Month: June 2018

SATC: 20 Years Later

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Who hasn’t wondered if they’re a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, or Samantha!? The iconic HBO show (which was later shown on TBS- where I saw MOST of it) has MANY fans (incl. Beyonce- listen to lyrics in Me and My Boyfriend) and haters. Though it deals w/ modern-day dating (casual/serious), careers (high-powdered/stressful), and (eventually) LTRs and marriage, it’s anchored in something MORE solid than any of these topics- female friendship. No matter what, these four women had each other’s backs (unlike the younger/less mature ones we later saw on Girls). Michael Patrick King admitted that he intentionally limited the family members, since the four gal pals and how they relate to each other was the main focus.

From a distance, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) had a glam life- working as a freelance writer, living in a (rent-controlled) Manhattan apt, w/ a closet filled w/ designer shoes (as well as quirky clothes). The fictional stand-in for author Candace Bushnell, Carrie (32 y.o. in the first season), was focused on her writing and finding love. She was petite, curly-haired, a bit clumsy, BUT also funny/charming. UES art curator Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) always had the dream of a traditional family. In a revealing character moment (early in S1), she incredulously asks: “How do you forget a guy you’ve slept with!?” Charlotte was V conventionally pretty/WASP and more conservative when it came to clothing, demeanor, and men. Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon- now running for governor of NY) was the litigator looking to make partner at her law firm. She was V independent, funny (in a sarcastic way), and NOT focused much on romance (some viewers call her jaded). In one ep, a senior partner assumed she was gay, so set her up w/ another woman (who turned out to be a pal). Samantha (Kim Cattral) was the publicist who boldly stated that she’d try anything once. Though the oldest of this group, she was (arguably) the MOST beautiful, confident, and adventurous (incl. w/ men). Creator Darren Star solely wanted Cattral (an icon from ’80s B-movies) for this role, though she was V reluctant. Some haters feel that Samantha “acted like a man” (whatever that means) and wasn’t “realistic.” Hmmm… that doesn’t mean real “Samanthas” don’t exist.

Though the men take a back seat on SATC, many fine (and fine looking- just being real) actors (from world of movies, TV, & theater) have been involved w/ the women. Carrie’s Achilles heel was Mr. Big (Law & Order alum Chris Noth), the emotionally distant, successful businessman she couldn’t forget… and finally married (in a movie). Frustration was the most common feeling when Carrie broke up w/ furniture-builder Aiden (John Corbett), who MANY thought was her “perfect guy.” Unlike Big, Aiden was expressive, warm, and V willing to share his life. And who can forget Jack Berger (Ron Livingston from Office Space)!? Berger (as she called him) was Carrie’s intellectual equal- a humor writer she met at their publisher’s office. They share witty banter, common thoughts, and honesty. Berger’s advice to Miranda when she questions the lack of a phone call after a first date, “He’s just not that into you,” became a part of pop culture. Berger’s and Carrie’s relationship is strained by career problems; a book deal of his falls through just as she gets a book deal to publish her columns. He breaks up with her on a Post-It (yikes).

It wasn’t a smooth road for the other gals either. Charlotte’s “knight in shining armor” Dr. Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan of Twin Peaks fame) turned out to be NOT what she expected. They met when Trey’s cab nearly missed hitting Charlotte on the street. She did what MANY women (raised w/ conservative values) have done- married in short time b/c the man was handsome, of similar heritage, w/ a successful career. After her divorce from (still a “mama’s boy”) Trey, Charlotte (unexpectedly) grew close to her attorney, Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler). Harry was the antithesis of what Charlotte looked for in a man: bald, pudgy, messy, sweaty, w/ blunt manners and TOO much body hair. But Charlotte fell in love w/ him, and decided to convert to Judaism, b/c it meant that she’d get to be the wife of such a good man. Miranda (perhaps an aspirational figure to young women) turned out to have a great life; she became partner, had a baby boy, bought a brownstone in Brooklyn (before it was cool) and (eventually) married Queens-raised bartender- Steve (David Eigenberg). It came as NO shock to viewers when Samantha ended up single, though she did have two LTRs w/ wealthy industrialist, Richard (James Remar), and much younger actor/waiter Smith (Jason Lewis). She also managed Smith’s acting career for a time.

Looking back, fans and critics alike MAY cringe at the lack of diversity (esp. in a show set in NYC and filmed partly at Silvercup Studios in Astoria, Queens). In S1, Samantha had an elegant/older girlfriend, Maria (played by iconic Brazilian actress Sonia Braga). Later, she dated a young hip hop mogul, Marcus, whose older sister strongly disapproved of interracial relationships. Miranda briefly dated her sports doc neighbor (played by Blair Underwood, an alum of L.A. Law). The two (recurring) gay men on the show, Carrie’s literary agent/friend Stanford (Willie Garson) and Charlotte’s event planner/friend Anthony (Mario Cantone) were drawn w/ a broad brush. At one point, the ladies set them up on a date, though they didn’t have much in common (yeah, that happens to other minorities, too).

