought to see,
So hidden snugly in the earth
That none would know or guess their worth,
No fanfare for their forceful birth,
No choice but anonymity.

But diamonds in the rough possess ambition,
Convinced they have a chance at gems-to-be.
Potential needs but one ally
To see its wings before they fly,
To know what others would deny:
The diamond’s there for those who see.
________________________

MPA rating: PG-13

It’s still unclear what the long-term effects will be of the infamous slap that Will Smith gave Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars ceremony, not long before Smith then took the stage to accept his award for Best Actor. I’ve loved many of Smith’s films and still think he was robbed of an Oscar for The Pursuit of Happyness, so I was genuinely glad for him to finally get that gold statue, even if there was an inescapable distaste over what preceded it. Still, I try to watch films divorced from the personalities of the actors in them, and regardless of how egregious or overhyped some may consider Smith’s slap, you have to admit that he does a fantastic job as the controversial father of future tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams.

King Richard would normally be a star-making role, but it seems right in line with Will Smith’s talents, even as he sports a pair of white shorts and a slight lisp. As he explains while pitching his daughters’ talents to various tennis instructors, Richard Williams had a plan for Venus and Serena from the start, and he and his wife Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis) went to great lengths to give them plenty of practice on the public court in Compton. Once Richard actually gets the attention of some coaches (Tony Goldwyn, Jon Bernthal), he proves to be an uncompromising negotiator on his daughters’ behalf, never doubting that they are destined to be stars.

Richard Williams was never on my radar, since Venus and Serena were already lauded pros by the time I paid any attention to tennis. (Plus, my mom usually only watches men’s tennis anyway. When are they going to make a Roger Federer movie?) The film certainly gets across Williams’ prickly, opinionated side that rubbed many the wrong way, whether it be his indignation over presumed microaggressions or his controlling attitude about his daughters’ futures. While it acknowledges some of his failings, the movie doesn’t dwell on them or even mention his and Oracene’s eventual divorce, and it can seem at times that the film agrees with him that Richard Williams knew best at all times. Luckily, Aunjanue Ellis does an outstanding and necessary job to match his passion for their success and offset his stubborn domineering, like when he goes too far trying to discourage his girls from bragging after a victory. While Ariana DeBose was great in West Side Story, Ellis honestly would have been just as deserving of the Supporting Actress Oscar.

Based on their status as executive producers, it’s clear that Venus and Serena Williams support this deeply fond portrayal of their father, so even if it smooths over some of his rough edges, I like to think it’s a picture of how they saw him, their first coach and cheerleader who valued their childhoods as well as their budding talents. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton as the teenaged Venus and Serena, respectively, succeed at standing out despite Richard’s shadow, and it’s easy to root for them as the underdog in what was then even more of a predominantly white sport, examples for “every little black girl on earth,” as their father says. I sometimes got the girls mixed up, partially because Richard kept using nicknames I wasn’t aware of (“Junior” for Venus and “Meka” for Serena), but it became clear by the end, as Venus becomes the first to go pro with Serena waiting in the wings for her chance.

King Richard is a comfortable fit for the usual aspirational sports movie mold, but it’s a moving and above-average rendition of an American success story. I never really had an opinion of the Williams sisters (some people I know have said they seemed arrogant, contrasting with Richard’s lessons on humility in the film), but my admiration for their talent and triumphs has certainly grown, especially in the film’s depiction of success being found even in apparent loss. Richard Williams and Will Smith may both be controversy magnets in their own way, but King Richard showcases their shared love of family, the kind of stubborn love that, despite its flaws, can still inspire.

Best line: (Richard Williams, to his daughters) “The most strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous creature on this whole earth is a woman who know how to think. Ain’t nothing she can’t do.”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2022 S.G. Liput
775 Followers and Counting

Stan and Ollie (2018)

Tags

Biopic, Comedy, Drama

(Sadly, I missed another day yesterday, thanks to an unpleasant misadventure that spoiled my creative mood, but I’m back for the home stretch. Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for an epic simile, a more detailed and flowery comparison like those of Homer and Milton.)

