Month: June 2017

BEATRIZ AT DINNER

Beatriz (Salma Hayek) decides to attend the dinner just as she is.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER

Film review by Marlene Ardoin

“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.” – Sophie Tucker

“Beatriz at Dinner” may look like a battle between the givers and the takers, but they are both right. The winner is a balance of the two extremes.

Beatriz (Salma Hayek) appears to be unable to receive. Being poor does not make her superior. Her client, Kathy (Connie Britton), offers to dress her up for the dinner, then later, offers her money for the tow home, both offers are refused. Had she accepted these offers, the outcome may have been drastically different.

Beatriz is the odd one out. At the dinner, she describes an experience with her father, where he was kicking an octopus. She sides with the octopus.

Another point of view is that her father was trying to protect her from the octopus. Had she had this alternate point of view, things might have turned out very different for her.

I believe that we shape our world by how we see it. A more positive viewpoint would have enabled Beatriz to love men, to love the world as it is, and then, to become a positive force in making it even better.

Doug Strutt (John Lithgow) has no problem accepting and showing appreciation for her shoulder massage. When alone with her, he offers her a gift. He points out that we are all dying from the moment that we take our first breath. He encourages her to try to enjoy her life.

Beatriz appears to have more judgment, more pride and more ego as the “healer”, than her opponent, “the successful rich guy.” His comments make her seethe. But, he expresses more love and caring, than her massages or songs do.

Doug Strutt, the man who kills rhinos, who strips bare the environment, who is on his third wife, has the moral high ground here.

I personally prefer all of his transgressions to the transgression that Beatriz ends this film on. I left the theatre feeling ashamed to my core for identifying with Beatriz.

While everyone else is sending prayer lanterns into the air, Beatriz chooses to take a swim by herself.

This story is very much needed at a time in the history of our world, where the “Have Nots” are blaming the “Haves” for all of their misfortune.

Bravo to the writer, Mike White. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?

But wait a second, what if this is the guy, who is hiking up the cost of cancer treatments by 5000%, who is raising the price from $12.50 a tablet to $750 a tablet?

What if this is the guy, who does not pay his workers a living wage?

What if this is the guy, who is kicking families out of their homes, so he can raise the price 500% higher?

Or, what if this is the guy who is cutting down all the 3000 year old redwoods?

These are just variations to the story, which would make that guy less likeable or sympathetic.

His jokes would be more offensive.

As written, I do not feel the script is sympathetic to Beatriz, nor does it capture all the reasons for her despair and anger.

Public humiliation is just a part of it. Racism and indifference can be subtle and very debilitating.

Doug Strutt (John Lithgow) is pensive during dinner.

Bio of screenwriter Mike White:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_White_(filmmaker)

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6/28/2017 # Beatriz at Dinner

MY COUSIN RACHEL

Rachel (Rachel Weisz) accepts the family necklace from Philip (Sam Claflin).

MY COUSIN RACHEL

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

In the Victorian era of “My Cousin Rachel,” if a woman’s husband dies of a brain tumor, why do her husband’s relatives assume that she must be some kind of black widow?

This theory does not make any sense, because women could not inherit property then. If a husband dies, and a woman has no male children, she is out of business.

In the film, “My Cousin Rachel,” Rachel (Rachel Weisz) is in a destitute situation. So, she throws herself at the mercy of her husband’s male heir, Philip (Sam Claflin).

Philip is just 24 years old when he meets Rachel, who is an older, but very accomplished woman.

Philip spurns Louise (Holliday Grainger), the daughter of his godfather, Nick Kendall (Iain Glen), who is managing his estate, which Philip is due to inherit at age 25.

Rachel is walking into a very unfriendly and deadly environment. She has to please Philip, so he will support her, but she immediately sees that Louise has her sights on him as a husband. Her every move is analyzed mercilessly.

Does Rachel have no other relatives? No one makes inquiries about her family.

She does have a male confidant, Rainaldi, who helps her manage the closing of her deceased husband’s villa. Rainaldi is the one who supplies the death certificate and verifies that Philip is still the heir, with no changes to his uncle’s will.

Philip is too young to intuit Rachel’s situation. Rather, he sees her approach as a come on to him, and he spurns Louise, because Louise is too frank with him, which wounds his ego.

I also wonder why Philip’s estate is in such a shambles just before Rachel arrives. The dogs have their run of the mansion and the roof leaks.

The story is by Daphne du Maurier, who’s other novels have also been the subjects of American films, such as “Rebecca” and “The Birds.” Another version of “My Cousin Rachel” was made in 1952, starring Richard Burton and Olivia de Havilland.

Most Hollywood films feature happy endings, but not du Maurier’s stories. She explores interesting character studies, which ring true.

The filming of the 2017 version of “My Cousin Rachel” is exquisite. Very strong, beautiful and vivid imagery.

Rachel (Rachel Weisz) ponders her situation.

Bio of novelist, Daphne du Maurier:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_du_Maurier

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6/24/2017 # My Cousin Rachel

PARIS CAN WAIT

Michael (Alec Baldwin) waves goodbye.

Jacque (Arnaud Viard) drives Anne (Diane Lane), who is holding a rose.