Pygmalion (1938) starring Leslie Howard & Wendy Hiller

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This isn’t exactly like My Fair Lady (sorry, if you’re looking for that)! There are NO songs (plus or minus, depending on the viewer), it’s in B&W, and considered a more realistic version of George Bernard Shaw’s story (inspired by Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea). In contrast to Audrey Hepburn’s Eliza, Brit actress Wendy Hiller (who some of you may know from the beloved Canadian Anne of Avonlea mini-series) is more of a plain Jane, though tall and elegant in bearing (when she has to be). Leslie Howard’s Prof. Higgins is younger (a plus, IF you want to play up the romance angle) than Rex Harrison. His speech is less showy, more matter-of-fact, yet still cutting (esp. towards Eliza).

Howard also co-directed this film (as I learned from TCM); he’s much more than Ashley from Gone with the Wind.  Though his looks and usual style of acting are NOT my favorite, you have to respect a guy w/ such a long line of (mostly well-made) films. There are a few points in this film where my attention drifted (just being real- it’s a ’30s film after all). I think fans of this story (and classics in general) should give it a watch. 

There’s lots of women has to make their husbands drunk to make them fit to live with. -Eliza explains at tea (to Mrs. Higgins’ guests)

Walk? Not bloody likely. I’m going in a taxi. -Eliza declares to Freddy when he offers to walk her home 

Some Trivia re: the Film:

Shaw was the first person to have won both the Academy Award and the Nobel Prize. 

The first British film to use the word “bloody” in its dialogue; this word was an expletive , so considered extremely vulgar.

In the British version, Howard says “damn;” in the American one, he says “hang” or “confounded.” This was a year before David O. Selznick fought the Hays Office over permission for Clark Gable to say “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” at the end of Gone with the Wind (1939).

The scene in which Eliza accidentally swallows a marble during an elocution lesson does not appear in the original play. During rehearsals for this scene, a pained expression came over Hiller’s face; when she spat out the marbles she had in her mouth she said, “Leslie, I’ve swallowed one!” Howard replied: “Never mind, there are plenty more.” This caused such amusement among the crew that it was added to the film, then later to its musical version, My Fair Lady.

Ocean’s 8 (2018) starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, & Anne Hathaway

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NOTE: This post contains MILD SPOILERS for the film (now playing in theaters).

What seems like a fun, simple heist movie (female reboot of Ocean’s franchise), has layers (when you dig deeper). The dialogue and slow-ish directing style leaves much to be desired, BUT the actors pull off a LOT w/ the strength of their personalities, FAB fashion, confidence, and (off course) charisma. These women (mostly household names) are NOT afraid to poke fun at themselves. At one point, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) says: “A he gets noticed. A she is invisible. We want to be invisible.” Oooh, if that’s NOT a direct jab at major Hollywood film studios, I don’t know what is!

I haven’t seen Bullock (who plays recent parolee/younger sis of Danny) in a while; she’s had some hits (and quite a few misses) in her career. (Fun fact: He mom was an opera singer from Germany; she speaks some German at pivotal points in the film.) Cate Blanchett (Lou) is great, as usual; her platinum bob and menswear-inspired suits look V cool. I much prefer to see Blanchett in this type of strong/independent woman role, as opposed to Blue Jasmine (saw recently on Netflix w/ my mom). Her performance is compelling in that (rather lackluster) film, BUT I just like her kicking ass! There is an enigmatic nature to the relationship between Debbie and Lou.

Anne Hathaway (who steals the show) takes on the self-obsessed Hollywood star archetype. I think even Hathaway’s haters will have to take note of this performance! She is more of an earnest theater geek/English major, a far cry from Daphne Kluger, who swings from confident to insecure in the blink of an eye. Dahne’s designer for the Met Gala is Rose Weil (Helena Bonham-Carter), a broke Irishwoman near the end of her rope (until she meets Debbie and Lou). Bonham-Carter also makes fun of herself; take note the of the quirky touches (incl. hair, gloves, Victorian-inspired outfits). It’s great to see her (on the big screen) after MANY years. 

My friends and I were excited to see Mindy Kaling (now a mom- WOW); I wanted to know a BIT more re: her diamond-expert character, Amita. Awkwafina, a young Chinese-American actress from Queens, gets laughs for her deadpan performance of Constance (a skateboarding street hustler). Catch her later this Summer on Crazy Rich Asians. And who can forget Nine Ball, a young hacker played by Rihanna!? She just has the kind of screen presence that can’t be faked, even covered in baggy ponchos and working over a laptop. Sarah Paulson is the bored suburban mom, Tammy; she should’ve gotten more to do. 

