Set in 1957, the film follows a widowed cleaning lady from London who cleans the home of a client where she discovered a Christian Dior gown as she falls in love with and wants to get one herself where she travels to Paris to purchase a gown to the surprise of the people working at Dior. It is a film that follows this woman in Ada Harris who had lost her husband 13 years ago in World War II as this encounter with this Dior gown while cleaning a client’s apartment has her wanting a dress herself. The film’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it plays into Mrs. Harris’ life cleaning homes for some posh clients including a young struggling actress in Pamela Penrose (Rose Williams) yet is the discovery of this dress that has her aiming for a new dream where she would raise enough money from work but also some overdue war-widow pension and luck gives her enough money to not only travel to Paris but to also buy a gown.
While the house of Dior where its designer (Philippe Bertin) makes the dresses with his employees is exclusive, Mrs. Harris manages to come in with money to buy one to the surprise of many including its director Claudine Colbert (Isabelle Huppert) to reluctantly let Mrs. Harris see the dresses with other rich and exclusive clientele including Marquis de Chassagne (Lambert Wilson) who is friendly to Mrs. Harris. Colbert is unsure about Mrs. Harris buying something expensive from Dior yet the fashion house is going through financial issues due to the exclusive rich clientele that hasn’t paid for the service that Dior and his employees have done. Mrs. Harris would also befriend the accountant Andre` Fauvel (Lucas Bravo) and a young model in Natasha (Alba Baptista) who are both going through their own issues individually as well as their own feelings for each other. Marquis de Chassagne’s friendship towards Mrs. Harris has him reflecting on his childhood but also realizing that Mrs. Harris is a woman that has a lot more to offer as the people at Dior would make a dress that doesn’t just live up to their standards but also something that a common woman could afford.
Anthony Fabian’s direction is vibrant in not just its settings but also in telling this story of a woman who is a dreamer that wants to have some of the best things in life. Shot on various locations in Paris and London as well as Budapest serving as additional locations for Paris and London. Fabian maintains something that is straightforward in terms of the compositions in the wide and medium shots yet does create some stylistic moments whenever Mrs. Harris is gazing over something as there is this great close-up where she is in awe while everything else in the background is moving around her. Fabian’s close-ups add to the drama but also in some of the comedic moments as it relates to some of the culture shock Mrs. Harris goes to as Paris is surrounded by trash due to a strike that is happening at that time. Especially as a woman that Mrs. Harris meet at the fashion show would buy the dress that Mrs. Harris wants as she is connected to a government official who is creating trouble for this strike.
Fabian also plays into some of the social tension and expectations for Dior and its house with Fauvel having some ideas of how to help the house save itself financially as well as not layoff any of its workers and models. It is a key moment late in the film’s second act as it would also play into Colbert’s development as someone who is really protective of Dior and the brand where Mrs. Harris would make a discovery of Colbert’s life outside of Dior that would be a key moment into their tense relationship. Then there’s the dress that people in Dior made for Mrs. Harris as it showcases the amount of work, effort, and craftsmanship that is put into a dress as it is something Mrs. Harris is aware of as it play into what Dior needed to do for their future. It also plays into a dream that Mrs. Harris is trying to fulfill given the fact that she lost her husband and was directionless for years. Especially as reality would set in but it is through her good heart and determination is where the film shows what it needed to be to show the kindness of people no matter where they’re from or what social class they’re in as long as they appreciate the little things that makes life meaningful. Overall, Fabian crafts an evocative and heartfelt film about a widowed cleaning maid traveling to Paris to buy a Christian Dior gown.