As when the soldier staggers home to stay
And greets the eyes of wife and son and daughter
With satisfaction that his time away
Has made them safer from the tides of slaughter,

Or as the shrewd inventor lays his last
Concluding touch upon the work of years
With satisfaction that the future vast
Will see his name alive among his peers,

Or as the farmer tends his fussy field
To balance needs of water, sun, and shade,
With satisfaction seeing labor yield
The fruits that prove his knowledge of his trade,

So did the two comedians on stage
Endure each other’s kicks and pokes and taunts,
Still satisfied as crowds of every age
Would laugh and share what every showman wants.
__________________________

MPA rating: PG

While I consider myself a cinephile, I must admit I have never seen any of the dozens of films in which Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy starred, though I think everyone recognizes their names as icons of comedy. Yet even with my limited knowledge of the bowler-hatted duo, I can tell that Steve Coogan as Laurel and John C. Reilly as Hardy do a marvelous job replicating their acclaimed slapstick down to their physicality, which is made obvious when the actual Laurel and Hardy are shown during the end credits. While an early scene (with one of those marvelous tracking shots that I love) shows them in their Hollywood prime, most of the film is set in 1953 when the pair were struggling to capitalize on their former fame through a music hall tour of the UK and Ireland. Having had a falling out years before, they attempt to recreate their comedic chemistry on stage, while dealing with sparse opportunities, old resentments, and Hardy’s failing health.

At first, the comedy routines recreated by Coogan and Reilly seemed too simple and quaint, but as we see audiences howling with laughter at their antics, it became clear just how far modern comedy has strayed from its humble roots and how much easier to please and impress audiences were in decades past. Yet their high jinks do have an innocent charm that comes through here, even as the film shows the discord and physical strain that was only visible offstage. Reilly is especially game wearing a fat suit, but both leads are excellent while never showboating; the same is true for Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as their wives, who have their own odd-couple chemistry while clearly caring for their husbands’ welfare. By the end, there’s a feeling of triumph in something as simple as a vaudeville dance, highlighting how rare and lovable their partnership was. Even if you haven’t seen the original Laurel and Hardy, Stan and Ollie makes clear their understated talent and bond, a small but sweet testament to two comedy legends who shouldn’t be forgotten.

Best line: (Stan Laurel) “You know, when you watch our movies, nobody else in the stories knows us, and we don’t know anybody either. It was just the two of us. All we had was each other.”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2022 S.G. Liput
770 Followers and Counting

Father Stu (2022)

Tags

Biopic, Comedy, Drama

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was about dogs, but it’s Easter, so I went in a somewhat more religious direction instead.)

There lives a Light, a Whisper in the depths of every heart,
And every one is different in its susurrating art.
We’re welcome to ignore it,
Just as much as to explore it,
Or to drown it out or call it all imagined from the start.

We have no obligation to give credence to its needs,
But everyone in history who’s done praiseworthy deeds,
Who’s sacrificed or died
In a way deserving pride,
Has followed that small Whispering no matter where it leads.
_______________________________

MPA rating:  R (solely for language)

Faith-based films have gotten a bad rap in terms of general quality and appeal, and it’s not entirely undeserved since so many feel designed to convert rather than entertain. Christians like me may agree with the message, but preaching to the choir gets old after a while and is unlikely to sway nonbelievers. That generalization may make non-Christians roll their eyes at a film like Father Stu, Mark Wahlberg’s sincere biopic about boxer-turned-priest Stuart Long. That’s certainly what many critics seem to be doing with their reviews, but I would point out the wide disparity between the 45% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and the 95% from audiences.

In the film, Stuart Long is, to put it bluntly, a low-class loser, the kind of lout who flaunts his charming smile when in a good mood but is quick to throw a punch when annoyed. His boxing career has hit its end, and despite the concerns of his mother (Jacki Weaver) and scorn of his deadbeat father (Mel Gibson), he decides to head out to Hollywood to be an actor. When his courtship of a devout Catholic girl (Teresa Ruiz) exposes him to religiosity, a near-death accident convinces him to unexpectedly seek the priesthood, no matter what doubts and physical limitations stand in his way.

Father Stu is certainly not the typical “faith-based film,” sporting an R rating for the abundant profanity from mainly Stu and his parents. Stu himself is no altar boy, expressing either contempt or flippancy toward the traditions of the Catholic church he wanders into and viewing it as merely a means to win over a pretty girl. His scoffing answers to some of the platitudes tossed his way act as the eye-roll cynical viewers might share, yet that blue-collar frankness becomes a strength when he decides to recognize that God might have a plan for him. One scene with a group of convicts during a prison visit highlights the contrast between Stu and one of his priggish fellow seminarians (Cody Fern), where the latter’s by-the-book moralizing may work well in a church setting but is unlikely to win over those not predisposed to listen. Stu doesn’t have fancy metaphors or perfect English, but he clearly relates to the down and out, which is half the battle in trying to reach an audience.