Richard Armitage fans (like myself) will be V happy to see the Brit get more exposure; he plays Claude Becker (art dealer/con man). He recently tweeted that he got the role last-minute. Another Brit I’m also fan of (Damian Lewis- starring in Showtime’s Billions) had to drop out. Claude is Daphne’s date for the Gala; he has little interest in her (as a person), BUT seems to love being in proximity to celebs. (There are MANY celeb cameos in this film- FYI.) There are little moves and expressions to show Daphne that he cares, BUT this is all a performance. Richard does a great job in his (limited) role; he gets really great outfits, too. 

Sidenote: If you want to know more re: the Met Gala, check out the doc that the characters watch- The First Monday in May (Netflix). 

Fleabag (2016)

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I watched this Brit show (on Amazon Prime) last weekend; there are 6 eps (about 30 mins long). It’s NOT for everyone (TV-MA), BUT does have some interesting/unique components. We’ve ALL seen angry/unlikable/complicated men as protagonists (incl. in comedies) over the past 10 yrs or so. However, there aren’t many female characters like Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), a 20ish working woman living in London and dealing w/ grief (incl. that of her BFF/business partner). “Fleabag” is the real-life nickname of Waller-Bridge. She also created a play on which this show is based. Fleabag breaks the fourth wall (as seen prominently on House of Cards); this brings the viewer in closer to the story.
Fleabag struggles to keep her small cafe open, breaks up w/ her sensitive/songwriter BF- Harry (Hugh Skinner), then hooks up w/ different men (one of her coping mechanisms, she admits). Waller-Bridge can be BOTH beautiful and awkward at the same time; she has a flawless face and is tall and slim. Yet she also has a somewhat long/big nose (which gives her an unique look). One of her men is played by an unusually handsome actor (Ben Aldridge). Sidenote: The way others reacted to their pairing reminded me of when Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) dated character played by a soap actor on SATC.
Fleabag has an awkward relationship w/ her father (Scottish actor Bill Paterson) and hates her godmother turned step-mom (Waller-Bridge’s close friend-actress Olivia Colman). Talk about step-mom from Hell- Colman portrays a self-absorbed artist and villain V well here (a departure from her usual roles)! The MOST interesting/complicated relationship is between Fleabag and her seemingly “perfect” older sister, Claire (Sian Clifford). Unlike Fleabag’s aimless approach to life, Claire (Sian Clifford) has to control everything (incl. her own “surprise” b-day party). There is deep love between these women, though they have such different personalities. Both women wonder if they sre “bad feminists”- something V rare for a TV show! Claire is married to an American art dealer, Martin (comedian Brett Gelman), who comes off as creepy and pathetic. I think Martin provides some of the more (obvious) humor.

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) starring Robert Mitchum & Deborah Kerr

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I watched his film (w/ my mom) this past week at AFI in Silver Spring, MD (theater across the street from my current apt). I’d seen it before (on TCM), BUT let’s face it- Mitchum is a big man meant for the big screen. This film was shot on location in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago) in Cinemascope. This film is rightly compared to The African Queen w/ a female being a religious missionary and a hell-raising male thrown together in wartime. The African Queen was set during WWI; this film is set on a small Pacific island in WWII.

John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Clark Gable and Marlon Brando all wanted to play, or were sought for, the part of Mr. Allison before Robert Mitchum was cast. Mitchum worried that Kerr would be like the prim characters she often played; after she swore at director John Huston during one take, Mitchum (who was in the water) almost drowned laughing. The two actors were friends until Mitchum’s death in 1997.

Deborah Kerr is a nun who hasn’t yet taken her final vows.  Being alone on the island with Mitchum is a temptation, no doubt- LOL! At that time, the Catholic church imposed strict censorship laws on films dealing with religious situations/characters. In the original book by Charles Shaw (inspiration for this film), the marine and the nun fell in love. Huston created a resolution in which the marine and nun gain strength, hope and determination from each other. There’s a great parallel between Cpl. Allison and the Sister. Each dedicated themselves to their respective vocations- he is dedicated to the Marines; she is dedicated to the Catholic Church. Mitchum shows what depth and sensitivity he could bring to a part. Kerr earned an Oscar nom! 

The script called for several Japanese-speaking officers and a company of troops to be on the island. There were no Japanese men on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago; a few who spoke the language were eventually found in an emigrant community in Brazil. For the non-speaking Japanese troops, 50 Chinese men (who worked in the restaurants and laundries of T&T) were hired. Some locals were upset b/c work didn’t get done while these men had their 15 mins of fame.

[1] If you are looking for a movie with heart and real content, this could be perfect. The acting is top-notch, as is the cinematography. The plot flows beautifully and holds your attention to the very end. 

[2] It’s the subtlety that makes this film work they way it does. 

[3] Mitchum- an actor who only really has one persona, and yet is a good actor all the same. It didn’t matter whether he was playing… he was still the same sturdy, laconic Robert Mitchum. But within that one persona, he has a full range of expressiveness and credibility. This is among his best performances.

[4] Kerr- she conveys every thought and emotion through tiny gestures, facial twitches and changes in posture. Above all, she brings a very warm and believable character out beyond the stereotype.

-Viewer comments from IMDB