Cinematographer Felix Wiedemann does amazing work with the film’s cinematography from the greyish look of London to a more colorful tone for the scenes in Paris in its interior/exterior scenes. Editor Barney Pilling does excellent work with the editing with its stylish approach to dissolves and other stylish cuts to play into the world of haute couture fashion. Production designer Luciana Arrighi, with set decorators Fotini Dimou and Nora Talmaier plus supervising art director Andrew Munro, does brilliant work with the look of the Dior fashion house as well as the more modest homes of Fauvel and Mrs. Harris with the latter being a small apartment in London. Costume designer Jenny Beaven does phenomenal work with the costume design from the ragged yet plain clothing that Mrs. Harris and her British friends wear to the more stylish clothes of the people in Paris as well as the gorgeous design of the Dior dresses that has so much attention to detail as it is a highlight of the film.
Hair/makeup designer Csilla Blake-Horvath does nice work with the look of the characters as well as some of the hairstyle of the times in Paris that the younger women have as well as the different looks that Colbert would have. Special effects supervisors Neal Champion and Robert Horvath, along with visual effects supervisors Nikolas d’Andrade and Sander Jansen, do terrific work with the visual effects as it mainly serves as set dressing for some of the locations as well as a key scene at a London bridge. Sound designers Emiliyan Arnaudov and Marc Lawes do superb work with the sound in the way things sound from afar inside an apartment as well as other natural sounds that appear in the film. The film’s music by Rael Jones is wonderful for its lush and sumptuous orchestral score that is full of rich string arrangements and melodic elements while music supervisor Dushiyan Piruthivirajah provides a soundtrack with some can-can music as well as pop/rock n’ roll music from Chuck Berry and Juliette Greco.
The casting by Katalin Baranyi, Andy Pryor, and Mathilde Snodgrass is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Freddie Fox as a RAF officer who delivers Mrs. Harris her widow’s pension, Guilaine Londez as a posh woman in Mathilde Avallon who buys the dress that Mrs. Harris wants, Dorottya Ilosvai as Avallon’s daughter, Delroy Atkinson as a bus ticket handler in Chandler, Christian McKay as a client of Mrs. Harris in Giles Newcombe, Bertrand Poncet as a Dior designer in Monsieur Carre`, Philippe Bertan as the famed designer Christian Dior during his final year in his life, Roxane Duran as a secretary in Marguerite, and Anna Chancellor as a posh client of Mrs. Harris in Lady Dant who would have the Dior dress that Mrs. Harris discovers. Jason Isaacs is superb as Archie as a friend of Mrs. Harris who is always fond of her as he also helps out with money since he works at the dog races. Rose Williams is fantastic as a young struggling actress in Pamela Penrose whom Mrs. Harris cleans for as she always looks at Mrs. Harris as a godmother of sorts despite the fact that she’s not very smart.
Ellen Thomas is excellent as Mrs. Harris’ friend Vi Butterfield who is also a cleaning maid that is a bit more of a realist yet often brings a lot of laughs and support as a woman who does what she can to help Mrs. Harris as well as be a source of joy. Lucas Bravo is brilliant as the young accountant Andre` Fauvel who befriends Mrs. Harris while expressing his ideas to her in how to help Dior get out of its financial troubles. Alba Baptista is amazing as Natasha as a Dior model who shares Fauvel’s love for existential philosophy as she copes with the pressures in being a model as she also finds support in Mrs. Harris. Lambert Wilson is incredible as Marquis de Chassagne as a wealthy man who is fascinated by Mrs. Harris as she reminds him of a woman who cared for him in boarding school while also realizing that she has a lot more to offer than the people in his social circle.
Isabelle Huppert is phenomenal as Claudine Colbert as the director of Dior who is also Christian Dior’s greatest protector as she is a woman trying to run things while being skeptical towards Mrs. Harris only to realize her value as well as her own similarities with Mrs. Harris in the way they run things. Finally, there’s Lesley Manville in a spectacular performance as Mrs. Ada Harris as this widowed cleaning maid whose encounter with a Dior gown has her reaching for a new dream where Manville brings this exuberance and charisma to a character that is a dreamer but also is willing to fight for those who are feeling defeated as it is a performance for the ages for Manville.
