GLORIA BELL
US, 2019, 101 minutes, Colour.
Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Michael Cera, Jeanne Triplehorn, Holland Taylor, Alana Ubach, Rita Wilson, Brad Garrett, Chris Mulkey, Caren Pistorius, Barbara Sukowa Sean Astin.
Directed by Sebastian Lelio.
Some years ago director Sebastian Lelio had great success, as did his star, Paulina Garcia, with the lively drama about a middle-aged woman, dissatisfied with her life, branching out with great verve. It was called Gloria and is an illustration of some of the lyrics of the popular song, Gloria. The film won several awards. Lelio is Chilean and there was a Hispanic excitement about the whole project.
Now, the director has the opportunity to remake his film but in English and in the United States.
While the plot remains basically the same, the American locations, despite emotional outbursts, are far more laid-back than those in Santiago. This makes this version, Gloria Bell, not exactly more restrained but certainly played in a lower key. And the casting is very important. In a way, Paulina Garcia’s interpretation Gloria was rather no holds or, at least, fewer holds barred. Now here is Julianne Moore, a much more controlled performance (even when she is exuberantly dancing). Hers is a much more introverted interpretation of Gloria.
Perhaps it is the forceful impact of the original film, something of a sweeping you off your feet experience, that means that Gloria Bell is less memorable. One might say that the parts are greater than the sum.
In fact, many of the parts are most impressive. This certainly goes for Julian Moore’s performance, a range of emotions, seeing her alone, a loner, isolated among the throbbing beat of the middle-aged dancers in a club. She eventually finds men to dance with but returns to her apartment, alone, except for a cat. And upstairs, a mentally disturbed man is loudly arguing preventing her going to sleep.
We learn something of Gloria’s background, a visit to her son who is estranged from his wife away in the desert trying to find herself. She tries her best at yoga classes conducted by her daughter who is about to marry a Swedish student of whales. She has a secure job and is supportive of friends. She does love music, and seems to a great range of songs as she drives around the city. The lyrics often reveal her mind and emotional states (A Total Eclipse of the Heart, Alone again – Naturally).
One of the important parts of the screenplay is an introduction to a lonely man, divorced, recovering from surgery, his ex-wife and two idle daughters are still completely dependent on him and, it would seem as the film goes on, there is a co-dependence between him and his family. He is played with an engaging earnestness by John Turturro.
Invited to a party to celebrate a birthday, he accompanies Gloria and meets her ex-husband and his wife, the children, and they reminisce over photos which alienates him. Gloria is upset. Arnold is upset. They seem to be made for each other – is it possible that they will overcome the difficulties for a happy ending?
At the end, the song, Gloria, sung by Laura Brannigan is played over the final sequences. Whatever will become of relationships, Gloria has rediscovered some verve and vitality in her life.
1. A portrait of Gloria? American? Divorced? Middle-aged? Wanting more out of life?
2. The film as a remake, the same director, the spirit of the original? The verve of the Latin American story and character? The contrast with a North American story and character?
3. The city settings, apartments and noise, offices, homes, families? Clubs and entertainment? The visit to Las Vegas?
4. The musical score, the range of songs, Gloria singing along as she drove, revealing her personality, the lyrics? The finale with Laura Brannigan singing Gloria?
5. Julianne Moore as Gloria, her presence, appearance, styles and glasses, her age? Isolated in the club the opening, venturing out, finding partners to dance with, but going home alone, the cat? Meeting people and her verve in dancing? The noise upstairs and a complaint to the man’s mother? At work, her associates, liked, supportive? Her eyes being tested, deterioration?
6. The visit to her son, the grandchild, her son and his seeming off-handedness, his wife going into the desert to find herself?
7. The daughter, the yoga class, Gloria doing the exercises, her daughter commending her? The relationship with the Swedish man, his work with the whales?
8. The visit to the club, the encounter with Arnold? His reticence, getting enjoyment with dancing? Building up conversation with Gloria? The bond between the two, his divorce, the wife and two daughters idle and depending on him? The phone calls? To his place? The outings, his owning the theme park, the story of his being a Marine, transport, retirement? The effect of his divorce on him, loneliness?
9. Gloria and going to the party, taking Arnold, the introductions, the tension? The children? The awkwardness of her ex-husband arriving, not having seen him for years, his wife and her sympathy? The merriment, looking at photos, reminiscences, Arnold on the outer, his getting up and leaving?
10. Gloria’s reaction, anxious, annoyed with him? His explanations? Her not accepting them? Her wanting him to apologise which he did? Her not wanting to apologise?
11. The continued tension, not answering his phone calls? Her friend at work, her being sacked, Gloria helping her?
12. Gloria relenting, talking with Arnold, the decision to go to Las Vegas, the exhilaration, the flight, the hotel, Caesar’s Palace, the room, the phone call – and promising not to leave, the pressure on him, his leaving, Gloria and her disappointment?
13. Gloria’s visit to the house, Arnold coming out, seeing the wife and the daughters? The driving away?
14. Gloria, overcoming her sense of being alone, building on the experience with Arnold, singing her songs, with her friends, the man approaching, her being able to let him go? The future and the tone of the song, Gloria?
