Being Julia (DVD)

...bitches in your house…”), that being said, the more realistic speech is well realised. Though the film focuses on the central performance, there is sufficient character development for the other protagonists to seem consistent, if not entirely realistic. Szabó has assembled a solid cast that consists of well-respected thespians and new faces, who acquit themselves well in the face of more experienced actors.

The cinematography by Lajos ...
...fabrics and beautiful people, whilst skimming over the squalor that underpins it all. The characters all put on a public face whilst keeping their private lives to themselves and more than one of them has a secret they are keeping from others. This is illustrated by the games Julia plays; when fully made-up she is playing a role, whether it be actress, mother, wife or lover, but as soon as the mask of make-up is removed, she is nothing more than ... more

Julia Lambert is the brightest star in the theatre firmament in London in 1938, but she is bored with her life. Emotionally divorced from her husband, things look up when she embarks on affair with a young American. But in a world where “the stage is your only reality” everyone seems to be playing a role. And her lover’s machinations prompt Julia to set a few of her own in motion, culminating in the most public revenge she can muster on those who betray her.

Before this film, I had never heard of Hungarian director István Szabó, despite having won an Oscar for best foreign language film (way back in 1982). So I was pleasantly surprised by his first full-length English-language outing. An adaptation of W Somerset Maugham’s “Theatre”, the director and screenwriter Ronald Harwood have created a larger than life world where the artificiality of the theatre creeps into its stars’ lives. Everyone in the industry is playing a part, each having their own secret agenda, so we are presented with a web of sub-plots in which everybody is using someone to either further or maintain their careers. It is a heightened reality that in no way reflects the life of average people in the late 1930s. The world we see is a glamorous one in which who you know is more important than what you know. The script is a wittily written piece that glories in the superficiality of its main character, so lines are declaimed rather than spoken and there are plenty of cutting remarks and affected banter (“Actually he was a vet; he delivered all the bitches in your house…”), that being said, the more realistic speech is well realised. Though the film focuses on the central performance, there is sufficient character development for the other protagonists to seem consistent, if not entirely realistic. Szabó has assembled a solid cast that consists of well-respected thespians and new faces, who acquit themselves well in the face of more experienced actors.

The cinematography by Lajos Koltai revels in the sumptuous settings, lingering on the glorious fabrics and beautiful people, whilst skimming over the squalor that underpins it all. The characters all put on a public face whilst keeping their private lives to themselves and more than one of them has a secret they are keeping from others. This is illustrated by the games Julia plays; when fully made-up she is playing a role, whether it be actress, mother, wife or lover, but as soon as the mask of make-up is removed, she is nothing more than a vulnerable woman.

Annette Bening puts in a virtuoso performance as the titular Julia. She successfully combines the self-absorbed megalomania of a star all too aware of her power and the vulnerability of one who always looks to others for validation. When we first meet her, she is a monstrous creature who could give Norma Desmond a run for her money. She toys with the affections of others for her own personal gain and manipulates people so she can do what she wants when she wants. As the film progresses, we warm to her as she slowly opens herself up to her young lover only to be treated as she has treated others. Though insincere and superficial she is never portrayed as stupid and her revenge on those who would hurt her both emotionally and professionally is a master stroke. Right down to the unfaltering cut-glass English accent, this is a career-making turn. It is an Oscar-worthy performance and I can only hope members of the Academy are watching.

In the face of such a powerhouse showing by Bening, the rest of the cast can hardly compare. However, they give it a good try. Jeremy Irons impresses as Julia’s stalwart husband, who though no longer emotionally involved with his wife, is willing to support her come what may. Miriam Margolyes gives a wonderfully OTT performance as Julia’s lascivious backer Dolly de Vries. Michael Gambon is less impressive as Julia’s spectral mentor Jimmy Langton, mainly because he doesn’t seem to be giving the role his all. Juliet Stevenson, though a great actress in her own right seems a little miscast as Julia’s common-as-muck assistant Evie. It may be that I can’t divorce her from the many middle-upper class characters she’s played, but her performance seems a little forced. Of the younger actors, Lucy Punch puts on a marvellously affected act as the bitchy and manipulative pretender to Julia’s West End crown, Avice Crichton. Her tantrum at the end of the film is very funny. Tom Sturridge gets the balance between innocence and knowing just right as Julia’s son Roger. Some would say that Shaun Evans’ turn as Tom Fennel (Julia’s younger man) is somewhat passionless, but as the motives of the character become clear his performance becomes a perfect fit for the role.

The theatrical score by Mychael Danna is an evocative suite of sweeping strings that makes the most of the orchestra at the composer’s disposal. The repetition of Julia’s theme at the times of her greatest triumphs (both professionally and emotionally) is a subtle yet efficient way of linking themes throughout the film. The rest of the soundtrack comprises many big band and swing standards of the time, including classics like “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, which add to the period atmosphere.

John Bloomfield showcases his design credentials with a series of beautifully tailored theatrical and period costumes. His couture-style designs show a playful elegance that reflects the 1930s pre-occupation with glamour and decadence, while his stage costumes are breathtaking confections that underline the excesses of the high-end theatre that existed before television.

This is a film that will appeal to you if you love the theatre, like a good period comedy drama or are a fan of classics like “Sunset Boulevard” that feature good all-round performances anchored by an extraordinary central turn by an actress at the height of her powers. Some may find the film a trifle slow at times, but I thought it a marvellous take on the extremes of the theatre and the downfall and resurrection of a true drama doyenne. Watch it for the great performances, the wonderful costumes and make-up, the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd…
 

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