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a sensational film from Anthony Fabian that features a tremendous leading performance from Lesley Manville. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, its exploration of fashion and what it does for people, Jenny Beaven’s incredible costume design, and a sumptuous music score. It is a film that explores a woman who just wants to buy an expensive gown while bringing some joy to a fashion house that needed to be appreciated for their hard work and dedication to fashion. In the end, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris is a phenomenal film from Anthony Fabian.
Anthony Fabian Films: (Skin (2008 film)) – (Louder Than Words)
© thevoid99 2023
Based on the memoir Traveling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking, The Theory of Everything is about the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with first wife Jane Wilde who would later cope with Hawkings’ diagnosis of motor neurone disease. Directed by James Marsh and screenplay by Anthony McCarten, the film is an exploration of Hawking’s early life with Wilde from their years as college students to the events that lead to their separation as Eddie Redmayne plays Hawking and Felicity Jones plays Wilde. Also starring Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney, Maxine Peake, and David Thewlis. The Theory of Everything is an extraordinarily rich film from James Marsh.
Set from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, the film plays into the life of physics theorist Stephen Hawking from the day he meets his first wife Jane Wilde and to the year he would meet the Queen of England where he would be offered a knighthood. With Hawking being famous for proving about everything that goes on in the universe, he would suffer motor neurone disease early in his life as Wilde would support him and eventually marry him where they would later have three children. With Hawking’s disease worsening, his fame would grow through his theories on time while Wilde would get the aid of a preacher named Jonathan Jones (Charlie Cox) whom she would fall for. While it is a simple bio-pic, it plays into Hawking’s own belief about science and how he believes that a black hole created the universe while he isn’t sure if God exists. Even as Wilde is someone who believes in God as it is among the reason for her attraction towards Hawking.
Anthony McCarten’s screenplay maybe conventional in terms of its plot scenario but it does maintain a sense of humanity in Hawking who is just a simple student with a vast point of view about the world. While he is an intellect, he is someone that is like any other young college student back in the 1960s as is Jane Wilde where they are part of a world where everyone is asking big questions. Part of what makes the story so interesting is the relationship between Hawking and Wilde where they have different ideas in belief yet Wilde is intrigued by Hawking’s own theories on the universe and time itself. By the time Hawking’s own ailment would occur and Wilde would be there to support him, they would have a good marriage but things do become overwhelming for Wilde until she meets Jones who becomes a friend of their.
While there is an attraction between the two as well as an ambiguity into whether or not they had an affair where Hawking’s mother asks Jane if Jonathan is the father of their third child. It is clear that Jones is a good man and knows when to step back where things become complicated in the 1980s when Hawking would fall for his new nurse Elaine Mason (Maxine Peake) who would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. Yet, the heart of the story is Hawking and Wilde’s relationship and their devotion to one another as it all plays into Hawking’s own theory of everything about the world, the universe, time, and the cosmos.
James Marsh’s direction is quite stylish in terms of some of different film stocks that he uses for the film but also in the way he re-creates certain periods in time to play into Hawking’s life. Shot on location in Cambridge University in Britain, the film does play into that world of college life where it wasn’t wild nor very political as the 1960s would later become while there are elements of fun. Even as there are elements of humor as it relates to some of the theories that Hawking presents where there are those who don’t buy into it but there are those who are amazed by it where it is simplified but show that it is really out there. Much of Marsh’s compositions are simple in terms of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots yet he would use some different film stock to play up into certain events in Hawking’s life from his wedding to Wilde and the birth of their children as it adds to the sense of happiness Hawking had despite his illness.
The direction would have these elements of visual flairs that play into key moments in Hawking’s life into not just his own discoveries of his own as well as moments that play into his ailments. By the film’s second half where Hawking’s condition would worsen as he would lose the ability to speak, the drama does get heightened but the tone sort of changes as it plays into Hawking’s willingness to live despite the diagnosis that he had two years to live upon getting the disease early in his life. In some ways, it’s a film of triumph of a man who rises above his ailments to share his views of the world with the people and connect with them in ways that go beyond the understanding of the universe. Overall, Marsh creates a very engaging and thoughtful film about the life of Stephen Hawking and life with Jane Wilde.
