Coriolanus

"Would you have me
False to my nature? Rather say I play
The man I am."

That is the quote that underlies this Shakespearean tragedy.  Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes) is a celebrated Roman general who returns to his city after defending Rome from their rival the Volcians led by Aufidius (Gerard Butler).  He has been raised to be merciless and ruthless so that when a shortage of grain occurs, throwing the city into a state of chaos, he then suspends civil liberties which makes him despised by the very people he defended.  Having restored some form of order in the meantime, Coriolanus is also urged to run for consul in the Roman senate by his avid supporter Senator Menenius (Brian Cox).  Further encouraging him in this endeavor are his mother, Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) and wife, Virgilia (Jessica Chastain).  Coriolanus is now thrown into a personal conflict on whether to stay true to himself or play politics and try to gain the affection of the very people who now dislike him.  Menenius persuades him to ask for their support so he concedes begrudgingly.  He may defend Rome but he has no desire to listen to their concerns.  His chief critic, Sicinius (James Nesbitt) manages to goad the population to see him as a tyrant and reject him.  The people turn against Coriolanus, revolt and consequently banishes him into exile.  Betrayed and furious at the audacity of the Romans, Coriolanus aligns with his rival Aufidius to take revenge against his own city.

Ralph Fiennes is, as always, excellent and very intense as Coriolanus.  There were even some scenes where I'd feel that he was going to turn into Voldemort (yes sorry I couldn't help it).  But what was wonderful was the confrontation scene with his family towards the end when one sees a fearless general turn back into a boy in front of his formidable mother, Volumnia.  Vanessa Redgrave is both elegant and imposing as a mother who has raised her child as a soldier.  It is thrilling to see her spar with Fiennes in this movie.  And yet she is all gentle and supporting when during her scenes with her daughter-in-law, Virgilia.  Though her role as a supportive and fragile wife doesn't give her too much to do, Jessica Chastain plays her with great vulnerability and she very much holds her own in her scenes with Mr. Fiennes and Ms. Redgrave.  Having just seen her in Zero Dark Thirty, it's delightful to hear her utter Shakespeare so naturally like the words just poured out of her.  There is an aura of grace in the way she speaks Shakespeare's words as if she was born to talk that way. 

Mr. Fiennes not only stars in this film but also directs it.  Together with writer John Logan, he has set Coriolanus in modern times with reminders of the Occupy movement, election politics and campaigning as well as urban warfare. It is surprisingly relevant and to think the play was written ages ago!  I was actually delaying watching this film because I thought that I might have trouble with the language but after 5 minutes of the film, I was captured.  Shakespeare is really meant to be heard in dialogue and seen in performance instead of read in text.  So go for it and see this (it's on Netflix streaming) for it might surprise you!

Yes'm

I've never seen the movie Driving Miss Daisy so it was perfect timing when the announcement came from Playbill that Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones were starring in the Alfred Uhry play. You see, I have this "check list" of must see theatre dames in my mind. It includes Angela Lansbury, Rosemary Harris, Marian Seldes, Elaine Stritch and Vanessa Redgrave. I knew I had to see this play and luckily after this, I only had one name left to cross out from my list, Marian Seldes.

Lani, Tom and I saw Driving Miss Daisy on Nov. 27 (Sat. eve) at the Golden Theatre in NYC. Lani pretty much talked about the play itself in her post (click here) so I'll just discuss the performance. Ms. Redgrave's Daisy Werthan is spunky and very independent. She'll do things her own way and no one can stop her. I really appreciated that take on the character rather than just a dour old lady. She made Daisy very sympathetic and endearing. It's also lovely to see Ms. Redgrave on stage with such elegance and grace. She's captivating. Usually known for more dramatic roles, here she was able to show that she's a very funny lady with good comedic timing. There were a lot of audience chuckles during her banters with Hoke. Hoke, Daisy's chauffeur, is played by James Earl Jones. He always had a very cheerful demeanor whenever Daisy was in her feisty mood. He is the perfect foil to Daisy's saber and very gently was able to melt Daisy's demeanor. Boyd Gaines plays Boolie, Daisy's son was excellent standing up to his very stubborn mother.

Mr. Jones and Ms. Redgrave's chemistry is so perceptible that as an audience member you feel like a fly on the wall watching the interaction of two people who share a real friendship. It's a joy to watch them cherish being on stage together and this becomes more apparent at curtain call with how jovial they are during their bows and acknowledgement of each other.

Some photos from that night:

A Daisy Blooms on Broadway

Driving Miss Daisy is one of my all-time favorite films (I even have the VHS tape to prove it!) I was most excited to hear that it was finally coming to Broadway, starring the radiant Vanessa Redgrave and the lustrous James Earl Jones. The bittersweet story of the unlikely friendship between a Jewish widow and her black chauffeur in the segregated South is oh-so delightfully funny and affecting.
In Ms. Redgrave's very capable hands, Miss Daisy Werthan is feistier than ever. And given Ms. Redgrave's stature, an even more imposing character. Although Mr. Jones's Hoke Colburn seems more frail than Morgan Freeman's iconic performance, his Hoke proves himself an equal match to her spirited ways. The repartee between characters is comedy heaven. The talented Boyd Gaines portrays the patient Boolie, Miss Daisy's son who also stands his ground against his very stubborn and opinionated mother.
The tale of two outsiders who somehow find a deep and lasting connection never fails to bring me to tears. Mosey on over to the Golden Theater to catch this gem of a show. Driving Miss Daisy is a must-see.

The View and Ms. Daisy

Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones visit The View and discuss their roles in Driving Miss Daisy. Lani and I will be seeing it in a few days and I am dying in anticipation. Please click on the photo above to view the video.

(photo from ABC.com)

Grieving and Glorying

For those like me who missed her in The View last Friday, here's Vanessa Redgrave talking about the loss of her daughter Natasha and her siblings Lynn and Corin. I can't help but tear up watching her talk about her loss.

Juliet's Secretary

The film adaptation of the book Letters to Juliet: Celebrating Shakespeare's Greatest Heroine, the Magical City of Verona and the Power of Love is a light and breezy romantic comedy. Perfect for Mother's Day.

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is a fact checker at The New Yorker magazine, hoping to become a full fledged writer. She and her fiancé Victor (the yummy Gael Garcia Bernal) take a pre-wedding vacation in Verona. The distracted Victor, a restaurateur and chef, predictably leaves Sophia to wander the city on her own. She visits the fictional house of Juliet Capulet, where people have been leaving love notes for many years. Sophie meets the members of the Juliet Club who have faithfully answered the letters. She finds an old letter from Claire Smith (the luminous Vanessa Redgrave) and decides to respond. Pretty soon, they are on a road trip to find Claire's long-lost love, Lorenzo. They are begrudgingly accompanied by Mrs. Smith's skeptical and pompous grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan (who physically reminded me of Heath Ledger/Matt Damon/Ryan Phillippe/Joseph Gordon Levitt).

The movie is a grand travelogue through the spectacular vistas of Italy. One can pretty much deduce how the story ends. But the film's high point is Ms. Redgrave. I started crying the moment I saw her in Juliet's courtyard, in front of the famous balcony. (Just the sight of her made me think of her dear departed daughter Natasha Richardson. And then I started thinking of Lynn and Corin Redgrave.) Her Claire is wise, funny and optimistic. Yet one feels that she is afraid of what she'll find but not letting herself get downhearted. When she said "Life is the messy bits", I really felt for her.

Ladies, I expect you'll have fun with Letters to Juliet. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get a dose of Hollywood romance. The movie officially opens 14 May.