Directed by Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds is about the unique relationship between actress/entertainer Debbie Reynolds and her daughter in actress/writer Carrie Fisher. The film follows the lives of the two women as Reynolds is about to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actor Guild in 2015 while Fisher is working on Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the film feature rare footage and old interviews about the two as well as new footage of their life together before their tragic deaths in December 2016. The result is a dazzling and heartfelt film from Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens.
Shot from late 2014 to early 2015, the film follows the life and relationship of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher as they both live next door to each other while working on respective projects. The film follows the two on what they do together and separately yet remain close to each other no matter how turbulent their lives were. Notably through Reynolds’ marriage to singer Eddie Fisher in the 1950s were they were Hollywood’s It couple until Fisher left her for Elizabeth Taylor which was considered scandalous at the time leaving Reynolds to care for Carrie and son Todd while marrying a rich businessman in Harry Karl that ended in divorce in 1973 due to Karl’s compulsive gambling, drinking, and sleeping with hookers. For Fisher, she too would have a life of chaos through her own bipolar disease, drug and alcohol abuse, a messy marriage to Paul Simon, and all sorts of shit that also gave Fisher material to write that included the book Postcards from the Edge which was adapted into a hit film by Mike Nichols that was about Fisher’s own relationship with her mother.
Though Reynolds and Fisher were able to go through all that stronger than ever, the film follows the two as they deal with all sorts of things while they’re surrounded by a close entourage that includes Todd, his wife Catherine Hickland, Carrie’s daughter in actress Billie Lourd, Carrie’s assistant Abe Gurko, a former babysitter of Carrie, childhood friend Griffin Dunne, and a couple of dogs. The film follows the two and most of the entourage as they all tell stories about the two with Todd being the one who is given a lot to say as he talks about what his mother and sister both had to deal with as well as his father Eddie. The film also has some revelations about what entertainers used to continue to perform which Todd reveal was crystal meth as his father never knew what he was using as it would eventually destroy his career. The film also feature footage of Carrie seeing her father a few months before he died as well as an interview in 1995 between Carrie and her maternal grandmother about Reynolds.
The direction by Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens is quite simple as they’re aided by cinematographers Vasco Nunes and Billy Pena where it‘s shot with hand-held cameras and some hidden cameras to play into what Reynolds and Fisher do in their lives. Yet, there’s moments where there is action happening off-camera provided by sound editor Kate Bilinski as it relates to Reynolds being ill as Bloom and Stevens know not to have her on camera out of respect for her. Editors Penelope Falk and Sheila Shiraz would help Bloom and Stevens in gathering all of the home movie footage and newsreel about Reynolds‘ time in the limelight as well as footage from the films she and Fisher had both appeared in. The film’s music by Will Bates is playful as it play into the show tunes and pop that Reynolds was famous for as well as music that she sang in some of her films with Fisher singing along to those songs. The film would culminate with Reynolds receiving her lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild in early 2015 as it play into the bond she has with Carrie and the family that adores and care for them.
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds is a phenomenal film from Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens. It’s a documentary that documents Hollywood royalty at its finest as well as a powerful relationship between mother and daughter who are just as interesting as any mother-daughter duo. It’s also a fitting tribute to two iconic women who mean so much to the world as they will be missed. In the end, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds is a sensational film from Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens.
Related: (Wishful Drinking)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly and written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Singin’ in the Rain is the story a silent-film actor who finds love as he adjust to the changing ways in the world of film as the era of sound emerges. The film is a musical that plays into a man coping with changing times as he also falls in love where he tries to express that sense of joy through song. Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, and Cyd Charisse. Singin’ in the Rain is a dazzling and glorious film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly.
Set in the late 1920s at a crucial time in cinema history, the film revolves around a silent film star who falls in love with an aspiring actress while coping with the new medium of sound as he tries to prove his worth by making a sound picture. It’s a film with a very simple story but one that plays into an actor trying to see if he really can act with sound while questioning himself upon meeting this young woman who isn’t impressed by his persona nor his work as an actor. For Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), that sense of rejection only drives him to wanting to do better as he is willing to take the challenge in being taken more seriously as an actor. While he is aided by longtime friend and musical director Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), there is still the problem in the fact that Lockwood’s longtime co-star in Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) is a vain and terrible actress with a very nasally-shrill voice which is a reminder into why she is a silent film actress.