Father Stu is one of the few faith-based films that I think might actually have a chance at reaching nonbelievers with its message. It clearly hasn’t reached the critics, who seem to be complaining that it doesn’t “resonate” with its “inert” and “clumsy” attempt at inspiration, yet what doesn’t “resonate” with one reviewer very well might with others. I found plenty to admire, from Stu’s effort to control his short temper to his comparing himself with other reformed bad boys, like St. Augustine and St. Francis, to highlight how God can use anyone for His purposes. The gradual change he sparks in his father Bill is also moving, and Gibson manages to fit subtle regret beneath his constant bickering with Stu, especially by the end.

With both physical and spiritual transformations (and despite a mumbling drawl that can make him hard to understand at times), Wahlberg delivers the best performance I’ve seen from him, making me wish he could snag an Oscar nomination, though I know the Academy won’t allow that. It’s hard to say exactly how effective Father Stu is at inspiring since inspiration can obviously vary quite a bit among viewers, but it’s easily one of the best and best-written Christian films I’ve watched and one that even nonbelievers should appreciate to find the value in suffering. The heavy foul language makes me waver on whether it should be List-Worthy or a List Runner-Up, but I try to appraise films without regard to profanity, which in this case serves a purpose in highlighting Stu’s evolution from a crude roughneck to true believer. Whatever you may think of Wahlberg or Gibson or Christian films in general, there’s no denying the film’s sincerity at bringing Father Stu’s story to life.

Best lines: (Bill Long) “A man don’t lose when he gets knocked down, but when he won’t get up.”
and
(Father Stu) “We shouldn’t pray for an easy life, but the strength to endure a difficult one.”

Rank:  List-Worthy

© 2022 S.G. Liput
765 Followers and Counting

Happy Easter to all!

Mank (2020)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History, Netflix

(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was a poem about the opening scene of a movie about my life. With this film about a scriptwriter in mind, I decided to get a bit meta.)

We open with a panning shot
That swings from a suburban street
And slowly lifts and nears a house
With bushes bloomed in April heat.

A window’s lit, and through its pane
We see a young man deep in thought,
Studying his laptop screen,
Unsure if he should type or not.

He reads the fourteenth prompt again,
And shifts upon the seat below him.
Then, he cracks a knowing grin
And swiftly rattles off this poem.
___________________________

MPA rating:  R (solely for some language, a fairly light R)

The name Herman Mankiewicz may not mean much to non-cinephiles, but he’s still held in high esteem for his Oscar-winning screenplay for Citizen Kane, sharing credit with Orson Welles, much to the chagrin of Welles’ ego. David Fincher’s treatment of Mank, as his friends called him, is an undeniable labor of love, with a screenplay written by Fincher’s father Jack prior to his 2003 death and delayed over the next two decades. On top of that, the black-and-white cinematography and sound were painstakingly designed to mimic the style of old Hollywood, though the level of that detail is more appreciated by film historians than average viewers.

Oscar nominee Gary Oldman brings Mank to life as a washed-up genius too witty and fond of alcohol for his own good, Whether he’s dictating the Citizen Kane script while recuperating from a broken leg in his desert hideaway or schmoozing with Louis B. Mayer (Arliss Howard), William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance), and Marion Davies (Oscar-nominated Amanda Seyfried) ten years earlier, Oldman is brilliant as ever at portraying afflicted brilliance, while the rest of the cast is strong but somewhat forgettable compared to him.

Despite Oldman’s ever award-worthy presence, the true star is the script, which bears an old-timey eloquence that is uncommon these days, the kind that trusts in the intelligence of the audience to appreciate its wit. With such a reliance on dialogue, the film can get dry at times, but it also elucidates interesting details of Mank’s story, such as his assistance of Jews escaping Nazi Germany and how he changed his mind about receiving credit for the Citizen Kane script. From what I understand, the history is embellished to give Mank a greater claim to Citizen Kane’s brilliance than Orson Welles, but, taken with a grain of salt, it’s still an impressively crafted vision of classic Hollywood through the bleary eyes of one of its great writers.

Best line: (Louis B. Mayer) “This is a business where the buyer gets nothing for his money but a memory. What he bought still belongs to the man who sold it. That’s the real magic of the movies. And don’t let anybody tell you different.”

Ranking:  Honorable Mention

© 2022 S.G. Liput
765 Followers and Counting

2021 Blindspot Pick #2: My Left Foot (1989)

Tags

Biopic, Drama

We get what we’re born with,
No more and no less.
Curse the sky,
Moan and sigh,
Pound the cage and wonder why;
Still, when you are out of breath,
You’ll have what led to such distress.