PARIS CAN WAIT

Film review by Marlene Ardoin

Eleanor Coppola, wife of renowned filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, had an experience, which caused her to write her own script, then to direct her own film, “Paris Can Wait,” which gives a voice to all middle-aged women, who suddenly feel invisible.

I loved this film. And in my opinion, she needs to keep going, even if she is 81 years old.

Eleanor Coppola has a successful marriage, successful children, and now, I feel that it is never too late to become a successful filmmaker/writer/director.

In her film, Diane Lane plays Anne, the wife of a successful movie producer, who decides to join her husband in Europe, while he is on location. She soon discovers that this may be a bad idea.

Alec Baldwin plays Michael, the movie producer husband, who, when he does get off the cell phone, is criticizing his third wheel wife for ordering two sandwiches. He shames her ruthlessly.

It seems that she does not know French well enough to communicate that she wanted cheese on her hamburger, hence the second cheese sandwich.

And to compound his error, her husband leaves her alone with his luggage, telling her to call the bellman. She tries using the phone, but, again the language barrier. She ends up becoming the bellman, instead.

By the time Anne makes it to the airport, she has a pounding earache. Her husband does not notice her distress, but his French business associate, Jacques (Arnaud Viard), does notice.

Jacque offers to drive Anne to Paris, rather than have her take the small plane to Budapest with her husband.

And to compound his error even further, her husband shows no signs of jealousy, concern or caring for her. He essentially throws her under the influence of a total male stranger.

Her husband, Michael, seems oblivious to the fact that she may be experiencing some distress, because her daughter is now no longer at home and her dress shop business has just closed.

She was hoping to connect with her husband, who is revealing that he is a total asshole.

Luckily, Jacques is a kind and generous soul, who is everything that her husband is not, except, maybe not as rich.

Jacques starts off by taking care of her earache.

And to compound that, he turns out to be a good travel mate. He is sensitive to her needs. He asks questions and shows interest in her. He is not stingy with food. He takes special care to see that she is served the finest of French food.

What is endearing about him, is that he agreed to drive her to Paris, even though the car that he owns, probably will not make it.

He stops every hour on the road, telling her that he needs to stretch his legs and have a cigarette. I’m not buying it. He is seeing that his engine is heating up, because the fan is about to go out.

It becomes apparent that these two are very compatible. They are comfortable in each other’s company. And, their level of emotional intimacy is reached at warp speed.

So, if you are married, divorced, or hoping to stay married, may I suggest going to see this film.

Eleanor Coppola.

Interview with Eleanor Coppola and Arnaud Viard:

http://deadline.com/2016/09/eleanor-coppola-paris-can-wait-arnaud-viard-tiff-

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6/14/17 # Paris Can Wait

A QUIET PASSION

Poet Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon) kisses the forehead of her beloved father, Edward (Keith Carradine).

A QUIET PASSION

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

Poet Emily Dickinson (Cynthia Nixon), thanks to her forward thinking father, Edward Dickinson (Keith Carradine) was spared the fate of most Victorian women. Too bad the film, “A Quiet Passion,” does not see it that way.

Not only Emily, but her sister, Vinnie (Jennifer Ehle), chose not to marry, even though both women were attractive and of good family.

In the Victorian era, women had no rights. They became the property of their husbands and were expected to clean and bear children.

They did not get educations. They did not vote. They could not have property. And, they could not have money. A shortened term for Victorian is victim.

Emily, on the other hand, had a father, who was an attorney, a congressman, who served on the board of a college, and who made sure that all his children were educated.

Yes, Emily became a recluse, because that was easier than having to explain why she was not married, during an era that saw it as being something shameful.

Also, the American Civil War occurred in 1861, when Emily was just 30 years old. Most of the eligible men died during that time period.

Emily received pleasure through writing poetry.

And, the household did not have all the servants that the film implies. Both, Emily and her sister took care of the housework and cooking, because her mother (Joanna Bacon as Emily Norcross Dickinson), was not able, because of depression and a stroke.

When Emily’s father died, her brother, Austin (Duncan Duff), who also became an attorney and, who also served on the College Board, took care of his female family members.

Austin’s wife, Susan Gilbert Dickinson (Jodhi May), was one of Emily’s old school friends. Emily considered Susan a confidant, but after Emily’s death, Susan was not interested in seeing that her poetry was published.

Susan gave Austin three children, two boys and a girl. Both of the boys died before their time.

Emily became very attached to her brother’s children, particularly the youngest nephew, Thomas Gilbert (Gib) Dickinson (1875-1883). It is thought that Emily’s health took a sharp decline after his death. Emily died in 1986.

After Emily’s death, it was Austin’s mistress, Mabel Loomis Todd (Noemie Schellens), who took an interest in getting Emily’s poems published. Sister Vinnie approached her after Susan, Austin’s wife, seemed uninterested.

Mabel did sing and she was only about 25 years old, when she met Austin, who was much older than she was.

Mabel’s husband was a much older professor and astronomer at the college, where Austin served on the board. Mabel’s husband, David Peck Todd, did not seem to mind the affair. He and Mabel had a daughter together.

Long story short, Emily only got about twelve of her poems published during her lifetime, then all 1800 or so poems were published after her death, and have remained in print ever since.

“A Quiet Passion” does not get all the facts straight, but it is worth seeing. Emily Dickinson is forever an American treasure as a writer.