Gossip Central

Theater of War

You could argue that they are all theater of war, the movies, Hollywood and otherwise set in World War II Europe: the fable, “Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” the action thriller “Defiance,” even the irresponsible and insulting “Valkyrie,” and the ones that look at the period after: the emotionally resonant “The Reader” and “Adam Resurrected” with its disturbing depiction of a comic who survived the concentration camps as a Nazi commando's pet dog (Jeff Goldblum in an elastic Gumby defying role). But the title “Theater of War,” about the making of the 2006 Public Theater production of “Mother Courage and her Children” in Central Park, from the Brecht play adapted by Tony Kushner and starring Meryl Streep, belongs to a fine documentary now showing at Film Forum. This movie says much about the war era providing excellent footage on Brecht's exile to the United States and his interview before the House Unamerican Committee. Set several centuries before, during the time of the Thirty Years War, “Mother Courage” brilliantly illustrates paradoxically how man's motivation toward the commerce of war is also our greatest downfall. Interviewed for “Theater of War,” Meryl Streep whose performance as Mother Courage showed the world she could sing (before “Mamma Mia!”), said it's all in the mouth of the mother, any mother, seeing her dead child, crying, “Why?”

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Billy Elliot's Kid Stars

People were kidding with director Stephen Daldry about his fine new film “The Reader,” starring Kate Winslet in post-Holocaust Germany. The director of film and theater was helping to edit that heavy duty subject and running to “Billy Elliot” rehearsals just down the street for relief-not that this British import set against the background of the coal miners' strike in Northern England is a mere romp-although you could take it as one. The hottest ticket on Broadway famously stars 3 Billy's and according to 12 year old Frank Dolce who plays Michael one of two who perform as his sidekick in dance, cross dressing, and diva demeanor, each brings something different to the part. Frank and I had a chance to discuss this matter when we met seated on a plush leather divan across from Ben Gazzarra at the “Doubt” premiere at the Metropolitan Club. Over Asian noodles he told me how he's being tutored so he can handle the rigors of theater, how awesome it was to have this Broadway debut at so young an age-some people wait a lifetime, and so on. And, he's the first kid you see in John Patrick Shanley's movie, an awakening altar boy with a smile who skips off to choir practice. I asked how much he knew about what the priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) was accused of. We just learn our lines, said Frank innocently. So I was somewhat surprised at last week's matinee of “Billy Elliot,” not realizing how prominent his role is in this truly wonderful show, and how provocative. His character and Billy wear tutus together as well as other girlie clothes in a show stopping “Expressing Yourself.” Trent Kowalik was Billy and watching him dance, I could not remember what Frank told me: did he excel in tap or ballet? He was so good at both. And I never did see Frank's Michael either, as David Bologna superbly vamped that bravura role. But here at the crowded “Doubt” premiere Frank schmoozed with legendary actors like Sylvia Miles about union dues. Offering some advice the two time Oscar nominee told him, don't stop paying them because when you retire, they support you. Then he said gamely looking for an exit line, “you come to a premiere you drink, you slam something down, and then it takes the rest of the night to say goodbye.” “You're telling me, kid,” said Sylvia.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Out & About: Too Much Memory, Rock of Ages, Judy Kreston

As a way of ringing out 2008, a politically fraught year that asked
Americans to consider what leadership is all about, see "Too Much
Memory" at the Fourth Street Theater. A modern "Antigone"—yes, that
Sophoclean Greek play—this retelling by Keith Reddin and Meg
Gibson—mixes up the old formula on a bare stage: a high spirited,
idealistic jean jacketed girl (Laura Heisler), her JAP (Valley Girl
meets ethnic princess) sister (Aria Alpert), devoted boyfriend who
just happens to be the king's son (Seth Numrich), the bone-headed,
pragmatic, cold-blooded Creon (Peter Jay Fernandez), and a
surprisingly emotionally resonant Euridice (Wendy vanden Heuvel). The
chorus (Martin Moran) tells us, "These evenings end badly. That's why
they call it tragedy." The fine ensemble work (which also includes
some eloquent speeches by guards following orders) and excellent
writing underscores the cautionary aspect of Antigone—if you don't
watch your rulers, this can happen to you—and makes this the best hour
and 15 minutes you are likely to spend this holiday.

 

The musical "Rock of Ages" at Second Stages is sheer fun. Even I who
have no particular fondness or nostalgia for the 'eighties had a good
time. The story is reminiscent of that classic Broadway crowd-pleaser,
"42nd Street," only this time a young girl in a huge coif and
miniscule jean skirt goes to Los Angeles to make it big. Think of the
Jefferson Starship hit: "We built this city!" There, she makes some
wrong turns that lead to a life of sleaze before taking the road to a
bourgeois happy ever after. What makes it work is the fine band and
excellent ensemble featuring the appealing Constantine Maroulis from
the 4th season of American Idol and Kelli Barrett.