The film’s screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green showcase that sense of determination that Lockwood has to be taken seriously as he had always wanted to make it and maintain his dignity. His encounter with Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds) would be a major proponent for Lockwood to not only cope with who he is but also in what he wants. Realizing that Seldon has all of the qualities that Lamont lacks in terms of discipline, singing ability, acting range, and humility. Lockwood decides to give her work in his new feature where he hopes to gain some legitimacy but the result is a disaster until he, Seldon, and Brown come up with an idea that wouldn’t just give him some renewed confidence but also the chance to give him legitimacy and more.
Yet, there is still the presence of Lamont who isn’t as dumb as Lockwood nor studio bosses think as she becomes aware of what is going on but at great risk into exactly who she is. The Lamont character maybe a comical one but she’s also a great antagonist who would be responsible for getting Kathy to lose her job following a party she was at that Lockwood attended. It’s the party where Lockwood is introduced to the world of talkie-pictures as it plays into a world that is changing. Though Lockwood was reluctant into embracing this new sense of change, it does become a major proponent into displaying more of his talents with Seldon and Brown being key collaborators as their characters would have major development in the story.
The film’s direction by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly is definitely enthralling in terms of not just the musical and dance numbers that are created. It’s also in the world that is presented where it plays to a moment in time where the world is changing from silent films to the talkie-films but with the sense of glitz and glamour of Hollywood in its golden era. Much of the dramatic and comical sequences not involving music are quite straightforward in terms of its compositions where Donen and Kelly know where to place the camera as well as create moments that can drive the story. Most notably the party sequence where Seldon is a dancer at the party as she would get her first brush in angering Lamont in a very comical manner. There’s also the sequence where Lamont and Lockwood first try to act out their first scene in sound where it’s also comical but also shows the end result when they do a preview screening that is disastrous.
The non-musical scenes are balanced with these musical numbers as Donen and Kelly know how to film these sequences and capture every moment that occurs with a few dolly tracks, medium shots, wide shots, and array of engaging camera angles. The film’s dance choreography has elements of chaos such as a scene where Lockwood is getting diction lessons with Brown mocking the teacher. The dance numbers has a sense of flair but also beauty into the way they’re presented as the performances of Kelly, Reynolds, and O’Connor have this chemistry and liveliness to the way they dance. Plus, the camera knows when not to cut or move as it knows where to showcase these numbers while capturing something that is very emotive and expressive as if it has something to say. Not just story wise or in its performance but also something more as it plays into Lockwood’s desire to retain a sense of dignity no matter how hard life throw things at him. Overall, Donen and Kelly creates a truly sensational and riveting film about a man adjusting to change and find more of himself through change.
Cinematographer Harold Rosson does amazing work with the film‘s gorgeous Technicolor-based photography to capture the richness of some of the film‘s interiors including its soundstages as well as some of the lighting to play into the mood of the dance numbers. Editor Adrienne Fazan does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish approach to cutting that includes a musical montage scene as well as knowing when not to cut for the musical numbers as it help plays into the sense of joy in the dancing. Art directors Randall Duell and Cedric Gibbons, with set decorators Jacques Mapes, Edwin B. Willis, and Harry McAfee, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the house of the studio boss to the sets that are created for the film that Lockwood and Lamont are in. Costume designer Walter Plunkett does excellent work with the costumes from the lavish gowns and dresses that Lamont wears to the stylish suits and casual 20s clothing of Lockwood as the clothes definitely add some touches to the characters and who they are.
Hairstyle designer Sydney Guilaroff does nice work with the some of their hairdos that the characters would wear for the film within-a-film that Lockwood and Lamont are starring in. The special effects work of Warren Newcombe, Irving G. Ries, and visual effects photographer Mark Davis is terrific for some of the musical numbers that includes a fantasy sequence of sorts as it adds to the sense of joy in the film. The sound work of Norwood A. Fenton and sound editor Van Allen James is superb for some of the sound effects that is created such as the scene where Lamont and Lockwood first act out their first encounter with sound as well as the moments in the disastrous screening. The film’s music by Nacio Herb Brown, with songs by Brown and producer Arthur Freed, is an absolute delight as the songs definitely add a lot the story such as its title track plus songs like Make ’Em Laugh, Broadway Rhythm, and Should I? as the score itself is exuberant and joyful as it is one of the finest pieces of music made for film.