Cinematographer Benoit Delhomme does brilliant work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with its inspiring usage of filters and coloring schemes to maintain different moods for certain scenes as well as playing with film stocks for the home-movie footage. Editor Jinx Godfrey does excellent work with the editing with its approach to reverse-style cuts, montages, and other stylish cuts to play into Hawking‘s own revelation towards his theories. Production designer John Paul Kelly and set decorator Claire Nia Richards do fantastic work with the look of the dorm rooms he lived in college as well as the home he and Jane lived with their children. Costume designer Steven Noble does superb work with the costumes from the dresses that Jane wears throughout the years to play into different periods in time as well as some of the clothes that Hawking would wear.
Hair/makeup/prosthetics designer Jan Sewell does amazing work with the different hairstyles Jane would sport in the years as well as the look of Hawking in the years he would endure his disease. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does terrific work with the sound from the way Hawking would hear things in his state as well as scenes set in a few parties as well as the church where Jonathan would serve at. The film’s music by Johan Johansson is remarkable for its evocative and soaring orchestral score that is filled with lush string arrangements and electronic textures to heighten the music while music supervisors Sarah Bridge and Claire Freeman create a soundtrack that features jazz, classical, opera, and soul music from the different periods that Hawking and Wilde encounter.
The casting by Nina Gold is wonderful as the film features some notable small roles from Charlotte Hope and Lucy Chappell as Hawking’s sisters, Frank Lebeouf as the Swiss doctor who would tell Wilde more about Hawking’s condition that would render his speech, Abigail Cruttenden as Hawking’s mother, Guy Oliver-Watts as Wilde’s father, Harry Lloyd as Hawking’s roommate Brian, Enzo Clienti as fellow physics theorist Kip Thorne, Georg Nikoloff as the famed Soviet physicist Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov who is impressed with Hawking’s theory, and Christian McKay as the famed mathematician/theorist Roger Penrose who would give Hawking the idea to search on a theory of time. Emily Watson is terrific as Jane’s mother Beryl who would suggest to Jane to join a church choir while Simon McBurney is superb as Hawking’s father Frank who is aware of his son’s deteriorating condition as he would be the one to suggest a nurse to aid him.
Maxine Peake is excellent as Elaine Mason as the nurse hired to watch over Hawking in the late 80s as she would care for him where she would eventually become Hawking’s second wife. David Thewlis is brilliant as Hawking’s professor Dennis Sciama who would support his theory and become a colleague of his while helping to introduce Hawking’s theory to the world. Charlie Cox is fantastic as Jonathan Jones as a preacher who leads a church choir who befriends Hawking and Wilde where he falls for the latter but doesn’t want to get too close as he also enjoys his time with Hawking despite their differences in beliefs.
Felicity Jones is phenomenal as Jane Wilde Hawking as a young woman who is a literature student that falls for Hawking as she copes with his illness while helping him live as it’s a very radiant and touching performance from Jones. Finally, there’s Eddie Redmayne in a marvelous performance as Stephen Hawking as this young physics student who would create a theory as he later succumbs to motor neurone disease which only makes him more determined to share his theories with the rest of the world as Redmayne maintains a unique physicality in scenes where he’s not speaking to make Hawking a very charming and soulful person.
The Theory of Everything is a sensational film from James Marsh that features amazing performances from Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. While it is a conventional film that does play into elements of what is expected in bio-pics, it is still a film with some charm as well as a strong love story that concerns the relationship between Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde Hawking. In the end, The Theory of Everything is a remarkable film from James Marsh.