   

And last week at the Metropolitan Room, after announcing she had
laryngitis, and in the spirit of "the show must go on," Judy Kreston
belted out classic tunes ("Pick Yourself Up," "Our Love is Here to
Stay," "Don't Rain on my Parade") as well as some new ones composed by
her husband David Lahm, accompanying on the piano. With Tim Fergueson
on bass and David Silliman on drums, the performance made you wonder,
what can she do when she's well? Fortunately, Judy and David will
return in the spring. Stay tuned!

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Marley & Me

Most attendees of the Tribeca Cinemas premiere of “Marley & Me” were well behaved, but when Marley, the protagonist of this new movie, “the worst dog alive,” chewed up the scenery, literally, you could hear a woof in the house. He would not be trained (by Kathleen Turner in a hilarious cameo), nor could he be trusted not to poop at the dog friendly beach by his owners, played amiably by Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson in the story of the dog's life based upon columnist John Grogan's book. Of the 22 dogs who starred as Marley in all his stages, only Clyde walked the red carpet. Guests were encouraged to bring their familiars and I attended in the spirit of my beloved English springer spaniel Bogart, if I may be allowed some tearful sentiment consistent with the movie's theme. And there were plenty of stars at the party: hosts Jane Rosenthal brought her golden retriever Buddy, Beth Ostrosky Stern accompanied her English bulldog Bianca, and Julia Szabo had her pit bull Angus in tow. Chuck and Ellen Scarborough  brought their very handsome Oliver, a black mix from the pound. Denis Leary's labradoodle Daphne sat behind me and swatted me with her tail. No complaints here. And Cindy Adams had one Yorky under each arm: Juicy and Jazzy, she introduced. Clad in red leather with a gold logo, they appeared to be wearing Chanel. When I asked the gossip doyenne, she replied, “No, but they have.”

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Marley & Me (trailer)

Defiance

One wishes stories of resistance to the Nazi program to exterminate the Jews were more prevalent. As director Ed Zwick pointed out, introducing his film  "Defiance"  at a recent private screening, for a long time family members who were survivors of the Holocaust spoke of their experiences in hushed voices, lest the children, ears glued to the walls anyway, would not hear. The attempt was to shield the young from such horror, but children are attracted to the forbidden. In a similar cultural empathy to Steven Spielberg's finding the material for Schindler's List, Ed Zwick found a biography of the Bielski brothers. The history that informs his riveting action adventure movie starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber involves three brothers (with Jamie Bell) who hide out in the woods of Poland; as they worked building shelters and finding food--and fought just to stay alive, other escapees found them; in one daring move they evacuated Jews from the Warsaw ghetto. Living in the forest in the manner of a commune, needless to say, many perished. It was important to Zwick that the impulse to avenge the deaths of so many did not translate to blood lust for these brave Jews. The brothers make conscious decisions to steer away from the wanton inhumanity of the perpetrators, with some exceptions. As Jews, both Craig and Shreiber exhibit a soft-centered machismo, defying the picture of the bearded intellectual herded into concentration camp. The decision for his characters to speak Polish and Russian added to the verisimilitude, and makes this film at least sound less contrived than many of the season's Holocaust-era offerings. Zwick was especially eager to hear the response of Elie Wiesel to his film. Wiesel had one complaint regarding an effective artistic choice, said Zwick, referring to the opening when black and white archival footage gives way little by little to dramatization in full color. You are allowing for the blurring of fact with fiction, Zwick recounted the writer/survivor's words, and that's dangerous to do when it comes to the Holocaust.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Music for Movies: The Reader

Forks froze midair. The roast chicken at the Café Carlyle was delicious, but once Nico Muhly began playing the music he composed for “The Reader,” the focus shifted from food and chat to the sad emotive sound he created for this unsettling film. The Julliard trained 27 year old composer had worked with Philip Glass on Stephen Daldry's movie, “The Hours,” and was now center stage in the room where Woody Allen performs on many a Monday night and Glass and others like Alan Bergman, Chuck Scarborough, Joan Micklin Silver, Mira Nair, Ed Victor, Alan Alda sat in rapt attention as he played from three sections, particularly the part where Michael (the young lover played by David Kross and then Ralph Fiennes) decides not to visit Hanna in prison. The music underscores an important aspect of “The Reader,” the irresolution of its conflicts. Much has been written about post-Holocaust era emotions involving guilt (for survivors and perpetrators), victimization, rage, requisite redemption, revenge, restitution, cries for justice. Hanna (played bravely in plain face by the usually gorgeous radiant movie star, Kate Winslet) says, in effect, the dead are dead. Similarly, a survivor played pitch perfect by Lena Olin rejects Hanna's money saying, the Holocaust was not therapy. Which is merely to say, that we all, left pondering the horror of this untoward history are doomed to mull it over forever. There is no rest for this story. Art falls short. Bernhard Schlink may have raised the guilt issues for second generation Germans to best-seller level, and this film beautifully shot, directed, acted, and scored should follow to packed houses and awards as a resonant re-articulation in excellent cinema, but trust me on this, no one is going to walk away and feel they have now understood what actually happened in Europe more than a half century ago. The historical catastrophe, as Manohla Dargis reports in the New York Times, may grow fainter, but that is more a function of time, not because of fine films like “The Reader” that remind us just how open a wound the Holocaust remains