The film’s marvelous cast includes notable appearances from Rita Moreno as a friend of Lamont, Douglas Fowley as the frustrated film director Roscoe Dexter, Madge Blake as a radio host in the film’s opening premiere sequence, Kathleen Freeman as Lamont’s diction coach, Bobby Watson as Lockwood’s diction coach, and Cyd Charisse as the fantasy woman that Lockwood dances with in the film’s fantasy sequence. Millard Mitchell is excellent as Monumental Studio head R.F. Simpson as a studio man who is aware of the changing times as he tries to keep up with the new world of sound as well as do whatever to save Lamont and Lockwood’s new film from being a further disaster. Jean Hagen is amazing as Lina Lamont as this shallow and idiotic diva who is this absolute walking joke due to her nasally voice while being a total bitch as Hagen just makes her an absolute delight to hate.
Donald O’Connor is fantastic as Cosmo Brown as he has some scene-stealing moments such as the Make ‘Em Laugh number while being the guy that can keep Lockwood intact as it’s a performance that is fun as well as full of humor. Debbie Reynolds is brilliant as Kathy Seldon as a no-nonsense woman that is trying to make it as a serious actress as she despises Lockwood initially only to realize how helpful he can be while becoming a key collaborator and object of affection as Reynolds is a joy to watch in her singing and dancing. Finally, there’s Gene Kelly in an incredible performance as Don Lockwood as a swashbuckling silent-film star who is coping with changing times and personal issues as Kelly brings a humility and sensitivity to his role but also a charm into his dance numbers as he radiates chemistry with his fellow actors as it’s truly one of his greatest performances of his career.
Singin’ in the Rain is an outstanding film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. Armed with great performances from Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, and Jean Hagen as well as some of the most spectacular song-and-dance numbers. It is truly one of the quintessential musicals of the genre as well as being so much more than what the genre often offers. In the end, Singin’ in the Rain is a magnificent film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall and written by James R. Webb, How the West Was Won is a five-part story about the life of a family told through four generations in the development and migration of the American west. Narrated by Spencer Tracy, the film is a mixture of the epic films of mid-20th Century mixed in with the broad canvas of the western. Starring Carroll Baker, Walter Brennan, Lee J. Cobb, Andy Devine, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark. How the West Was Won is a majestic yet sprawling film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.
The film is a five-part series that tells the story about one family in the course of fifty years that would shape the American west through various periods in American history. All of which plays into the lives of a few people in the family known as the Prescotts where they travel on the Erie Canal to find a new home where two sisters would later take different paths in the second act. One goes to California to claim a piece of land she’s inherited with a gambler while the other settles into farm life with a trapper she fell for during her family’s journey in the river. The story then moves into the 1860s where the son of these women becomes part of the Civil War and later a cavalryman dealing with the changing times and the arrival of the railroad until he would meet his aunt for the very first time in the final part of the story.
It’s all part of James R. Webb’s extraordinary story about a family living in a period where the American west is discovered as they also endure the many changes in those fifty years as it’s told by Spencer Tracy as his narration only fill in moments about what has happening in America instead of the story about the Prescotts. All of which is separated in five parts with the first part being about the Prescotts at the Erie Canal and the treacherous journey they take where one of the daughters in Eve (Carroll Baker) falls for a trapper named Linus (James Stewart). The second part is about Eve’s sister Lilith (Debbie Reynolds) and her journey through the prairies where she and a gambler named Cleve (Gregory Peck) go to the west to get some land she’s inherited. The third part is about Eve’s son Zeb (George Peppard) and his encounter with the Civil War as he becomes a key player in the fourth and fifth part where he deals with the railroad where he meets an old friend of his father in Jethro Stuart (Henry Fonda).
It would play into this family’s encounter with history and how times are often changing in the West as they deal with the chaos of the Civil War, conflict with the Native Americans over the railroad, and also criminals and bandits over cattle and such. Notably as Zeb in the film’s third act realizes the horrors of war and the greed that comes into play involving the railroad as he definitely carries a sense of pride and honor that his father and uncle would carry in their lives. Even in the fifth and final part where he meets his aunt Lilith for the very first time while having to deal with a criminal named Charlie Gant (Eli Wallach) who has a grudge with Zeb.
