ROCKETMAN

UK, 2019, 121 minutes, Colour.
Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Jones, Stephen Mackintosh, Harriet Walter, Tate Donovan.
Directed by Dexter Fletcher.

Even those who are not fans (and for almost 50 years he has had multitudes of fans) will know or know of Elton John. And the fans will have their favourites, hoping to hear them in this biopic – and they will (except for Candle in the Wind). Rocketman is well known as is, of course, the Yellow Brick Road.

While the film does trace the life of the young Reggie Dwight and his transformation into Elton John, it is also a something of a musical fantasy about his life and career. (One presumes that the costume designer will be prominent on the list of award nominations!) What the screenplay does (and it was written by Lee Hall who write Billy Elliot and other screenplays and musicals) is offer a framework for understanding and appreciating Elton John.

The framework is sessions for Alcoholics Anonymous. Initially, Elton John comes racing down the corridor flamboyantly dressed in rather diabolical red, gatecrashing a session, pretty desperate. And, throughout the film, we are returned to the group, eventually Elton getting rid of the red costume and more and more relaxing and comfortable with the group, revealing, quite candidly, the progress as well as the declines in his life.

So, back we go to the suburbs of London in the 1950s. Elton’s mother is quite self-absorbed, fancying herself, exasperated with her husband who has returned from the war, rather traumatised and isolated, leaving, marrying again. Needless to say, this has quite an impact on young Reggie and the older Elton, his mother reappearing (and, for those trying to pick who is the British actress portraying her, they will discover that it is the American Bryce Dallas Howard, with Stephen McIntosh? playing the father). The sympathetic role is that of his affirming grandmother (Gemma Jones).

In the flashbacks, two young boys represent little Reggie the most convincing. Matthew Illsley, so far his only film, is excellent in performance, singing, accompanying the older Elton. The other boy, Kit Connor, also does a fine job.

And, speaking of fine jobs, Taron Egerton excels as Elton himself (Egerton filming at the age of 28 and covering Elton from his 20s to his 60s), not only the performance and interpretation but also doing all the singing of Elton’s songs, the dancing, the gymnastics, the stage flair.

And, flair there is. After unsteady starts, and a reference to Elton as an extroverted introvert, Reggie dreams of what he might be, chooses a new name, starts to sing, has difficulties with auditions and agents, but finds a lifetime friend in lyricist Bernie Taupin (and another fine performance from Jamie Bell). And there is real excitement as, hesitatingly, he goes on to perform at the Los Angeles Troubadour and is immediately engaging, immediately multi-successful.

That is on the showmanship level. As we begin to appreciate more and more from his presence at the AA meetings, Elton has been affected by his less than affectionate mother, his father leaving and setting up a new family, a basic dissatisfaction with himself. There is also the question of his sexual orientation, the relationship with his agent (Richard Madden) and a sense of betrayal, the attempted marriage with almost immediate failure, the descent into alcohol, the further descent into drugs.

The film is been directed by actor, Dexter Fletcher, who made the Scottish musical, Sunshine on Leith, and was invited to complete the work on Bohemian Rhapsody. This is an accomplished biopic with its drama, its comedy, its music, its extravagant performances.

Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, produced the film, supported Taron Egerton in the central role – and, the credits provide a final tribute that Elton John has been sober and off drugs since 1981, has been passionately involved in AIDS charity, and the couple are bringing up their sons.

A life very much of the second part of the 20th century – but still going.

1. Elton John and his life, career, entertainment, influence? The title and his song?

2. The performance by Taron Egerton, his look, embodying Elton John’s manner, his singing all the songs, the dancing, the performance of the gymnastics, the drama? The tour de force embodiment of Elton John?

3. The role of music, throughout the film, his range of songs, prolific, the songs illustrating each aspect of his life, Taron Egerton and his range of performance, playing the piano, singing, dancing, gymnastics? His songs in recollecting his childhood, the two versions of his younger self? In the band? Auditioning? Working with Bernie? The Troubadour, hesitation, performance, flamboyant, outfits, glasses, range of costumes, evermore extravagant, more extravagant action? Distinctively Elton John?