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Doubt—Without a Doubt

At a special lunch at the Four Seasons honoring John Patrick Shanley on the achievement of the new movie "Doubt," one thing was certain: You can't take the Bronx out of the boy. Addressing a crowd of New York actors, writers, theater people and filmmakers on how the issues raised by Doubt, from the 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning play to the screen, you could hear the Irish tainted New Yorkese as he was speaking of the critical year 1964, the chaos of the sixties especially the year after the Kennedy assassination, without nostalgia. Clearly, having been raised Catholic, this was the year of doubt for him. By coincidence, the play appeared just as the scandals in the church, about inappropriate behavior between priests and congregants, broke. All this was brewing for a long time, said the playwright/screenwriter/director who, over the most delicious short ribs I've ever had, described to me the conversation about whether or not he would be the one to direct his first feature in 18 years. ("Joe and the Volcano" with Tom Hanks was his directorial debut.) Yes, you can direct it. That was it. The man with the original vision recreating successfully that story for film and directing it! The instinct to let him go for it paid off. The performances, for one thing, are superb: from his first sermon about Doubt and Certitude, Philip Seymour Hoffman is masterful as Father Flynn. Amy Adams is so good many are speaking about the Oscars for Supporting role as Sister James. What a shame to hide that milky skin under a habit! And that goes for the incomparable Meryl Streep as the Mother Superior from Hell. Viola Davis attended the elegant luncheon too. She plays Mrs. Miller, the mother of the boy used to doubt Father Flynn. "It's like I'm Dorothy and the house landed on my head," she said of the experience of working in this movie. As to acting in a screne with Meryl Streep, "You know, many movie stars save it for their closeup. They'll give you what you need, but wait to give it their all when the camera is on them. Not Meryl. She's always at 100%."

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura

Doubt (trailer)

Sex with Kate in The Reader

Everyone wants to know the same thing, David Kross, the young German actor who plays young Michael Berg in the movie of "The Reader," what's it like to have sex with Kate Winslet. Yes, and? A reporter is dying to know and puts words in his mouth, it's like acting, right? No. It's like choreography, Kross scowls, having said the same thing to many reporters on this, the press day for "The Reader." And, not remembering anyone named in the credits, who is the choreographer? Director Stephen Daldry, answers Kross. And that, in a nutshell explains the excellence of this new movie based on the controversial novel by Bernhard Schlink with screenplay by playwright David Hare and masterminded by the director of "The Hours" who just so happens to have also directed the dance musical Billy Elliot, the hottest ticket on Broadway. Set in post Holocaust Germany, Stephen Daldry's new movie is about a young teenager who has a prolonged and tender affair with a woman 20 years his senior; after the affair ends, he finds out a deep, dark secret about her. As he learns in literature class, all the great books hinge on someone having such a deep, dark secret. And Kate Winslet's character Hanna Schmitz has at least two, the one to which she willingly admits is the more outrageous to us, that as a Nazi guard in a concentration camp, she stood by allowing 300 victims to burn to death in a church. The other, so painful to her that she is willing to go to prison to keep it hidden, is that she cannot read. How strange is the human psyche! This odd and fascinating character was cooked up by writer Schlink for his 1995 book, controversial as Schlink said, because of Hanna's remorseless, astonishingly cold lack of morality. In court, she explains why she did not open the church door: they would have escaped. We could not let that happen, she says clearly bewildered at this foolish question. Speaking on that press day this week after having taught his final class of the semester at Cordoza Law School—Schlink is lawyer and judge as well as the author of crime novels—he was outraged at Thelma Adams' view on the current Huffington Post, alleging that the real furor about this story should be about the young man's deflowering, victimized by this older woman. That is a reductive reading, said Schlink. That small-minded opinion does not recognize there are many kinds of love.
I am not yet over the delicious discomfort of this fine movie.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura