RULES DON’T APPLY
US, 2016, 127 minutes, Colour.
Warren Beatty, Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick, Candice Bergen, Haley Bennett, Paul Sorvino, Taissa Farmiga, Oliver Platt, Alec Baldwin, Steve Coogan, Dabney Coleman, Paul Schneider, Hart Bochner.
Directed by Warren Beatty.
Billionaire, Eccentric.. Two words which describe noted 20th century American industrialist and producer, Howard Hughes, even during his lifetime. And, at the end of his life, another word, reclusive. There have been a number of films about Howard Hughes, his life and his career, but it is now half a century since his death and he is part of American history.
However, Warren Beatty became interested in Hughes, has written a screenplay and directed the film, casting himself as the eccentric and reclusive Hughes. Warren Beatty himself will be 80 this year so it is not a stretch to portray the elderly Hughes. Because Hughes thought himself above most people, Rules Don’t Apply is not an unreasonable title (and is given further emphasis by the film’s song and its lyrics).
While the plot is rather complicated, one thing emerges that must have interested Beatty and his co-writer. These days, confronted by eccentric behaviour, or idiosyncratic behaviour, words that come to mind include autistic and Asperges, “on the spectrum�. But this is one of the interesting things about this film that Hughes is particularly obsessive, especially when it comes to aviation, plane design and preoccupations about this. His reclusiveness, self-protection, seeming inability to be aware of others sensitivities, expecting everyone to jump to his commands, and a preoccupation with his father’s memory, his father’s achievement in the tool industry and his inheriting the company, resenting and firing anybody that he thought was trying to be a father-figure to him.
This portrait certainly makes the film worth consideration.
However, the context is 1964, his connections with the government under consideration, and the media concerned that he is not compos mentis. In his refusal to make himself available to the media and make a statement to reassure them, the plot goes into flashback, the late 1950s, the RKO Studios and Hughes having a number of starlets under contract, providing lessons for them at the studio but not necessarily providing any movies for them to appear in.
Devout Christian, Marla Maybury (Lily Collins), comes with her protective mother (Annette Bening) to audition for Hughes. Drivers are provided for the starlets and the man assigned to her, Frank, (Alden Ehrenreich) himself rather devout, becomes attracted to her. Marla is quite strong-minded in many ways and determined to meet Hughes and have an audition. Frank is supportive, falling in love with her, having to deal with a fiancee in Fresno, but finding himself also asked for advice by Hughes who takes a shine to him and makes him a close assistant. Marla is faced with great moral challenges.
This gives the opportunity for audiences to see something Hollywood in this period, the star system, the starlets system, the personal interactions, the casting couch, career decisions and ambitions, disappointment and disillusionment.
Marla has been attracted to Hughes and he to her with consequences that neither of them expected – but the screenplay uses the consequences to galvanise Hughes into action with the media, Frank still there working for him but the plot bringing Marla and Frank together again…
One of the advantages of the film is that there are all kinds of character actors in brief roles, including Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, Matthew Broderick, Candice Bergen, Steve Coogan, Alec Baldwin…
1. The title? As applied to Howard Hughes? And the lyrics of the song?
2. A Warren Beatty project, writing and directing, performing? A Hollywood story?
3. Hollywood in 1964, the status of Howard Hughes, the media? His career, aviation, government contacts, hearings, companies and developments? The media demanding his identifying himself? His reluctance?
4. The flashbacks to the 1950s, Los Angeles, RKO Studios, the interiors of the studios, Howard Hughes’s mansion, the hotels where he was he staying? Views of Los Angeles? The trip to Fresno? The Los Angeles experience, Hollywood, aviation, flight? The musical score, the songs and the lyrics, the range of songs and music from the particular period? The tone?
5. Marla and her mother, arriving from Virginia, wide-eyed in Los Angeles, the promise of a screen test, the career of a starlet, appearing in films? Her mother and her strict chaperone mentality? The church, behaviour, Baptists? Frank and his being appointed to drive them, discussions with him, the Methodist Church background? Discussions about religion, grace, theology, sexuality, marriage commitment, going all the way, values? Growing uncertainties?
6. Howard Hughes’ story, audience knowledge about him, Warren Beatty and his impersonation, his look, age, the span of his career, his father and the tools company, aviation, his focus on planes and measurements, the touches of obsession? His interest in the movies, the screening of Hells Angels and its recurring throughout this film? His reputation, his wealth, connections with government, TWA, his investments, loans and needs? The movies, and his liaisons with actresses, the references to specific actresses, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Russell, Jean Peters?
7. Warren Beatty’s interpretation of Hughes, on the spectrum, the touch of obsession and autism? Strong mind, intelligence? Specialist knowledge and detail? Obsessing? His own image, the photos and make up, the actor portraying him? His becoming more reclusive? Dependence on drugs? Issues of food, ice cream obsessions and his associates having to supply his wants? His reaction to his advisers, memories of his father, wanting to please his father, firing associates because he thought they were trying to be father-figures? Going to watch the plane, the test flight and his injuries, later flying? His taking on Frank as his advisor, younger man? No children, growing old, his theories about DNA and his living on in children? The end, Marla and the boy, his response, eagerly playing with him, talking with him? Mellowing him? The stories about Hughes, the women, the starlets, the irony of the women being paid with the envelopes coming down on hooks…, The liaison with Marla, brief, marrying Jean Peters? A portrait of Howard Hughes?
8. The issue of the actor, the biography, authentic or not, testimonies against the actor?
9. Marla, age, determination, her mother returning home, her waiting for Hughes, the lessons, the other starlets and the interactions, together? The pay? Going to church? Her ignorance about sex, the sex talk of the other girls? The sermon in the Church? Frank, the attraction to him, the fact that he had committed himself to his fiancee, her not drinking? Eventually meeting Hughes, her outspokenness, being taped? The screen test? Frank and his affirmation? The effect of Hughes on her, wanting to meet him? The contact with Nadine and her support?
10. Frank, sexual encounter, Marla drinking, her being summonsed? The interactions with Frank, his ejaculation, trying to cover it? Lavar and his lascivious look? Her continued drinking, with Hughes, discussion, the ring? The sexual encounter, returning to her mother, the issue of abortion, having the child? The buildup to the visit to Hughes years later?
11. The character of Frank, earnest young man, from Fresno, scenes with his family, devout, his fiancee and their sexual encounter, the commitment? The discussions with Marla’s mother, driving? Letting Marla drive and her exhilaration? The outings, the scenery, the Hollywood bowl and listening to the music? The television, the sexual episode, the reaction, his seeing the ring? Some disillusionment with her?
12. Frank and his work, talking with Hughes, interviews, sharing the burger, looking at the plane, the later flight? Business advice? His wanting to persuade Hughes about the land investment? Helping Hughes and the persistent phone calls from the TWA executives and their wanting to meet him? With Hughes at the end of Acapulco?
13. The members of Hughes’s staff, Lavar and the driving, sexual innuendo? The other drivers? Advice, being fired? Lavar surviving? Mayhew, taking over the company, the pressure from TWA, Mayhew never seeing Hughes, being fired? Noah, friendly, the father figure, his being fired? Nadine and her role?
14. The starlets, their life, classes, pay, group, chatter?
15. The visit by Marla, introducing the boy to Hughes? His reaction? His phone call indicating that he was still alive and compos mentis?
16. Frank, meeting Marla, the boy – and the future together?
17. The picture of the old Hollywood, the 1960s and the transition to the more contemporary world?
