Florida's Film, Television and the Arts Magazine
Blue Moon - Movie review by Lisa Blanck
My Funny Valentine. Where Or When. Manhattan. Blue Moon. Blue Room. These are all popular jazz standards, with music composed by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart. Blue Moon, the film, is a wonderful biopic starring Ethan Hawke as Hart, who embraces the role and fully embodies the man.
The film is based on letters sent between Hart and Elizabeth Weiland, a much younger woman he adored, played here by Margaret Qualley. Like Hawke, there appears to be no role that Qualley doesn't take to a higher level. Most recently seen in The Substance and Kinds of Kindness, her role in Blue Moon will certainly garner Qualley an Oscar nomination, as will Hawke's portrayl of Hart.
The writing is as snappy as a machine gun, totally befitting a film about a songwriting icon. The location is Sardi's, on West 44th street in the heart of the Manhattan's Theater District, the spot where everyone came to celebrate their opening night successes. The show being feted this evening is 'Oklahoma'. the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that will be an eternal smash.
Hart is extremely depressed because he knows this is the musical that will propel Richard Rodgers through the stratosphere, the show for which his name will be eternally remembered. And he, Hart, had no part in its production. It's not the fortune that he missed out; it's the notoriety. As mentioned above, Hart had many tunes which will live forever. As he tells it, he's proud to have "written a handful of words that are going to cheat Death."
However, at this party, Hart realizes that though he's written some of the most literate, beautiful words put to music, he's unable to use his words to win the heart and hand of Elizabeth Weiland. Though, as her mentor, he spends a great deal of time with her in and out of school, Hart is tongue-tied in her presence and crushed when Rodgers befriends her at the gala. He's constantly making negative asides about his being on the short-side, which may add to his deep insecurity.
Because of his alcoholism, Rodgers parted ways with Hart, which makes the celebration of 'Oklahoma', or as Hart calls it "Oklahomo", even harder to take. When he would arrive at work, Hart would either be half in the bag; many times he would not show up at all. Rogders viewed writing musicals as his profession, and could not work with someone as unprofessional as Hart. Yet he admires Rogers, telling us "he's a cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch, but he can get a song to levitate".
In scenes between Hart and Rodgers (Andrew Scott), the words come fast and furious. They argue like family, bringing out the worst, and the best, in each other. Hart tells Rodgers that 'Oklahoma' is sappy, and makes people nostalgic for a world that never existed. Hart then begs to be part of Rodgers next production. Rodgers agrees, but only if Hart will remain sober.
What I also enjoyed are the side conversations; little tidbits tossed in by the film's writers which are positively golden. Discussions and observations about life that Hart has with bartender Eddie, played by Bobby Cannavale, along with E.B. 'Andy' White (Patrick Kennedy), who happens to be hanging in Sardi's that evening.
At that time, White was a columnist for The New Yorker magazine, he's become stymied by writer's block. Hart mentions that he reads and enjoys White's articles and knows he'll break through the mental block. He says something to White about a mouse in Central Park. White jots a note on his pad. You can see the lightbulb go on above White's head. Two years later, White's beloved novel, 'Stuart Little' is in print.
It's small things like that, as well as Hart's speaking dialogue that we KNOW will eventually become lyrics to some popular tune, which makes Blue Moon a very special film. Director Richard Linklater's movie may not be for everyone, but it's certain to reach the erudite audience who doesn't require explosions to keep them entertained.