The film’s direction is definitely vast in not just its composition but also in the way it wanted to tell a story about the development of the American west. Shot in the curved-three screen projector that was known as Cinerama, the film has this truly grand scale to capture not just the landscape of the American west but also the moments that shaped that world in the span of five decades. Under the vision of three filmmakers, with transitional scenes helmed by Richard Thorpe, the film does have this sense of unification in the filmmaking while each director does bring in their own ideas to the story to add that sense of epic storytelling. The Civil War segment is helmed by John Ford as it features not just some extravagant battle scenes but also some intimate moments where Zeb encounters the horror of war while meeting a Confederate drifter (Russ Tamblyn) as it’s a very telling piece to display Zeb’s sense of loss and his desire to find himself in an ever-changing world.
The railroad segment is helmed by George Marshall as it displays a lot of dramatic tension and some very intense scenes involving a buffalo stampede which would play to Zeb’s resolve over the conflict between the railroad company and a tribe of Native Americans. The rest of the film is helmed by Henry Hathaway who maintains the same sweeping vision like his other filmmakers as he also creates his own ideas that includes some intense moments involving the Prescotts in the rapids as well as other suspenseful moments such as Gant’s attempted train robbery. All of which plays to the grand spectacle of the west as the overall results is a very sensational yet engaging film about a family living in the changing times of the American west.
Cinematographers William H. Daniels, Milton Krasner, Charles Lang Jr., and Joseph LaSelle do fantastic work with the film‘s very colorful and vast cinematography to capture the vast beauty of the different landscapes in the American west along with some amazing shots set at night and the interiors to display some of the film‘s vibrant look. Editor Harold F. Kress does brilliant work with the editing in not just bringing some energy to some of the shootouts and battle scenes but also going for a methodical approach to some of the film‘s dramatic moments. Art directors George W. Davis, William Ferrari, and Addison Hehr, along with set decorators Henry Grace, Don Greenwood Jr., and Jack Mills, do excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the rafts in the first segment to the farms and buildings made during the film‘s duration and how it would evolve over time.
Costume designers Walter Plunkett and Ron Talsky do terrific work with the costumes from the showgirl costumes that Lilith wear in the second segment along with her dresses to some of the more low-key costumes most of the characters wear in their journey. The special visual effects work of A. Arnold Gillespe and Robert R. Hoag do nice work with the visual effects for the scenes set in the river rapids despite the fact that it sort of looks fake given the primitive technology that was used at the time. Sound editor Van Allen James does superb work with the sound to capture the extravagance of some of the gunfights and battles along with more intimate moments in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Alec Newman is wonderful for its array of themes from broad and sweeping to more serene yet somber in their orchestral arrangements while the soundtrack also includes lots of traditional folk and country songs some of which are actually sung by Debbie Reynolds.
The film’s cast is phenomenal as it features some small but notable appearances from Lee Van Cleef as a river pirate, Harry Dean Stanton as a member of Gant’s gang, Raymond Massey in a brief scene as Abraham Lincoln, Harry Morgan as General Ulysses S. Grant, Russ Tamblyn as a Confederate deserter that Zeb meets, Carolyn Jones as Zeb’s wife Julie in the fifth segment, Thelma Ritter as Lilith’s traveling companion Agatha Clegg, and John Wayne in a small yet amazing performance as General William Tecumseh Sherman who gives a great monologue about not giving up the Civil War. Other noteworthy and memorable performances include Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead as Lilith and Eve’s parents in the first segment, Walter Brennan and Brigid Balzen as a couple of river pirates, Robert Preston as a wagon master who tries to win Lilith’s heart, and Lee J. Cobb as a marshal who reluctantly helps Zeb to battle Gant.
Eli Wallach is excellent as the smarmy criminal Charlie Gant who is eager to cause trouble for Zeb Prescott while Richard Widmark is terrific as an immoral railroad baron who is more concerned with making money with the railroad no matter what the cost is. Henry Fonda is great in a small but memorable role as Linus’ old friend Jethro Stuart as a man who helps Zeb out over the conflict between the railroad and a Native American tribe as he would also help Zeb find his way in life. Gregory Peck is superb as the gambler Cleve Van Valen who is smitten by Lilith as he hopes to do whatever it takes to make her a proud woman. James Stewart is brilliant as the trapper Linus Rawlings who helps out the Prescotts in navigating the river while dealing with river pirates as he falls for Eve.
George Peppard is wonderful as Zeb as a man who has the same sense of pride and honor like his father Linus while dealing with the chaos in the changing times he encounters. Carroll Baker is amazing as Eve Prescott as a woman who falls for Linus as she deals with the dangers of the river. Finally, there’s Debbie Reynolds in a remarkable performance as Lilith Prescott as a woman who is very tough as well as talented as she is someone trying to define herself as a woman while finding a good man in Cleve as she later helps Zeb’s wife in the way Zeb is when it comes to action.
How the West Was Won is a sensational film from John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall. Thanks to its sprawling vision, engaging story about a family encountering historical moments in the course of five decades, and a brilliant ensemble cast. The film is definitely an epic-western that has to be seen in a big screen or a big TV to display its vast images. It’s also a film that explores the life of a family and how they manage to define themselves in the American west no matter how troubling it is. In the end, How the West Was Won is an incredible film from the trio of John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall.
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the book Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace by Scott Thorson and Alex Thorleifson, Behind the Candelabra is the story about Thorson’s affair with the famed pianist Liberace during the late 1970s where they endured all sorts of trials and tribulations to keep the affair a secret from the public. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and screenplay by Richard LaGravenese, the film is a look into the life of one of the great entertainers of the 20th Century and the secret life he had with a young man as Liberace is played by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson. Also starring Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula, Cheyenne Jackson, Rob Lowe, Tom Papa, Paul Reiser, and Debbie Reynolds as Frances Liberace. Behind the Candelabra is a majestic yet sensational film from Steven Soderbergh.
Liberace was known as a man of flamboyance and showmanship who loved to dress in lavish designer suits that is often very excessive while his piano designs play up to his personality. Yet, the man was an entertainer who believed that too much of a good thing is wonderful. Still, there is the private side of Liberace that the public didn’t really know about until after his death in February of 1987 where it was revealed that he was gay. What this film is about is Liberace’s love affair with a young man named Scott Thorson who wouldn’t just be Liberace’s assistant and chauffer in his shows but the relationship they had was loving but also tumultuous. Largely as Liberace would start to stray from the relationship making Thorson more insecure as he becomes addicted to drugs. It’s a story that is told in the span of a decade where the relationship would have its ups and downs though there was a real love between these two men.
Richard LaGravenese’ screenplay takes it time to explore how this relationship was formed with Thorson attended a show with another gay man in Bob Black (Scott Bakula) who knew Liberace as he would introduce Thorson to the man. Since Thorson was a young animal trainer who aspired to be a veterinarian, Liberace invited to his home to help tend one of his sick dogs as a love affair ensued though Thorson isn’t aware that he’s becoming one of many lovers Liberace has had previously that had come and gone including his protégée Billy Leatherwood (Cheyenne Jackson) and a butler named Carlucci (Bruce Ramsay). What wasn’t expected is that the affair would become much deeper to the point that Liberace would hire a drug-addicted plastic surgeon in Dr. Jack Startz (Rob Lowe) to make Scott look a bit like Liberace himself.
That would eventually play to some of the troubles of the relationship as Thorson begins to feel insecure as he is addicted to drugs while he isn’t taken seriously by some of Liberace’s personnel including manager Seymour Heller (Dan Aykroyd). Adding to the insecurities is the fact that Liberace likes to sleep with other men including a young dancer named Cary (Boyd Holbrook) which would eventually play to their split where Thorson would try to expose Liberace in the early 80s only to fail. While there are some dramatic liberties that LaGravenese does with his screenplay in order to dramatize the story, he does make sure that it is still a love story that has an element of camp but also drama. The dialogue is also quite stylish as it plays up to some of Liberace’s own campy personality on and off the stage as well as maintaining some realism over the intensity of the relationship between the two men.
The direction of Steven Soderbergh definitely plays up to that sense of excess that Liberace is known for where he utilizes a lot of stylish compositions but also keep things at a minimum to explore the complexity of this relationship between Liberace and Thorson. With the use of tracking shots, wide shots, and other camera angles, he creates a film that is about the secret life of a man seen from the perspective of a younger man. There are also shots that would mirror similar situations where Thorson is watching Liberace talking to younger men that also echoed a similar scene where Billy Leatherwood is shot in a close-up while Thorson and Liberace are blurred in the background though their dialogue can be heard quite clearly.
There are also moments in the direction where Soderbergh creates an element of camp that includes a very funny scene of Liberace and Thorson watching Johnny Carson where Liberace is aghast over how old he looks. Even the scenes of Liberace playing the piano in his stage performances maintain that sense of decadence where Soderbergh knows that excess is best. Through his very colorful yet lavish cinematography, under his Peter Andrews alias, where he uses lights to create a sense of atmosphere in the film’s humor and drama. Soderbergh also creates an element of drama in its third act where not only does Thorson deal with loss in a big way but also betrayal. Through his editing, under the Mary Ann Bernard alias, where Soderbergh creates some fantastic montages and rhythmic cuts to play up the drama that comes in that third act.