James Marsh Films: (Wisconsin Death Trip) - (The King (2005 film)) - Man on Wire - Red Riding: 1980 - Project Nim - (Shadow Dancer) - (Untitled Donald Crownhurst Film)
Related: A Brief History of Time
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, Rush is the story of famed rivalry between Britain’s James Hunt and Austria’s Niki Lauda during the 1970s in the Formula One racing circuit where both men gained famed in their rivalry. The film is a dramatic account in the way the rivalry began and how these two different men became great friends despite their competitiveness toward one another as Chris Hemsworth plays Hunt and Daniel Bruhl plays Lauda. Also starring Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Natalie Dormer, Christian McKay, and Pierfrancesco Favino. Rush is a thrilling yet engaging film from Ron Howard.
The film is a simple story about this legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda that culminated in the 1976 Formula One racing circuit where both men pushed each other to the edge to see who is the better driver. Even as they would risk their lives to do so where Lauda would survive a severe crash that left part his face burned and inhaling toxic fumes that would force him to make a dramatic return to retain his world championship. Yet, it’s a film that is more about this rivalry but also an unlikely friendship between these two very different men who both come from rich families who didn’t support them as well as this need to prove to themselves in the world of Formula One racing. Even as both men would also endure highs and lows in their professional and personal lives as they would get married to different women.
Peter Morgan’s screenplay takes its time to explore the seeds of this rivalry between Hunt and Lauda which began in 1970 where the two men in a Formula Three race in Britain as the more brash Hunt would caught the ire of the more technical-based Lauda as the latter is more concerned with precision and making sure everything goes right in the car than the more adventurous Hunt. The first act showcases the two men struggling to get into the Formula One circuit where Lauda would have to take a loan to get into a racing team while Hunt would gain a rich supporter and the attention of being married to British supermodel Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde) only to find himself without a proper sponsor. The second act is about the intensity of their rivalry which culminates in the 1976 Formula One racing season where Lauda would wed the German socialite Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara) as well as endure the crash that nearly killed him. Then comes the third act where it isn’t just about Lauda wanting to return but also Hunt trying to deal with the guilt in believing that he was responsible for Lauda’s crash as he would try to prove to himself to be a world champion.
Ron Howard’s direction is quite stylish not just in its look but also in the way he tells the story as he doesn’t just focus on this legendary rivalry but also the world of these two men outside of the racing circuits and what drives them to succeed. Howard recreates that sense of energy of the 1970s where the world of Formula One racing was becoming mainstream and it attracted everyone from the rich to the working class. Much of it would be shot in an array of styles from hand-held cameras to elaborate crane shots to capture not just the intensity of the race but also in the way the audience reacts to what is happening. Even as Howard would use some extreme close-ups into what goes on inside the car and how it plays as this extension of the two different racers. Howard’s compositions towards the world outside of racing is more simplistic with a flair of style as it plays into those different lives of Hunt and Lauda as the former is quite crazy and comical while the other is more subdued. Yet, it would get more dramatic in the third act as it plays to Lauda’s struggle to get back in the racing circuit after his near-fatal accident as well as Hunt trying to win with some honor. Even as underneath all of that animosity towards one another, there is a sense of respect that the two would gain for each other. Overall, Howard creates a very engaging and mesmerizing film about one of the greatest rivalries in Formula One racing.
Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle does brilliant work with the film‘s very stylized and colorful cinematography that plays to not just that vibrant look of the 1970s but also to maintain something that feels gritty at times but also dream-like in some respects as Mantle‘s work is a major highlight. Editors Daniel Hanley and Mike Hill do fantastic work with the editing as it is very stylized with a lot of jump-cuts and montages to play into the energy of the races as well as the world that Hunt lives in. Production designer Mark Digby, with set decorator Michelle Day and supervising art director Patrick Rolfe, does terrific work with the set design from the look of the homes that the characters live in as well as the design of the cars and what they look like from the inside. Costume designer Julian Day does excellent work with the costumes from the look of the 70s clothing the women wear to play into that world as well as the racing jumpsuits the men wore in the race.
