THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL Reviewed by GREG KING
Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Michael Christofer
Stars: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Pierce Brosnan, Lily Rabe, Keith Arthur Bolden, Michael Rose, Jesse William.
All about Lillian?
Veteran actress Lillian Hall (Jessica Lange) is regarded as “the first lady of American theatre”, a respected and admired thespian with over 200 theatre credits on her resume. She is currently in rehearsals for a Broadway production of Chekov’s classic drama The Cherry Orchard, but she seems to be forgetting her lines and missing her marks. Her doctor (Keith Arthur Bolden) diagnoses that she is suffering from an early form of dementia, which causes some hallucinations, the most obvious of which is the ghostly appearance of her late husband Carson. Lillian though is determined to press on and tries to keep her illness a secret. Hall’s obvious confusion worries the play’s producer who is already preparing the understudy to take over the role as opening night approaches. David, the theatre director (Jesse William), remains supportive of Lillian but is also concerned about whether or not she is up to the task.
Lillian is supported by her loyal longtime assistant Edith (Kathy Bates), who learns of her illness and is determined to help her face the challenge. Meanwhile Lillian also reaches out to reconnect with her estranged daughter Margaret (Lily Rabe), and this subplot provides much of the emotional heft of the film. It does become a little mawkish at times.
The Great Lillian Hall is a made for television movie produced by HBO, but it is gaining a limited cinematic release here. The film is directed by Michael Christofer who has a background in theatre, having won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. His extensive background in the theatre has given him unique insights into this world – the backstage politics, the fragile egos of its stars, the creative process, the rehearsal process, the creative decisions that go into staging a play, the glitz and excitement of a Broadway opening night.
The Great Lillian Hall is the debut feature script for Elisebeth Seldes Annocone and is largely inspired by the life and career of her aunt the Tony award winning stage actress Marian Seldes, whose career spanned six decades. The Great Lillian Hall is a study of dementia and mortality and family. The film is also a tribute to the theatre and a showcase for the talents of Oscar winners Lange and Bates.
Lange is superb as the narcissistic and demanding diva but manages to convey her fragility and vulnerability as she confronts her fears. She seems to draw inspiration from her own lengthy career to shape the character, and she gives the film its emotional core and lends the material a bittersweet quality. Bates is solid as the loyal Edith and suffuses her character with a sense of compassion and humour to her performance. Rabe is also good as Lillian’s resentful and emotionally damaged daughter who always felt that she came second in her mother’s priorities. And Pierce Brosnan is also very good in a supporting role as Lillian’s sympathetic and laidback next door neighbour Ty Maynard, himself an artist, and he plays him with charm, wit, and a twinkle in his eye.
Cinematographer Simon Dennis (Peaky Blinders, etc) does a great job of capturing the allure of the theatre world.
★★★
