On Broadway, Constellations, by Nick Payne, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson, opens January 13, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. My comments will appear in my next column.
Off-Broadway, Dying For It, by Moira Buffini, is a free adaptation of The Suicide, by Nikolai Erdman, which had little success when it was presented on Broadway in 1980. It is about an unhappy, unemployed Russian man, who decides to commit suicide. All types of people from a priest to a sexy young lady rush to see him to be included in his suicide note. The comedy is not particularly funny, with overacting by most of the cast.
Suzanne Bertish and Paxton Whitehead received the 2014 Joe A. Callaway Awards for appearing in a Classical play and Amanda Quaid received the St. Claire Bayfield Award for appearing in a Shakespeare play at Actors Equity . They were well deserved. It is a lovely ceremony that I always attend, and photograph the wonderful recipients of these awards.
I attended a Meet and Greet for the cast and creative team for the MCC Theater's The Nether, by Jennifer Haley, with a fine five member cast, which opens on February 24. I eagerly await opening night.
Film Society Lincoln Center is presenting Let There Be Light: The Films of John Houston, December 19-January 4, 2015. Moulin Rouge, U.K, 1952, is the story of the French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (a memorable performance by Jose Ferrer), who made the nightclub, Moulin Rouge, famous with his paintings and posters of the club, and its popular performers. It is filmed in glorious technicolor, and, with the adorable Zsa Zsa Gabor as the singer Jane Avril, and the wonderful can-can dancers, one feels right at home at the Moulin Rouge. There is a remarkable performance by Colette Marchand as a woman of the streets, who becomes involved with Henri. The scenes between them are powerful. It is another wonderful film by the master director John Huston. I asked my wife if she liked Toulouse-Lautrec. She replied "Aubrey, I don't like to lose anything".
Victory, USA/U.K. 1981, is a film that soccer fans will enjoy. It takes place in a German prison camp in World War II, where a German major (Max von Sydow) arranges an exhibition football match between the Allied prisoners and a German national team for Nazi propaganda purposes. Many of the star football players from many international teams took part in the film, including Pele, Bobby Moore and Mike Summerbee, who played for my hometown team, Manchester City. I had the pleasure of meeting Summerbee at my best friend's nightclub Blinkers one night in Manchester. It was one of the top nightclubs in the city owned by Selwyn Demmy. The film is, without doubt, one of the finest sports films ever made. Michael Caine stars as the manager of the prison team and Sylvester Stallone plays the goalkeeper. Both steal the picture. It is one of Huston's most entertaining films.
The Barbarian and the Geisha, USA, 1958, is the story of Townsend Harris (John Wayne) arriving in Japan in `85 as the first American Consul. His problems establishing his credentials is the main plot, as Japan prefers to remain aislated. It is a picturesque view of the culture of Japan at that time. The film is painless, slow moving, and lacks dramatic interest. Still it is an interesting picture of a medieval country before nineteenth century modernization.
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Play, by Ruben Oslund, Sweden/France/Denmark, 2011, is a grim and depressing film. A gang of five black children hang out in a shopping mall in a Swedish city. They speak to white children asking the time, and then claim the cellphone is the one that was robbed from their brother. The child actors are terrific. It is like seeing a documentary. I do not think the film is racist. Unsupervised children can behave in that uncivilized manner. As a former teacher for ten years and an assistant principal for 20 years in the N.Y.C. system, I know that many children do behave in that way. It is called bullying. It is a powerful film.
MoMA is presenting Acteurism: Joan Bennett to January 30. Wedding Present, by Richard Wallace, USA, 1936, features Cary Grant and Joan Bennett as two newspaper reporters about to be married. They miss the deadline at the marriage license office, and their love affair unravels. Do not worry! With these two wonderful stars, there has to be a happy ending. The film is silly and delightful. Every man aspires to be debonair Grant and every woman would like to be a beautiful Bennett. It is an entertaining film.
MoMA is presenting 50 programs by Robert Altman December 3-January 17, 2015. Pret-a-porter (Ready to Wear), USA, 1994, will please fashion lovers. It takes place in Paris at a fashion show. Director Robert Altman is amazing how he can assemble a multitude of international stars, fashion designers and top models in one film. The film is a satirical look behind the scenes, and ends with an astonishing fashion show with all the top models walking the runway totally naked. Among the many stars, are Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimee, Lauren Bacall, Julia Roberts, Kim Basinger and so many more too numerous to mention. Among the designers are Sonia Rykiel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix and others. Among the models are Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Linda Evangelista and others. It also features many lovely views of Paris, a tourist's delight. The film was not a success when it opened, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Barbarian and the Geisha, USA, 1958, is the story of Townsend Harris (John Wayne) arriving in Japan in `85 as the first American Consul. His problems establishing his credentials is the main plot, as Japan prefers to remain aislated. It is a picturesque view of the culture of Japan at that time. The film is painless, slow moving, and lacks dramatic interest. Still it is an interesting picture of a medieval country before nineteenth century modernization.
Play, by Ruben Oslund, Sweden/France/Denmark, 2011, is a grim and depressing film. A gang of five black children hang out in a shopping mall in a Swedish city. They speak to white children asking the time, and then claim the cellphone is the one that was robbed from their brother. The child actors are terrific. It is like seeing a documentary. I do not think the film is racist. Unsupervised children can behave in that uncivilized manner. As a former teacher for ten years and an assistant principal for 20 years in the N.Y.C. system, I know that many children do behave in that way. It is called bullying. It is a powerful film.
MoMA is presenting Acteurism: Joan Bennett to January 30. Wedding Present, by Richard Wallace, USA, 1936, features Cary Grant and Joan Bennett as two newspaper reporters about to be married. They miss the deadline at the marriage license office, and their love affair unravels. Do not worry! With these two wonderful stars, there has to be a happy ending. The film is silly and delightful. Every man aspires to be debonair Grant and every woman would like to be a beautiful Bennett. It is an entertaining film.
MoMA is presenting 50 programs by Robert Altman December 3-January 17, 2015. Pret-a-porter (Ready to Wear), USA, 1994, will please fashion lovers. It takes place in Paris at a fashion show. Director Robert Altman is amazing how he can assemble a multitude of international stars, fashion designers and top models in one film. The film is a satirical look behind the scenes, and ends with an astonishing fashion show with all the top models walking the runway totally naked. Among the many stars, are Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimee, Lauren Bacall, Julia Roberts, Kim Basinger and so many more too numerous to mention. Among the designers are Sonia Rykiel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix and others. Among the models are Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Linda Evangelista and others. It also features many lovely views of Paris, a tourist's delight. The film was not a success when it opened, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
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