RICH AND FAMOUS
US, 1981, 117 minutes, Colour.
Jacqueline Bissett, Candace Bergin, Michael Brandon, David Selby, Hart Bochner, Steven Hill, Meg Ryan, Matt Lattanzi.
Directed by George Cukor.
Rich and Famous received, the tag 'Rich and Fatuous' from many viewers. This does seem to sum up this glossy soap opera. It has been adapted by Gerald Ayres (writer of Foxes) from John Van Druten’s Old Acquaintance which was filmed by Vincent Sherman in the forties as a vehicle for Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins . It was an enjoyable forties melodrama . The screenplay has been up-dated and very much modernised in the frank sex scenes, swearing style.
The film traces the up and down friendship of two women over twenty years. They are both writers and image the changes of life-style in the United States from 1959 to the early 80's. The leading actresses looked the part and Candice Bergen gives a good performance reminiscent of her Oscar-nominated role in Starting Over.
However, the film becomes a more and more unreal, contrived and self-conscious. There is a great deal of self-conscious and pretentious dialogue. This is a pity as the film was directed by veteran George Cukor, who directed so many elegant dramas and comedies from the early 30's and winning an Oscar for My Fair Lady in 1964.
1. . Impact as the film as glossy soap-opera ? A film of the eighties? How successful?
2. Lavish production values, set, period, decor, costumes ? The director, the stars,
musical score?
3. The film's origins in a thirties play, forties melodrama? star vehicle updated
and 'modern’? Credible, persuasive?
4. The twenty years time span of the screen-play: the reflection of the times, changing American attitudes, the growth of the two women? Their striving for success
and being rich and famous ?
5. Themes of friendship, strengths and weaknesses, ups and downs, fights, concessions? The women’s point of view, of growth, friendship, career, success, love and needs, desperation, hopes? How much insights in the film ?
1.The portrait of Liz - in 1959 and her study success, the transition to her reputation in 1969, a literary novelist, her visit to California and her highbrow attitudes and talk, the contrast with Merry and Doug? The flight back to New York , sex comedy with Michael Brandon in the aircraft toilet? His comeuppance at the airport? Her taking Merry's soap-opera novel to the publisher? The change in 1975? Liz's continued success and reputation, the small output ? Merry’s change and its affect on Liz? Doug. and his love for Liz over the years, the proposal in the park, her rejection of him ? Merry's carrying on? Liz's reputation by 1981 – on the panel for literary awards, worrying about Debbie, putting up with Merry’s tantrums, the picking up the gigolo and the sexual encounter, the meeting with Chris and the sexual encounter, the meetings for the interview, the beginning of the affair, the lyrical New England scenes, the proposal of marriage?
The quarrel with Merry about the awards? The final reconciliation?
7. The portrait of Merry: the young heiress eloping in the late fifties, the late sixties house in Malibu, the Hollywood atmosphere and its artificiality, Merry as housewife? Doug's work, children? Her writing her novel in her spare time and asking Liz to promote it? 1975 and her success, wealth, change in style and personality, her screen personality on the talk shows and her trying to watch them , her enjoying the glamour? The clash with Doug and his walking out on her? Debbie and her growing up? 1981 and her brittle attitudes towards life, glamour, wealth, clashes with Liz? Wanting the prize? The big fight about the prize and the telling of truths about their friendship? reconciliation?
8. The truth told in friendship, the desperate fight at the reconciliation? The. mutual dependence for success and reputation? The rivalry and the friendship? The true love?
9. The picture of men in the film - Doug, and his stereotype of the successful husband, philanderer, leaving his wife, proposing to Liz, meeting Merry again and re-marrying? The gigolo and the sensual sexual encounter? Chris and his poise, interviews, the younger man with the older woman, the strengths of the love, the difference of age? The marriage proposal and Liz's inability to accept it? Jules Levi and the professional world of publishing?
10. American glamour and people being rich and famous? The American dream, the glossy lifestyle? How much depth, values?
11. The pretentious tone of the film - the number of celebrities filmed at the various parties, the quoting of literature and poetry, prizes? The epithet ‘Rich and Fatuous’ - and the film's deserving this?