Our handicaps vary,
In flesh and in mind.
Is it strange
That this range
Still can lead to lasting change?
The albatrosses each must carry
Mark the best of humankind.

Yet suffering will never
Inspire by default.
‘Tis the sight
Of the fight,
Proving we are not our plight.
The hardest roads, the fool’s endeavor
Are the wins to most exalt!
_________________________

MPA rating:  R (mainly for language)

No, I haven’t forgotten about my Blindspots this year, and I plan to hurriedly catch up once school is done in September. In the meantime, I have still been able to see a few. I recall hearing my mom often speak positively about My Left Foot, but I never got around to seeing it for whatever reason. An acclaimed biopic, My Left Foot also heralded Best Actor winner Daniel Day-Lewis as one of the premier actors of his day, which other films have since confirmed.

It’s become a bit of cliché for actors feigning disabilities to become awards magnets, with recent criticism increasing from many communities over such portrayals. In playing the real-life painter and writer Christy Brown, Day-Lewis rises above such complaints with the sheer commitment of bringing to life a man whose life was so much more than a victim of cerebral palsy. Born into a poor but plentiful Irish family, Christy is accommodated to the best of their ability, with particular love from his doting mother Bridget (Brenda Fricker) and grudging affection from his rowdy father Patrick (Ray McAnally, who died shortly after the film’s release).

While chronic conditions like Christie’s might have led to despair and debasement (a la The Elephant Man), it’s a warm-hearted joy to see how his siblings and friends treat him as one of their own. In the Browns’ cash-strapped world, a mere wheelchair is a thing to cherish, while a desire for a room of his own results in an inspiring family effort. In Christy’s struggles, there is still a constant feeling of otherness, leading to heartbreaking moments where Day-Lewis’s intensity transcends his limited movements. The actor’s lock-jawed dialogue can be hard to make out at times, but he perfectly embodies the emotional range of his subject, from his sardonic humor to his self-pitying grief to his earnest desire for happiness.

As award-worthy as Day-Lewis was, I felt Brenda Fricker deserved her Best Supporting Actress Oscar just as much. Indeed, she ranks among the finest movie mothers, both with Day-Lewis and the equally excellent Hugh O’Conor as the young Christy. There has been some debate over whether Driving Miss Daisy deserved its Best Picture win in 1989, with My Left Foot held up as the best alternative. I’ll admit that was a very competitive year (Glory wasn’t even nominated) and I would be happy with My Left Foot winning, but I do have a soft spot for Driving Miss Daisy so I’m still glad it won. Even so, My Left Foot is a shining example of a biopic that finds a perfect convergence of inspiring true story, poignant script, and ideal casting.

Best line: (Mrs. Brown) “A broken body’s nothing compared to a broken heart.”

Rank:  List-Worthy

© 2021 S.G. Liput
736 Followers and Counting

Resistance (2020)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History

(For Day 18 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was to write a poem inspired by one of the chapter titles in Susan G. Wooldridge’s Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words, and the heading “Controlled Abandon” caught my eye, associating it with any kind of innovation or risk-taking, which can be simply unusual or truly dangerous.)

Upon the walls of cultured art, the few who make the rules
Can mock the fewer down below and designate them fools.
For who but madmen with abandon would attempt to flout
The well-established orthodoxy, confident in clout?
But down below, the darer knows what’s needed to invent,
And every tiny movement made is careful with intent.
The price of forging something new may well survive disdain,
For “madmen” such as these know there is nothing done in vain.

Upon the walls of tyranny, the few who make the rules
Can mock the vulgar down below and designate them fools.
For who but madmen with abandon would resist the State,
Which has the power to enforce its whims without debate?
But down below, the darer knows what’s needed to dissent,
And every tiny movement made is careful with intent.
The price of saving someone else may well result in pain,
But “madmen” such as these know there is nothing done in vain.
_______________________________________

MPA rating:  R (can be intense, but what is actually shown is closer to PG-13)

There are already so many films set in World War II, whether it be on the battlefield or in the Nazi-occupied cities where Jews were threatened, but they never seem to get old. Resistance may fall into the middle pack of such films, but it’s still an excellent period piece/biopic about the early life of Marcel Marceau, who went on to become the world’s most famous mime.

Jesse Eisenberg might not have been my first choice for the role, but he proves to be a compelling figure as a misunderstood artist moved to action by the plight of displaced Jewish children in France. Likewise, Clémence Poésy and Bella Ramsey deliver affecting performances as Marcel’s love interest and a girl he rescues, respectively, while Matthias Schweighöfer is a terror as notorious Nazi Klaus Barbie. The plotline is not especially original but still packs emotional power and occasional menace, and the way that Marceau’s budding talent as a mime is employed to cheer the children is well executed by Eisenberg.