4. The response to his music, the range of audiences, over the decades? And responding to this film?

5. Reality and fantasy in telling his life? His origins, born in the 1940s, Reginald Dwight? The two boys performing as him? The younger boy and the pool sequence, the final reconciliation with himself?

6. The United Kingdom, the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s? British society and the changes? Life in the suburbs? Local clubs? The range of venues for performance? The American venues? Luxury in Los Angeles? The room for the group work?

7. The opening, the red costume, rushing down the corridor, into the group, Elton John’s attitudes, his requests and questions, the response of the members of the group? The group appearing throughout the film? Sessions, Elton changing, changing his clothes, greater confidence, commit himself to the group, confiding in them?

8. Life in the 1950s, at home, the ever presence of his grandmother, a good woman, nice, believing in him, noting his talent, playing the piano by year, the scholarship, her taking him to the venue, her defence of him? The contrast with his mother, vain, self-centred, complaining, critical of her son? His father, service in the war, wounds, trauma, away and coming back, private, his music, not wanting his son to be soft? Strictness? Clashing with his wife? Elton catching her in the car with Fred? His father leaving, Fred coming into the house, Elton calling him dad?

9. The later visit to his father, his father’s new life, settled, his children, the discussions with Elton, asking him to sign the record?

10. His talent was music, playing by year, his giftedness, the scholarship, meeting the teacher, playing her performance by ear and then stopping, her response, supervision, getting him to practice and improve technique?

11. Elton as introverted and extroverted, as a little boy, as the older boy, in his life and performance, in his loneliness, in his identity?

12. Playing, his success, looking to play backup, the group, discussing his name, wanting something better with life, John Lennon?

13. The encounter with Bernie, Bernie as a character, his age, personality, their meeting, friendship, discussions, sending the lyrics of the songs, Elton using his imagination, creating the songs, performing them? Bernie’s delight? The long friendship, the ups and downs, Bernie supporting Elton, Elton feeling that he had abandoned him at various times? Elton and hurt? The final reconciliation?

14. Ray, admiring Elton, his help, the interviews, the discussions, the lyrics, playing, the audition? The agent, his attitude, Philistine responses, Elton composing, the song that he liked, arranging for Los Angeles and the Troubadour?

15. The visit to Los Angeles, awestruck, the Troubadour, the manager and his enthusiasm, the reputation, the other musicians present, Elton as hesitant, going out, performing, the enthusiastic response? Wanting to go to Tower records, Bernie preferring to be with the girls? The aftermath of the party?

16. Continued performances, reputation in the US, the records, sales, Elton being a millionaire? The years, performances? International?

17. Elton and his relationships, his orientation, discovering, the phone call to his mother and her saying that she knew, wanting to keep it quiet? The meeting with John Reid, the attraction, the sexual encounter, Reid managing him, money and luxury, the sequence with ousting Ray and the agent?

18. Elton and his relationship with women, their advice, singing with Kiki D, the help of Arabella, the encounters with Renata, the proposal, the wedding, life with her, the breakfast scene, the divorce, the aftermath?

19. Elton not believing that he was loved, but hurt, encountering Reid and his behaviour with the men, the scene of the pool, Elton and drugs, drink, into the pool, drowning, the fantasy with his younger self, the rescue, hospital, recuperation?

20. The family, the neighbours, their all coming to Los Angeles, the delight?

21. Drinking, drugs, yet the show must go on? Growing desperation, collapse, going into the rehabilitation?

22. Bernie and his visits, the talk, Bernie affirming Elton but wanting him to take charge of himself?

23. The final information, sober for 28 years, the development of his charities and the success, his partnership with David Furnish, the adoption of the children? The couple
producing this film?

24. Audience response, admiration, his achievement?