Hair/makeup designer Fae Hammond and prosthetic makeup designer Mark Coulier do superb work with the look of the hairstyle of the 1970s as well as the look that Lauda would have after his near-fatal crash. The visual effects work of Jody Johnson, Mark Hodgkins, and Antoine Moulineau is terrific for some of the visual effects look in some of the racing scenes as well as some of the interiors of the cars. Sound designer Markus Stemler and sound editor Frank Kruse do amazing work with the film‘s sound from the way the engines sound to the atmosphere of the racing with the tires and such as it is captured with great detail. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is wonderful for its orchestral score that features some soaring, bombastic moments as well as some quieter moments in the dramatic pieces while music supervisor Nick Angel creates a fun soundtrack that features music from the 70s like David Bowie, the Spencer David Group, Slade, Thin Lizzy, Jimmy Cliff, the Sweet Sensation, and Mud.
The casting by Nina Gold is incredible as the film features some notable small roles from Natalie Dormer as a nurse Hunt meets early in the film, Christian McKay as a lord who would invest Hunt early in his career, and Pierfrancesco Favino as the racer Clay Regazzoni who would be a mentor to Lauda as well as a teammate early in Lauda’s racing career. Olivia Wilde is terrific as the British supermodel Suzy Miller who would be Hunt’s wife early in his career as she is driven away by his own immaturity as she tries to ground him. Alexandra Maria Lara is amazing as Marlene as a socialite who would fall and marry Lauda as she would be the one person to ground Lauda and give him a life outside of racing.
Chris Hemsworth is great as the late James Hunt as this brash British driver who wants to succeed and have fun with it while dealing with his own failures and the presence of Lauda. Finally, there’s Daniel Bruhl in a phenomenal performance as Niki Lauda as this young Austrian who is known for being technical as he strives to succeed in his own terms while dealing with his own shyness and inability to connect with other people. Hemsworth and Bruhl have this wonderful rapport in the way they dislike each other but also in appreciating one another which adds to the film’s success.
Rush is a marvelous film from Ron Howard that features superb performances from Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. The film is definitely an intriguing look into the world of Formula One racing as well as the legendary rivalry between Niki Lauda and the late James Hunt. In the end, Rush is a sensational film from Ron Howard.
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Robert Kaplow, Me and Orson Welles is the story of a 17-year old kid who meets Orson Welles who is about to stage his production of Julius Caesar. Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Holly Gent Palmo and Vincent Palmo Jr., the film is an exploration into a young man discovering the world of theater and dealing with the big personality that is Orson Welles who is played by Christian McKay. Also starring Zac Efron, Claire Danes, and Ben Chaplin. Me and Orson Welles is an extraordinary film from Richard Linklater.
The film is about a 17-year old high school student who goes to New York City based on his interests in the arts where unexpectedly runs into Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater company who are doing a modern-day play of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The boy gets a small part as he also falls for a production assistant as he finds himself in the intense world of theatrical rehearsals as well as the massive personality of Welles. Notably as there’s egos involved as well as deadlines as it’s all seen by this kid who has to deal with all of that as well as doing whatever it takes to not upset Welles is a giant that can squash him.
The screenplay plays into a week in the life of Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) who is fascinated by the world of art and theater as he’s also a fan of Welles’ work in plays and radio. While Richard has aspirations to be part of it, he finds himself in that world by accident all because he wowed Welles with his charm and the ability to do a drum roll properly. The script showcases all the ins and outs of what happens in a play rehearsal where things can go wrong and there’s a lot of pressure out there. Yet, no one is as more intense than Welles as he’s a man who is a perfectionist and is hoping that everyone does their part right including the musicians in the background and the technical crew. Though Richard is aware of Welles’ personality, he has no idea how dangerous it can be to the point that Welles is also a man who sleeps with various women including the production assistant Sonja Jones (Claire Danes) whom Richard falls for.