Mime itself has never been of much interest to me, and the film’s final moments may be underwhelming for luddites like me, but its sincerity and historical basis are nonetheless impressive. Resistance may have underperformed due to its release at the start of the pandemic last March, but it deserves more appreciation.

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
728 Followers and Counting

A Song to Remember (1945)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History

(For Day 10 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt suggested a “Junk Drawer Song,” but I decided on something different and went back to Day 7 to try the shadorma, a 26-syllable poem with a syllable count of 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, and 5.)

As I die,
I hear the music
Of living,
Of loving,
Of knowing what outlives me
Will keep me alive.
________________________

MPA rating:  Not Rated (G would work, maybe PG)

You know those musical biopics that have practically become their own genre by now? The kind where a young, naïve talent gets caught up in the thrill of success, is fooled by unscrupulous exploiters as their relationships and health deteriorate, and then ends up either reclaiming a piece of their former passion or else dying tragically? Think Coal Miner’s Daughter to Ray to Teen Spirit and beyond. Well, such films are hardly a new invention, since A Song to Remember used such a plot way back in 1945, earning itself seven Oscar nominations. This story of Polish pianist extraordinaire Fredric Chopin (Best Actor nominee Cornel Wilde) may play fast and loose with the actual history, but it’s still an elegant period piece that highlights the life and greatest works of a giant of classical music.

A child prodigy in both playing and composing, the film’s version of Chopin had his greatest advocate in his teacher Joseph Elsner, played by the endearingly gregarious Paul Muni, who is easily the best character, reminiscent of Thomas Mitchell’s Uncle Billy in It’s a Wonderful Life the next year. The pro-Poland patriotism of Chopin and Elsner comes into conflict with the high-minded George Sand, who convinces Chopin to focus on composing to the exclusion of all else. Sand’s characterization is one of the film’s larger changes to history, since she was an advocate for Poland as well, and Ayn Rand notably objected to her being painted as a villain. Still, I thought the treatment of the conflict was relatively balanced, certainly leaning toward Elsner being in the right overall, but Sand makes some good points along the way that are never really refuted. For any lover of classical music unfamiliar with it, A Song to Remember is an underrated classic waiting to be discovered, even if it follows story beats that have only gotten more familiar with repetition.

Best line: (George Sand) “Are you satisfied, monsieur? Do you know anything that could replace a life as great as his?”   (Elsner) “Yes. The spirit that he leaves behind in a million hearts, madam.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
727 Followers and Counting

At Eternity’s Gate (2018)

Tags

Biopic, Drama, History

(For Day 8 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt suggested writing a monologue from a dead person’s perspective, in the style of the Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. I chose Vincent van Gogh.)

I painted what I saw, which is somehow not what others saw,
Though they recognized its canvas version.
The colors mattered more than details,
For the colors are the details in my mind,
Glazed over every surface and landscape
And fired in my mind’s kiln to a minor masterpiece,
If only everyone could share my eye.
They said I had my demons, but I had angels too,
Perched on each shoulder, left and right.
With my one good ear, I like to think
The worse of the two had trouble being heard.
But hearing is overrated while sight
And hue can bewitch so splendidly.
_____________________________

MPA rating:  PG-13 (for mature themes, nothing objectionable shown)

The only Oscar attention given to 2018’s At Eternity’s Gate may have been a Best Actor nod for Willem Dafoe, but his performance really is the film’s greatest strength. As misunderstood painter Vincent van Gogh, Dafoe proves to be a mercurial presence, given to bouts of obsession and anger while treasuring art above all. His relationship with fellow artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac) seems to be a friendly outlet, but the Dutchman’s apparent mental struggles only get worse in the last years of his life.

I can’t fault the acting, but director Julian Schnabel of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly makes a few jarring creative choices with his direction and editing, which highlights the otherness of van Gogh’s perceptions but also comes off as overly artsy and surreal. Still, I wasn’t familiar with many of the details of van Gogh’s life, and my subsequent research made me recognize the many references to his most famous works throughout the film, heightening my appreciation of it. At Eternity’s Gate is a contemplative showcase of Dafoe’s talent portraying a tortured genius, and its final moments are especially evocative in representing the precious but overlooked.

Best line: (van Gogh) “Maybe God made me a painter for people who aren’t born yet. It is said, ‘Life is for sowing. The harvest is not here.’”

Rank:  Honorable Mention

© 2021 S.G. Liput
723 Followers and Counting