Even in some of the attention to detail where it reveals a moment in time when all of that excess would finally come to haunt Liberace in the end. It’s in these moments where Soderbergh does restrain things to create a sense of calm and normalcy where it definitely has a melancholia in the imagery that he’s conveying. Since the film is about Liberace, Soderbergh knows that he can’t end the film on a down note. It has to end in style and the way he chooses to end the film isn’t just about Liberace but also the love he had with Scott Thorson. Overall, Soderbergh creates a very heartfelt and engaging film about Liberace and his secret relationship with Scott Thorson.
Production designer Howard Cummings, along with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Patrick M. Sullivan Jr., does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of Liberace‘s home to his stage shows where everything is excessive and lavish that includes two of everything and little model pianos to play up Liberace‘s sense of generosity to those he love. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick does amazing work with the costumes as they‘re always filled with style from the fur coats, the suits, capes, and everything else that is all a part of Liberace‘s world of decadence. The makeup and hair design work is also worth noting for the hair styles that play up the world of the late 70s and early 80s as well as Liberace’s own hair and how his face evolved through his plastic surgeries including Thorson who also looked a younger version of Liberace after his surgery.
Visual effects supervisor Thomas J. Smith does superb work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the TV stuff that Liberace watches that he‘s in along with some backdrop dressing for some scenes in Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Sound editor Larry Blake does excellent work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the performance as well as some of the intimate moments between Liberace and Thorson as it would also play into their dissolution. The music adaptation by the late Marvin Hamlisch is fantastic for the piano pieces Hamlisch selects as well as some playful score music from the composer as he makes the music a major highlight that isn’t just about Liberace but also a great tribute to Hamlisch himself whom the film is dedicated to.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is marvelous for the actors that is assembled for this film as it features appearances from David Koechner as an adoption attorney, Josh Meyers as Liberace’s attorney in Thorson’s palimony suit, Jane Morris as Scott’s adopted mother Rose, Nicky Katt as the drug dealer Mr. Y, Cheyenne Jackson as Liberace’s protégée Billy Leatherwood, Bruce Ramsay as Liberace’s gay butler Carlucci, and Boyd Holbrook as a Young Americans dancer named Cary whom Liberace gets interested in as he would usurp Scott. Other notable small performances include Paul Reiser as Thorson’s attorney in the palimony suit, Tom Papa as Liberace’s head assistant Ray Arnett, and Scott Bakula as Bob Black who would introduce Scott to Liberace.
Debbie Reynolds is amazing as Liberace’s mother Frances where Reynolds looks unrecognizable as an old European woman who adores her son while is one of the few people who is very kind to Thorson as Reynolds steals every scene she’s in. Rob Lowe is hilarious as the freaky-looking plastic surgeon Dr. Jack Startz as a man who looks like he’s had too many facelifts while doesn’t really know what he’s talking about as he claims to know so much. Dan Aykroyd is superb as Liberace’s manager Seymour Heller who doesn’t have much of an opinion towards Scott as he’s very straightforward while being Liberace’s great protector from all sorts of things as he is also the guy who takes care of things.
The film’s best performances definitely go to the duo of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in their respective roles as Liberace and Scott Thorson. Damon exudes all of the naiveté and frustrations of a young man who is caught up in Liberace’s world as he seeks to find himself while dealing with Liberace’s affairs with other men. Douglas is a real surprise as he plays up all of the charm that is Liberace while not being afraid to go camp as he can be funny but also quite dramatic. The two together make a fantastic duo in the way they play off each other in all of its moments whether it’s funny, romantic, or dramatic as they are key reasons for the film’s success.
Behind the Candelabra is a tremendous film from Steven Soderbergh that features outstanding performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. The film isn’t just a very genuine and compelling love story but also a look into the life of one of the great entertainers of the 20th Century and the secret life that he had. If this film is Steven Soderbergh’s final contribution to cinema, at least he goes out with a winner and in grand style. In the end, Behind the Candelabra is a fabulous and sensational film from Steven Soderbergh.
Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray’s Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Ocean’s Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean’s Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)
The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh Pt. 1 - Pt. 2
© thevoid99 2013