Richard Linklater’s direction is quite engaging for the way he presents the world of theater in all of its moments on and off the stage where everyone is making sure nothing goes wrong. Notably as Welles is waiting for something bad to happen just to ensure that he can overcome that obstacle. Shot in Pinewood Studios in Britain with some locations in New York City, the film does play to a moment in time where America is coming out of the Great Depression and people are looking for art to find an escape from troubled times. Yet, there’s also moments that plays into Welles’ life such as a scene in an ambulance where Welles talks about The Magnificent Ambersons to Richard as a book as he hopes to make it something more in the future.
The direction has Linklater create some amazing compositions to showcase that world of late 1930s New York City that is very vibrant and colorful while maintaining that air of intimacy in the theater. The film’s climax comes in the performance of Julius Caesar where it is presented with such bravado and poignancy as it also shows how far Richard has come from this boy who knew very little into finally understanding his role as Lucius in the play. The film does play into that theme of someone coming-of-age in Richard as he goes into a major growth from boy to man while having a fuller understanding of what it means to be an artist. Overall, Linklater crafts a very dazzling yet captivating film about art and growth.
Cinematographer Dick Pope does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful yet lush cinematography from the scenes set in the exteriors in day and night to the more extravagant use of lights for the film‘s climatic play scene. Editor Sandra Adair does wonderful work with the editing to create some rhythmic cuts to capture the intensity of the stage performances as well as some lighter moments in the scenes outside of the theater. Production designer Laurence Dorman, with set decorator Richard Roberts and supervising art director Bill Crutcher, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of many of the sets in the city including a museum that Richard goes to as well as the stage setting for the climatic play.
Costume designer Nic Ede does excellent work with the costumes from the dresses the women wear to the suits and uniforms the men wear for the play. Visual effects supervisor Robert Duncan does terrific work with the minimal set dressing for many of the exteriors of 1937 New York City without embellishing things way too much. Sound editor Ian Wilson does superb work with the sound to capture the level of noise that happens throughout the rehearsals and the things that happens on and off the stage. The film’s music by Michael J. McEvoy is a delight as it plays to the upbeat jazz music of the late 1930s as music supervisor Marc Marot also uses music of that time including some notable standards.
The casting by Lucy Bevan is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable appearances from Saskia Reeves as voice actress Barbara Luddy, Imogen Poots as a radio broadcast assistant, Al Weaver as an unappreciated set designer named Sam, and Zoe Kazan as an aspiring writer named Gretta that Richard meets early in the film and later befriends her. Other memorable yet fantastic supporting roles include Kelly Reilly as the lead actress Muriel Brasser, James Tupper as the very generous Joseph Cotten, Leo Bill as the mischievous Norman Lloyd, Eddie Marsan as the very anxious stage manager John Houseman, and Ben Chaplin in a terrific performance as the very dramatic stage actor George Coulouris.
Claire Danes is wonderful as production assistant Sonja Jones as a woman who is driven by her career as she hopes to work for David O. Selznick while intrigued by the ambition of Richard whom she seduces. Christian McKay is phenomenal as Orson Welles as a man who is full of bravado and ambition as well as an intensity where McKay is able to bring Welles back to life. Finally, there’s Zac Efron in a marvelous performance as Richard Samuel as a 17-year old high school student who is fascinated by the world of theater and art as he becomes part of that world while knowing what he must do when dealing with someone like Welles as Efron is able to stand on his own and bring depth to his character.
Me and Orson Welles is a remarkable film from Richard Linklater that features superb performances from Zac Efron and Christian McKay. The film is definitely a very intriguing look into the world of theater as well as Orson Welles’ time as a playwright. It’s also a coming-of-age film that works in the way explores a young man discovering that world as he also learns what it means to be an actor. In the end, Me and Orson Welles is a riveting film from Richard Linklater.
Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before sunset - Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Bernie (2011 film) - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Want Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2
© thevoid99 2013
